Ernst and Young holds Growing Beyond Summit 2012 in Doha

On Qatar being the host of the inaugural event, Firas Qoussous, Office Managing Partner, Ernst & Young Doha, says: "I am full of optimism for the role this country will play in the growing stature of the GCC and the Arab world. We are thrilled to host the Growing Beyond Summit here in Qatar, one of the fastest growing economies in the world."

Notable speakers include Hassan Al-Thawadi, General Secretary Qatar 2022, Dr. Nasser Saidi, former Chief Economist at Dubai International Finance Center (DIFC), John Walker, Chairman and Chief Economist at Oxford Economics; Andrew Stevens, Group CEO of Commercial Bank of Qatar and Adel Abdullah Ali, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, Air Arabia.

Abdulaziz Al-Sowailim, Chairman and CEO, Ernst &Young MENA, says: "These are interesting times for our region, which is witnessing fundamental and long term changes to its economic landscape. Now is the phase of building on emerging opportunities. The summit will aim to articulate these opportunities against the tides of global economic uncertainty."

The summit aims to highlight the growing economic influence and potential in MENA. It will feature a series of panels addressing key regional issues such as housing and employment within the region, building a sustainable future, the empowerment of women in MENA and dealing with opportunities and challenges. Itwill also feature roundtable discussions on various sectors including Oil & Gas, Retail, Consumer Products, Private Equity, Aviation, Financial services, Family business, Telecom and MENA and the global economy.

Bassam Hage, MENA Markets Leader, Ernst & Young, says: "Growth opportunities and challenges continue to form and shape as the region develops. Today, MENA plays a very important role in the global economic landscape, and there are large pockets of untapped economic growth. The future of the region is positive, but sustainable growth needs to be a priority."