ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) have launched a programme to train Emirati professionals and strengthen investor relations capabilities across the country’s capital markets.
The Emirati Investor Relations Development Programme will provide participants with structured training, regulatory knowledge and internationally recognised investor relations qualifications, according to a joint statement.
Announced during the MEIRA Annual Conference in Dubai, the initiative will combine MEIRA’s Certified Investor Relations Officer qualification pathway with UAE-specific regulatory content and assessments developed in collaboration with the CMA.
The programme will include in-person training and a dedicated UAE Financial Regulatory Module. Its final structure will be tailored to the backgrounds of the selected participants.
“Strong capital markets depend on skilled professionals who understand the importance of strategic communication, transparency and effective engagement with investors,” said Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of the CMA.
He said the programme represented an investment in Emirati talent and the capabilities needed to support well-governed and trusted markets.
“Strengthening investor relations expertise will help improve the quality of engagement between companies and investors, reinforce market discipline and contribute to the long-term resilience of the UAE’s capital markets,” Al Awadhi added.
The first cohort is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026 and will include UAE nationals from entities regulated by the CMA. Training will be provided through in-person and hybrid formats, including sessions held at the authority’s premises.
The broader framework is designed to train more than 100 professionals over time, with a focus on Emirati talent and the development of long-term career pathways in investor relations and capital markets.
Under the partnership, the CMA will provide regulatory input, localise the programme, offer training facilities and create pathways for participants from regulated entities.
MEIRA will contribute its regional investor relations expertise, lead the delivery of the programme and provide access to internationally recognised certification in cooperation with the UK Investor Relations Society.
The two organisations will also establish a dedicated talent pool of programme graduates that will be accessible to listed companies, supporting career opportunities in investor relations across the UAE’s capital markets.
Reza Eftekhari, Chief Executive Officer of MEIRA, said the partnership combined MEIRA’s regional expertise and professional development framework with the CMA’s regulatory leadership.
“By combining MEIRA’s regional expertise and professional development framework with the CMA’s regulatory leadership, we are creating new opportunities for Emirati talent, strengthening investor relations and capital market capabilities and raising professional standards across the UAE and the wider region,” he said.
The initiative forms part of a longer-term collaboration between the CMA and MEIRA to strengthen professional capabilities in the UAE’s capital markets and advance investor relations standards among listed and regulated entities.
Details concerning nominations and applications for the first cohort, along with the participating corporate partners, will be announced later, the statement said.