2024 meira annual conference
Bridging Opportunities:
Accelerating IR in the Middle Eastern Capital Markets
About meira
The Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) Annual Conference and Awards is the largest IR event in MENA.
This benchmark event brings together participants from locally listed firms, international corporates, investors, research analysts and advisors, as well as representatives of the region's Regulatory bodies. The aim of the Conference is to provide delegates with a networking platform and to encourage dialogue around market challenges and best practice, while educating participants and stakeholders on the importance of Investor Relations, transparency and corporate governance.
On behalf of the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA), I am delighted to invite you to the 2024 MEIRA Annual Conference: Bridging Opportunities, Accelerating IR in the Middle Eastern Capital Markets, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), taking place on the 11th and 12th of December in Abu Dhabi.
The Conference has established itself as an essential platform for dialogue, learning, and collaboration among regional and international capital markets professionals.
We feel proud to have introduced a corporate-access event designed to facilitate meaningful connections between IR officers and the buy-side. This new platform underscores MEIRA’s dedication to fostering dialogue and networking opportunities within the investment community.
We are certain that your presence will contribute to the overall conference’s success. Together, we will explore the latest trends in the IR industry and opportunities that promise to elevate the IR role and the overall practices in the regional capital markets.
I look forward to welcoming you to Abu Dhabi as we embark on this new and exciting journey for MEIRA.
Warm regards,
Andrew TarbuckChair, MEIRA
About ADX
ADX is a market for trading securities; including shares issued by public joint stock companies, bonds issued by governments or corporations, exchange traded funds, and any other financial instruments approved by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). ADX is the second largest market in the Arab region and its strategy of providing stable financial performance with diversified sources of incomes is aligned with the guiding principles of the UAE “Towards the next 50” agenda. The national plan charts out the UAE’s strategic development scheme which aims to build a sustainable, diversified and high-value added economy that positively contributes to transition to a new global sustainable development paradigm.
In today’s fast-evolving economies, stakeholders and investors are seeking for material information that goes beyond published annual reports and quarterly results. IR professionals play not only a critical role in enhancing their companies’ long-term share value, they are vital in strengthening the relationship between the company and its shareholders and investors. IROs have to consistently up their game in sharing the development and growth of their companies, and to enable investors in connecting the dots to make informed investment decisions. ADX is pleased to join regional stock exchanges and global capital market partners in supporting MEIRA and bringing its 2024 Annual Conference & IR Awards to Abu Dhabi. It will be a much-anticipated and exciting gathering of the local and regional listed companies, leading stock exchanges CEOs, prominent capital market decision makers and global investors. Join us in shaping the future of capital markets and role of Investor Relations.
Mr Matthias BüchlerChief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange
Conference Summary
New features for 2024
Why attend?
- Network with your peers and share your experience during the biggest IR event in the Middle East
- Show your stakeholders that you are committed to improve IR best practice
- Catch up on the latest industry trends and access a broad network of industry partners
- Build brand awareness among the IR community in the Middle East and maximize your visibility
Panels
Explore our panelists and moderators
Keynote Speakers
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
H.E Ghannam Butti Al Mazrouei
Chairman, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchanges (ADX)
H.E. Ghannam Butti Almazrouei is the Secretary General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, where he oversees 24 billion dirhams in programs aimed at enabling greater participation of UAE nationals in the private sector. He is responsible for implementing the council’s strategy for filling 75,000 jobs in the private sector with Emirati talent over the next five years. In his role, he is also responsible for updating internal regulations around finance, technical, human resources and organisational structure regulations.
H.E. Almazrouei is Chairman of ADX and he also serves as a board member of Abu Dhabi Pensions Fund, where he holds the position of Chairman of the HR Committee. Additionally, H.E. Almazrouei is a member of the Board of Trustees at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.
In his career, H.E. Almazrouei was Group Human Capital Director at ADNOC, where he led four functions and divisions that support over 900 employees. He has more than 21 years of experience at ADNOC Group companies and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, holding several senior leadership positions in Finance Control and Human Resources. This included leading the Human Capital corporate strategy to enhance policies and talent development. He holds a master’s degree of Science in Financial Economics from Boston University and a BSc. In Business Administration/Finance from Suffolk University.
H.E Dr. Maryam Butti Al Suwaidi
CEO, Securities & Commodities Authority of the UAE
HE. Dr. Maryam Al Suwaidi is among the top-notch dynamic finance and regulatory professionals from the region, having a career spanning more than 2 decades in multifarious disciplines connected with Financial Markets including regulating securities and derivatives markets, financial services and products, insurance, oversight of the national credit bureau, Anti-Financial Crime supervision, Fintech, Virtual Assets, apart from being a scholar in Islamic and conventional jurisprudence.
Presently, Her Excellency is the CEO of Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), the mainland UAE’s capital market regulator. Her Excellency provides leadership to the Boards of Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance as Vice Chairperson, as a Board Member at Al Etihad Credit Bureau and the UAE’s Digital Economy Council, and Trustee Member at the Board of UAE CSR Fund.
Her Excellency has been accorded honors by multiple international organizations including featuring several times in the Top Lists in the Middle East by Forbes and Arabian Business magazines, featured by NASDAQ on its Board in Times Square, NY, first Emirati woman to be accredited by the FATF as an AML/CFT assessor of Countries, and a Graduate of the UAE’s Prime Minister’s Government Leaders’ program.
Dr. Al Suwaidi holds a Doctorate in Law from the University of Leeds, UK, a Master’s Degree in Commercial Law from the University of Wales, an Honors degree in ‘Shariah and Law’ from the UAE University, ICA(UK)’s International Diploma in AML and is a registered lawyer at the UAE’s Ministry of Justice.
Klaus Froehlich
Group CIO at ADNOC Group
With extensive experience in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), commercial and investment banking, capital markets, change management, debt and financial restructuring, Klaus Froehlich has been at the helm of ADNOC’s Group Strategic Investments Function since 2020. He is responsible for executing both ADNOC’s short and long-term growth and value creation strategies.
Prior to joining ADNOC, Froehlich spent over 20 years in the financial services industry, including 17 years at Morgan Stanley and more recently for three years as Chief Financial Officer of the Saudi Binladin Group in Jeddah. Previously, he has held various roles at BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank.
Froehlich is Founder of KF Advisory LLC, where he currently also serves as Managing Director, and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Growthgate Partners Dubai. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK and is a member of the Institute of Directors.
Andrew Tarbuck
Chair, MEIRA
Andrew is a Partner and Head of Capital Markets at Al Tamimi & Co, with over 17 years of experience in the region, he is widely recognised as a leading lawyer for capital markets and M&A in the Middle East.
Andrew has particular expertise in all aspects of capital markets and public company transactions, particularly IPOs, other equity fund raisings, debt securities and Sukuk. Andrew has been ranked in Band 1 or Band 2 in Chambers Global since 2008 and is a “Leading Individual” in Legal 500 for UAE and Middle East Capital Markets. Commentators described him as "very knowledgeable, practical and energetic, and gets things done", “a big player who brings a lot of expertise to his team” and as “a leading figure in the capital markets space” with “a solid track record in multibillion-dollar IPOs”. Clients have been quoted: “Andrew has been stellar; our work would not have come to fruition without his advice.". Other sources praise his "great reputation" and state that “he is amazingly knowledgeable”.
Panel 1 | GCC Exchange CEOs Plenary: The Rise of the GCC: Unlocking Growth and Value Creation in the Regional Capital Markets
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mr. Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi
Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)
As GCEO, Mr. Alnuaimi drives the exchange’s growth and strategic direction as a leading multi-asset exchange and a thriving investment platform that is committed to supporting economic diversification in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and contributing to the economic development and prosperity in the UAE. With a career in capital markets and financial services that spans over 25 years, Mr. Alnuaimi has spearheaded numerous transformational initiatives that position ADX at the forefront as a leading trading hub and global investment platform including the successful establishment of the ADX derivatives trading platform with central counterparty clearing capabilities in 2022 and the Tabadul Hub. Further, under Mr. Alnuaimi’s charge, ADX also introduced new and enhanced trading mechanisms including: ‘Trade at Last’ session; ‘Circuit Breaker with Call Auction’; the ADX eIPO Investor Portal; Technical Short Selling service and mechanism; ‘market maker' services and automated cash dividends payment to bank connection, to name a few. Prior to ADX, Mr. Alnuaimi held various appointments in Investment Banking. Mr. Alnuaimi serves as a member of the Advisory Board at Abu Dhabi University's College of Business and Economics. Mr. Alnuaimi is a certified Arbitrator and holds a Masters’ degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the UAE National Defense College
Sheikh Khalifa Al-Khalifa
Chief Executive Officer, BHB (Bahrain Bourse)
Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa currently holds the position of Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Bourse as well as Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bahrain Clear. Sh Khalifa also served as the Chairman of Arab Federation of Capital Markets (2022-2023), as well as an active member the GCC Exchanges Committee - GCC General Secretariat. As CEO, Sh. Khalifa drives BHB’s strategy, with the aim of positioning Bahrain Bourse as a ‘Sustainable & Innovative Marketplace’. Sh. Khalifa has more than 20 years of capital markets experience and possesses a wide range of expertise from business development and corporate planning to strategy and operations. Preceding his appointment as CEO, Sh. Khalifa served as Deputy Director for Central Securities Depository (CSD) and Information Technology, and subsequently Chief Operating Officer, prior to handling the role of Chief Executive Officer. Sh. Khalifa holds an MBA from the CASS Business School – London.
