Cantor, the premier global investment bank operating under the Cantor Fitzgerald group of companies, has received formal Financial Services Permission from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), marking the full operationalization of its regional investment banking and capital markets hub in one of the world’s fastest-growing financial centres.
The approval — anticipated since Cantor disclosed its in-principle clearance in December 2025 — authorises the firm to conduct regulated activities in and from ADGM, the international financial centre anchored on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The development completes a multi-phase expansion strategy designed to connect Middle East clients with global capital markets and to position Cantor as a meaningful participant in the Gulf’s booming deal-making environment.
A Strategic Bet on the Gulf’s Capital Markets Momentum
Cantor’s Abu Dhabi push follows a period of sustained dealmaking activity across the Gulf Cooperation Council. The region recorded a surge in initial public offerings, sovereign wealth fund-backed transactions, and cross-border advisory mandates over the past two years, with Abu Dhabi — home to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala Investment Company — emerging as a commanding force in global capital allocation.
Sage Kelly, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Global Head of Investment Banking at Cantor, framed the expansion as part of a broader, talent-led international growth strategy.
“The Middle East is a key growth market for Cantor as we continue to expand our global investment banking and capital markets platform. As we expand into Abu Dhabi, we are bringing the same long-term, talent-driven approach that has guided Cantor for decades. With Ali’s leadership, we are well positioned to capture opportunities across the Gulf and deliver the full scope of Cantor’s capabilities to clients.”
Khalpey Appointed to Anchor the Regional Build-Out
Leading Cantor’s Middle East push is Ali Khalpey, who joined the firm in 2025 as Head of Middle East, Investment Banking and Capital Markets. Khalpey brings nearly a decade of regional experience, most recently serving as Head of Equity Capital Markets at EFG Hermes, where he built a track record of executing transactions and cultivating institutional client relationships across the Arab world.
Cantor has assembled two dedicated teams in the region, with the Abu Dhabi office acting as the operational centre for advisory and capital markets mandates across the Gulf.
Khalpey described the timing and location as deliberate.
“The Gulf is one of the most active markets globally for IPOs and capital formation, and we hope to contribute meaningfully to the continued growth and deepening of regional capital markets. ADGM has become a major financial hub connecting global and regional capital, and Cantor’s presence here will enable us to better serve clients pursuing diversification and access to international markets.”
ADGM Welcomes Cantor to Its Growing Financial Ecosystem
ADGM, which has attracted a growing roster of global financial institutions in recent years, expressed confidence that Cantor’s arrival would strengthen Abu Dhabi’s standing as a premier destination for capital markets activity.
Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, said the decision by a firm of Cantor’s calibre reflected the centre’s expanding influence.
“Cantor’s decision to establish an office in Abu Dhabi reflects the growing importance of our financial centre as a base for global institutions serving clients across the Middle East. Cantor’s presence will contribute towards our growing ecosystem and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s continued development as a hub for capital markets activity.”
The endorsement adds Cantor to an expanding list of international banks and asset managers that have chosen ADGM as their regulatory home for Gulf operations, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s competitive positioning vis-à-vis Dubai’s DIFC as a financial jurisdiction of choice.
Cross-Border Capital Formation at the Core
Beyond its regional client mandate, Cantor’s Abu Dhabi office is expected to serve as a conduit for cross-border investment flows, linking Gulf-based sovereign funds, family offices, and corporates with Cantor’s global equity and debt capital markets capabilities. Bloomberg reported last year that the firm planned to hire dozens of bankers as part of its Middle East push — a hiring drive that the regulatory clearance now formally enables at full scale.
The FSRA’s grant of the Financial Services Permission allows Cantor to undertake regulated activities including advising on investments, arranging deals in investments, and managing assets — a broad mandate that positions the firm to compete across the full spectrum of regional investment banking services.
Cantor Fitzgerald is a premier global financial services firm founded in 1945 and headquartered in New York. The firm operates through Cantor Fitzgerald, its investment banking and capital markets division, alongside a diversified group of businesses including BGC Group, Newmark, and CF Acquisition Corp. Cantor provides services across equity and debt capital markets, mergers and acquisitions advisory, sales and trading, prime brokerage, and asset management. With a global footprint spanning the United States, Europe, Asia, and now the Middle East, Cantor serves corporations, institutional investors, and government entities across the world.
Abu Dhabi Global Market is the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, established on Al Maryah Island and operating under an independent common law framework. As an IFC, ADGM provides a progressive regulatory environment overseen by three independent authorities: the Registration Authority, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), and the ADGM Courts. Since its establishment in 2015, ADGM has grown into a globally recognised hub for banking, asset management, fintech, and capital markets, housing hundreds of international and regional financial institutions. ADGM is widely regarded as one of the most business-friendly financial jurisdictions in the Arab world.
EFG Hermes is one of the leading investment banks in the Arab world and a frontier markets financial services institution, headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, with a presence across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of investment banking services including equity brokerage, investment banking advisory, asset management, private equity, and research. EFG Hermes is listed on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) and is widely recognised for its deep regional expertise and track record in capital markets transactions across emerging and frontier markets.
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