In 2009, markets were battered by a seemingly never-ending series of financial crises — burst bubbles, financial meltdowns, soaring oil prices, credit crunches and falling home equity. These crises have weighted down the initial public offering market since 2008, and yet, the regional IPO pipeline is full — 150 companies have already announced IPO plans for 2010 and beyond. Analysts say that with pent-up demand for equity, a large pipeline of deals and realistic sellers, there is every reason to believe that 2010 will be the beginning of an active and profitable period for IPOs. According to available data, a number of regional companies plan to list this year, reopening a market that has been virtually shut even as investors lapped up billions of dollars worth of newly issued bonds across the Middle East and North Africa region. While regional and global investors nurse their wounds over Dubai World’s
