Industry leaders gather for Hedge Funds World Conference in Dubai

The 2007 event will be held at the Madinat Jumeirah resort hotel from 5-8 March 2007. This years event will also feature the first ever Hedge Funds World Middle East Awards Ceremony on 6 March, presented by Man Investments and conference organisers Terrapin. The awards are designed to reward excellence and innovation in the Middle East hedge fund industry and to promote the asset class in the region.

Man Investments, one of the world's leading providers of alternative investments, is once again a principal sponsor of the event. The company, which has had a presence in the Middle East for more than 20 years, has been a strong supporter of the Hedge Funds World Middle East Conference since the first event in 1999.

More than 50 international speakers, almost 25% more than last year, will address the conference which also features streamed and specialist workshops offering detailed insight into industry issues that are directly relevant to the industry.

A special highlight at the conference will be the welcoming address by His Excellency Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, the Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Under the leadership of Dr Omar Bin Sulamain, the DIFC has established itself as the first truly international financial centre of the region and the fastest growing in the world. Today it is a home to more than 300 companies including many of the world's leading financial firms.

Keynote speakers include Peter Clarke, who will become the Chief Executive Officer of Man Group on 1 April 2007 and industry leaders such as: Todd Groome, Division Chief of the Financial Markets Stability Division in the IMF's Internal Capital Markets Division; Ibrahim Ghargour, Co-Head of Asset Management at Investcorp (Bahrain); Professor Nassim Nicholas Taleb, University of Massachussets Amherst and Chairman of Empirica LLC; and Felix P Herlihy, Chief Investment Officer of isthimar (Dubai).

Antoine Massad, Chief Executive of Man Investments Middle East Limited who is once again chairing the event said,

"The hedge fund industry has made significant strides in the region in recent years, offering investors wider choices and a range of new opportunities while delivering steady advances in service and support. At this year's event, we intend to recognise this progress and promote it through the Hedge Funds World Middle East Awards."