Saudi Arabia’s senior government figures and international banking and business leaders will discuss the economic impact of the kingdom’s reforms at the Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference, to be held in May.

The event will take place on May 2 and 3, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Running in a new Wednesday-to-Thursday slot, the annual event is organised in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, said a statement.

In 2018, the conference will review the progress made so far on key initiatives including the infrastructure development programme, reform of the bankruptcy laws, and the much-anticipated IPO of a stake in Saudi Aramco, it said.

In addition, market experts will assess the potential impact that could result from the Tadawul Index’s inclusion in the MSCI Emerging Market Index, which could bring significant additional liquidity into the kingdom’s equities. A decision is expected in June of this year, it added.

The kingdom has seen a number of new mega-projects and significant investments announced already this year, along with government efforts to reduce subsidies and tackle a predicted deficit of $52 billion for 2018.

Speakers from the kingdom will include Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia; Dr Majid Bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Investment, Saudi Arabia; Dr Ahmed Abdulkarim Alkholifey, governor, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority; Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, chairman, Capital Market Authority; and Khalid Abdullah Al Hussan, chief executive officer, Tadawul.

They will be joined by James Forese, president and CEO, Institutional Clients Group, Citigroup; Samir Assaf, CEO, global banking and markets, HSBC; and Takumi Shibata, president and CEO, Nikko Asset Management.

“This will be a pivotal year for Saudi Arabia,” said Victoria Behn, Euromoney Conference’s head of Middle East and Africa (MEA). “The shock of subdued oil prices is dissipating, and a clearer picture of the kingdom’s economy is now emerging.”

“Initiatives such as the Aramco float and the restructuring of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund into a global sovereign wealth fund will be foremost in delegates’ minds this May, and we expect a lively and informed discussion,” she said.

Over the two days, keynote speakers will provide insights into challenges and opportunities reshaping the country’s changing economic landscape, from balancing the budget and the impact of VAT, to finding new sources of revenue.

The conference will be preceded by two exclusive ticketed executive briefings, offering the opportunity to hear from local and international experts on new listings on the stock market and the rise of real estate investment trusts (REITs), it stated. – TradeArabia News Service