Haitham Al Salmi
Chief Executive Officer, Muscat Stock Exchange
CEO of Muscat Stock Exchange SAOC and chairman of Muscat Clearing and Depository SAOC with over 21 year executive experience capital markets and securities industry in leading financial markets institutions including financial market infrastructure institutions, intermediaries and investment banks. He is master degree holders in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from University of Bedfordshire and a bachelor graduate in Accounting from Sultan Qaboos University.
Mohammed Al-Rumaih
Chief Executive Office, Saudi Exchange
Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al-Rumaih is the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Exchange, having assumed this role in April 2021. Since joining the Exchange in 2009, he has held several key leadership positions, including Chief of Markets, Head of Primary Market, and Chief of Sales and Marketing.
With extensive experience in the financial services sector, Mohammed has been a driving force behind the Exchange’s significant growth and transformation. His leadership has been pivotal in the implementation of market enhancements and the introduction of innovative financial products, solidifying the Exchange’s reputation as a leading capital market in the region and beyond.
Noteworthy achievements during his tenure include the Saudi Exchange’s inclusion in emerging market indices, the successful overhaul of the Nomu-Parallel Market, and facilitating the smooth public listing of Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest IPO, in 2019.
Mohammed holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and an Executive MBA from from Manchester Business School.
Hamed Ahmed Ali
Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Financial Market & Nasdaq
Mr. Hamed Ali was appointed as CEO of DFM on 8th of November 2021. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Hamed Ali has served as Deputy CEO of DFM from July 2020. He is also leading Nasdaq Dubai as the CEO since 2012. In these roles, he develops and implements the expansion of existing markets and activities at both exchanges and is creating new areas of growth, building on the synergies between DFM and Nasdaq Dubai. Under his leadership Nasdaq Dubai launched equity derivatives on UAE stocks in 2016 and on Saudi stocks in 2019. Nasdaq Dubai has become one of the largest exchanges in the world for Sukuk listings. It is the largest exchange in the Middle East for US dollar-denominated bond listings, many of them from Chinese and other international issuers as well as GCC issuers. Under Mr. Ali’s direction Nasdaq Dubai has also pioneered the UAE’s listed REITs market. The exchange’s MarketSite event space, launched in 2018, has become a leading venue for thought leadership and media activity. Mr. Hamed Ali was previously Executive Director of Nasdaq Dubai from 2006 to 2008. His experience includes serving as Chief Operating Officer of DIFC Authority and most recently as Executive Director at the Dubai Knowledge & Human Development Authority. Mr. Hamed Ali played a key role in the development of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 and participated in various strategy development exercises. He holds an Executive MBA from London Business School, a B.Sc. in Applied Computing from Leeds Metropolitan University, and a Master Certificate in Project Management
Peter Gotke
MEIRA Board
Peter is a Partner at Embera Partners, a capital markets advisory firm that is headquartered in Vienna. Embera supports clients across EMEA on their IR strategy and wider capital markets engagement. Peter is based in London. Previously Peter worked at S&P Global, managing the EMEA sales team and supporting issuers in key markets across the GCC. Prior to this Peter was global head of Product Management in the depositary receipt (DR) division of Deutsche Bank. Peter also spent 8 years in the DR team at BNY Mellon, based in the Middle East for many years focused on engaging exchanges and regulators, as well as the key listed companies, supporting their outreach to foreign investors, and also working to create new instruments to facilitate access to the global capital markets. Peter has also spent a number of years in the Asia Pacific region as head of the corporate services team at Thomason Reuters. Peter is a Middle East IR Association (MEIRA) board member.
Case Study 1 | Delivering IR Excellence : ADNOC Drilling
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Abdulrahman Al Seiari
Chief Executive Officer, ADNOC Drilling
Abdulrahman Abdulla Al Seiari has more than 35 years of onshore and offshore drilling experience within ADNOC upstream group companies, with his most recent appointment being in 2020 as ADNOC Drilling’s Chief Executive Officer. He has held numerous senior positions within ADNOC Onshore and ADNOC Drilling including Senior Vice President of Operations and Senior Vice President of Drilling, where he had oversight of all major drilling operations.
Youssef Salem
Chief Financial Officer, ADNOC Drilling
Youssef Salem is CFO of ADX-listed ADNOC Drilling, world’s largest integrated driller. Youssef’s experience includes being CFO of AIQ, MENA’s fastest unicorn and first AI unicorn; CFO & Director at Swvl, world’s first mass transit marketplace to go public and MENA’s first unicorn to list on Nasdaq; Executive Director & Senior Advisor at Moelis with 13 years of investment banking experience, executing >$100bn of capital raises, financings, M&A, and restructurings across >60 transactions; Founder of Qora71, a Hub71 backed venture investors syndicate; Entrepreneur in Residence at Hub71; Adjunct Professor of Practice at the American University in Cairo; and Board / Advisory Board Member in multiple technology companies and funds. He is a CFA Charterholder, Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, youngest CFO on both Nasdaq and ADX and was featured in Forbes Middle East 30 under 30 list.
Panel 2 | Bridging the Divide – Fungibility and the Future of Cross-Exchange Trading
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Saker Asllan
Chief Exchange Operations Officer, ADX
Saker Asllan brings over 19 years of expertise in financial markets and banking to his role as the Chief Exchange Operations Officer at the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). At ADX, he leads the Operations Team, ensuring effective trading control and the preservation of fair market practices through surveillance. His responsibilities also extend to fostering efficient engagement with all financial market members. In addition to his primary role, Saker leads the continuous development of the Tabadul Hub Program, aimed at connecting exchanges and promoting cross-border trading.
Before joining ADX, Saker was the Executive Director of Surveillance Optimisation at Morgan Stanley based in London. In this role, he led the bank's global surveillance program optimisation and spearheaded several key strategic trade monitoring initiatives. Prior to this, he worked for Nasdaq for 9 years, as Associate Vice President in Product Management, leading key product initiatives in Trade Surveillance, use of analytics and data visualizations to drive efficiency in trading risk management.
In 2008, Saker led the establishment of the Damascus Securities Exchange. As the Acting Deputy CEO, he was responsible for developing core business rules, procedures, and systems for trading, clearing, and settlement. Earlier, in 2006, he played a foundational role in the establishment of the Syrian Commission on Financial Markets as the IT Director, managing IT infrastructure and systems development
Saker holds an MSc (Hons) in International Financial Markets from the University of Southampton, an MBA (Hons) from the international program of ParisDauphine University, and a BS in Software Engineering from the University of Damascus
Tony Tooma
Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa Sales, BNY Mellon
Tony Tooma has a dual Business Development and Relationship Management role in BNY's Issuer Services business, which includes Corporate Trust and Depositary Receipts teams.
Joined the bank in 1995 and has over 30 years of experience in global capital and emerging markets, providing issuers with consultative services and innovative solutions to facilitate their short- and long- term capital market goals.
Tony manages a portfolio of existing clients and prospects from the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region and is responsible for expanding BNY Mellon's product offerings, solutions, and opening new markets to enhance growth in the region.
Prior to joining BNY Mellon, Tony previously worked at JP Morgan in the Global Custody and Issuer Services groups. Tony has also held various positions in Operations, Transaction Execution and Product Management in his tenure.
Tony is fluent in Arabic and also a member of the Arab Bankers Association of North America (ABANA), the Middle East Investor Relations Society (MEIRS), and the Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC).
Zahi Bsaibes
Head of Primary Capital Markets, Middle East, London Stock Exchange
Zahi looks over the primary capital markets business in the Middle East helping regional companies access London as a financing destination to raise capital, through debt and equity listings. He advises and supports international companies and founders on the process of going public and life as a listed company on London’s markets. Prior to this, Zahi was Account Director at Thomson Reuters and Refinitiv managing tier 1 accounts and driving top line revenue. He worked closely with regional sovereign wealth funds, fund managers, investment banks, family offices, and corporates. Zahi holds a Bachelor of Economics from the American University of Beirut.
Redwan Ahmed
Group Senior VP – Investor Relations, DP World
Redwan Ahmed is a distinguished leader in the logistics and supply chain industry, currently serving as the Senior Vice President and Head of Investor Relations at DP World. With a strategic vision focused on maximizing stakeholder value, Redwan spearheads the planning, development, and execution of investor relations activities. His leadership has been instrumental in enhancing DP World's stature within the investment community, contributing to its position as a frontrunner in global logistics.
As a committed advocate for best practices in investor relations, Redwan also contributes his expertise as a board member, executive committee member, and treasurer of the Middle East Investor Relations Association.
Redwan’s foundation in finance was built on a successful 13-year career as a sell-side equity analyst, which included a significant tenure in London. This experience has endowed him with a deep understanding of the global financial markets and a nuanced perspective on investment strategies.
A proud alumnus of Bayes Business School, City University London, Redwan holds a Bachelor's Degree in Insurance and Investment.
Matthew O’Keeffe
Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Matthew O’Keeffe is a Managing Director in the Strategic Communications segment of FTI Consulting based in London. Matthew is part of the Industrial & Special Situations team and he is responsible for Global Investor Relations advisory.
Matthew joined FTI in 2016 after more than 20 years in equity research during which he worked as an analyst at a number of investment banks including UBS, Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch, SG and Berenberg. His coverage as an analyst included Austrian Post, Bpost, CTT, PostNL, Royal Mail, TNT Express and Deutsche Post (where he co-led the Initial Public Offering). He is an active member of the Investor Relations Society.
Matthew has worked at FTI for a wide variety of clients big & small, domestic & international, including: Aramex, Abu Dhabi Ports, Aldar, Kier, Eddie Stobart, SABIC, easyJet, Wizzair, PageGroup, Janus Henderson, Play Communications, Mitsui, Marel, Accsys, Keller, Glanbia, TI Fluids, TAQA & the Saudi Electricity Company. Matthew studied Philosophy, Politics & Economics at Jesus College, Oxford and has an MSc from the London School of Economics. He is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.
