CME Group strengthens in Middle East with first Dubai office
15th October, 2025|Aravind Bulusu
CME Group has opened its first Dubai office, marking the US exchange giant's first operational base in the fast-growing Middle East region.
The Chicago-based exchange group announced on Wednesday the opening of its Dubai office, in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and operated under Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) license.
The new centre will provide listed futures and options across various asset classes, the firm said.
The US group’s new Dubai office will be led by Sharif Jaghman, head of Middle East and Africa, who has nearly 20 years of experience in financial services. Jaghman was previously based in London for CME Group and has held various senior positions at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Euronext.
Julie Winkler, chief commercial officer at CME Group, said: “Surging institutional and retail participation in financial markets has fuelled demand for broader trading access in the Middle East. Building on years of collaboration with regulators and brokers in the region, our new office will accelerate our ability to help clients manage risk and pursue opportunities in some of the world’s most important benchmark products."
Serge Marston, head of EMEA at CME Group, said: "This is a significant step forward in elevating our EMEA presence for our clients. Our Dubai office will operate as CME Group’s Middle East hub, offering the UAE and surrounding markets a higher level of service than ever before.”
Salmaan Jaffery, chief business development officer at DIFC Authority, said: “CME Group’s presence in the Centre is a testament to Dubai’s strategic role as a global financial hub and underscores the growing opportunities in the region. We look forward to supporting CME Group as they capture new growth avenues and further strengthen their connections across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.”
The CME Group in June listed the spot US Dollar/United Arab Emirates Dirham (USD/AED) currency pair on its EBS platform due to client demand in the Middle East.
The bourse in June said it added 83,000 new retail traders to its derivatives segment in the first quarter of this year, of which 26% were from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
CME Group in October reported average daily volume down 8% last month to 26.1 million lots compared to 28.4 million contracts in September 2024.
