DOHA – 19, February 2013 – QNB Group will host the 16th annual meeting of the International Institute of Finance (IIF) for Middle Eastern and North African Bank Chief Executives to be held in Doha on February 22-23. QNB Group is hosting this important event for the second time after having hosted the 10th meeting of MENA Bank Chief Executives in 2007.
The IIF organizes its annual meeting of MENA Bank Chief Executives in association with one of the leading financial institutions in the region to discuss the issues impacting the global economy as well as developments affecting the financial sector from a global and a regional perspective. Apart from the Bank Chief Executives meeting, the IIF holds on regular basis other annual conferences in the MENA region including one for Chief Risk Officers and Chief Economists.
Commenting on hosting this event, Mr. Ali Shareef Al-Emadi, QNB Group's CEO, said "QNB Group is pleased to host this prestigious event for the second time as it offers leaders of the banking community in the region to exchange view on the latest development impacting the financial sector."
Keynote speakers and delegates will address the meeting including Tim Adams, the newly appointed IIF's Managing Director, along with a senior delegation from the Institute. Mr. Adams took up his new position on February 1. Previously he was the Managing Director of The Lindsey Group, a Washington D.C.-based economic advisory firm.
Other keynote speakers include Dr. Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zurich Insurance Group. Dr. Ackermann was previously the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the IIF and the CEO of Deutsche Bank. Also attending this conference is Mr. Ibrahim Dabdoub, Chief Executive Officer of the National Bank of Kuwait and a member of the IIF's Board of Directors, who will chair a roundtable discussion on the short-term risks and long-term opportunities for the region.
Other chief executives and senior officials from banks and financial institutions in the MENA region along with a number of delegations and experts from international financial institutions are expected to attend this event. Participants will discuss the latest developments in the global economy and their impact on the financial sector.
They will also discuss developments in the international banking sector, including ways to further develop the capital markets in the region and potential impact of regulatory reforms on banks and other financial institutions.
The agenda of the conference includes discussions on the current economic situation in the MENA region, in particular the impact of Arab Spring and its short-term risks and long-term opportunities. Other topics include ways to deepen regional financial markets and infrastructure projects finance.
Established in 1982, the IIF is a Washington DC based global association of leading financial institutions that includes amongst its members commercial and investment banks and insurance companies. The institute currently has over 450 members headquartered in more than 70 countries.