Financial Markets and Banking Center of Excellence

The UAE and GCC financial markets are evolving rapidly, creating a wealth of opportunities for innovation, leadership and sustainable growth. Financial institutions face increasingly complex risks, stringent regulatory demands, rapid digital transformation and a growing need for specialized skills. To navigate this landscape, there is a pressing need for centralized knowledge, integrated research, advisory services and expertise in priority areas such as risk management, corporate governance, fintech, AI, blockchain and SME finance.

The FMB Center of Excellence, based at the AUS School of Business Administration, serves as a dynamic hub for knowledge, research and collaboration. By leveraging the school’s world-class academic infrastructure, faculty expertise and international partnerships, the center enhances the UAE’s long-term competitiveness, reinforcing its position as a leading global financial hub.

Vision

To be the GCC’s premier center for knowledge and expertise, driving financial innovation, competitiveness and the growth of financial markets and institutions in the UAE and the region.

Mission

To provide actionable policy insights and regulatory recommendations for financial markets and institutions, based on cutting-edge research, advanced quantitative methods and analytical expertise
To support innovation and facilitate the adoption of efficient digital technologies across the UAE and GCC
To cultivate world-class talent through advanced training programs and specialized skill-building initiatives in the UAE and the wider GCC

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Our Impact

Driving Competitiveness and Innovation

The center strengthens the UAE’s financial ecosystem by:

enhancing banking competitiveness, human capital and innovation
attracting global talent
engaging specialist firms
fostering private-sector collaboration

The center works closely with existing initiatives such as the Interactive Trading Floor, which provides hands-on experience in trading, risk management and fintech applications, and the Endowed Chair in Banking and Finance, supported by the Bank of Sharjah, which advances applied research on regulatory, sustainability and market challenges.

Alignment with UAE Priorities

The center addresses national and regional priorities, including sustainable finance, digital transformation and financial stability. The GCC banking sector—blending traditional banking, Islamic finance and modern financial services—supports economic growth. The UAE’s strategic agenda targets doubling the economy, developing crypto markets and modernizing regulations. Financial hubs like Dubai International Finance Centre already position the UAE as the largest fintech ecosystem in the Middle East.

The center advances these priorities through its three integrated pillars:

Capacity Building and Skills Enhancement Programs

evelops human capital through executive education and professional programs, equipping leaders to implement the UAE’s strategic financial agenda—directly supporting national goals for financial sector innovation and competitiveness

Advisory, Consulting and Innovation in Product Development

Provides strategic guidance and innovative solutions that help institutions meet regulatory standards, improve banking sector competitiveness and contribute to the UAE’s ambition to become a global financial hub

Sectorial Research and Data Analytics

Generates actionable insights that inform policy and governance, aligning research outcomes with the UAE’s and GCC’s strategic financial priorities

These pillars are realized through a combination of:

executive programs and applied research

consulting projects

conferences, workshops and forums connecting academics, industry leaders, policymakers and regulators

Our Experts

Our faculty members bring a broad range of expertise across corporate finance, corporate governance, banking—including Islamic banking—and international investments.

Their research spans critical areas such as:

Financial Stability
Examining the safety and sustainability of the financial system through capital regulation, accounting standards and supervision

Bank Regulation
Exploring the interplay between bank management and regulatory frameworks

Banking and the Real Economy
Assessing how credit allocation affects local economies

Bank Governance
Evaluating monitoring mechanisms, performance and behavior of banks

ESG and Green Finance
Integrating environmental, social and governance priorities into banking operations

Banking, Accounting and Fintech
Covering financial reporting, fraud detection, forensic accounting, digital banking, AI algorithms, cybersecurity and automated advisory services

Explore more about our faculty member’s research themes and applied impact below.

Research Themes

The FMB Center of Excellence faculty also emphasize broader empirical and cross-disciplinary research, including:

Empirical Corporate Finance: Firm efficiency, performance, equity finance, IPOs, corporate governance, behavioral finance, dividend policy, capital structure and corporate bonds
Empirical Banking: Bank productivity, efficiency, risk management, competition, regulation, syndicated lending, corporate governance and globalization
Empirical Asset Pricing: Portfolio management, asset price volatility, option pricing, stock returns and predictability, and stock market internationalization
Quantitative Finance and Banking Applications: Financial economics, econometrics, shadow banking, fintech, cryptocurrencies and digital assets
Cross-Disciplinary Themes: Real effects of finance on SMEs, entrepreneurship, innovation, poverty, inequality and life satisfaction; ethical and sustainable finance; microfinance; Islamic finance; corporate social responsibility and climate finance

Applied Impact

Our faculty combine leading research with hands-on banking and finance experience. They publish in top journals, lead executive programs and deliver consulting projects that create real-world impact in Sharjah, the UAE and the region. Our programs’ rigor is recognized through partnerships and certifications with global organizations such as Bloomberg, CFA and CAIA, ensuring participants gain practical skills and insights.

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Contact

Dr. Zaher Zantout
Professor Finance
Director of the Financial Markets and Banking Center of Excellence
[email protected]
+971 6 515 2347

Amal Alkadri
College Social Media and Event Coordinator
Coordinator of the Financial Markets and Banking Center of Excellence
[email protected]
+971 6 515 4405