The City & Gulf Co-Operation Council Countries

	09:00	REGISTRATION AND COFFEE

	10:00	OPENING PLENARY SESSION

	OPENING REMARKS	Mr. Michael Thomas	Director General The Middle East Association
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	WELCOME BY CONFERENCE CHAIRPERSON	Rt Hon Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
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	KEYNOTE ADDRESS	Alderman Ian Luder, Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of London
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	KEYNOTE ADDRESS	Dr Nasser Saidi, Chief Economist, DIFC

	10:45	PANEL ONE

	Reappraising Risk in the Current Global Downturn: New Models of Governance and Regulatory Cooperation?

	Was risk mismanaged and are we equipped to overcome the economic turbulence? New challenges for corporate and financial governance Prospects for UK/GCC and Global Regulatory Cooperation What are the future risks and how can they be better managed?

	KEYNOTE SPEAKER Philip Thorpe, CEO, Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority

	PANELISTS:
	Michael Ainley, Head of Wholesale Banks & Investment Firms Department, Financial Services Authority; Anthony Belchambers, CEO, Futures & Options Association; Mike Pullen, Partner, DLA Piper; Dr Nasser Saidi, Executive Director, Hawkama

	11:45	NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK

	12:15	PANEL TWO

	GCC Capital Markets Developments and Funding Future Growth

	How can UK and GCC banks get lending, the lifeblood of economy, flowing again? The role of private equity and hedge funds in financing GCC projects Project finance and PPPs: UK and GCC cooperation opportunities

	KEYNOTE SPEAKER Howard Gooder, Senior Project Finance Director, Corporate and Institutional Banking Division, Europe Arab Bank.

	PANELISTS:
	Basil Al Ghayalini, Chairman, BMG Group; Jason Peers, CEO, Jasper Capital; Bashir Siman, Advisor to the Board, Al Farida Investments; Sir Stephen Wright, CEO, International Financial Services, London.

	13:15	BUFFET NETWORKING LUNCH

	14:15	KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY UK MINISTER

	KEYNOTE SPEAKER Michael Hodges, Business Development Director, Middle East, Africa & South Asia, Global Banking & Markets, HSBC Bank plc.

	14:30	PANEL THREE

	Development of Financial Sector Skills in the region: Partnership Opportunities

	Bridging the skills gap and building sound foundations for renewed GCC growth Sharing good practice and developing UK/GCC professional links An eye on financial services academies within the GCC; current status and future prospects

	PANELISTS:
	George Littlejohn, Director of Global Business Development, SII. Jon Morton, Director, Qatar Finance & Business Academy; Nick Tolchard, Head of International Development, Invesco Asset Management; Professor John Board, Director, ICMA Centre; Professor Emeritus of International Business, London Business School; Professor John Stopford, Founding Partner & Chairman, TLP Management.

	15:30	PANEL FOUR

	Conventional and Islamic Insurance as an essential financial management tool during economic turbulence

	Can Islamic Finance substitute conventional financing in light of the economic downturn? Conventional Insurance or Takaful; and Why? Regulatory Developments in UK and GCC insurance markets.

	KEYNOTE SPEAKER James Sutherland, CEO, Qatar Insurance Services

	PANELISTS:
	Bradley Brandon-Cross, CEO, Principle Holdings; Kazi Hussain, Relationship Director, Islamic Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking Division, Europe Arab Bank; Omar Shaikh, Executive Board Member, Islamic Finance, Ernst & Young; David Testa, CEO, Gatehouse Bank.

	16:15	CLOSING SUMMARY

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