GVCA conference to take place in Bahrain in February 2006

The conference titled "Building a regional Venture Capital and Private Equity Industry" will be held from 20-22nd February 2006, in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This high level patronage of the conference reflects the importance the Kingdom associates with the development of the Venture Capital and Private Equity industry in the fast growing economy of Bahrain and the rest of the Gulf. The conference aims at introducing, promoting and highlighting ways of building a vibrant VC and PE industry in the region.

The growth of Venture Capital Investment is a key indicator of the competitiveness and dynamism of an economy. Though Venture Capital and Private Equity are growing at a rapid pace worldwide, they are a relatively recent phenomenon in the Gulf. Gulf Venture 2006 is about addressing the challenges facing the VC/ PE industry in the region and capitalizing on opportunities that need to be focused on. The conference will include a formidable list of regional and international speakers who will add tremendous value to the conference.

It is for the first time that a conference of this kind is being organized in the Gulf. GVCA calls it the Conference with a difference, as it will not be a conventional conference, but one which will involve networking, interaction and participation amongst delegates and speakers. The Gulf Venture 2006 promises to include all participants and give them an equal opportunity to contribute in identifying ways to build a vibrant Venture Capital and Private Equity industry through its special, structured interactive sessions called the Café Discussions.

The Café discussions are becoming increasingly popular with conferences worldwide, as they give each and every delegate the opportunity to interact with the speakers, contribute and be fully involved in the program. They are an exciting way to generate interest and enthusiasm amongst the delegates. Mr. Abdullah Subyani president of GVCA notes,

"We recognize the wealth of expertise and relevant experience that delegates bring and we found the café discussion technique to be a great and tested method to extract the best input from all delegates."

The conference will include presentations from international and regional speakers that will enrich the conference with information on the state of the industry, regional success stories and lessons from around the world.

Formed by a consortium of prominent institutions and professionals from across the G.C.C., the GVCA is a new independent trade and industry association committed to supporting the growth of a strong venture capital and private equity industry within the Arabian Gulf. It aims to encourage and enable appropriate laws and industry regulations, develop human resources, promote a risk-taking investment culture, provide industry statistics, and facilitate networking events. The GVCA 2005 events include the launch of their web cast series in collaboration with IBF conferences and the first workshop on Venture Capital and Private Equity Industry.

The GVCA has tied up with IBF (International Business Forum) conferences, to bring Online Educational Forums for all those interested in Venture Capital and Private Equity. This program will bring educational opportunities to the desktops of GVCA members, as well as provide them a chance to network with regional and global professionals who are active or interested in the private equity and venture capital industry. The forums will range from best practices to growing a new venture capital community to industry specific investing such as energy or biotechnology. The GVCA and IBF conferences provide unique opportunities to companies to share their message connect with client and partners and garner the exposure they deserve. Sponsoring these forums will provide consummate mix of advertising, brand communication and business development.

Participants will sign up to attend a live web cast with expert panel of speakers. The audience will be connected through the web and either with streaming audio via their PC or through audio via bridge calls. They will first go live, and then will be archived for viewers to watch at anytime they choose. The webcast conference will flow like a regular panel discussion or seminar. Interactive Question & Answer will take place at the end of the panel.

The GVCA is committed to playing a key role in bringing together the region's extended community of investors and entrepreneurs, to focus on building venture capital into a major component of the region's financial and economic infrastructure. The GVCA first annual conference promises an exciting and interactive program that will result in a viable road map to building a vibrant regional venture capital and private equity industry.