The Honorable George Bush, 41st President of the United States, is the guest of honor and keynote speaker at NBK's international symposium on GCC Equity Markets

The symposium will be held on Sunday the 18th of December under the auspices of H.H. Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah.

Mr. Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al-Bahar, Chairman of NBK, expressed his pleasure for hosting the former U.S. President:

"President Bush enjoys a very special status in Kuwait. Having him as keynote speaker at NBK's event is a great honor for us and for Kuwait. His participation reflects the solid ties between our two countries".

President Bush will deliver a speech during NBK's symposium on the geopolitical environment and its repercussions on the region.

GCC equity markets have witnessed remarkable growth over the past few years, putting them in the ranks of mainstream emerging markets. Total market capitalization recently reached $900 billion and daily liquidity topped $3 billion. As a group, GCC markets are up 90% so far this year and have risen 7-fold in the last five. This stellar performance, while deeply rooted in improving economic fundamentals and a changing geopolitical landscape, has also seen its fair share of volatility. Following a number of small corrections, regional investors have been left with lingering questions about future risk and return.

NBK's objective behind holding this symposium is to initiate a discussion of the factors behind this remarkable performance at the business, economic and geopolitical levels, successful investment strategies and plays in the region, and whether market valuations are underpinned by long term, sustainable economic trends, or have become a reflection of too much liquidity chasing too few assets. NBK hopes that the panel discussions will draw a clearer picture of future opportunities and threats, allowing participants to develop practical strategies based on a deeper grasp of the investment environment.

An exclusive list of guests, including leading investment and business figures, industry professionals, academicians and policy makers in Kuwait, will join these discussions.