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- Forum to support business growth and expansion of international trade -
- More than 300 business leaders and experts set to attend -
- Bahrain's economy in spotlight with support from EBD, Tamkeen, BCCI and Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism-
Manama, Bahrain – The American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain), hosts of this year’s AmCham MENA Regional Council’s Annual Forum, today held a press conference to officially launch the Forum which is set to take place in the Kingdom of Bahrain on March 15-16, 2017.
The Forum, which aims to promote the expansion of trade and investment between the markets of the MENA region and the United States, will this year focus on SMEs: Unlocking Economic Potential in the MENA Region.
In particular, the Forum will prioritize the delivery of tangible results for attending companies including helping them to connect directly with potential partners, investors and clients and more swiftly scale up for international investment, trade and business engagement through a series of focused strategy discussions, B2B matchmaking and workshops.
Supporting the Forum from the Kingdom of Bahrain, whose economy will also be in the spotlight, is Strategic Forum Partner, the Bahrain Economic Development (EDB), in addition to Tamkeen, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism. Also central to the planning and success of the event is the cooperation being received from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the MENA Council Secretariat at AmCham Egypt.
Commenting, Mr. Qays H. Zu'bi, President of AmCham Bahrain, said, “For more than 12 years, the Forum has excelled at bringing together business leaders, associations and government representatives to create opportunities for new partnerships, the expansion of markets and overall business growth. AmCham Bahrain has been hard at work ensuring that we effectively build upon this legacy and the important platform that has been created. Working in close cooperation with key organisations in the Kingdom of Bahrain as well as our AmCham colleagues from across the MENA region, we are proud to have developed a strong program for the upcoming Forum in March, one that we are confident can helping attending companies meet their business objectives and growth potential.”
Great interest has been building in the Forum from high level delegations of business leaders and decision and policy makers. This includes an expected 300 participants comprising representatives from the U.S. and MENA governments, multilateral financing institutions supporting SME development in the region, as well as key players from the regional SME and entrepreneurship scene. From the private sector, the event will feature representation from MENA Council member AmChams of Abu Dhabi-UAE, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia, in addition to representatives from other regional U.S. Business Councils and a broad range of international and regional business associations.
Participants will benefit from a series of high level discussions and commentary on opportunities and effective strategies for business development that will feature at the Forum including coverage of key topics such as:
- SME’s as key drivers of economic development in the MENA region
- The Regional SME Ecosystem: A Fresh look at Thriving Techniques
- SME Financing Opportunities and Export Support Programs
- The integration of regional SMEs into the supply chain of U.S. and multinational companies in the region
Among the many experts and participants that will be addressing the Forum are senior government and private sector business leaders including: Mr. Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President, Middle East and Turkey Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive, Bahrain Economic Development Board, Ms. Reem El Saady, National Program Manager, Small Business Support at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) based in Egypt, and Mr. Mohamed Shalaby, Plant Director, Mondelez (Kraft Bahrain).
In addition to discussion based engagement, the Forum will also offer companies the opportunity to take part in pre-organized B2B meetings and introductions as well as workshops offering practical solutions and support to help in the expansion of markets and achievement of business goals.
This year’s Forum also incorporates a new and exciting feature in line with its focus on SME development. In cooperation with CH9 (http://chnine.com), a company helping startups and SMEs, and with technical and knowledge support provided by Microsoft, a half-day Pitch Session is being organized. This session aims to provide AmCham member companies with the opportunity to present their business case to groups of potential partners, investors and clients in support of accelerating international business growth. 10 AmCham member SMEs from across the region will be selected to present after being shortlisted by the organizers and supporting parties.
For information on how to take part and register for the Forum or to be considered for selection for the AmCham Members Pitch Session, please contact amcham@finmarkcoms.com
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© Press Release 2017
