HE Obaid Humaid Al Tayer to open World Accounting Summit

He will speak about the challenges and opportunities of financial convergence in the region.

This year's gathering welcomes experts from the 'Big Four' global accounting firms, leading regional enterprises, and multinational businesses working in the Middle East.

Delegates will share new perspectives on accounting management, industry updates, and local and international case studies of the successful implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the new global standard for accounting practice.

Agata Pawlik, Conference Director, IIR Middle East, said:

"The World Accounting Summit has broken new ground for the region's financial standards industry by gathering the world's most respected experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities of accounting convergence in the context of Middle East economies."

Pawlik added: "The World Accounting Summit underlines the role of Middle East business as a willing partner in the task of furthering industry best practice. The region is not outside the debate."

The World Accounting Summit takes place from May 27-31 at Al Murooj Rotana Hotel, Dubai.

The summit welcomes a wide selection of industry speakers, including Robert Garnett, Board Member of the International Accounting Standards Board in the UK; Richard Martin, Head of Financial Reporting at The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA); Dr. Habib Al Mulla, Chairman of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA); and Abbas Ali Mirza, Partner of Deloitte Middle East in the UAE.

This year's event will receive heads of finance, financial controllers, standards setters and regulators, heads of accounting and administration, finance and information systems managers, and chartered accountants.

The 2006 programme will include industry specific IFRS briefings, and four interactive workshops.

Delegates attending the summit can purchase the 'IFRS Workbook' written by Abbas Ali Mirza of Deloitte Middle East and Liesel Knorr, Secretary General of the German Accounting Standards Board, Germany. Both authors will speak at the summit.