Gordian Capital, a subsidiary of global investor services group IQ-EQ, has received regulatory approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate an institutional cross-border fund platform out of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
The licence authorises Gordian to provide a full suite of institutional fund services within or from DIFC, covering fund management, financial product advisory, custody arrangements, investment dealing and asset management. The firm has also secured a fund platform endorsement to its licence.
The platform is designed for experienced investment professionals seeking regulated, operational fund infrastructure, with Gordian managing the business and operational side of each fund so clients can focus on investing. The team also expects to play an active role in fund structuring and facilitating capital flows from the region into global markets.
Gordian is recognised as Asia-Pacific's first and largest institutional cross-border fund platform, with offices in Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Melbourne. The Dubai office marks its first foray into the Middle East and extends its cross-jurisdictional reach for an predominantly international client base.
The firm was acquired by IQ-EQ in July 2025. Since 2005, Gordian has launched over 115 funds across private and public strategies and currently manages US$22 billion in assets for institutional managers, family offices, hedge funds and corporates.
Richard Surrency, IQ-EQ's Group Chief Commercial Officer, described the licence as a significant milestone, noting the UAE's standing as a resilient and increasingly mature market central to the group's Middle East growth plans.
Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer at DIFC Authority, said Gordian's track record in regulated cross-border fund solutions would strengthen DIFC's funds and asset management ecosystem.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
