Global investor services group IQ-EQ announced that its subsidiary Gordian Capital has received regulatory approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority to establish operations at Dubai International Financial Centre.

The licence allows Gordian Capital to provide a range of institutional fund services within or from DIFC, including managing collective investment funds, advising on financial products, arranging custody, arranging investment deals and managing assets. The company has also received approval to operate a fund platform.

The expansion marks Gordian Capital’s entry into the Middle East as part of IQ-EQ’s broader growth strategy across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region. The firm said the Dubai operation will support institutional investment professionals seeking regulated operational infrastructure while enabling clients to focus on investment management.

Founded in 2005, Gordian Capital has launched more than 115 funds across private and public market strategies and currently manages approximately US$22 billion in assets. Its client base includes institutional asset managers, hedge funds, family offices and corporates investing across sectors including private equity, infrastructure, venture capital and real estate.

Gordian Capital operates across Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Melbourne. The company was acquired by IQ-EQ in July 2025, expanding the group’s regulated fund platform capabilities across Asia-Pacific alongside existing operations in France, Luxembourg, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Mark Voumard, founder of Gordian Capital and Managing Director and Head of Fund Platform and Solutions, Asia and Middle East at IQ-EQ, said the new licence would provide institutional managers with a regulated pathway to establish a presence in DIFC while meeting operational and compliance requirements.

Richard Surrency, Group Chief Commercial Officer at IQ-EQ, described the approval as a significant step in the group’s Middle East expansion plans, citing the UAE’s growing position as a mature financial market.

Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer at DIFC Authority, said Gordian Capital’s arrival would strengthen DIFC’s asset management ecosystem and reinforce its position as a regional hub for institutional fund platforms.

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Alexander Agafiev

Alexander Agafiev is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.