Top experts to present market forecasts at CFA event

Greater market insight and shared knowledge is required to navigate through these turbulent times. As the ripples are being felt region wide, there was never a more compelling reason to stage a forum that harnesses the intellectual firepower of the best and brightest financial minds drawn from across the region and beyond.

More than 300 bankers and investment professionals are set to meet at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa on Saturday, 21st March 2009, for the Annual Charter Awards & Forecast Dinner organized by CFA Bahrain. It is the annual signature event of the Bahrain CFA Society, at which the achievements of new charter holders will be recognised. The event will feature presentations on the outlook for international and regional financial markets, and forecasts for select asset classes, by three renowned experts. Attendance at the event is by invitation only, and guests will include senior bankers, government officials, consultants, investors and the media. Registration for the program will commence at 6 PM, and the key highlight of the evening will be presentations which will kick-off at 6:30 PM. The Charter Awards ceremony will take place at 8:30 PM, and will be followed by a buffet dinner.

The evening will showcase a stellar lineup of speakers. Mr. Kit Juckes, Global Head of Research and Strategy, Royal Bank of Scotland will cover the global fixed income, credit and currency markets. Mr. Anthony Mallis, Chief Executive Officer, Securities & Investment Company (SICO) will provide the regional perspective and Mr. Ramzi Abukhadra, Managing Director, JP Morgan Asset Management, will present the outlook for global equities and alternatives. All three speakers are well known and highly reputed in the investment community. The event is being sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland and Securities & Investment Company (SICO).

Mr. Austin Sequeira, President of CFA Bahrain, said he is delighted with the growing popularity of the annual forecast dinner event. Amidst the unprecedented market turbulence that we have witnessed recently, interest in this year's program is extremely high. With three renowned experts set to present the market outlook, investors will be keenly looking for direction out of the current market uncertainty. Mr. Sequeira also said the CFA Society takes pride in the achievements of its new charter holders who will be publicly recognized at the event.

CFA Bahrain (officially known as Bahrain Investment Professionals Society) was established in June 2006, and is affiliated to the CFA Institute in the USA. The CFA Institute is a global professional organization that awards the CFA designation, and leads the investment industry by setting the highest standards of ethics and professional excellence and vigorously advocating fair and transparent capital markets. The CFA designation has become known as the gold standard of professional credentials within the global investment community. Around the world, employers and investors recognize the CFA designation as the definitive standard for measuring competence and integrity in the fields of portfolio management and investment analysis.

Membership in the Bahrain CFA Society is open to all CFA charter-holders as regular members, and CFA candidates who can be admitted as associate members. The Society has over 100 members who are qualified CFA charter-holders. Besides, there are at present nearly 450 candidates in Bahrain who are actively pursuing the CFA Program.

The elected governing board of the Society includes Mr. Austin Sequeira (President),, Mrs. Lamees Al-Baharna (Vice President), Mr. Palani Alagappan (Treasurer), Mrs. Sowmya Ramkumar, Mr. Asad Saeed Khan, and Mr. Essa Maseeh.