Hawkamah to host its third annual conference in Doha

The conference will focus on the theme: "Corporate Governance: Is the Region Ready to Become a Global Player". Industry leaders, regulators, government officials and corporate governance professionals will explore the challenges faced by the region's countries in modernising their corporate sector.

The event will discuss governance issues faced by banks and other financial institutions, listed companies, family-owned enterprises, state-owned enterprises, private equity and "future generation funds". Special sessions will be devoted to the corporate governance framework in Qatar and corporate governance for Islamic Finance. In addition, Hawkamah and the World Bank will present a report on their work on insolvency and creditor rights in the GCC and Arab countries. Other key issues that will be addressed include the extent of corporate governance implementation in the region and the next steps for reform.

The conference comes at a time when corporates in the region are increasingly recognising the critical role of corporate governance in helping the Middle East and North Africa region tap its full potential as an international capital market. The financial turmoil being experienced by the more developed countries has further underlined the urgent need for sound corporate governance frameworks.

This unique event will provide an opportunity for the region's business community, regulators, banks and local and international media, to discuss key corporate governance issues with government officials, policy makers and business leaders. Other subjects of discussion include the development of corporate governance in the MENA region in relation to international trends and key issues and benefits for banks, family-owned enterprises and state-owned enterprises in implementing corporate governance. Workshops on insolvency, creditor rights and corporate governance for Islamic financial institutions will be held on the sidelines of the event.

Dr. Nasser Saidi, Executive Director of Hawkamah, outlined the value of the conference. He said:

"The recent unprecedented financial turmoil demonstrates that good corporate governance is an integral part of the regulatory framework necessary for any sound financial market. This conference will provide vital insights on how implementing corporate governance can strengthen investor confidence, help stabilize financial markets and further economic growth across the region. Delegates will gain invaluable opportunities to share their views and gain new knowledge from some of the world's leading experts on corporate governance in emerging markets in order to advance both corporate and economic growth."

The two-day event will include a meeting of the MENA-OECD Working Group on Corporate Governance co-chaired by Hawkamah and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in partnership with the World Bank's Global Corporate Governance Forum (GCGF) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). This meeting will be co-hosted by Hawkamah.

Hawkamah's Third Annual Conference will be held from 9 to 10 November, 2008 at the Ritz Carlton, Doha, Qatar.