Third annual City and Gulf Co-operation Council Countries (GCC) Conference at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London on 19 June 2008.
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
     
   
   
     
 
 
   
     
 
 
   
     
     
08:30
REGISTRATION AND COFFEE

 
09:00 - 10:00
PLENARY SESSION
 
OPENING REMARKS
Mr. Michael Thomas
Director General
The Middle East Association
_________________________________________________________________________

WELCOME BY CONFERENCE
CHAIRMAN

Mr. Jason Peers
Chief Executive, Jasper Capital &
Chairman of the MEA - GCC Region
_________________________________________________________________________
KEYNOTE
ADDRESS

The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of The City of London
Alderman David Lewis

_________________________________________________________________________
ECONOMIC
OVERVIEW

The GCC as a Global Economic Player: Challenge & Opportunity
Mr Brad Bourland, Chief Economist, Jadwa Investment Company

 
10:00 - 11:00
PANEL ONE
   

Regulation & Risk Based Supervision in the context of the Global Credit
Crunch: GCC & London perspectives
 
 
  • Have rules based regulatory systems coped effectively with current market dislocations?
  • Do supervisory systems need strengthening in London and the Gulf?
  • Corporate governance and transparency challenges
  • Management of political and other risks in the region
  _________________________________________________________________________

MODERATOR
Sir Thomas Harris
Vice Chairman Capital Markets, Standard Chartered Bank
_________________________________________________________________________

KEYNOTE PANELLISTS

Mr Philip Thorpe
Chairman,
Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority
 
   
Mr Michael Ainley
UK Financial Services Authority
       

 
Mr Anthony Belchambers
Future and Options Association
 
11:00 - 11:15

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY UK MINISTER

Ms Kitty Ussher, Economic Secretary, HM Treasury
 
11:15 - 11:45

NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK
 
11:45 - 12:45
PANEL TWO
   
Building strong foundations for GCC Growth: The financing & skills challenge
   
 
  • Regional consolidation and globalisation of GCC banking industry
  • Cooperation or competition between regional regulators?
  • The increasing role of private equity in the region
  • Sustainability of current growth and the inflation challenge
  • Development of professional skills and labour mobility in the region
  _________________________________________________________________________

MODERATOR
Sir David Walker
Senior Advisor,
Morgan Stanley
_________________________________________________________________________

KEYNOTE PANELLISTS

Mr Robert Ainey
Chief Executive,
Bankers Society of Bahrain
 
   
Mr Doug Dowie
Director
Emirates National Bank of Dubai
       
   
Mr Stuart Pearce
CEO,
Qatar Financial Centre Authority
       

 
Mr Albert Momdjian
Managing Director & Head of MENA Investment Banking,
Calyon
 
12:45 - 13:45
BUFFET NETWORKING LUNCH
 
13:45 - 14:00

KEYNOTE ADDRESS & INTRODUCTION TO AFTERNOON SESSION
 Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, Vice President of the
Middle East Association
 
14:00– 14:45
PANEL THREE
   
Growing Global Impact of Islamic Finance & Insurance: UK & GCC synergies
 
  • Development of international standards in the industry
  • Key challenges to growth of the market
  • Rapid rise of Sukuks in regional and international financing
  • London ’s emergence as an Islamic banking centre and GCC synergies
_________________________________________________________________________

MODERATOR
Mr Richard Thomas
Managing Director,
Global Securities House Ltd &
Chair
UK Advisory Sub-Committee on Islamic Finance
_________________________________________________________________________

KEYNOTE PANELLISTS

Mr Bradley Brendon-Cross
CEO,
British Islamic Insurance Holdings
 
   
Abdulrahman Al Baker
Executive Director of Financial Institutions Supervision,
Central Bank of Bahrain
       
   
Mr Oliver Agha
Head of Islamic Finance,
DLA Piper
       
   
Ms Ruth Martin
Managing Director,
Securities & Investment Institute
       
14:45– 15:45
PANEL FOUR
   

GCC Investment Flows to Third Markets & Role of Sovereign Wealth Funds
 
  • Implications of GCC Investors becoming more proactive?
  • Which markets and asset classes will Gulf funds target in the coming 12 months?
  • Impact of Gulf investment in North Africa and opportunities for UK cooperation
  • Should sovereign wealth funds be more transparent?
 
_________________________________________________________________________

MODERATOR
Mr Jason Peers
Chief Executive,
Jasper Capital
_________________________________________________________________________

KEYNOTE PANELLISTS

Ms Sandy Shaw
Global Head of Middle East Private Banking,
Coutts plc
 
   
Mr Andrew Yeandle
Partner,
Strutt & Parker
       
   
Dr Paola Subacchi
Head Intern ational Economics Programme,
Chatham House
       
   
Mr Cyrus Ardalan
Vice Chairman,
Barclays Capital
       
15:45 – 16.00

CLOSING SUMMARY

 

Mr Michael Thomas and
Mr Jason Peers
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
     
 
 
     
 
 
     
   
 
 
     
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
     
 
 
     
     
     



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