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AL ROUAD ROUNDTABLE
Now an annual highlight and always a talking point at Leaders in Dubai Business Forum is the Al Rouad panel debate. The roundtable is made up of some of the most respected business personalities from across the Middle East, who have extensive knowledge of what makes business tick in this region, plus the effects of an ever changing and increasingly globalised economy. These renowned individuals will help shape thinking across the Middle East business environment, as well as drive debate, new thinking and business leadership that will, in turn, encourage best practices and the development of a new generation of Middle Eastern business leaders.
Topics Under Discussion in 2008 Include:
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Tackling double digit inflation during a time of rising global demand for commodities and high oil prices – what monetary and exchange rate policies should be implemented to maintain regional prosperity? |
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Addressing Western government concerns regarding Sovereign Wealth Funds and their role within the world’s financial markets |
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Opening new economic sectors in the Arab world for foreign investment beyond oil-related activities to strengthen the regional economy and enhance private sector participation |
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Overhauling the regional educational system to allow the Middle East to continue to thrive, compete and meet the needs of the changing and increasingly globalised economy |
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With the GCC having one the world’s youngest and fastest growing populations, what needs to be done by both the public and private sector to ensure regional employment for the next generation? |
Moderated By: Nadine Hani
Nadine Hani is an anchor for Al Arabiya News Channel based in Dubai, where she presents and co-produces the highest rated financial news programmes in the Arab world, "Al Aswaq Al Arabiya".
During the course of her work in Al Arabiya, she has interviewed some of the most influential decision makers in the Arab business world, and internationally, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick, Chairman of Kingdom Holding company H.H. Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Saudi minister of finance Dr. Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf and Lebanese central bank governor Dr. Riad T. Salameh.
Nadine Hani anchored Al Arabiya's special coverage of the major GCC markets' correction that wiped up to 50 percent of the market capitalisation of GCC stocks at the beginning of 2006. Her experience however goes beyond the newsroom to the field, where she has carried out investigative reports from major Arab cities.
Panellists:
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H.E. Mohammed Hassan Omran
Chairman, Etisalat |
Mohammed Hassan Omran, was re-elected Chairman of Etisalat in 2006 having previously served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer – a position he attained in 2005.
He also serves as the Chairman of Thuraya, one of the world’s leading, satellite, geo-mobile communication systems with coverage spanning approximately two thirds of the planet, a position he has held since 1997.
Mohammad Omran joined Etisalat in 1977, one year after it was formed. He achieved his first senior position as the Area Manager in Ras Al Khaimah in 1982. He was then appointed Deputy General Manager for Etisalat in 1984 and became Etisalat’s Senior Executive Vice President in 1999. He was later named the company’s Chief Executive Officer in 2004.
Mr. Omran received an Engineering Degree in Electronics and Communications from Cairo University, Egypt, in June 1977.
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Sameer Al Ansari
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Dubai International Capital LLC |
Sameer Al Ansari founded DIC in 2004. He was previously Group Chief Financial Officer for The Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, where he was responsible for the management of various projects.
Under Mr. Al Ansari, Dubai International Capital has emerged as a leading global investment company with an outstanding reputation and a superb track record. By the end of 2007, DIC had approximately US$ 13 billion of assets under its management primarily in Private Equities, Large Cap Public Companies and Emerging Markets opportunities.
Mr. Al Ansari is a board member of various companies including DIC's parent company Dubai Holding, Sama Dubai and the Dubai International Financial Centre. He also sits on the boards of some of the DIC owned companies such as Doncasters, Travelodge, and Mauser AG. He is Chairman of Ishraq, a US$ 150 million investment company that has been formed to bring the Holiday Inn Express brand of hotels to the region, and also is Chairman of Jordan Dubai Capital.
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Fadi Ghandour
Founder and CEO, ARAMEX International |
Fadi Ghandour is Founder and CEO of Aramex International, a position he has held for the past 26 years. Aramex, one of the leading logistics and transportation companies in the Middle East and South Asia, was the first company from the Arab world to go public on the Nasdaq stock exchange. After five years of successful trading on it, Aramex returned to private ownership and, in June 2005, went public again on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
Ghandour is a Founding Partner in Maktoob.com, the world’s largest Arab On-Line community, is a member of the Board of Abraaj Capital, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business at the American University of Beirut. Between 2003 and 2005, he was the Middle East and North Africa Area Chairman of the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO).
Ghandour is actively involved with community and NGO work. He is Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jordan River Foundation, Chairman of National Microfinance Bank in Jordan, and founder of Ruwwad Development, a region-wide corporate social responsibility initiative.
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Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
National Bank of Kuwait |
Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer at National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), heading the Corporate Banking Group, Treasury Group, Credit and Risk Management Group, Economic Research Group and Legal Affairs Group. In Addition, she is the chairperson of Al Watany Bank of Egypt (AWB) and Vice-Chairperson of NBK Capital.
Shaikha leads the Bank’s efforts in lending, marketing, investment banking and treasury areas, specialising in large and structured finance transactions. She is also in charge of relationships with domestic corporates, institutional clients and international corporates doing business in Kuwait, along with the Trade Finance Business.
Shaikha manages a portfolio of USD 15 Billion to be increased to USD 25 Billion in 2012. She has extensive experience in the region, in the areas of privatisation, project finance, advisory services, bond issues, BOT, IPOs, GDRs, and private placements. She has been involved in all of the Kuwait Investment Authority's (KIA) privatisation deals since 1994.
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