Gatehouse Bank, an Islamic investment bank based in London, is set to host an investment summit in Kuwait as part of the second Gulf Women Economic Forum from September 25 to 26.

The 'Investment Opportunities for Women' forum aims to help GCC women improve their understanding of real estate fundamentals and skills to exploit future opportunities for wealth preservation and growth in real estate, specifically investing in London and the rest of the UK.

At the end of 2008, women in the Middle East controlled 22 per cent of assets under management in the region representing $346 billion.

By 2011, this figure was estimated to have grown to $385 billion, making women an influential investor group holding a wealth of unrealised capital in their own right.

Gulf women today represent an average of 35 per cent of the national work force across the GCC, with many in leading positions in important private sector companies holding the largest proportion of bank deposits and an increasing proportion of capital and portfolio investments.

By sharing experiences and advice, Gatehouse aims to help women not only realise their potential as investors, but also equip them with tools and knowledge to play a fundamental role in business and long-term wealth preservation across the region.

"We have close relationships with an increasing number of professional female clients, and it's clear that women play a central role in wealth management today and in the future," said Gatehouse Bank vice-president Azeemeh Zaheer.

"However, knowledge is key in terms of helping these women realise their potential.

"We aim to help them develop a solid understanding of the fundamentals of real estate investment in a way that will benefit them and their families in the longer term.

"Our expertise in Sharia compliance and advisory, combined with our track-record in sourcing, structuring and delivering high quality real estate investments, means that we are ideally placed to share our knowledge and understanding of the very specific and individual requirements of our investor base," she added.-TradeArabia News Service