London and Dubai, September 2026 – MUFG today announces the appointment of Edward Bell as Head of Research Middle East and North Africa MENA.
In his new role, Edward will lead MUFG’s research coverage of the Middle East and Turkey, providing macroeconomic insights and analysis for clients and the bank. His coverage will also include energy markets, with a focus on crude oil and natural gas.
Prior to joining MUFG, Edward worked at Emirates NBD where he spent over a decade covering MENA macroeconomics, markets and commodities, as well as rates and FX. Edward also worked at the Economist Intelligence Unit in Hong Kong and London as a commodities and Middle East country analyst.
Based in Dubai, Edward will report locally to Wael Al Sharif, Head of Global Corporate and Investment Banking (GCIB) for MENA, and functionally to Derek Halpenny, Head of Research, Global Markets EMEA & International Securities, for his global research responsibilities.
Wael Al Sharif, Head of GCIB MENA at MUFG said: “We are delighted to welcome Edward to MUFG. His extensive experience covering Middle East macroeconomics, markets and commodities will be a valuable addition to our research capabilities. His expertise across the Middle East and Turkey, together with his deep understanding of energy markets, will further strengthen the insights we provide to clients as they navigate an increasingly complex global macroeconomic environment.”
Derek Halpenny, Head of Research, Global Markets EMEA & International Securities at MUFG, said: “Edward brings extensive knowledge of the Middle East, Turkey and global energy markets to our research platform. His appointment strengthens our global research capabilities in an increasingly important region and will further connect our MENA research with MUFG’s wider global research offering. We are delighted to have him on board and look forward to the unique insights he will bring to our clients and the wider research team.”
Edward Bell, Head of Research MENA at MUFG said: “I am delighted to be joining MUFG and look forward to working with colleagues across the bank to further strengthen our research offering. The Middle East and Turkey are increasingly important to the global economic and markets outlook, while developments across energy markets continue to have implications well beyond the region. I look forward to providing clients with timely insights into these evolving dynamics.”
About MUFG:
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world’s leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with approximately 2,300 locations in more than 50 countries. The Group has about 160,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to “be the world’s most trusted financial group” through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges.
