eVestment, the investment research and consultancy firm, is opening a Dubai office to target traditional and alternative asset management firms in the Africa and Middle East region.

eVestment, the investment research and consultancy firm, is opening a Dubai office to target traditional and alternative asset management firms in the Africa and Middle East region.  

The office is located in Dubai Internet City.

Explaining its office opening, eVestment said that since the first quarter of 2009, in the aftermath of the financial crisis, investable institutional assets domiciled in the Middle East and Africa have surged by more than 180 per cent, from $196.8 billion  to $560 billion as of the middle of this year. It says the wealth of the Middle East’s high net worth individuals has increased from $1.4 trillion in 2009 to $2.11 trillion in 2013.

Dubai recently eased restrictions on asset managers operating in the Dubai International Financial Center, the country’s financial enterprise zone.

Wissem Souissi will lead the office as eVestment’s vice president Middle East and Africa region. He brings to eVestment a 12-year record in financial and investment sales and business development in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Prior to joining eVestment, Souissi served as Sales Manager for the Middle East and the Russian Commonwealth with eFront, a firm working in private equity, real estate and alternative investment management solutions. He also has worked with Moody’s Analytics in Southern and Eastern Europe and Africa.