Panel 3 | The C-Suite Viewpoint: Why Investor Relations Matters
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Peter Van Driel
Chief Financial Officer, ADNOC Gas
Peter van Driel is the Chief Financial Officer of ADNOC Gas, an ADX listed, large-scale integrated gas processing company and a subsidiary of ADNOC, one of the world's largest integrated energy companies with a market capitalization of over $65 billion. With a remarkable career spanning over three decades, he has earned a reputation as a highly skilled and seasoned finance executive, garnering extensive international experience through various senior roles within the energy sector.
Van Driel embarked on his career at Shell in 1991, dedicating nearly three decades of service to the company, where he held diverse roles across several countries, including the UK, Philippines, Russia, the US and the Netherlands. Before joining ADNOC Gas, he served for nearly two years as CFO at Naftogaz, the Ukrainian state-owned oil and gas company, where he successfully spearheaded the transformation of the company's finance function and played a pivotal role in shaping its new strategic direction.
Chris Wilson
CFO, Aldar Investment
Chris is Chief Financial Officer of Aldar Investment, Aldar’s core asset management platform, which includes Aldar Investment Properties, Aldar Education, Aldar Hospitality, Aldar Estates and other strategic businesses.
Prior to his current role, Chris served as Chief Financial Officer of Aldar Education. In this role, he oversaw all financial, investment and digital transformation aspects of the business as well as leading the company’s strategic growth efforts.
He has extensive experience within multiple sectors across capital markets, corporate finance and a broader range of finance roles across both the UAE and UK.
Chris holds a First Class Hons in Finance from Lancaster University Management School and a chartered accountancy certification from ICAS.
Hubert Lafeuille
Chief Financial Officer at Arabian drilling
Hubert Lafeuille is the CFO of Arabian Drilling since 2020. Before joining Arabian Drilling, Hubert was working with SUBSEA 7 as the Managing Director for Angola and then as the Regional Financial Director for Asia Pacific and Middle East area. Prior to this, Hubert held a number of financial executive positions, mainly in the offshore drilling industry, including as Ocean Rig's Vice President of Finance and Accounting. Prior to that, Hubert held a number of other managerial roles worldwide for TRANSOCEAN, mostly as regional Head of Finance. Hubert has an extensive international experience having lived in twelve different countries. Hubert's solid experience in Oilfield Services started in 1995 when he first joined Schlumberger as internal auditor. Hubert is a French citizen and graduated with a master’s degree in Management and Finance from NEOMA Business School, France, in 1991.
Ghassan Al Hashar
CFO, Omantel
Mr. Ghassan Al Hashar joined Omantel on March 2021 and is currently the Chief Financial Officer, bringing on board more than 20 years of vast expertise and background in finance operations, especially as an Investment professional with national and international exposure and a proven track record in managing major assets classes. His area of specialisation extends to equities and capital markets, fixed income and money markets, financial structuring, corporate finance, risk management, valuation and investment research. His industry knowledge covers sectors like Banking, telecommunications, energy, real estate, power and utilities.
He served on the Boards of several reputed Omani Public Listed Companies, besides heading their audit, investment, risk and project development committees.
Mr Ghassan holds a MSc in Finance & Investment Management from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom besides several certifications from other institutions.
Marwa Faisal AlMaskati
Senior Director – Partnership Development, Sustainability & Communications , Bahrain Bourse
Marwa Al-Maskati leads the Partnership Development, Sustainability & Communications function of Bahrain Bourse where she is responsible for all market access, Investor Relations, roadshows and corporate access days, as well as leads the sustainability role. Since taking on this role in 2014, she has been instrumental in the implementation and establishment of new markets including the Real Estate Investment Trust Market (REIT) in 2016 and the Bahrain Investment Market (BIM) in 2017, played a crucial role in championing ESG within the capital markets, as well as the establishment and launch of the Middle East Investor Relations – Bahrain Chapter. Mrs. AlMaskati currently heads the Bahrain Chapter of MEIRA and sits on the Board of MEIRA as well, she is also an active member of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets - Sustainability Committee (2021-2022).
Mrs. Al-Maskati has over 20+ years of experience in the financial industry with a focus on areas including strategy development,venture capital, private equity, and business development, having previously worked for a number of prominent organizations. Prior to joining Bahrain Bourse, she held key roles with prominent organizations including the Central Bank of Bahrain, TAIB Bank, and Tamkeen.
Mrs. Al-Maskati holds a First-Class Honors Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde (UK) in 2006 and a Bachelors of Science in Business and Economics from the University of Wales, Swansea (UK) in 2002. Mrs. Al-Maskati has completed her professional certification as ‘Certified Investor Relations Officer’ awarded by the UK-IR Society and ‘Series 79’ awarded by the BIBF. Mrs. Al-Maskati has also completed the Regulators Securities Market Program conducted by Harvard Law School & IOSCO, ‘Diversity on Board’ program by HSBC, selected as part of 2nd cohort in ‘BBK Women on Boards’ program, and has recently completed the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme from SaÏd Business School – University of Oxford.
Manuel Isaza
Director, BlackRock Investment Stewardship, BlackRock
Manuel Isaza, Director, is the Deputy Head of the BlackRock Investment Stewardship (BIS) team, based in London. The BIS team actively works with BlackRock's portfolio companies to promote effective governance and create value for clients and to address economic risks that arise from social, environmental and governance issues.
Manuel is responsible for leading and supporting the BIS team's engagement with portfolio companies in markets within EMEA on behalf of BlackRock's clients globally. Manuel also actively engages with clients and other stakeholders on topics including proxy voting, shareholder engagement, stewardship reporting, and thought leadership. He is a board member of Eumedion, the leading Dutch association representing institutional investors' interests in the field of corporate governance and sustainability.
Prior to joining BlackRock, Manuel worked at BMO Global Asset Management in Corporate Governance and ESG Integration. Manuel also worked at Hermes Investment Management in the Equity Ownership Services team as an ESG Analyst.
Fireside Chat | Investor Engagement Best Practices. A view from Blackrock
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Paolo Casamassima
Chief Executive Officer, MEIRA
Paolo Casamassima is the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA), the Middle East’s only professional body specifically designed for IR practitioners, a platform dedicated to promoting the Investor Relations profession and international standards in Corporate Governance. He was appointed in December 2023.
Paolo has over 16 years’ experience in Investor Relations advising publicly listed companies globally on different areas of their IR journey and supporting the implementation of IR Best Practices. Formerly Head of Global Market Intelligence at Orient Capital, Paolo started his Investor Relations Advisory career in Ipreo (now S&P Global). Paolo is also a driver of social change, having established Bighous, a social impact investment fund based in the UK and recently awarded UK’s Most Impactful Social Housing Solution Provider. Paolo has a BA from LUISS University in Italy, a double MBA degree from Westminster University in England and Valencia University in Spain, and post-graduate MSt degree in Entrepreneurship from Cambridge University in England.
Panel 4 | The Future Is Now: AI and Digital Transformation In Investor Relations
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
David Grunfeld
Founder & CEO, aiiro AI
David is an experienced entrepreneur, investor and thought leader, with over two decades building successful knowledge service businesses and advising leading public and private sector organizations across the Middle East and beyond.
He is the CEO of PS NXT, a DIFC-headquartered incubation platform for disruptive, high-growth AI and technology ventures in the brand, communications and content space.
aiiro AI, the first venture launched by PS NXT, is the world’s first AI investor engagement platform for listed companies globally. It harnesses cutting-edge AI in a secure and user-friendly environment to attract, inform and engage investors and create value for IR teams and their organizations.
He is also the Founder & MD of Prose, the leading content advisory and development firm in the Middle East, supporting the strategic communications and stakeholder engagement needs for hundreds of public and private organizations across the region over the last two decades.
A graduate of McGill University in Canada, David sits on the board of several companies and is a regular advisor and speaker focused on technology, strategic communication and investor relations.
Malshini Silva
Chief Operating Officer, Smart Media
Leading Smart Media's operations, Malshini brings over a decade of in-depth experience in corporate reporting. She has played a pivotal role in the Company’s trail blazing journey. She is adept in all popular guidelines, frameworks, and standards pertaining to corporate reporting. These range from the GRI Standards, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, to IFRS Foundation’s Integrated Reporting Framework. She has also been a key driver in transforming traditional reporting methods into cutting-edge digital solutions.
Abdulwahab Zarah
Investor Relations Director, First Mills Company
Bring over 12 years of expertise in the field of finance and accounting, specializing in investment analysis and investor relations within high-profile Saudi joint stock and asset management companies. Throughout my career, I have contributed to leading organizations, including First Mills Company, Saudi National Bank, Nahdi Medical Company, Emaar Economic City, and Sidra Capital. Additionally, I have had the privilege of collaborating with prominent governmental entities such as the Royal Commission for AlUla and the Tourism Development Fund, supporting strategic financial initiatives that align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Academically, I hold a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Colorado Denver, USA, and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. I am a Certified Investor Relations professional and have earned credentials in Securities Dealing and Wealth and Diversified Asset Management from the Financial Academy in Saudi Arabia, underscoring my commitment to fostering transparency and strategic communication in the investor relations field.
Alícia Gallego Martinez
CEO & Adviser, Audere Strategies
Alicia Gallego is an experienced communications and marketing expert with more than ten years of experience in international markets. She works as a Financial and Strategic Communications Adviser at Audere Strategies. In her role, Alicia works with various organisations, businesses and start-ups from the Middle East, United States, Latin America and Central Europe.
