Novia Global has set up an office in Dubai after receiving a licence from the Dubai Financial Services Authority.
The international investment platform has hired Mark Maplesden as its principle representative officer, as part of the expansion into the UAE.
Maplesden has worked in the wealth management sector in the UAE for more than 10 years.
According to Novia chief executive, Steve Andrews, Dubai’s economic and investment landscape was “impossible to ignore”.
He said: “We see Dubai and the broader region as a spectacular market, it is now arguably the hub to the world and Maplesden is the ideal hire for harnessing all the opportunities that it presents. We’re all extremely excited by this move, which very much reflects our continued efforts to provide new services, products and solutions for international advisers and their clients.
“A growing number of advisers and clients want to be a part of this success story, and we see an on-the-ground presence as essential to our own role in helping make that possible. Dubai is already recognised as having a world-class financial services ecosystem, as well as a progressive regulatory regime that clearly encourages and supports state-of-the-art fintech.”
Novia Global recently launched a stocks and shares Isa aimed at expats.
The firm said it would address the issue of Brits living abroad being left in “suspended animation”.
alina.khan@ft.com
