Around 700 delegates from 27 countries and more than 150 exhibitors are taking part in a banking and financial technology event that opened in Bahrain today (April 20).

Meftec, the premier financial technology event for emerging markets, will end tomorrow at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre.

In spite of the challenges facing the financial technology sector globally, the show has been a sell-out for the fourth year in a row, a statement said.

"To have maintained the size and quality of Meftec in such difficult times is remarkable and can only be attributed to the resilience of the region's financial industry, the appeal of Bahrain as a destination and the sheer determination Meftec's marketing and organising team,” said Paul Stott, managing director of organisers Media Generation Exhibitions.

The conference at Meftec is always a major draw for CIOs in the region and this year's conference is no exception, the statement added.

Under the theme of "Innovation in the midst of regulation", the 2010 conference programme features presentations from an array of speakers representing such organisations as Barwa Bank, Amman Stock Exchange, Gartner and Celent.

The event's Hosted Delegate Programme attracted more than 500 financial institutions, the statement said.

"We have achieved an unprecedented delegate audience this year, both in terms of numbers and in terms of the seniority of those attending,” said Syed Faisal Abbas, event director. – TradeArabia News Service