Previously, she was the Senior Manager, Policy and Strategic Communications at the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA). Alicia started her career as Research and Business Intelligence Analyst, covering the Latin-American capital markets and M&A deals. She has also collaborated as an editor and writer with international financial media outlets.
Alicia is a Certified Investor Relations Officer since 2018. She holds an Executive MBA from Bayes Business School.
Roger Tejwani
Senior Director, Investor Relations, Presight
Having been in the UAE since 2022, Roger joined Presight as Senior Director, Investor Relations in 2024. He brings over 27 years of Capital Markets experience in both the UK and South Africa, across Investment Banking, Equity Research and Investor Relations. Roger holds a bachelor’s degree in European law, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (UK) and a Business and Finance Professional (ICAEW)
Afternoon Panel | Integrating Governance and Investor Relations, GCC BDI
December 11, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Eline Hilal
Director – Investor Relations, Insurance, Aluminum Bahrain
Highly skilled and results-driven Corporate Communications Executive, Strategic Insurance & Risk Management Executive as well as seasoned Investor Relations expert with a proven track record for over 17 years in designing and executing comprehensive communication strategies to enhance brand reputation and company’s positioning, drive stakeholder engagement, and support organizational goals, implementing effective risk mitigation strategies and optimizing insurance programs.
Since March 2011, I have held high-profile investor relations, corporate communications, insurance and company secretary roles at Aluminium Bahrain BSC (Alba), one of the largest industrial companies in the Middle East and the world’s largest aluminium producer on one site.
Consistently Awarded "Best IR Professional" by the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) for driving investor engagement and building strong connections between the Company and the financial community.
Andrew Tarbuck
MEIRA Chairman
Andrew is a Partner and Head of Capital Markets at Al Tamimi & Co, with over 17 years of experience in the region, he is widely recognised as a leading lawyer for capital markets and M&A in the Middle East.
Andrew has particular expertise in all aspects of capital markets and public company transactions, particularly IPOs, other equity fund raisings, debt securities and Sukuk. Andrew has been ranked in Band 1 or Band 2 in Chambers Global since 2008 and is a “Leading Individual” in Legal 500 for UAE and Middle East Capital Markets. Commentators described him as "very knowledgeable, practical and energetic, and gets things done", “a big player who brings a lot of expertise to his team” and as “a leading figure in the capital markets space” with “a solid track record in multibillion-dollar IPOs”. Clients have been quoted: “Andrew has been stellar; our work would not have come to fruition without his advice.". Other sources praise his "great reputation" and state that “he is amazingly knowledgeable”.
Marc Hammoud
Head of Investor Relations at AD Ports
Senior finance professional boasting 23 years of experience, with a focus on EMEA Capital Markets & Equities, Equity Research / Equity Investment Advisory, and Investor Relations.
Worked in top tier investment banks, including BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, and JP Morgan.
Based in the UAE for 22 years, having gained a deep understanding of the region’s macro and micro trends, dynamics, and growth perspectives.
Specialized in Ports/Logistics/Shipping, TMT, Consumer, Healthcare, and Real Estate sectors.
Strong IPO & private placement track record, having worked on 7 transactions in total.
Skilled in Macro Analysis, Industry and Competitive Analysis, Business Analysis, Fundamental Financial Analysis and Forecasting, Excel Financial Modelling, Company Valuation, Investment Advisory, Investor Relations, and Written & Verbal Financial Communication.
Extensive interaction with senior management and board members, key stakeholders (Government Entities/Authorities, GREs, Regulators, Stock Exchanges), and institutional investors.
Joined AD Ports Group almost three years ago to set up the Investors Relations function from scratch.
Educated with a Master's degree in Management Sciences from UVSQ in France (University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines).
Amani Korayeim
Director, Corporate Product & Strategic Partnerships, Europe Emerging EMEA, Extel (Prev Institutional Investor Research)
Amani Korayeim is Director of Corporate Product & Partnerships Europe/EMEA at Extel (formerly Institutional Investor Research). In this capacity, she is responsible for supervising the Corporate IR product within these regions and oversees critical client relationships, strategic partnerships, the introduction of new research products, and the expansion into new markets, with a focus on the Middle East and Africa. She collaborates closely with Investor Relations and executive management teams, leading workshops to assess capabilities and shape IR engagement and outreach strategies.
Prior to her tenure at Extel, Amani gained experience in the business information sector, offering research-based advisory services to professional services firms on a global mandate. With over 13 years in the IR industry, she is a frequent speaker at IR society seminars, concentrating on measuring and optimizing IR performance, peer benchmarking, and navigating the impact of emerging trends and regulatory changes in the IR landscape. Amani actively contributes as a member of the Best Practice Committee for the UK IR Society's Board and has served as a mentor in the IR Society Mentoring program for two years. Since 2020, she has been a part of the judging panel for the SCMA Awards at the Saudi Capital Markets Forum.
John Gollifer
Chief Executive Officer, GCC Board Directors Institute
John Gollifer is the CEO of GCC Board Directors Institute. Before this role, he was General Manager of the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) from 2019 to 2023, where he significantly contributed to its growth as a leading IR body in the region. He previously led the UK’s IR Society (2012–2018), fostering key partnerships. John has extensive global experience in investor relations training and lectured at the University of Liverpool. He also received an Honorary Fellowship from the UK’s IR Society in 2018.
John’s prior roles include Senior Vice President at the Singapore Exchange, where he oversaw investor relations and corporate strategy. He founded the IR Professionals Association of Singapore and taught at Singapore Management University. With a background in equity capital markets and corporate finance, he has worked in Asia and Europe for major banks and financial institutions.
Panel 5 | Decoding Global Capital Markets: Reviewing the year, Navigating the future
December 12, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Edward Bell
Acting Group Head of Research and Chief Economist, Emirates NBD
Edward Bell is Acting Chief Economist and Group Head of Research for Emirates NBD. He leads a team of economists and analysts providing our clients with leading macroeconomic and market views for the wider MENAT region. Edward previously served as Head of Market Economics for the bank, covering commodities, currencies and rates. He has a background as a commodities fundamentals analyst and a Middle East-focused economist with degrees from the University of London and University of Toronto. Edward is based in Dubai.
Simon Williams
Chief Economist CEEMEA, HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd
Simon Williams joined HSBC in 2006 as Chief Economist for MENA in Dubai, before moving to London in 2014. Simon returned to Dubai in 2023, where he continues to head the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEEMEA) region’s economics coverage and lead the bank’s macro research in the Middle East. Simon has more than 25 years' experience as a country analyst and economist for the emerging markets.
Shakir Iqbal
Executive Director, Head of Ceemea Equity Sales , JP Morgan
Shakir Iqbal is Head of CEEMEA Equity Sales. Shakir joined J.P. Morgan from Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Dubai where he was a Director in MENA & Frontier Equity Sales. Prior to that, he was with Citigroup as MENA Equity Strategist based out of New York and then Dubai.
Shakir holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Relations form the University of Pennsylvania.
Faisal AlAzmeh
Executive Director, Head of CEEMEA Research at Goldman Sachs
Faisal AlAzmeh, CFA, is the head of CEEMEA Equity Research and is based our of the Dubai office and focuses on the chemicals, infrastructure and energy sectors. He is also the IPO specialist for EMEA pre-deal research. Faisal has been recognized by Institutional Investor as the top analyst in Emerging EMEA Chemicals. Prior to joining the firm, Faisal worked as an equity research director heading the EMEA chemicals team at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Faisal held an equity research role at NCB Capital in Saudi Arabia and a Senior Consultant position in the deals department at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Faisal holds a BA in economics and commerce.
Tatiana Volochkovich
Senior Manager, Investor Relations Group Strategic Investments (Investor Relations), ADNOC
Tatiana Volochkovich joined ADNOC as a Senior Manager (Investor Relations) in March 2023 to oversee the Group’s listed portfolio and its broader equity and debt capital markets efforts. Prior to that, she managed ESG and IR functions as a Director at VK, one of the largest Internet companies in Russia, where she ranked as the best IR professional in the country.
Tatiana started her career as a Russia real estate Research Analyst at Merrill Lynch in 2007 and later Small Cap sales and generalist Russia/CIS sales at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. In 2011 she was a Vice President in charge of Russia/CIS equity sales efforts for Morgan Stanley. Tatiana graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio (USA) with a B.A. degree in Economics, with Honors, and Mathematics
Fireside chat | Managing IR during time of crisis
December 12, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Kamel Husseini
Chief Strategic Relations & Engagements Officer, Bank of Palestine
Mr. Husseini is currently Chief Strategic Engagements & Corporate Affairs Officer at the Bank of Palestine (BoP) www.bankofpalestine.com; the largest National Bank operating in Palestine, with 68 local branches in the West Bank and Gaza; and international representative offices in Dubai, UAE, and in Santiago, Chile.
Mr. Husseini was the Managing Director for the Portland Trust in Ramallah, Palestine, a UK based Action Tank working on Economic Development. At the Portland Trust he helped implement a main initiative for creating growth in jobs and GDP assisted by Mckinsey Worldwide, in addition to a Spatial Economic Vision for Gaza 2050 as part of a Global Palestine Vision with AECOM (July 2013-January 2016).
Mr. Husseini is also the founder of Ellam Tam. The company was established on January 1st, 2000, as the first Communications and Public Relations Company in Palestine. He is now acting as Chairman for the Company. Mr. Husseini
Paolo Casamassima
Chief Executive Officer, MEIRA
Paolo Casamassima is the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA), the Middle East’s only professional body specifically designed for IR practitioners, a platform dedicated to promoting the Investor Relations profession and international standards in Corporate Governance. He was appointed in December 2023.
