Qatar to host 4th GCC Regulators Summit

The event is recognised by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and financial services community as the essential gathering addressing the unprecedented challenges of promoting compliance and good corporate governance in the GCC.

The Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) has confirmed its position as Lead Sponsor of the Summit.

Philip Thorpe, Chairman and Chief Executive of the QFCRA, said:

"As lead sponsors at the 4th GCC Regulators Summit, we look forward to working alongside the regulatory community here in Qatar and in the GCC to deliver a genuinely high-quality regulatory event which will seek to address the crucial issues facing both regional and international financial services regulators at this turbulent time. We will be encouraging the message that rigorous, world-class regulatory practice is a prerequisite to developing and improving financial services markets in every jurisdiction."

The Summit acknowledges support from leading law firms such as Simmons & Simmons, who are endorsing the event for the third consecutive year.

Vanessa Abernathy, Partner at Simmons & Simmons said, "The GCC Regulators Summit is a forum for groundbreaking discussions on regulatory issues and a great opportunity to meet the most influential regulators in the region."

Complinet is also pleased to be working with key 'not for profit' organisations such as the GCC Board Director Institute, supported by the Central Bank of Bahrain, the Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia and, Capital Market Authority of Oman, the Securities and Commodities Authority of UAE and the QFCRA, to name a few.

Soha Ellaithy, BDI Programme Manager in Dubai, said, "BDI believe that such initiatives, which can assist in developing and enhancing regulatory frameworks in the Gulf, are pivotal to strengthening effective corporate governance, and hence overall socio-economic development, across the region."

Leas Bachatene, Managing Director of ME & APAC, Complinet, recognises the significance of hosting the 4th Summit in the current financial climate, "The 2010 GCC Regulators Summit will be the most important yet. We are entering a new phase with regulators tightening up supervision and corporate governance becoming a necessity. The main challenge is regaining the confidence of the investor, and proper regulation is fundamental to this process. Complinet have played a major role in enhancing the compliance culture over the last five years and will continue to commit to this through GCC knowledge sharing ventures such as the Regulators Summit, for the foreseeable future."

Each GCC Regulators Summit has welcomed an audience of over 300 senior professionals and Complinet expects an audience of 400 in 2010. Other confirmed supporting organisations include the DFSA, the QFMA, Barclay Simpson, Baker Botts, and the International Compliance Association. Partnership and sponsorship opportunities for the event are now open.