UK investment bank Panmure Liberum expands into GCC via tie-up with Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK)

In a move underscoring the growing international appetite for Middle East markets, UK investment bank Panmure Liberum has announced a partnership with Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) to expand its services into the GCC region. F N London

Deal overview

Panmure Liberum (formed in January 2024 through the merger of Panmure Gordon and Liberum) is collaborating with BBK to provide M&A advisory, equity capital markets (ECM), and debt capital markets (DCM) services in Bahrain and the wider Gulf region. The precise team size and transaction volume have not been disclosed. F N London

Why the move matters

For Panmure Liberum, the expansion is a strategic recognition of slower growth in UK equity capital markets and a pivot toward fast-growing regions. The Middle East, and specifically the GCC, offers increasing deal flow, growing investor interest, and favourable diversification opportunities. For BBK, partnering with a UK firm brings international access, know-how and deal-flow connectivity.

The tie-up also signals a broader trend: international investment banks and brokers are seeking to deepen presence in the GCC — a region driven by sovereign-wealth activity, large infrastructure and diversification programmes, capital-market liberalisation, and rising private-equity deals.

Implications for the GCC region

Challenges & risks

Outlook

This deal is a marker of change: the Gulf region is increasingly integrated into global capital-markets flows and advisory networks. For Panmure Liberum, success will depend on translating its UK deal-making capability into Gulf-specific execution. For BBK, the partnership offers a path to international capital markets and higher-value deals.

Ultimately, as the GCC region diversifies (less oil-dependence) and builds its own capital-market ecosystem, partnerships like this will become more common — contributing to deeper, more liquid regional markets and stronger cross-border financial integration.