Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) announced on Sunday that over one thousand companies now operate from the centre. As per DIFC Authority's operating figures for the first half of the year, the centre recorded 979 companies with a combined workforce of over 15,000 at the end of June 2013. The growth in the number of companies added in the third quarter stands at three per cent. The centre has significantly impacted the UAE and wider Middle East, Africa and South Asia (Measa) region's economic growth and development since its establishment in 2004. The accessibility provided by Dubai's airports and infrastructure, combined with the livability and cosmopolitan culture of the Emirate, has bolstered DIFC's proposition, attracting 21 of the world's top 25 banks, 11 of the top 20 money managers, 6 of the world's 10 largest insurers, and 6 out of 10 top law firms to the centre. AbdulAziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of DIFC Authority, commented: "Over the last decade, we have achieved various goals; we have built more than just a successful financial centre, we have established a global hub for companies to access the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. By providing a physical infrastructure that effectively facilitates business and by leveraging the benefits that Dubai's geographical positioning and accessibility offers, we have attracted some of the leading names in the financial world to the centre.
"As we enter into our tenth year in 2014, we continue to gather scale and critical mass. Crossing the thousand company mark is a fantastic achievement for us and we certainly look forward to accomplish many more similar milestones in the next phase of our development." Jeffrey Singer, CEO of DIFC Authority, commented:"The DIFC community lies at the heart of the centre's strategy and offering - the combination of reputable financial and professional services firms, as well as internationally-acclaimed retail outlets, are as much an essential component of who we are as our proven regulatory and legal system. "We have created one of the best working environments in the world, bringing together professionals from the East and West and facilitating international partnerships. The diverse mix of companies from various sectors and representing a number of geographical markets has positioned DIFC as a truly global financial ecosystem." DIFC's portfolio of active regulated companies, which now stands at 365, includes 311 authorised firms, 52 ancillary service providers, such as accountancy, legal and consulting firms, and two authorised market institutions, Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Mercantile Exchange.