Company Formation & Regulatory Licensing

SAGEConsult has successfully assisted numerous companies with incorporation and regulatory licensing in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”). In addition, we provide representation for Company Secretary or Independent Director and act as the outsourced Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer and Risk Officer.

Setting up in the UAE Financial Free Zones

The Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (“ADGM”) are world-class financial centres strategically located in the United Arab Emirates, connecting time zones between Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Companies established in the DIFC and ADGM are well-placed at the gateway to the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Both the DIFC and the ADGM are independent financial free zone jurisdictions within the UAE. Each financial free zone applies English common law and both benefit from independent regulators and judicial systems. The ADGM and DIFC have excellent infrastructures and are home to some of the top global names in banking, asset management and insurance.

DIFC and ADGM advantages

  • Increasing number of double tax treaties
  • 100% ownership
  • 0% corporate and income tax
  • No restrictions on repatriations of profits

SAGEConsult provides a cost-effective service to set up a business in the DIFC or ADGM. We apply best in class internal processes to assist prospective companies incorporate quickly. In addition to company formation services, we also act as independent director and company secretary.

Please contact us to learn more about how SAGEConsult can assist with business set ups.

Financial services regulatory license applications

SAGEConsult employs turn-key solutions for DFSA and ADGM regulatory license applications that are bespoke to each applicant firm.

Over the years we have helped global financial services firms of various kinds gain regulatory licenses efficiently and within budget.

Our consultants manage the project full-circle. Specifically:

  • co-ordination with the regulator and dealing with all communication
  • completing regulatory application form
  • drafting the regulatory business plan
  • drafting requisite policies and procedures manuals (e.g. Compliance, AML, Risk)

Applicant firms are kept fully informed during the process so they can instead focus on the business and get ready for launch.Post licensing we can provide continued consulting support to the business’s Compliance and AML functions, on an ongoing or temporary basis. This may include supporting the appointed Compliance Officer/Money Laundering Officer, client on-boarding, training, independent compliance monitoring and ongoing advice.Furthermore, SAGEConsult can provide firms an outsourced Compliance Officer and/or Money Laundering Reporting Officer authorised by the regulator.

Please contact us to learn more about how SAGEConsult can assist with regulatory license applications.