Dubai International Financial Centre
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| Industry | Banking, Financial Services |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002,[1] operations started 2004[2] |
| Headquarters | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Key people |
H.E. Abdullah Mohammed Saleh Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum |
| Website | http://difc.ae/ |
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is an on-shore financial hub which aims to provide a platform for business and financial institutions to reach into and out of the emerging markets of the region. It was established to create an environment for growth, progress and economic development in the United Arab Emirates and the wider region by providing the needed legal and business as well as physical infrastructure benchmarked against international standards.
Independent jurisdiction
The DIFC is an independent jurisdiction under the UAE Constitution, and has its own independent civil and commercial laws, which are written in English and which default to English law. It also has its own courts, with judges taken from leading common law jurisdictions including England, Singapore and Hong Kong. The DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre is an independent centre of international arbitration that uses rules modeled on the London Centre of International Arbitration.
Role as an international financial centre
License applications are considered from financial institutions in the sectors. Each of these units offer benefits such as zero tax rate on income and profits, 100 percent foreign ownership, no restrictions on foreign exchange or capital/profit repatriation, operational support and business continuity facilities.
One of the key elements of the centre is a privately held financial exchange that opened in September 2005 as Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX) but was rebranded to NASDAQ Dubai in the year 2008.
The trading hours of NASDAQ Dubai are from 10:00am to 2:00 pm (06:00 am to 10:00 am GMT) from Sunday to Thursday.[3]
Companies listed on NASDAQ Dubai include ordinary shares listed by DP World along with DEPA. DP World's initial public offering was the largest ever in the Middle East and raised $4.96 billion;[4] it was 15 times oversubscribed, and is one of the most valued companies in the Middle East Region.[5]
NASDAQ Dubai is regulated by Dubai Financial Services Authority.[6]
Hotels
The Dubai International Financial Center complex has one hotel, the Ritz Carlton DIFC.[7] The hotel was announced and construction was started in 2006.[8][9] Paris-based construction firm Bouygues[8] built the hotel for developers Union Properties.[8] The hotel was scheduled to open 2008,[10] but began operations in January 2011.[11]
The 5 star[12] property is located adjacent to the Gate Precinct within the Gate Boulevard district near the Gate Building. It is 14 stories tall and consists of 341 rooms plus 124 serviced apartments, 3 restaurants 2 lounges and a 1400 square meter ballroom.[13] The hotel covers an area of 2000 square meters.[9]
The developers of the hotel, Union Properties, sold it in November 2010 for AED 1.1 Billion in order to reduce debt.[9]
The hotel has a 4.5/5 rating on Tripadvisor.[12]
Art galleries
Dubai International Financial Center is also home to art galleries which showcase both local and international art:[14][15]
The galleries showcase works by Middle Eastern and international artists, and frequently host events to present new works from different artists. Some of the above galleries also act as auction houses.
Restaurants and cafés
There is a variety of 42 cafes and restaurants located in this area featuring local and international chains; the selection of eateries includes everything from fast food outlets to dining options. A wide variety of cuisines can be found here:[16][17]
Shopping
Within the DIFC complex are located a variety of retail shops and convenience stores along with business services outlets:[18]
References
- ^ DIFC announces project overview for real estate development | DIFC | AMEinfo.com
- ^ The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is open for business | DIFC | AMEinfo.com
- ^ "NASDAQ Dubai". NASDAQ Dubai. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
- ^ "Clifford Chance advises on the largest ever IPO in the Middle East | Clifford Chance". AMEinfo.com. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
- ^ "DP World nets $4.9bn in region’s biggest IPO - Money Matters". livemint.com. 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
- ^ NASDAQ Dubai
- ^ Ritz-Carlton launches first hotel at Dubai International Financial Centre | Travel and Tourism | AMEinfo.com
- ^ a b c Bouygues hits Dubai with Ritz-Carlton job - ArabianBusiness.com
- ^ a b c Union Properties finalizes sale of Ritz Carlton Hotel at DIFC | Union Properties (UP) | AMEinfo.com
- ^ Ritz-Carlton heads for DIFC - Travel & Hospitality - ArabianBusiness.com
- ^ New Ritz-Carlton to Open January 2011 at Dubai International Financial Centre
- ^ a b The Ritz-Carlton Dubai, International Financial Centre (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
- ^ World Trade Centre Hotel in Dubai: The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai Intl. Financial Centre
- ^ DIFC Galleries Night | Dubai International Financial Centre
- ^ Art & Culture | Dubai International Financial Centre
- ^ Cafés & Restaurants | Dubai International Financial Centre
- ^ Dubai Restaurants, Online menu Guide, Dubai Cuisines, Dubai Menu Guide – MenuPages.ae
- ^ Retail & Convenience | Dubai International Financial Centre
External links
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Coordinates: 25°12′51″N 55°16′53″E / 25.21417°N 55.28139°E