Paolo has over 16 years’ experience in Investor Relations advising publicly listed companies globally on different areas of their IR journey and supporting the implementation of IR Best Practices. Formerly Head of Global Market Intelligence at Orient Capital, Paolo started his Investor Relations Advisory career in Ipreo (now S&P Global). Paolo is also a driver of social change, having established Bighous, a social impact investment fund based in the UK and recently awarded UK’s Most Impactful Social Housing Solution Provider. Paolo has a BA from LUISS University in Italy, a double MBA degree from Westminster University in England and Valencia University in Spain, and post-graduate MSt degree in Entrepreneurship from Cambridge University in England.
Case Study 3 | “IR SURVEY PRESENTATION – WHAT THE BUY-SIDE VALUE MOST”, by Instinctif Partners
December 12, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Matthew Smallwood
Managing Partner & Head of Capital Markets, Instinctif Partners
Matthew is a Managing Partner and one of the founding employees of Instinctif Partners. He has over 35 years capital markets experience, firstly as a market maker, followed by 30 years at Instinctif Partners during which time he has developed an exceptional ability to support his clients’ investment cases through working with the business media and sellside analysts. Matthew has advised on many of the most high-profile brands on their reputation; there are few corporate/equity market/ situations which he hasn’t experienced over the past two decades including many dual track processes/ IPOs / strategic resets/ M & A, fundraisings as well as long term communication programmes.
Panel 6 | Navigating the Investor Maze: Asset Management Strategies for a Multifaceted Audience
December 12, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
David Rothon
David Rothon is the CEO of AD Global Investors and was previously the Head of the Asset Management of First Abu Dhabi Bank. David has over 25 years’ experience in asset management gained at a number of leading firms including Barclays Global Investors (Blackrock), PIMCO, Northern Trust Asset Management and Colchester Global Investors. David is a board member of the Invest AD UCITS ICAV, the Chairman and Board member of the Middle East Investment Management Association (MEIMA), and has previously been a Board member of the Institutional Money Market Funds Association. He also serves as a Non-Executive Director on UAE based Investment funds.
Nick Mason
Senior Analyst, Mayar Capital
Nick joined Mayar in 2023 as a senior analyst working for the Responsible Saudi Equity Strategy. Prior to joining Mayar, Nick was for 16 years a Fund Manager and Senior Analyst on the Emerging Markets Equities team at Invesco and also has investment oversight experience across a variety of asset classes. Nick holds the Investment Management Certificate from the CFA Society of the UK, a MSc (Research) in Politics from the University of Edinburgh, and a BSc in Political Science from MIT.
Scott Darling
Managing Director – Equity Research, Haitong International
Scott Darling joined Haitong International in January 2022 as Managing Director, focused on the Global Energy Sector. Scott’s previous work experience include J.P. Morgan as Head of Regional Commodities equity research in Hong Kong for over 7 years, where he covered many of the Asian energy companies as well as coordinating the regional energy macro views. Scott has also worked for Barclays in Hong Kong and 3 years with Nomura in Dubai, where he was responsible for establishing equity research coverage in the Middle East and leading coverage of Middle East energy, chemicals, power and transport sectors. Before that, Scott worked in Lehman Brothers European Energy equity research team, which was ranked No. 1 in European Institutional Investor (2003-08). Scott started his career at ExxonMobil, where he spent 6 years in a variety of roles in chemicals and natural gas marketing. He has a degree and PhD in Chemistry (The University of Cambridge).
Manuel Isaza
Director, BlackRock Investment Stewardship, BlackRock
Manuel Isaza, Director, is the Deputy Head of the BlackRock Investment Stewardship (BIS) team, based in London. The BIS team actively works with BlackRock's portfolio companies to promote effective governance and create value for clients and to address economic risks that arise from social, environmental and governance issues.
Manuel is responsible for leading and supporting the BIS team's engagement with portfolio companies in markets within EMEA on behalf of BlackRock's clients globally. Manuel also actively engages with clients and other stakeholders on topics including proxy voting, shareholder engagement, stewardship reporting, and thought leadership. He is a board member of Eumedion, the leading Dutch association representing institutional investors' interests in the field of corporate governance and sustainability.
Prior to joining BlackRock, Manuel worked at BMO Global Asset Management in Corporate Governance and ESG Integration. Manuel also worked at Hermes Investment Management in the Equity Ownership Services team as an ESG Analyst.
Sam Ryan Siahpolo
Strategic Investor Relations Lead, Instinctif Partners
Sam Ryan Siahpolo is leading Instinctif Partners’ Investor Relations advisory arm. Recognized as an Investor Relations expert in the region, he strategically advises C-suite executives and boards of some of the largest publicly listed companies in the Middle East—including those with market capitalizations exceeding USD 50 billion with key ownership stakes from GCC sovereign wealth funds.
His expertise has been pivotal in navigating complex financial landscapes, enhancing shareholder value, and strengthening corporate reputations. With a deep understanding of the multifaceted needs of diverse shareholder groups, Sam excels in developing innovative IR strategies that resonate with global investors. His relationships with buy-side and sell-side analysts, both regionally and internationally, have solidified his reputation as a trusted bridge between corporate management and the investment community.
In addition, he has successfully advised on high-profile capital market transactions in the industrial sector. His strategic guidance has been critical in achieving successful outcomes that align with both corporate objectives and investor expectations. Sam has contributed significantly to the discourse on effective investor communication, transparency, and engagement. He has been instrumental in shaping best practices and elevating the standards of IR across the region.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Boston University's Questrom School of Business.
Panel 7 | Strategies for Building Trust and Lasting Engagement with Retail Investors
December 12, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Walid Kotaich
VP, Group Head of Marketing at Al Ramz
Walid Kotaich is the Vice President - Group Head of Marketing at Al Ramz Corporation, with extensive experience spanning telecommunications, media, and fintech. A dynamic marketing leader, he specializes in brand development, strategic communications, and digital transformation. Walid has successfully launched and managed notable projects, including the ADtv, UFC Arabia, and ADSports streaming apps, and led the rebranding of major media brands such as STAR FM, Emarat FM, and Abu Dhabi TV.
Prior to joining Al Ramz, Walid held leadership roles at Abu Dhabi Media, HTC, Etisalat, and Universal Media, driving impactful marketing strategies and business growth.
Walid holds an MBA in Marketing and Communications from the University of Leicester, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Marketing from the Lebanese American University, and a Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute, UK.
Dhanya Isaac
Head of Dubai, Communications & Capital Markets, Edelman Smithfield
Dhanya Issac leads Dubai operations for Edelman Smithfield, where she drives strategic communications and oversees the capital markets practice across the region. With two decades of experience in financial communications and investor relations, Dhanya possesses a deep understanding of global capital markets, regulatory landscapes, and stakeholder engagement.
Her expertise lies in helping organizations craft compelling narratives that build trust, enhance reputations, and unlock growth opportunities. Dhanya has partnered with leading companies to navigate complex market environments, delivering impactful results through initiatives such as IPOs, M&A communications, and investor relations strategies.
Known for her ability to align business ambitions with stakeholder expectations, Dhanya specializes in positioning clients as industry leaders through precise, purpose-driven storytelling. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing corporate narratives and contributing to the evolving dialogue in global capital markets.
Anna Vasilenko
CEO, EM
Financial markets professional with expertise in capital markets, corporate governance and general management. 20+ years’ operating and advisory experience in large Russian and international organizations focused on business development. Worked extensively with Boards, business owners, and C-level management to solve problems and reach consensus.
With over 20 years of experience in capital markets, corporate governance and management, Anna Vasilenko is a recognised leader in corporate communications and strategic advisory in both Russian and international markets. As CEO and Managing Partner of EM, a corporate and financial communications agency, she has transformed capital market services and established enduring relationships with C-suite executives, boards and business owners across diverse sectors. During her tenure at Moscow Exchange, she managed high-profile IPOs and SPOs and spearheaded initiatives that boosted MOEX’s equity market share from 53% to 78%. In addition to her executive role, she serves as an independent director on the boards of Rusal and INARCTICA, where she chairs key governance committees. With her extensive experience and depth of expertise, Anna brings valuable insights when it comes to advancing investor relations in Middle East capital markets.
Dr. Sabah al-Binali
Chief Capital Markets Officer, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange
Dr. Sabah al-Binali is the Chief Capital Markets Officer at Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), where his role is to provide strategic leadership driving growth, innovation, operational excellence, and enhance global competitiveness. Dr. Sabah al-Binali is a seasoned executive with 25+ years of experience and an active investor and entrepreneurial leader with a track record of financing, building and growing companies in the Mena region. Dr. al-Binali’s experience includes Partner at OurCrowd, CEO of Universal Strategy, Vice Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Investment and Strategy Committee of The National Investor, Chief Investment Officer of Shuaa Capital, Director of the Board and member of the Audit Committee at Credit Suisse Saudi Arabia, and Head of the Treasury and Investment Division at Union National Bank. Dr. al-Binali received his Ph.D. from Columbia University and a B.S.E from Princeton University.
Sylvie Harton
Chief Business Strategy Officer, Lumi Global
Sylvie Harton is currently the Chief Business Strategy Officer at Lumi Global where she leads the company’s future growth strategy. Prior to her role at Lumi Global Sylvie was SVP, Strategy & Global Head of IR and PR solutions at Notified where she led M&A, strategic partnerships, and P&L for its global IR and PR solutions business.
