CME Group has announced the opening of its first office in the Middle East, located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), as part of its ongoing global expansion strategy.
CME Group Opens Dubai Office to Expand Middle East Presence
The new entity will operate under a licence from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).
Julie Winkler, Chief Commercial Officer at CME Group, said: “Surging institutional and retail participation in financial markets has fuelled demand for broader trading access in the Middle East.
Winkler added that the firm’s new office will “accelerate our ability to help clients manage risk and pursue opportunities in some of the world’s most important benchmark products.”
Serge Marston, Head of EMEA, added that the Dubai base will serve as the company’s “Middle East hub,” offering clients across the region “a higher level of service than ever before.”
Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer at DIFC Authority, welcomed CME Group’s arrival, calling it “a testament to Dubai’s strategic role as a global financial hub.”
The office will be led by Sharif Jaghman, Head of Middle East and Africa, who brings nearly two decades of financial services experience, including senior roles at the New York Stock Exchange and Euronext.
CME Group offers futures, options, and cash markets across major asset classes, including interest rates, equities, FX, energy, metals, agriculture, and cryptocurrency.
Earlier this year, it launched trading in the spot U.S. Dollar/United Arab Emirates Dirham (USD/AED) pair on EBS Market, reflecting growing regional demand for local currency instruments.
