Overview
Following the success of the joint ICMA, ISDA & ISLA conference in Riyadh this February, we are delighted that ICMA & ISLA will be partnering on a one-day event and returning to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), on 27 April 2026.
The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the Future Investment Initiative continue to drive remarkable growth in the country's financial markets and wider economy. Repo and securities lending are an integral part of creating a robust and liquid capital markets eco-system, with ICMA and ISLA playing an integral role in its development, working closely with local regulators, policy makers and firms on key legal, advocacy and regulatory reforms and developments, to further enhance liquidity and market diversification.
Following recent developments, including the publication of close out netting regulation and subsequent legal netting opinions, this one-day event will bring together key local stakeholders including regulators and the securities exchange, prominent regional financial institutions, and global market players, to provide an update on the growth of the SFT market in recent months, operational and infrastructure developments, Islamic repo and securities lending, as well as the Kingdom’s growth in the context of regional and global markets.
Admission: This in-person event is free to attend and open to ICMA members and interested market participants. Register now.
If you have any questions, please contact ICMA events.
Sponsorship opportunities
There are a number of sponsorship packages available, on a first come, first serve basis, all of which include marketing and branding opportunities pre- and post-event.
View the full Sponsorship Menu.
Please reach out to the following leads at each of the respective associations if you have any questions or to express your interest in sponsoring the event.
ICMA | Sanaa Clausse BenAbdelhadi, Senior Director, Head of Business Development (sponsorship@icmagroup.org)
ISLA | Sejal Amin, Head of Events Marketing & Communications (sejal.amin@islaemea.org)
We hope you are able to join us for this inaugural conference, providing unparalleled access and insight into this evolving and exciting market.
| 09:00 | Arrival, Registration & Refreshments | |
| 09:45 | Welcome remarks | |
| 10:00 | Opening Keynote Address | |
| 10:20 | Setting the Scene: The Growth & Evolution of Saudi Arabia's Securities Finance Market Not many jurisdictions have witnessed such rapid growth as seen in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Backed by a clear strategy, ambitious targets and a collaborative mindset, the Kingdom’s capital market has gone from strength to strength. With an up-to-the-minute view of the landscape, our expert panel will explore current market dynamics, and deep dive into the current state of the Saudi Arabian securities finance market. With a number of recent announcements including the loosening of Qualified Investor restrictions, and with key regulatory and legal developments still on the horizon, the need for the industry to coalesce should not be understated. Our panel will explore the key focus areas for the year ahead, ensuring the Kingdom’s markets continue to grow and attract global attention. |
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| 11:30 | Networking Refreshment Break Kindly sponsored by: BNP Paribas |
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| 12:00 | From Vision to Velocity: Accelerating KSA's Trade & Post-Trade Infrastructure Building on our scene-setting session, this focused discussion will shine a light on the fundamental aspects of a securities finance transaction and explore how the Kingdom has capitalised on operational, regulatory and technological advancements, to drive its market forward, and transition from ‘foundational build-out’ to ‘rapid scalability’. Our panellists will explore, amongst other things, the evolving and ever-growing bank and non-bank financial institutional landscape; new execution, clearing and agency models; collateral management in terms of bilateral verses triparty, as well as technological advancements such as automation which are driving efficiencies across the Kingdom’s trade and post trade ecosystem. |
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| 12:45 | The Gateway to Growth: Understanding Islamic Securities Finance Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to reconcile the principles of Islamic finance with the fundamental needs of a modern capital market. The panel will address the considerations when aligning Sharia principles with global best practices in securities finance, while outlining why standardisation, across legal, regulation and technology, isn’t just a nice to have, but essential in scaling the market and attracting international liquidity. Discussion points will include the innovative Sharia-compliant structures being developed for lending, collateral, and Sukuk, as well as the progress being made by ISLA, ICMA and other associations in the development of standardised templates, legal documents and best practices. |
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| 13:30 | Bridging the Gap: Scaling Liquidity & International Access in the MENAT Region The final session will bring together all the threads of the day, focusing on how Saudi Arabia, alongside the broader MENAT region, can solidify its position in the global capital market, and successfully attract international investment into its secondary market ecosystem. Our panel will the look at how recent initiatives and development driven by the EDAA and the Capital Market Authority, as well as similar bodies, are helping to funnel international investment through infrastructure and regulatory improvements, as well as how enhancements in post-trade efficiency, risk management, and the diversification of market instruments are appealing to a global audience. Panellists will also explore the value of international best practices as well as how trade associations can support onshore and offshore market participants through their networks, knowledge and advocacy efforts. |
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| 14:15 | Networking Lunch Kindly sponsored by: BNP Paribas |
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| 15:15 | Breakout Sessions We are pleased to offer delegates the opportunity to join concurrent product-specific sessions which will deep dive into topical aspects of both repo and securities lending individually. Repo Workstream (ICMA) An opportunity to delve deeper into some key global repo market developments and their relevance for the region. As part of the session, we will take a closer look at the GMRA, the global standard for documenting repo transactions, and ICMA’s related legal work, but also focus on broader repo market dynamics, including digitalisation and key global regulatory themes, along with ICMA’s related initiatives. Securities Lending Workstream (ISLA) An opportunity to understand the Global Master Securities Lending Agreement in more detail, as we look to demystify the legal framework that underpins the securities lending market. An opportunity to understand some of the key features of the document, including the close-out mechanics. We will also the recently published KSA netting opinion. |
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| 16:45 | Event close |
Sponsor
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BNP Paribas’ Securities Services business is a leading global custodian providing multi-asset post-trade and asset servicing solutions to buy-side and sell-side market participants, corporates and issuers. With a global reach covering 90+ markets, its custody network is one of the most extensive in the industry, enabling clients to maximise their investment opportunities worldwide. |
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We aspire to be the world’s most exceptional financial institution, united by our shared values of partnership, client service, integrity, and excellence. Operating at the center of capital markets, we act as one firm, mobilizing our people, capital, and ideas to deliver superior results across our clients’ most complex challenges. For 156 years, Goldman Sachs has delivered world-class execution on a global scale across our leading Global Banking & Markets and Asset & Wealth Management businesses. |
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Pirum was founded in 2000 with the objective of automating the securities finance and collateral management industries. The Software as a Service (SaaS) platform has since become the industry gold-standard, globally, for automation and connectivity solutions. Today, the Pirum product suite, which uniquely covers pre- and post-trade as well as collateral management, is used and trusted by over 150 leading financial institutions around the world, covering both buy- and sell-side activities. Pirum delivers automation, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, resilience, and reduced cost for its network of clients, who use Pirum’s solutions to connect, communicate, optimize and process their trades in global financial markets. By connecting market participants around the world, the Pirum dynamo sits at the heart of a complex multi-party financial markets eco-system, all the while increasing transparency and resilience, streamlining operations, and fostering collaboration. |