She draws on 25 years of executive leadership and expertise in organic, inorganic expansion, and turnaround situations with global scope and credibility in IR solutions, PR solutions, ESG & sustainability. She brings a win-win approach to strategic partnership and alliances negotiation. Sylvie is a passionate advocate of bringing the client to the table when making strategic business decisions and a firm believer that strategy is the anchor for sustainable corporate performance that benefits the marketplace, workplace, and the global community. Prior to Lumi Global, Sylvie held various executive positions with Nasdaq and Marketwired, where she spent a decade growing the organization to its successful exit to Nasdaq. Sylvie is a recent graduate of The Wharton School and the University of New Haven EMBA program. She holds a Law and Finance degree from Université de Montréal and Concordia University in Canada.
Panel 8 | The Intersection of ESG and Islamic Finance
December 12, 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Jasmine Mehta
Executive Director, Head of Sustainability & Climate Corporate Sales , MSCI
Jasmine Mehta heads MSCI’s Sustainability & Climate business development with corporates and advisors in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). With a focus on market penetration, Jasmine has developed go to market strategies for MSCI’s latest and fastest growing client segment.
Jasmine has been with MSCI for almost a decade, and in her erstwhile role she led MSCI’s ESG Issuer Relations & Communications efforts in EMEA. She engaged corporate boards to educate them on their MSCI ESG assessments and raised standards for sustainability disclosures. Jasmine is MSCI’s global ambassador in the corporate community through various speaking engagements and board-level educative programs. Jasmine has been recognised for her leadership & contributions to the field of sustainability by multiple Indian and global media outlets.
Jasmine holds a Master’s degree in International Strategy and Diplomacy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Master’s degree in Capital Markets, Regulation and Compliance from the ICMA Centre, University of Reading, UK.
Fadi Al-Qutub
CIO, Saudi Re
Mr Fadi joined Saudi Reinsurance Co in 2019 and previously held several positions in the field of investment and portfolio management for more than 21 years; his recent position was as the General Manager for Investment in Alistithmar Capital. Mr Fadi is a certified financial advisor from the Financial Services Authority in the UK, a certified portfolio manager and a certified wealth manager from the American Academy of Financial Managers. Mr Fadi holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Bahrain in Business Management.
Lamia Hariz
Head of ESG, Investor relations, corporate communications & Marketing , ADIB
Lamia Hariz s is the Head of ESG, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Investor Relations at ADIB Group, and a distinguished leader in the communications sector. She leads strategic functions that help shape the bank's reputation including ESG, investor relations, public affairs and sponsorships, marketing and communications.
Lamia is a committed advocate for the principles of sustainable finance, inclusive social development and ethical banking. Under her leadership, ADIB was upgraded to an AA rating on the MSCI ESG Index for 2024, distinguishing ADIB as the only bank in the GCC region to achieve this status, and highlighting the bank’s steadfast commitment to environmental, social, and governance principles.
Lamia has also played a pivotal role in curating a consolidated narrative for ADIB, seamlessly integrating investor relations, public affairs, and marketing to elevate the bank's profile across sectors. Her efforts contributed to ADIB winning several prestigious awards, including accolades from Euromoney for Best Islamic Bank for ESG and Global Finance for innovation and sector leadership.
Lamia holds a degree in economics from Saint Joseph University and a master’s in communication from Leicester University. She is certified by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Asjad Yahya
VP, Investor Relations, TAQA
Asjad has been heading the Investor Relations function at TAQA since October 2022. He brings with him about 20 years’ worth of sell-side, buy-side and investor relations experience across regional and international firms.
Asjad completed his Masters in Business Systems at Monash University (Australia) and is a CFA charter holder.
Imad Alfadel
Managing Partner – Sustainability & Climate Change Practice Lead , Renoir Consulting
Imad Alfadel, with over 22 years of experience in the financial and consulting sectors, is the Global Sustainability & Climate Change Practice Lead for Renoir Consulting. In 2020, he founded ESG Integrate in the UAE, a specialized ESG consulting firm, which was later acquired by Renoir Consulting.
Since the acquisition, Imad has built and grown Renoir’s Sustainability practice in the Middle East and expanding its reach into Southeast Asia, establishing Renoir Consulting’s Sustainability practice as a top-tier consultancy in the region.
Imad is a CFA Charterholder and a Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) Credential holder, with multiple qualifications in ESG and climate change pertaining to the financial sector. He has made several media appearances and contributed thought leadership in various forums, discussing key issues such as Net Zero Transition, Sustainable Investing, and ESG reporting in the MENA region.
Agenda
| Schedule | Agenda |
|---|---|
| 08:00 - 09:00 | REGISTRATION, NETWORKING BREAKFAST & EXHIBITION |
| 09:00 - 09:15 | Capital Markets in a New Era: The Questions Shaping 2026 and beyond
|
| 09:15 - 09:35 | Regulating the Future: Innovation, Integration and Trust in UAE Capital Markets
|
| 09:35 - 09:55 | Dubai's Next Chapter: Advancing a Leading Global Capital Markets Hub
|
| 09:55 - 10:25 | Building Tomorrow's Markets: The Next Generation of Capital Markets in the Middle East
|
| 10:25 - 11:00 | Leading Through Uncertainty: The C-Suite Agenda for Growth, Resilience & Value Creation
|
| 11:00 - 11:30 | COFFEE BREAK & EXHIBITION |
| 11:30 - 11:50 | The Great Repricing: Navigating the Global Economic Landscape
|
| 11:50 - 12:25 | Inside the Investor Mind: What Drives Allocation Decisions Today?
|
| 12:25 - 13:00 | Investor Relations Under Pressure: What Investors Expect in Volatile Markets
|
| 13:00 - 14:00 | LUNCH |
| 14:00 - 14:20 | Bold Decisions, Lasting Value: Leadership at Defining Moments
|
| 14:20 - 14:55 | Beyond Equity: Financing Growth in Global Capital Markets
|
| 15:00 - 15:30 | BREAKOUT SESSIONS |
| 15:30 - 15:45 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 15:45 - 16:15 | BREAKOUT SESSIONS |
| 16:15 - 17:00 | EXHIBITION & DELEGATE NETWORKING |
| 17:00 - 19:00 | PRE-GALA RECEPTION |
As part of the MEIRA Conference, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with regional and international investors. MEIRA is partnering with investment banks to facilitate and inaugurate the MEIRA corporate access facility.
The conference runs until the afternoon for two days and the meetings will be scheduled after the last session during these two days. Corporates will have the opportunity to arrange meetings for 1 or 2 days depending on the packages and sponsorship tiers.
Registration for Corporate Access has now closed and all shortlisted companies have now been contacted and received their own unique registration link.
Yes, there are MEIRA and non-MEIRA packages available to upgrade your meeting preferences by room time and extra days.
Venue
The 2024 Annual Conference & Awards will be held at the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers Hotel. Located in the heart of the city, this luxurious hotel offers breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf, sophisticated rooms, world-class amenities, and a private beach.
The Conrad Ballroom and its luminous exhibition area will be dedicated exclusively to MEIRA delegates, giving the attendees the opportunity to enjoy an outstanding Emirati hospitality offering.
Don’t miss the opportunity to attend the 2024 MEIRA Annual Conference Awards Ceremony this year and join us at the Conrad Abu Dhabi, for a memorable IR experience together!
Location
CONRAD ABU DHABI ETIHAD TOWERS
Etihad Towers, West Corniche, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
T: + 971 (0) 2 811 5636
M: + 971524200931
E: jayzeville.acain@ConradHotels.com
Become a sponsor
Why Sponsor?
Showcase your products and services to your target audience on stands and booths throughout the day, present latest trends and tools dedicated to Investor Relations professionals. IROs, CFOs, Finance Executives, Board Secretaries,Communication Officers, Compliance Officers from top GCC listed and pre-IPO companies will attend the Conference.
The Middle East Investor Relations Conference is the largest Investor Relations event in the Middle East, gathering Investor Relations Officers and professionals from the entire region. In 2024, we are expecting more than 500 delegates to attend the event.
Send a signal to the investment community that your entity is committed to the implementation of Investor Relations best practices, greater transparency and improved market communications.
Whether you are a stock exchange, a local brand, an international service provider, show your stakeholders that you are committed to improve local IR best practice.
Maximise your visibility to your key target market, align your brand with cutting edge Investor Relations developments. Build brand awareness among key decision makers and access to a broad network of industry partners from the government departments, the private sector and publicly listed companies.
Our Sponsors
ADNOC
Founded in 1971, ADNOC is a leading diversified energy group, wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. Their network of fully integrated businesses operates across the energy value chain, helping them to responsibly meet the demands of an ever-changing energy market. Already in the top tier of the lowest carbon intensity oil and gas producers in the world, they are taking significant steps to make today’s energy cleaner while investing in the clean energies of tomorrow, strengthening their position as a reliable and responsible global energy provider. They are allocating an initial $23 billion to advance and accelerate lower-carbon solutions, investing in new energies and decarbonization technologies to enable their net zero by 2045 ambition and their commitment to zero methane emissions by 2030.
Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)
ADX is a market for trading securities; including shares issued by public joint stock companies, bonds issued by governments or corporations, exchange traded funds, and any other financial instruments approved by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). ADX is the second largest market in the Arab region and its strategy of providing stable financial performance with diversified sources of incomes is aligned with the guiding principles of the UAE “Towards the next 50” agenda. The national plan charts out the UAE’s strategic development scheme which aims to build a sustainable, diversified and high-value added economy that positively contributes to transition to a new global sustainable development paradigm.
About First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is one of the world’s largest and safest financial institutions, with total assets of AED 1.2 trillion (USD 335 billion) as of end-September 2024 and a credit rating of Aa3/AA-/AA- from Moody’s, S&P and Fitch respectively, with a stable outlook.
FAB provides financial services and expertise across five business units – Investment Banking, Corporate and Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking, Private Banking, and Global Markets – through an international network that covers 20 markets worldwide.
Listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), FAB is a leading Islamic finance provider and a pioneer in sukuk issuance offering comprehensive Shari’ah-compliant products. FAB is also a regional leader in sustainability, with an MSCI ESG rating of ‘A’ and ranked among the top 10% of banks globally according to Refinitiv’s ESG scores – leading in the MENA region. The bank also received a regional-best Low ESG Risk evaluation from Sustainalytics, and the highest CDP score among UAE banks. FAB currently chairs the NetZero Banking Alliance (NZBA) Steering Group and was the first UAE and GCC bank to join the UN-convened organisation in 2021.
SMART MEDIA THE ANNUAL REPORT COMPANY
Smart Media The Annual Report Company has three decades of experience including 15 years in the Middle East, offering a complete end-to-end service, to prepare corporate reports for clients. Trailblazing digital reporting since 1999, Smart Media has been instrumental in introducing many firsts; the latest being an AI-powered annual report reading assistant. An IFRS Foundation-accredited Integrated Reporting Training Partner, the Company has also guided over a hundred clients to adopt integrated reporting. As a net-zero GHG emissions company since 2011, the Company guides clients to also measure, manage, and report their GHG emissions as part of their own climate action agenda.
Learn more
Edelman Smithfield
Edelman Smithfield is a global financial communications boutique specializing in the financial markets and strategic situations. With access to the resources of the world’s largest communications firm, Edelman, their 250 advisors operate in over 25 markets and 15 countries globally. In the Middle East, their 28 experts, including M&A specialists, are integrated within Edelman’s 150-strong team, with offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh.
They help companies realize value through effective communications and engagement with investors and financial media. Their services include financial communications, investor relations advisory, shareholder activism support, M&A communications, IPOs, SPACs, spin-offs advisory, ESG consulting, and restructuring support.
Edelman Smithfield works with some of the world's most high-profile and influential financial brands in asset management, banking, insurance, private equity, venture capital, real estate, crypto, and fintech. Their purpose is to help clients solve complex issues, build trust, and enhance valuation.
ADCB
ADCB is a full-service commercial bank offering a wide range of products and services such as retail banking, wealth management, private banking, corporate banking, commercial banking, cash management, investment banking, corporate finance, foreign exchange, interest rate and currency derivatives, Islamic products, project finance, and property management services.
ADIB
ADIB is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and to managing its business in a way that creates value for customers, shareholders, employees and the communities in which it operates.
AL RAMZ
Founded in 1998, Al Ramz is a UAE domiciled public joint stock company listed on the Dubai Financial Market and regulated by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority as well as the Dubai Financial Services Authority. Al Ramz is a premier financial institution providing a broad spectrum of services including asset management, corporate finance, brokerage, security margins, market making, liquidity providing, public offering management and financial research.
Since its inception, Al Ramz has played a prominent role in shaping the UAE’s financial markets. The firm has earned multiple awards and accolades such as the 2018 Banker Middle East, Best Broker - Middle East, as well as the 2018 Banker Middle East Best Market Maker - Middle East.
HSBC
HSBC in the United Arab Emirates has grown with the country, expanding from a single branch beside the Dubai Creek to build HSBC Group’s biggest business in the Middle East, supporting the growth ambitions of its customers from governments and multinationals to international corporates, family conglomerates, entrepreneurs, and individuals.
HSBC UAE serves personal and business banking customers through a full range of services including: Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking and Global Banking & Markets.
J.P. Morgan
J.P. Morgan is a leader in investment banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. We serve millions of customers, predominantly in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Through continued investments, business initiatives and philanthropic commitments, we aim to help our employees, customers, clients and communities grow and thrive.
Morgan Stanley
Everything we do at Morgan Stanley is guided by our five core values: Do the right thing, put clients first, lead with exceptional ideas, commit to diversity and inclusion, and give back.
Presight
Presight is an ADX-listed public company with Abu Dhabi based G42 as its majority shareholder and is the region’s leading big data analytics company powered by GenAI. It combines big data, analytics, and AI expertise to serve every sector, of every scale, to create business and positive societal impact. Presight excels at all-source data interpretation to support insight-driven decision-making that shapes policy and creates safer, healthier, happier, and more sustainable societies. Today, through its range of GenAI-driven products and solution, Presight is bringing Applied AI to the private and public sector, enabling them to realize their AI strategy and ambitions faster.
Riyad Bank
Riyad Bank is one of the largest financial institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Established in 1957, with a paid-up capital of SAR 30 billion. The Bank’s professional and dedicated staff base has mainly driven its success throughout the years. With more than 7,400 employees, Riyad Bank takes pride in being among the Saudi organizations with the highest national employment rate of 96%. 28% of them are women.
Riyad Bank provides a comprehensive range of products and services fully compliant with the Islamic Sharia’ to meet the needs of both retail and corporate customers, including small and medium-size enterprises. It plays a leading role in various areas of finance and investment around Saudi Arabia, that is why Riyad Bank is distinguished as a leading financier and arranger of syndicated loans in the oil, petrochemicals and most of the Kingdom’s notable infrastructure projects.
Riyad Bank offers innovative and remarkable financing solutions through a network of 335 licensed branches, and more than 216,927 POS, in addition to more than 2,214 ATMs well distributed in strategic & carefully selected locations around the Kingdom.
Since the global expansion is essential for some of Riyad Bank customers outside the Kingdom, a branch in London and offices in Houston (USA) and a Representative Office in Singapore, help in supporting the international banking needs of such customers.
AD Ports Group
AD Ports Group is committed to building elite trade and logistics propositions. As trade has grown, so have we. Today, we are an integrated business across 5 clusters – Digital, Economic Cities & Free Zones, Logistics, Maritime & Shipping, and Ports connecting global maritime routes and international trading partners. Through organic growth and partnerships, AD Ports Group has developed over the years into an integrated premier enabler of trade, industrialisation, and economic diversification. Established by Emiri Decree and owned by ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy.
Aldar Properties
Aldar is the leading real estate developer, manager, and investor in Abu Dhabi, with a growing presence across the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East and North Africa, and Europe. The company has two core business segments, Aldar Development, a master developer of a 62 million sqm strategic landbank and Aldar Investment, a core asset management business comprising a portfolio of more than AED 37 billion worth of investment grade and income-generating real estate assets.
ALMARAI
Founded in 1977, Almarai Company is the world’s largest vertically integrated dairy company and the region’s largest food and beverage manufacturing and distribution company. Headquartered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Almarai is ranked as the number one FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) brand in the MENA (Middle East & North Africa) region and is the market leader in most of its categories across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
After more than 40 years of sustainable growth, Almarai continues to provide nutritious and healthy products to consumers of all ages, with success derived from the bedrock principle of ‘Quality you can trust’. In addition to its high-quality dairy products, Almarai has diversified its product portfolio to include juices, bakery, poultry and infant formula under the brand names Almarai, L’usine, 7days and Alyoum. Meanwhile, the Company operates successful joint ventures with Chipita and PepsiCo.
As at 31st December 2020, Almarai’s paid up share capital amounted to SAR 10 billion, consisting of 1 billion fully paid and issued shares of SAR 10.00 each.
Vision:
To grow our leading position as the trusted choice for food and beverages in the region, delighting consumers with quality nutrition every day”
Mission:
To provide quality and nutritious food and beverages that enrich consumers’ lives every day.
Values:
Adaptable, Sharing, Passionate, Innovative, Respect, Excellence
ARGAAM
Argaam.com is the Kingdom's leading financial and economic news portal. It provides its audience with news coverage, various data, and financial analyses of stock markets and GCC economies around the clock. Argaam also offers services related to investor relations, offering IPO media coverage, Annual Reports, and dedicated IR webpages and apps to listed companies, empowering them to foster stronger communication with investors and stakeholders.
Closir
Closir helps companies build direct relationships with investors and sell-side analysts, offering tools to enable them to run world-class IR programs.
Its core offerings is the Closir IR platform that offers a CRM system, local share register analysis, investor profiling and targeting, meeting organisation, earnings call management, and IR website solutions.
Closir has been working with companies across the Middle East for over 10 years and is proud to officially support MEIRA!
CMi2i CAPITAL MARKETS INTELLIGENCE
“Founded 2013 and trusted by over 500 corporates globally, CMi2i is a premier capital markets intelligence firm renowned for its forensic Shareholder and Bondholder identification service. Our expertise extends to supporting corporates and their advisors as part of their liability management, capital restructurings, M&A, shareholder activism, Investor Relations and ESG investment risk evaluations. With a focus on bondholder services, our experienced team collaborates globally, and has anaysed over $150 billion worth of bondholders in the secondary market. Through our meticulous methodology, we ensure the highest percentage of investors are identified, empowering clients with crucial insights for effective engagement and decision-making. Unlike relying on public data, which can be outdated & incomplete, CMi2i identifies investors that others don’t and provides unrivalled expertise to put the intelligence into context. This means that the inherent risk involved in your most important transactional and proxy events is reduced.”
FANDA
Fanda is an international corporate reporting consultancy providing strategic insight and flawless execution for emerging market companies. Fanda has a highly successful track record in publishing compliant and best practice annual reports, integrated reports, sustainability reports, and ESG reports.
Over the last 22 years, our team of experts has published over 1,000 reports for corporates across sectors and borders.
Fanda has a flexible approach – clients can choose the precise level of support they need, from strategic consultancy to tactical production. Services include best practice consultancy, copywriting, translation (including Arabisation), design and production, online reporting, and XBRL tagging.
