A line-up of leading financial experts will discuss the impact of sustained fall in oil prices on businesses in the region and beyong at a leading financial forum in Bahrain this month.

 

The fifth Euromoney GCC Financial Forum will take place on February 23 and 24 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manama.

 

Organised by Euromoney Conferences, a leading organiser of conferences for cross-border investment and capital markets, the forum will feature more than 500 financial experts, economists, investors, bankers and policy makers.

 

A major highlight of this year’s forum will be an interactive open town-hall style session with Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), where the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Governor. 

 

In addition, the forum will feature a keynote interview with Khalid Al Rumaihi, chief executive of the Economic Development Board (EDB), who will discuss a number of topics related to economic growth and the financial services sector. 

 

It will also include a keynote address by Gazi Ercel, former Governor of the Central Bank of Turkey (1996-2001) and chief executive of Ercel Global. 

 

He will showcase the fundamental changes which have occurred in the banking sector, his predictions on trends in the financial services industry in the next 10 years and the global outlook for developed and emerging market economies.

 

The two-day forum will also feature high-profile panel discussions examining the global and regional macro outlook, implications of lower oil price for financial services industry in GCC, sovereign deficits, challenges, opportunities, strategic choices, market segmentation and regulation.

 

On the second day, the keynote address will be presented by Mahmood Al Kooheji, CEO of Mumtalakat, which will be followed by three panel sessions. 

 

The discussions will focus on innovation and entrepreneurship in digital world, strategic opportunities in financial services, with regards to wealth management, platforms for competitiveness and on Bahrain Energy Industry Strategy. 

 

Richard Banks, consultant editor at Euromoney Conferences, said: “This year’s GCC Financial Forum comes at a crucial time as the world adopts a new development agenda with uncertainty in the global economy due to the sustained fall in oil prices. At such a time, we at Euromoney are pleased to provide a platform for our participants where financial experts, analysts, regulators can all under one roof discuss, debate and find short term and long term strategies to cope with the current market. 

 

"We are confident that the town hall session, in particular and the different panel discussions in general will be interesting, providing positive insights so that organisations can re-appraise their business strategies.” - TradeArabia News Service