Carmignac has opened a new regional office in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. This follows authorisation from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to conduct regulated activities from the Centre. The firm has also appointed Christophe Younes as senior executive officer of Carmignac Middle East Ltd and head of Middle East.
The move marks an important milestone in Carmignac’s international expansion strategy and reinforces its long-term commitment to the region. DIFC offers a robust regulatory framework, internationally recognised legal standards and an efficient business environment, making it an attractive location for asset managers with a long-term strategic outlook, like Carmignac. Dubai’s increasing influence as a financial city, supported by the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), further reinforces its appeal as a global hub.
Based in Dubai, Christophe Younes will support the development of Carmignac's distribution across the UAE and the wider region, with a focus on strengthening relationships with institutional and wealth investors. Christophe will be supported by a seasoned board of directors including Habib Achkar.
Christophe rejoined Carmignac earlier this year from PIMCO, where he was responsible for raising capital across the firm's public and private investment strategies in France and Monaco, working primarily with private banks and family offices. He previously spent 10 years at Carmignac, joining as a fixed income product specialist before moving into a sales role covering banking and institutional clients across France and Monaco. Fluent in English, French and Arabic, he graduated from Paris-Dauphine University with a Master’s degree in Finance and is a CFA charterholder.
Habib Achkar spent more than 30 years at Morgan Stanley, where he held a number of senior positions, including head of the trading room in Paris, CEO of Morgan Stanley Saudi Arabia, CEO of Morgan Stanley MENA and, ultimately, vice chairman. He is the founder of Marcory Advisors Limited and joined Carmignac’s board of directors in 2024.
Carmignac's investment capabilities span equities, fixed income, multi-asset, alternatives, and private assets. Its high-conviction approach makes it well placed to support the long-term interests of clients in the UAE and across the GCC seeking diversified portfolios through changing market conditions.
The decision to establish a new office in the UAE reflects Carmignac's confidence in the country’s long-term growth prospects and its ambition to build lasting partnerships with local and regional investors across one of the world's fastest-growing wealth markets.
Rose Ouahba, group deputy CEO, board member of Carmignac Gestion Luxembourg and Carmignac Middle East, comments: “The launch of a dedicated Dubai office marks a major milestone in Carmignac’s international ambitions across growth markets. With deep experience serving private banks and institutional clients across Europe, we look forward to bringing our expertise to the UAE while learning from local and regional institutions.
I am pleased to welcome Christophe back to the team. His experience advising private wealth clients internationally makes him ideally suited to lead our expansion into this strategically important and rapidly evolving market. His humility, technical expertise and passion for this project have been a genuine source of inspiration as we embark on this new chapter.”