19 February 2017
- More than 400 regional and international insurance experts to attend -

- EY to issue 2017 Middle East Insurance Report covering key trends -

- Award to recognise Best MENA insurer for 2017 -

Manama - (The 13th Annual Middle East Insurance Forum (MEIF 2017), being held in partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), is set to commence on 20 February 2017 in the Kingdom of Bahrain with the expected participation of more than 400 high level attendees to explore “Current Challenges and their Implications on the Regional Insurance Industry - The Road Ahead", the theme of this year’s event.

A leading regional insurance platform for more than a decade, MEIF will bring together senior industry leaders and experts to discuss a number of key topics to help regional insurance and Takaful companies meet existing restraints and identify new strategies, solutions and frameworks to pursue individual growth and overall industry advancement.

Specifically the Forum, through a series of keynote addresses and panel discussions, will look at:

-  Role of Regulation: Current Issues and Challenges

-  Mergers & Acquisitions in the Insurance sector

-  Introduction of VAT and its Implication in the Regional Markets

-  The Role of Insurance Companies in Health Care Reform

-  How Financial Technology is changing the Insurance Industry

-  Challenges facing the Takaful Industry

Day one of the Forum will be kicked off by notable speakers including Executive Director of Financial Institutions Supervision at the CBB, Mr. Abdul Rahman Al Baker, in addition to Mr. Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) and Mr. Mark Cooper, General Representative of the Middle East and Director of Lloyd’s Limited.

Mr. Al Baker Executive Director of Financial Institutions Supervision at the CBB, said: “We look forward to welcoming regional and global insurance leaders to the 13th Middle East Insurance Forum. With the great cooperation and support of the industry, the Forum will once again serve as an important platform for exchange and mapping out the road ahead for the insurance and Takaful markets across the MENA region. The programme will look at key areas of challenge and opportunity and serve as a means by which to develop new and innovative ideas to drive further industry development and growth.”

Other highlights of the event include the presentation of the “EY 2017 Middle East Insurance Report” by Mr. Sanjay Jain, Director and MENA Insurance Leader at Ernst & Young on day two of the Forum. The report will provide a summary of developments in MENA insurance markets made up of the six GCC plus Egypt. Highlights from these insurance markets will include major regulatory developments, recent market results and performance in addition to covering seven key insurance trends that are changing the shape of our insurance markets including GCC VAT, robotics, technology, financial reporting changes, cyber security, digital and data analytics.

MEIF 2017 is also gearing up to honour the “Best Insurance Company in the MENA Region”. The Forum will host a ceremony to recognize and award extraordinary achievement in the industry. Participating organisations include insurance players servicing the GCC, MENA and Levant regions and with minimum banking assets of USD15 million. Nominations have now been shortlisted and are under final review to be announced in day one of the forum. 

This flagship event spearheaded by the Central Bank of Bahrain is held with the support and cooperation of the BIA and sponsored by Braxtone Insurance Management as Lead Partner, Protection, the Broker Partner, Silver Sponsor Solidarity and Bronze Sponsors Ta’zur, SNIC, ARIG,  and GIG.

To find out more about how to register and take part, please visit www.meifbahrain.com or contact FinMark Communications on meif@finmarkcoms.com or +973 17749759.

© Press Release 2017