Bahrain Bourse (BHB) will host the Arab Federation of Exchanges (AFE) Annual Conference 2015 in partnership with Thomson Reuters, it was announced yesterday (February 15).

The conference, entitled 'AFE Equities Summit 2015', is set to be held on April 22 and 23, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The AFE board meeting and general assembly will be held in parallel to the 'AFE Equities Summit 2015' gathering more than 18 Arab Stock Exchanges, four clearing, settlement and depository companies and several financial institutions.

The conference will serve as a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience in a dynamic environment, and will encourage the transfer of best practices within the region by providing the best networking opportunities possible.

The AFE Equities Summit 2015 aims to help in developing the Arab Financial Markets, and improve the integration and liquidity of those markets.

The conference also aims to develop the IPO process within the Arab Financial Markets and increase the awareness of technological advancements in the equities field.

The AFE's annual conference plays an important role in uniting the leaders of the Arab financial markets with regional and international experts.

The AFE Equities Summit 2015 will encompass all stakeholders within the equities field where Arab Stock Exchanges will get the opportunity to meet and promote their listed companies to the potential international and regional investors.

More than 400 participants from exchanges, regulatory bodies of the financial markets, brokerage firms, investment fund managers, investment banks, selective high net worth individuals, economic journalists, research firms, corporates/listed companies, rating agencies, technical associations, and local banks are expected to attend the conference.

The conference will include keynote speeches, panel, and question and answer sessions.

The panels and discussions will cover a wide range of topics including, the exchanges global trends, opening the Saudi market and the challenges faced, current trends and challenges for the Arab exchanges.

The conference will also cover topics on direct market access, new technologies and market protection, ETFs, tracker funds, and market making in the Arab region and how to attract new IPOs. The conference will be concluded with a panel discussion on an overview of Arab Markets and expectations.

BHB chief executive Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said organising and hosting the 'AFE Equities Summit 2015' is a great opportunity for international firms to exchange experience and expertise, which in return supports the development of the capital market in Bahrain and the region as a whole.

“BHB is keen to attract both local and international firms to list at the bourse, and this conference will hopefully open the doors to new companies to trade or even list at the bourse,” Shaikh Khalifa said. - TradeArabia News Service