Keeping it people-focused, maintaining integrity at all times and innovating along with the changes in the market – these are the ingredients that make Al Ramz Securities, LLC or RAMZ one of the strongest independent brokerage companies in the UAE since its inception in the late 90s. RAMZ has matured along with the growth of the UAE as an economy and as an international investment hub.
The UAE has witnessed profound and in some ways, unprecedented changes over the last few years. Perhaps this is best underscored by the fact that, notwithstanding the spike in oil prices, oil now contributes less than 30 percent of the country’s domestic economy. The rise in the non-oil sectors’ contribution to UAE’s GDP reflects the aggressive diversification of the economy through legislative reforms, encouragement and empowerment of the private sector, and active support of the government for industrial growth.
Both the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX) and Dubai Financial Market (DFM) have grown considerably in terms of listings, trading volumes, trade turnovers and market capitalisations. In 2005, what is now known as NASDAQ Dubai (re-branded from its former name of Dubai International Financial Exchange) opened as the international exchange serving the region between Western Europe and East Asia. Through out all these advancements, RAMZ has been an integral part of the UAE financial markets providing reliable access for investors to participate in one of the world’s fastest growing markets.
From its humble beginning in 1998, RAMZ has to date become an independent powerhouse. Even before the ADX and DFM were formally established in 2000, RAMZ has been trading equities in the over-the-counter (OTC) market. With the establishment of the country’s two stock exchanges, RAMZ immediately saw a strong position among the competitors for market share. RAMZ has consistently maintained a significant portion of traded volume on both the ADX and DFM ranking amongst the top five brokers in the UAE in terms of volume. Such achievements would not have been possible and would not have been maintained had it not been for the company’s unfailing focus to better serve its customers and continuously evolving to suit market developments.
RAMZ offers its clients a more personalised approach to their brokerage needs, which has distinguished it in the region as a leader in brokerage services. From customer service to execution, the client is provided with an up-to-date look of the UAE markets, keeping the client informed on their investment portfolios by a range of brokers spread out through a network of branches across the UAE. RAMZ’s highly professional team works within a strict ethical framework – ensuring that clients’ interests are safeguarded at all times. RAMZ also recognises that these concepts are not enough to maintain success. Markets are dynamic and changes are inevitable. The company perceives change as a challenge that presents great opportunities – and so RAMZ moves forward with transformation.
Through the years, RAMZ has expanded both geographically as it established branches all over the country and organically as it developed more service offerings. The company has set up six strategically placed branches across the emirates to cater to the investment community and provide a network of highly trained brokers and an online trading platform for its retail client base. Clients can execute their own trades from the comfort of their own homes or offices while always being able to contact their local broker for a quick summary of the day’s news and events that are affecting their portfolios.
In early 2009, apart from securing membership from NASDAQ Dubai, RAMZ formally established its Institutional Desk. More recently RAMZ, aware of the growing participation of institutional investors both locally and regionally, further expanded its institutional reach by pursuing a merger with National Financial Brokerage Company, the brokerage arm of Invest AD, combining the institutional and retail markets to build a brokerage powerhouse. The transaction brings together two leading complementary brokerage firms in the region each being a leader in their respective fields. This has given RAMZ an edge in the institutional market of the UAE in exchange for Invest AD becoming a strategic shareholder in the expanded RAMZ Group.
Invest AD joins a distinguished and influential roster of RAMZ shareholders, which include established and reputable institutions in various sectors such as finance, investments, insurance and property. RAMZ is also in a unique position to count among its owners members of the ruling Al Nahyan Family of Abu Dhabi, Invest Abu Dhabi (formerly known as Abu Dhabi Investment Company) and Oman Insurance as well as regional business leaders with decades of professional experience and expertise in diverse fields.
RAMZ has made significant strides since its inception, maintaining its premier market position even in the face of growing competition and extreme market environments. This would not have been possible without the firm’s deep and unique understanding of its markets and customers and leveraging its competencies in terms of its service offerings, branch network and technological innovations. Going forward, RAMZ sees diversification in terms of geography and, in terms of product suite, as it actively pursues expanding into asset management.
With its unrivaled ambitions and strong continued growth, Al Ramz has established itself as a unique and independent brokerage aimed at helping its clients reach financial independence on their own, by bringing a wealth of experience to better serve the investor.
