DFM launches "IPO Communications Guide"

Dubai Financial Market (DFM) launched on Monday its "IPO Communications Guide", as part of the exchange’s continuous efforts to develop various practical guides that explains the regulatory framework of going public as well as the international best practices related to stages of implementation of an IPO.

Accessible in both Arabic and English on DFM website; www.dfm.ae , this guide is the most recent addition to series of step-by-step booklets that offers potential issuers an insightful source to support their preparations for going public, whether Pre-, During or Post IPO. The guide is the outcome of fruitful collaboration with corporate communications advisors as it contains valuable contributions from carefully selected number of leading public relations, strategic communications and law firms including Asda’a Burson-Marsteller, Bell Pottinger, Brunswick, FTI consulting and Latham & Watkins LLP.

Essa Kazim, Chairman of DFM, said; "We are pleased to launch this guide in line with DFM’s commitment to further reinforce the leading position of Dubai as a dynamic capital markets hub. Promoting the IPO sector by encouraging and supporting family and private companies to go public and list on DFM, has always been a main pillar of the growth strategy successfully implemented by the DFM over the past years.'' '' We are extensively investing time and effort to support private businesses in their preparation to go public and this has evidently delivered in the year 2014 by welcoming four IPOs. We are pursuing our efforts in order to achieve the best possible representation of key economic sectors in Dubai, further promote the growth of the financial sector and increase its contribution in the GDP in line with the Dubai 2021 plan," he added.

Fahima Al Bastaki, Executive Vice President, Head of Business Development Division, DFM, said: "As part of DFM’s ongoing commitment to promote best practices of corporate communications, Investor Relations and Corporate Governance amongst listed companies as well as potential issuers, we are pleased to launch this guide that explains the key elements of effective communications with stakeholders.'' The guide,she explained, was DFM’s response to the huge interest we received from potential issuers who wanted to utilize various DFM tools and models developed over the past few years. It also sheds light on ways to develop IPO communication plans, encouraging an integrated communications approach to reaching investors (institutional and retail), utilising a range of communication channels and digital communication tools. The guide also provides an insight about some of the case studies of successfully implemented IPOs on DFM.

''We would like to thank our partners of corporate communications advisors for their invaluable contribution to this comprehensive guide on ways to develop an IPO communication plan that effectively disseminates key messages and necessary information on the investment and success story of any potential issuer in a well-managed and consistent way," she indicated.