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Find out moreWelcome to the Saudi Arabia focus edition of Law Update.
One of the key markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) that continues to lead from the front is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). As the largest country in the Middle East and the 18th largest economy in the world, the progress KSA continues to make is underpinned by its Vision 2030 that envisions developing the country as an investment powerhouse and hub that ultimately connects Asia, Europe, and Africa. Given Saudi Arabia’s significance to the regional economy, our team of experts have prepared a range of pertinent articles that provide insights into new laws, regulations, and the legal landscape in the Kingdom.
This edition will provide you with an up-to-date guide on matters such as; the framework issued by the Saudi Central Bank on IT governance, the anti-corruption landscape under Vision 2030; we also provide practical tips for dispute avoidance. This is only a snapshot; there are many more articles within the KSA focus section for you to read, which we hope you will find valuable and enjoyable.
Read the editionOn 1 April 2020, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (the “DFSA”) amended its Markets Rulebook (“MKT”) and other relevant sections of its Rulebook Modules to provide for a simplified and streamlined regime for Small or Medium-sized Enterprises (“SME”) to access equity capital markets in, or from, the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”).
The purpose of the amendments is to particularly address the route by which SMEs can apply to have their shares admitted to the DFSA’s Official List of Securities and therefore, encouraging SMEs to list on Nasdaq Dubai. The amendments provide appropriate and proportionate regulatory standards to match the smaller size of SMEs, whilst at the same time providing adequate levels of investor protection.
The amended regulations recognise the importance of SMEs to the UAE economy and should allow SMEs easier and less costly access to equity financing.
An entity applying to admit its shares to the DFSA’s Official List of Securities will be classified as an SME if the aggregate market value of the shares it is applying to list is reasonably expected to be less than US$250 million in value.
An entity that has already had its shares admitted to the DFSA’s Official List of Securities will be classified as an SME if the aggregate market value of its shares when admitted was less than US$250 million and the average market value of its listed shares has not exceeded US$500 million for 90 consecutive days. In the event that the aggregate market value of an SME’s listed shares exceeds US$500 million for 90 consecutive days an entity will lose its SME status.
The eligibility requirements for listing set out in MKT have been amended for SMEs so as to be proportionate to the nature, scale and resources of SMEs. Examples of the changes that have been made to MKT and the different eligibility rules that apply to SMEs are as follows:
The DFSA has amended the ongoing post-listing requirements for SMEs in MKT. Most of these amendments particularly relate to the expectation that the corporate governance of an SME may be less sophisticated than that of larger listed entities and therefore certain additional requirements are in place to protect investors. These include:
Andrew Tarbuck
Partner, Head of Capital Markets
a.tarbuck@tamimi.com
Anna Robinson
Senior Associate, Corporate Commercial
a.robinson@tamimi.com
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