10th Hedge Funds World Middle East Conference opens debates between regional investors and fund managers

Symon Rubens, Managing Director of Terrapinn Middle East remarks, "The last twelve months have been the most momentous in the history of hedge funds. The term survival of the fittest has never been more apt. The industry's fundamental business models are being rewritten - and investors and managers alike are repositioning themselves for a brave new world."

"There have been winners - who have positioned themselves to benefit from massive shifts in global capital. In fact, if you were here last year and acted on the warnings of our keynote speaker Nouriel Roubini you may have had a very good year. Many see this as a new dawn for hedge funds - a time when the seismic global shifts are resulting in greater transparency, accountability and risk management. There has never been a better time for the leaders of the hedge funds industry to converge - and discuss with their investors how hedge funds will adapt and flourish," he added.

Hedge Fund legends such as John Paulson of Paulson & Co, who stormed into the history books in 2007, when his Credit Opportunities Fund turned a $500m investment into $3.5bn, the largest dollar gain ever generated by a hedge fund manager in a single year addressed the delegates on a live video link up from Columbia.

Dr David Rutledge, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre Authority (UAE) discussed Dubai's vision for building a centre of alternative investments and addressed the challenges of attracting diverse strategies while delivering compelling returns.

Panelists from the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, UK's Cambridge Associates Limited and Financial Risk Management Firm as well as The California Endowment in the USA discussed lessons learned from 2008, risk premia and risk tolerance after the credit crunch, and particular sectors that should be overemphasized.

Opportunities in Eastern Europe, World food security, GCC investing and the global wealth transfer, event-driven and distressed investing were also discussed at the conference which was attended by over 500 delegates.

Leon Cooperman of Omega Advisors, Ian Wace of Marshall Wace and Joseph DiMenna of Zweig DiMenna will head the second day of the conference.

Other speakers include Kevin Birkett, Director of Asset and Fund Management at the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority and Eric Meyer, Chairman and CEO of Shariah Capital and Board Member of DSAM.