The Qatar Financial Market Authority (QFMA) has adopted new rules and regulations for initial public offerings (IPO) and listings for the country’s secondary market in a bid to attract more companies to list on the secondary market.

“The new rules, while part of the Authority’s strategic plan, were a result of intense discussions between QFMA and Qatar Exchange (QE) to further consolidate the local financial market and to regulate the working relationship between various parties concerned with the listing process to cope with developments in Qatar’s capital markets,” says Nasser Ahmed al-Shaibi, chief executive officer (CEO) of the QFMA.

According to Al-Shaibi, the new rules, which provide a framework for the inclusion of more products and investment tools, will encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to list on the QE.

“The rules came at the right time, when QE is getting ready to launch the Venture Market segment as part of the markets and products to be included under the umbrella of the new listing and IPO rules in the secondary market,” says Rashid Ali al-Mansouri, deputy CEO of the Qatar Exchange.The Venture Market segment will be launched to encourage SMEs and newly formulated companies to list in Qatar Exchange,”