May 14 - 15, 2015 #NextGenFinance

Dubai, UAE. May 6, 2015:  IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) has announced the program and the speaker lineup for its upcoming Middle East conference, taking place on May 14 - 15, 2015, at The Address Dubai Marina.

Now in its third year, the conference has established itself as the leading forum for the region's corporate finance sector, delivering an interactive and inspiring program with a forward-thinking agenda, and providing an unrivalled opportunity for hundreds of decision makers, from the Middle East and around the world, to connect and debate the critical issues in their industry.

The theme of the IMA 2015 conference, The Next Generation Finance Leaders, aims to bring to the fore a new vision for the future role of finance professionals, from CFOs to accountants, which is central to the ongoing development of the profession.

The conference will also discuss the shifting landscape of today's corporate finance world and the key drivers behind it, such as pervasiveness of new technologies, increasing demand for insight-driven real-time data, and a widening of responsibilities for the next-generation finance leaders.

"Our goal at IMA is to engage with the community of finance professionals in meaningful ways, and our regional conference is a vibrant example of how networking and debate can provide a path for our future growth. This year, we've put together an exceptional line-up of speakers and an insightful agenda to ignite important conversations within the community," said Hanady Khalife, Director of Operations, Middle East and Africa, IMA.

Some of the highlights of the IMA Middle East Conference 2015 include:

Global finance leaders: During the two-day event, several global finance leaders are scheduled to offer keynote addresses, in which they discuss their views on the future of corporate finance management and explore the transformative challenges and opportunities ahead.

Joe Vincent, CMA, Chair of Global Board of Directors, Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) reflects on 'Digital Darwinism - The Shifting Business Landscape', and Mark Batey, PhD., CPsychol AFBPsS, Manchester Business School Creative Leadership, highlights the '5 Key Concepts for the Next Generation of Finance Leaders'. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Ph.D., Chief Economist and Head of Research, Jadwa Investment, offers an 'Economic Outlook - MENA', and Dr. Fadi Ahmed Aloul, PhD., CISSP, Professor of Computer Science & Engineering at the American University of Sharjah, examines 'Human Cyber Security-Challenges & Solutions'.

Panel discussions: The summit also features expert-led, regional-focused panel discussions that allow attendees to learn about best practices at the most successful companies, by joining conversations tailored to specific roles and level of expertise. Such as 'The Role of CFOs in Family Businesses' - a discussion moderated by Loutfi Echhade, CPA, CMA, CFM, CIA, CCSA, CFE, CFSA, CISA, CFF and coordinator of EY's Family Business Center of Excellence, MENA region, with participation from seasoned SME leaders:  Fadi Atallah, Chief Finance and Investment Officer, Al Ghurair Group, Tarek Amer, Group CFO Energy Care Holding, and Hassan A. Sharafeddin, Chief Executive Officer of Abnia, Danway Industries and Danway Fusion Glass.

Student Competition: Following the resounding success of last year's 'IMA Middle East Student Case Study Competition', which drew participation from 18 universities from around the Middle East and Africa, the conference has once again engaged students providing an exciting and challenging opportunity to showcase their knowledge in front of a panel of industry experts and reap the rewards - the winner and the runner up stand to receive cash prizes of $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.

For more information on the programme and the complete, up-to-date list of speakers please visit www.imamiddleeastconference.org/programme.

For registration please visit http://www.imamiddleeastconference.org/registration.php .

About IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants)
IMA®, the association of accountants and financial professionals in business, is one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Globally, IMA supports the profession through research, the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) program, continuing education, networking and advocacy of the highest ethical business practices. IMA has a global network of more than 75,000 members in 140 countries and 300 professional and student chapters. Headquartered in Montvale, N.J., USA, IMA provides localized services through its four global regions: The Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Middle East/Africa. For more information about IMA, please visit www.imanet.org.

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© Press Release 2015