As part of the Gulf Investment Awareness Program dubbed “Mulem”, the GCC financial market regulators, in collaboration with the GCC General Secretariat, continue their efforts to raise the investment awareness of market participants and interested parties in the capital markets operating across the GCC member states through a fourth campaign that will be launched by the Securities and Commodities Authority (United Arab Emirates) in April.
The campaign, which will be launched under the slogan “Effective Governance Is the Foundation of Sustainable Development”, aims to familiarize officials and board members of listed companies with governance-related guidance and regulations. It is also intended to provide guidance on how to prevent risks associated with corporate performance and to establish the view that good corporate governance results in successful performance, good achievements, conscious risk management, and a smart corporate business strategy.
The campaign is particularly aimed at board members of listed companies, senior officials in public joint-stock companies, governance and investor relations officers in listed companies, prospective investors and shareholders, and the interested public in general, such as scholars and media figures. It uses multiple media, including social networks, satellite channels, newspapers, websites, and webinars. Content is delivered through infographics, animations, TV interviews and programs, digital publications (leaflets and booklets), and awareness-raising articles appearing in newspapers.
Through this campaign, SCA seeks to support the implementation of institutional governance controls, promote the application of concepts of institutional discipline and wise management by board members and corporate officials, and raise investor confidence in capital markets in general.
The campaign comes as part of “Mulem”, a joint awareness-raising program by the GCC financial market regulators. It was launched early November 2020, and is aimed at financial market participants and interested parties in different sectors.
According to the program, financial market regulators in each GCC member state will be sponsoring the program for a specified period by featuring awareness messages, including press statements, on the websites and social media accounts of participating authorities, in addition to a variety of media outlets.
The GCC financial market regulators place a large emphasis on raising awareness to improve the skills and knowledge of investors, to protect them, and to enable them to make timely and sound investment decisions, thereby encouraging investments in a safe, capital-attracting environment and supporting the growth and diversification of the national economy.
The first campaign, Basics of Investment, was launched back in November and December 2020 by the Saudi Stock Exchange. It was followed by the Think Before You Invest campaign launched in January 2021 by the Capital Markets Authority in Kuwait and the Protect Your Investments by Knowing Your Rights and Obligations campaign launched last February and March by the Qatar Financial Markets Authority.
Through the program, the GCC General Secretariat intends to raise the awareness of investors across the GCC states, spread awareness about the fundamentals of investing in capital markets, highlight the importance of pursuing risk mitigation strategies, and introduce the legislation and regulations governing financial market transactions, thereby raising market efficiency and soundness standards.