DUBAI: The Hawkamah-OECD 6th annual regional corporate governance conference on Monday commences its series of discussions at Dubai International Financial Center in Dubai, UAE.
The conference, titled Words to Action: the Next Regional Corporate Governance Challenge, has become a traditional annual regional gathering, bringing together regional and international experts in the field of corporate governance. Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates Eng. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri will deliver the keynote address of the conference which coincides with the announcement of the decree that has been issued to strengthen transparency and corporate governance in the UAE. The decree, issued by Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will tighten the regulation and constitution of boards of directors of profit and non-profit institutions as well as corporations owned by the federal government. The announcement underscores the need for companies and regulators to stay on top of the corporate governance developments. The annual conference will discuss the actual implementation challenges faced by regional companies particularly focusing on empowering shareowners, institutional investor activism, women on boards, ESG developments, and linkages between MENA and other emerging/developed markets, and the impact of Arab Spring on governance The rest of the day will tackle enforcement issues and board capacity, institutional investors as change agents, and risk management, according to Dr. Nasser Saidi, Executive Director of The Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance. The conference is a perfect opportunity to discuss the impact of the Arab Spring on governance of state-owned enterprises in particular, but also on other types of corporate entities that were affected by recent changes in the region. "The conference this year reflects the new mood across the region associated with the Arab Spring: people in all wakes of life and in all activities and sectors want to see 'words turned into action'. Hawkamah has always advocate transparency and disclosure and the building of institutions for good governance and accountability. The themes of our conference revolve around issues relevant to our economies and societies and examining the links between corporate governance and economic performance across sectors and actors. We will have sessions on State Owned Enterprises, unlisted and family owned companies, and on the importance of corporate governance research in guiding policymakers and the private sector. We intend to make the best use of social media and accordingly Hawkamah members, participants and attendees will be encouraged to tweet," he added. The conference's list of regional and international speakers includes Philip Armstrong (GCGF), Dr. Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl (European Parliament), Joe Tortorici (Weil Gotshal), Vanessa Jones (Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales), Stephen Glynn (Dubai Financial Services Authority), Dr. Mounther Barakat (Securities and Commodities Authority, UAE), Raed Charafeddine (Central Bank of Lebanon), Kemal Karahan (Capital Market Board of Turkey), George Pickering (Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority), Leonardo Pecklar (Consultant, Mudara IoD), Mahmood Ali Ahmad (du), Dr. Abdullah Al Abdulgader (GCC BDI), Mr. Hamed Al Busaidi (Oman Centre for Corporate Governance/Capital Market Authority of Oman), Seamus Gillen (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators), Charbel Azzi (S&P Indices), Dr. Charbel Cordahi (Al Khaligi Bank), May Nasrallah (De Novo Corporate Advisors), Paul Reynolds (Rothchild Middle East), Chris Pierce (Global Governance Services), Jan Bladen (Dubai Financial Services Authority), Avinash Totade (Dubal), Stephanie Williams (Bank of Sharjah), according to organizor's press release. The conference this year is sponsored by regional and international partners with a strong commitment to corporate governance. Sponsors of the conference include Du as the Exclusive Telecom Partner, Bank of Sharjah, Muscat Bank, Dubai World Central, Future Pipes Industries, Al Baraka Banking Group, ICSA, Dubal and Weil. Media partners include the Financial Times, Executive Magazine, and CPI Financials.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.
