Abdullah Mohammed Saleh, who has served as chairman of the Dubai Financial Services Authority — DIFC’s regulator — was appointed as DIFC’s governor, the agency reported.

Saleh replaces Ahmed Humaid Al-Tayer, a prominent figure in Dubai.

In late June, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum was appointed chairman of Emirates NBD, the UAE’s largest bank by assets, also replacing Al-Tayer.

The DIFC, launched in 2004, is a financial free zone home to 800 active registered firms, including 18 of the top 25 global banks, global asset managers, insurers and law firms.

DIFC said 64 companies joined it in the first six months of 2011, bringing the net total of active registered companies operating in the center up to 813.

A statement said 44 percent of new regulated companies in the first half of 2011 came from the Middle East and Asia, 50 percent from Europe and North America, and six percent from the rest of the world.

In spite of the regional unrest and the continued global economic downturn, DIFC continues to grow as one of world’s top international financial centers.

As of June 30, 2011, 813 active registered companies have a presence in DIFC, with 312 regulated and 409 non-regulated companies, and 92 retailers.

The growth in number of registered companies remained consistent in the first two quarters of 2011 at around 32 companies per quarter, which is similar to that recorded in the last three quarters of 2010.

DIFC’s strategy to build a business-friendly environment that supports the growth of its clients throughout different business cycles continues to reap its rewards.

In the first half of 2011, a number of clients increased their physical presence and deployed more resources in the region.

These include major multinationals, who expanded their presence taking up significant additional space within the Center, such as Standard Bank and Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

Other firms have expanded their operations dedicated to the region including Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, six companies upgraded their licenses expanding the range of services they offer to their clients in the Middle East and North Africa.