MEIMA - Middle East Investment Management Association

What MEIMA - Middle East Investment Management Association does

MEIMA — Middle East Investment Management Association — is a non-profit trade body and industry voice for asset managers operating in the Middle East. Founded in 2022 and headquartered at Abu Dhabi Global Market Square (Al Maqam Tower, Level 8), the association represents investment management firms ranging from small independent managers to large global firms, as well as bank/insurance-owned asset managers, custodians, brokers, and service providers across the MENA region. Its stated mission is to act as a single unified voice representing member interests to policymakers and regulators, and to explain the role of the industry to a wider audience.

The association's core offering is a membership program. MEIMA runs two formal sub-committees — a Regulatory Committee providing direct liaison with Middle Eastern regulators including ADGM and DIFC, and a Membership, Events and Communication Committee driving member recruitment and engagement. Activities include monthly networking events, discussion groups, and a flagship annual MEIMA event rotating across major asset management city hubs in the region. There is no proprietary technology platform; MEIMA operates as a relationship- and event-driven industry body.

MEIMA's revenue model is straightforward subscription-based membership: a one-time registration fee of USD 1,000 and annual membership dues of USD 1,500. The go-to-market is sales-led via a direct website enquiry form and email/phone outreach, supplemented by event-based recruitment and senior-level board participation to drive engagement. The association is member-governed through a Board of Directors composed of senior leaders from member firms including Ajeej Capital, Northern Trust, Freedom Asset Management, Spencer Stuart, Solas, and Aument Capital Partners, with David Rothon (CEO of Ajeej Capital) serving as Chair.

Name

MEIMA - Middle East Investment Management Association

Legal name

Middle East Investment Management Association

Website

https://the-meima.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MEIMA is a member-driven trade association representing asset managers across the Middle East. Headquartered at ADGM in Abu Dhabi, it provides regulatory advocacy, networking events, and committee participation to investment firms operating in the MENA region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Asset management association
• Investment management body
• Trade association services
• Regulatory advocacy services
• Industry membership body

Headquarters

HQ city

Abu Dhabi

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: MEIMA generates revenue through one-time registration fees (USD 1,000) and annual membership dues (USD 1,500). These fees provide members with access to committees, regulatory developments, members' meetings, discussion groups, and networking events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MEIMA is a non-profit trade body and industry association representing asset managers in the Middle East. It offers a membership program through which asset management firms, custodians, brokers, and service providers gain access to regulatory advocacy, committee participation (Regulatory Committee; Membership and Events Committee), networking events, and a unified industry voice with regional policymakers and regulators.

Product overview

MEIMA is a trade body and industry association for investment managers in the Middle East, not a technology product company. It operates as a single unified membership program offering regulatory committee participation, membership and events services, and industry advocacy. The association connects asset management firms ranging from small independent investment firms to large global firms with regulators and stakeholders across the MENA region through ADGM and DIFC frameworks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MEIMA Membership Program

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ASIFMA (Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association): ASIFMA is a regional trade association for capital markets and asset management in Asia, headquartered in Hong Kong. It is directly comparable because it covers an emerging region, runs advocacy with multiple regulators, and serves a similar member mix (asset managers, custodians, brokers, service providers).
• Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA): AIMA is a global trade association for the alternative investment industry with regional chapters and government relations functions. It is directly comparable as it offers membership services, regulatory advocacy, and networking for asset managers, and MEIMA's member base (including hedge fund-style firms like Winton) overlaps with AIMA's target audience.
• EFAMA (European Fund and Asset Management Association): EFAMA is the European trade body representing the asset management industry, providing regulatory advocacy, industry research, and member services. It is comparable because it operates the same association model — representing asset managers to policymakers, running committees, and publishing industry data — that MEIMA aspires to at a regional level.

Broad incumbents

• Investment Company Institute (ICI): ICI is the leading US trade association representing registered investment companies and asset managers. It is comparable as a much larger incumbent association performing the same core functions (regulatory advocacy, research, member services) that MEIMA performs for the Middle East asset management industry.

Regional players

• Gulf Bond and Sukuk Association (GBSA): GBSA is a Dubai-based industry body representing issuers and investors in the Gulf bond and sukuk market. It is comparable as a regional, UAE-headquartered industry association performing advocacy and networking functions in a closely adjacent capital-market segment (fixed income) to MEIMA's asset management focus.
• Saudi Capital Market Authority Industry Committees: Saudi Arabia has industry committees and associations aligned with the CMA serving asset managers and investment firms. These are comparable because they represent the same target audience (regional asset managers) within a different but adjacent MENA jurisdiction, competing for the same international members establishing presence in the Gulf.

Others

• DIFC Academy / DIFC Industry Working Groups: DIFC hosts industry working groups and initiatives for financial services firms in Dubai. They are comparable as adjacent ecosystem institutions in the same regulatory jurisdiction (DIFC) that perform a subset of MEIMA's industry representation and event functions, and could either complement or partially compete with MEIMA's activities.

Emerging players

• CFA Institute (Middle East Society Network): CFA Institute and its regional societies (including in the UAE and Saudi Arabia) serve investment professionals with standards, advocacy, and member events. They are comparable because they engage the same investment professional audience, run similar advocacy and education programs, and compete for member mindshare within MENA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-meima

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MEIMA - Middle East Investment Management Association