Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) said there has been an overwhelming response from the corporate world for its latest development, The Exchange, with 98 per cent of the office space already leased nearing maximum capacity.

Completed in March this year, The Exchange, a part of Gate Village, is set to be home to the regional headquarters of numerous global names, including Nasdaq Dubai and Alsharq News Services.

The ground plus eight-storey building has a total leasable area of 147,000 sq ft, of which 114,000 sq ft is office space and 33,000 sq ft is retail space. The development also includes The Exchange Square, a landscaped piazza, serving as an extension of the existing Gate Village podium, and three licenced world-class restaurants.

The speed at which nearly all of the 114,000 sq ft of office space at The Exchange has been snapped up is an affirmation to DIFC’s position as the financial centre of choice in the region, said a top official.

"The Exchange is bringing world-class office experience to our tenants. We are seeing more international companies move to Dubai, or expand their presence here, which demonstrates the growing importance of the Emirate, and DIFC, as a global investment and finance hub," remarked DIFC Authority CEO Arif Amiri.

Among those who have moved into The Exchange are Nasdaq Dubai, the CNBC International, a leading global business and finance news network, and Alsharq News Services, the future home for “Bloomberg Asharq” Television, radio and other news outlets.

As part of its expansion, Nasdaq Dubai is home to MarketSite, which features an event space for market-opening bell-ringing events drawing global visibility, where a wide range of organisations and individuals can make key announcements to the world.

The space is also open for corporate functions, seminars, roundtables and educational forums on the economy and business scene, stated Amiri.

Nasdaq Dubai CEO Hamed Ali said: "The Exchange provides us with flagship premises and first class facilities as we expand our product offerings and global investor base. MarketSite is a powerful platform for our issuers, market participants and others in the financial services community to tell their story to the world."

CNBC International too is expanding its Middle East operations with a new base at MarketSite. Set to open this month, the group's new studio will ensure the world is kept up to date on the latest developments right from the heart of DIFC.

The latest addition to the attractive range of real estate at DIFC, The Exchange is part of the Centre’s ongoing commitment to develop world-class infrastructure to meet the requirements of its growing community and retain its reputation for providing the most attractive, sought after business environment in Dubai.-TradeArabia News Service