Nomura Expands in Dubai, Eyes GCC Wealth Management Growth

Editorial Team

Last updated 24-12-2025

3 min

Nomura has opened new premises at Dubai International Financial Centre, expanding its operations in the GCC.

Initially targeting the South Asian community, Nomura now aims for high-net-worth clients across the region.

DIFC's officials commend this move, highlighting Dubai's growing role as a financial hub.

This expansion supports a larger team and client base, reflecting Nomura’s strong regional growth.

The shift signifies continued confidence in the Gulf's potential by global financial institutions.

Nomura has taken another confident step into the region by opening its new premises at Dubai International Financial Centre, a move that seems to underline how quickly wealth management in the GCC is evolving. The firm had already planted its flag in the DIFC back in 2023, but shifting into a larger space now suggests the team has outgrown its early setup faster than expected. I’ve seen this sort of thing before with startups across the MENA region — once the right people are on the ground, growth can snowball before anyone has time to catch their breath.

The expansion builds on the work of Nomura Singapore’s International Wealth Management arm, which has been steering the strategy for the Middle East. In the beginning, the Dubai office focused mainly on serving the South Asian community living across MEASA. That said, the group now seems keen to widen its net, aiming at local high-net-worth clients, single family offices and external asset managers in the UAE and across the wider GCC. And believe it or not, that shift mirrors what many founders in the region tell us at Arageek: once you establish trust with one segment, new doors start opening, almost as if by accident.

DIFC officials appear rather chuffed about Nomura’s decision to deepen its roots. Salmaan Jaffery, the centre’s Chief Business Development Officer, highlighted how the move reflects Nomura’s long-standing expertise and also the opportunities Dubai offers global financial players. He explained that the hub gives international firms the ideal base to strengthen operations and tap into new regional openings. On the flip side, it also reinforces Dubai’s growing role as a magnet for both capital and talent — something I reckon we’ll see even more of in 2025.

From Nomura’s side, Ravi Raju, who leads the International Wealth Management business, noted that DIFC has positioned itself as a major financial centre for years. He said the firm has witnessed strong growth since establishing its presence and that the upgraded office will help support a growing team and a wider client base. It’s spot on, really; scaling a wealth management franchise without more space would’ve been a bit of a faff.

All in all, the move feels like another signal that global financial institutions are still betting big on the Gulf. And while corporate expansions aren’t always headline-grabbing thrills, this one definately hints at a broader momentum we keep spotting across Dubai’s financial ecosystem — steady, strategic and very much built for the long game.

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