More than 500 participants from Bahrain, Gulf and Arab countries have registered to take part in the third annual Mena Pensions Conference opening in Bahrain on October 31 at the Four Seasons Hotel.

The forum will also witness the participation of public pension agencies, global asset management firms, actuarial companies, financial services providers and Fintech specialists.

The conference will address issues such as:
•    What is the prevailing situation of pension globally and patterns of evolution in this vital sector?
•    Are actuarial deficits in pension funds (globally) real or inflated, and how should they be understood?
•    Can financial markets be a complementary alternative through meaningful pension products, and how should they be designed?
•    Does the current legislation of financial regulators contribute to a flourishing pension industry?
•    What are the best assets and asset allocations for pension investments?
•    What is the digital ecosystem “Fintech” required to build a modern pension industry?

The conference, which will be inaugurated by Lieutenant General Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council of Health and chairman of Al-Hekma Society for the Retired, begins with a working paper presented by Dr Mohamed Ahmed Maait, Minister of Finance of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and former head of the pension reform program in Egypt.

Dr Maait holds high academic qualifications in actuarial sciences, insurance and mathematics, and is one of the permanent speakers at the World Bank on pensions.

Speaking in the conference will be leaders from specialized institutions, including KPMG Fakhro, Milliman, Ernst & Young, Mercer, SICO, public pension funds from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Jordan, OECD and IFM Investors (Australia’s pension assets management) Central Bank of Bahrain, the Dubai International Financial Centre and Abu Dhabi Global Market.

The conference is sponsored by a number of prestigious national and international institutions, including Bahrain’s Economic Development Board, Tamkeen, the World Bank, the Abu Dhabi Global Market, Robeco, Allianz Global Investors, Intertrust, AON, Aberdeen Standard Investments, TMF Group, International Peace Institute, and UK’s Pension Administration Standards Association (PASA).

Ebrahim K Ebrahim, Takaud’s chief government business & communications officer and chairman of the Conference, said: "This conference is the only event for the pension industry in the MENA region supported by a number of regional and international institutions, reinforcing Bahrain’s attractiveness as a hub for major economic and commercial activities in the region, especially in the financial sector.”

“What really makes this event distinguished among global pension conferences is the participation of all actors in the sector, including government funds, international institutions and financial markets. It also links pensions with HR management strategies in terms of employee benefits, performance management, employee engagement, and related technical applications, which is itself a large industry in developed countries; something new and appreciated by the region’s HR leaders,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service