Key differentiators:
- Proprietary software enabling simultaneous publication of PDF and online versions
- Knowledge of reporting frameworks and best practice standards
- Significant resources to give every project the attention and care it merits
- Creative flair to give reports distinctive and effective visual impact
Fanda operates from offices in Dubai, London, Estonia, Armenia and Kazakhstan. Until 2022, the company operated under the name Zebra Corporate communications.
GCC BDI
GCC BDI is supported by eight leading regional corporations and professional services firms who serve as our strategic partners: First Abu Dhabi Bank, National Bank of Bahrain, SABIC, Saudi Aramco, Allen & Overy, Heidrick & Struggles, McKinsey & Company, and PwC. GCC BDI aims to enhance board member capabilities, create a strong regional network of board members, and disseminate high-quality corporate governance knowledge. Since its founding in 2007, it has delivered over 600 programmes and forums to top-tier companies in the Gulf and now comprises over 3900 members.
As the leading organisation for board directors in the region, GCC BDI is globally recognised and the only director institute from the Gulf region admitted to the Global Network of Director Institutes (GNDI). Its mission is to strengthen corporate governance in the GCC through capability building, advocacy, and promoting sound governance practices, with a vision to be the pre-eminent institute for boards and directors in the GCC, promoting the highest professional standards of corporate governance and professional directorship.
IDX
IDX, an Investcorp portfolio business, is the global market leader in digital IR solutions. Helping 3,000+ listed companies communicate and engage with institutional investor and capital market audiences online; providing website development and all associated digital solutions that listed companies require (including share price data, tools, stock exchange newsfeeds, and quarterly results webcasting). All delivered via an industry-leading, enterprise-grade cloud platform, and trusted by the world’s leading organisations including Accenture, Anglo-American and HSBC. IDX provides IR teams peace of mind and 24/7/365 support, guidance and technical assistance, with a 15-minute response time SLA.
International Securities
International Securities is a brokerage firm based in Abu Dhabi, regulated by Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority, specializing in equities and derivatives trading on ADX,DFM, and Nasdaq Dubai. International Securities – rebranded in 2018/19 from Integrated Securities – was initially founded in 2001 as the brokerage arm of First Gulf Bank (now First Abu Dhabi Bank). It is part of the IHC family since November 1, 2019.
The International Securities model was built around one a simple idea, putting the client first. It is from here that we were able to grow hand in hand with our distinguished clients over the years.
MEIMA - Middle East Investment Management Association
MEIMA - Middle East Investment Management Association is a premier not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the investment management industry in the Middle East. Founded in 2022, MEIMA serves as a pivotal platform for professionals within the investment management sector, including asset managers, hedge funds, pension funds, and service providers, to connect, share insights, and foster best practices. Through a robust schedule of events, educational programs, and networking opportunities, MEIMA promotes innovation, ethical standards, and sustainable investment practices across the region.
The Association also advocates on behalf of its members to shape regulatory policies, enhance industry standards, and contribute to the development of a vibrant investment community in the Middle East. As a leading voice for investment professionals in the region, MEIMA is committed to supporting the growth and development of the Middle East's financial landscape.
Nasdaq
Nasdaq IR Intelligence: Issuers from all market caps, sectors, and regions partner with Nasdaq IR Intelligence to drive valuation, discover new capital, and elevate their global brand. Our team of consultative experts and award-winning IR software provide clients with strategic, actionable intelligence and unparalleled visibility into the capital markets for the long term. Combining Nasdaq’s collective intelligence, expertise, and data with premium financial content to maximize the effectiveness of their IR and ESG initiatives and enhance shareholder value.
Nasdaq Sustainable Lens: Nasdaq Sustainable Lens is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) intelligence solution that harnesses the power of generative AI to equip sustainability, investor relations, legal and accounting professionals with on-demand, data-driven insights from over 9,000 companies globally. By collecting and standardizing publicly available data from sustainability disclosures, Nasdaq Sustainable Lens leverages a proprietary methodology to assess a company’s sustainability and climate disclosures relative to framework and regulation. guidance
ADNOC Drilling
ADNOC Drilling, one of the major listed companies on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, is the largest drilling and integrated drilling services (IDS) company in the Middle East by fleet size, owning and operating one of the largest multi-discipline drilling fleets in the world. The Company is a critical link in ADNOC's upstream business, as ADNOC responsibly accelerates its production capacity targets in light of globally increasing demand for energy. ADNOC Drilling incorporated IDS into its portfolio in 2018 and now offers a total solution of start-to-finish wells and associated services.
Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait
Since its establishment in 1967, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) has progressed to become one of the leading Kuwaiti banks in the region that is today known for offering ‘Simpler Banking.’ The Bank offers personal, corporate, and private banking of which includes a wide array of products and services.
ABK also provides a broad range of local, regional, and global investment solutions and services through its subsidiary, Ahli Capital Investment Company (K.S.C.C) known as ABK Capital. Established in 2006, it is a leading regional investment firm that provides asset management solutions as well as investment advisory services.
ABK’s strong management coupled with its focused strategy have contributed to its stability and continued expansion and growth across the region to service other markets in Egypt and the UAE.
ABK currently has 29 branches located in Kuwait and 45 in Egypt. In the UAE, it has two full service branches located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where it was the first Kuwaiti bank to have a branch in the country, as well as one wholesale banking branch in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Throughout the years, the Bank’s long-term regional aspirations have developed into strategic alliances with world-class partners. Among these is ABK’s relationship with Emirates Skywards, with whom the Bank has established the country’s first co-branded credit card partnership in 2002, which offers cardholders the opportunity to earn and redeem Skywards Miles.
ABK has received numerous awards from reputable institutions throughout the years, attesting to its organizational strength. Among these, ABK has been ranked amongst the top 10 safest banks in the Middle East multiple times by Global Finance. The Bank also continues to enjoy strong credit ratings of A2 from Moody’s and A from Fitch.
Agthia
Agthia Group PJSC is a leading food and beverage company based in Abu Dhabi. Established in 2004, the company is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) under the symbol "AGTHIA. Over the past twenty years, Agthia has established itself as the UAE’s food and beverage champion, with a growing regional and international footprint. The company is dedicated to providing food, snacks, drinks, and products that enhance quality of life, nourishment, and enjoyment for customers worldwide.
Agthia’s assets span across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Turkey, and Jordan. The company offers a world-class portfolio of integrated businesses, delivering high-quality, trusted food and beverage products across the UAE, GCC, MENA, and beyond, exporting to more than 60 countries worldwide.
With over 12,400 employees, Agthia's business is currently organized into four segments:
- Water & Food: Manufacturing, bottling, and distribution of drinking water, beverages, and trading products under brands such as Al Ain Water, Al Bayan, Alpin Natural Spring Water, Ice Crystal, and VOSS, Al Ain Food & Trading Items.
- Snacking: Manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of dates, sweets, baklava, nuts, coffee, and bakery products under major brands such as Al Foah, Al Faysal Bakery & Sweets, BMB, Abu Auf.
- Protein and Frozen: Manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and trading of tomato paste, frozen vegetables, frozen strawberries, and processed protein products under brands like Nabil, Atyab, and Al Ain.
- Agri-Business: Production of flour and animal feed under the Grand Mills and Agrivita brands.
BNY MELLON
We provide Depositary Receipt (DR) services to the global capital markets, delivering customized and market-driven solutions for issuers, brokers and investors. We are a pioneer in the DR market and our execution and expertise have helped us achieve a leadership position in the industry. We offer a full range of buy side and sell side services to help facilitate financing in the global capital markets via DRs including, local custody arrangements, issuances and cancellation and structuring corporate actions.
BNY Mellon Depositary Receipts is independent from the influence of investment banking, trading, and research, allowing us to support our DR clients’ access to a wider range of market opportunities. We have specialists dedicated to helping issuers fully realize market access with investor relations and ESG advisory solutions, Market Connect services and analytical solutions.
BRR Media
BRR Media helps companies to create engaging live-streamed and pre-recorded content for online audiences. By harnessing our leading production capabilities for onsite or remote production, as well as our webcasting platform, companies communicate directly with key stakeholders including analysts, institutions and retail investors rapidly and globally.
We produce a broad range of digital events, including executive video interviews, results presentations or capital markets day presentations with synchronised slides, live shareholder engagement events or hybrid AGMs, self-produced videos and corporate/brand/product videos. These branded media assets can be seamlessly integrated into company websites, social media platforms and other distribution channels with post-event analytics on audience size and profile.
Contact us via www.brrmedia.co.uk, sales@brrmedia.co.uk or +44 20 3435 7010 to see how we can help to broadcast your equity story and for further information.
Emirates NBD
Emirates NBD Group is a leading financial services brand in the MENAT region. We have operations in the UAE, Egypt, India, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Russia and Bahrain and representative offices in China and Indonesia. The Group employs more than 30,000 people, representing more than 90 nationalities, making it one of the largest and most culturally diversified employers in the UAE. Emirates NBD is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
Emperor
Emperor is an employee-owned strategic and creative communications consultancy. Who helps organisations connect with their stakeholders to achieve great things. Emperor is here to turn ambition into success through the power of clear, confident and consistent communications.
EUROLAND IR
Euroland IR has been assisting companies in improving their Investor Relations by providing Best Practice tools and outstanding 24/7 service for years. Rather than embracing an approach that settles for being a Jack of all trades, we believe in being the master of one.
In niching ourselves and focusing on improving the web-based IR communication of our customers, we are able to provide the most technologically advanced and user-friendly solutions in the industry. Our services are second to none.
Intuitive design enables comprehensive understanding of your equity story. It is the blueprint to our tools. Making them accessible and interactive encourages users to engage further with your financial history. This is how we engage investors.
Striving always to stay ahead of the curve, we work tirelessly to reinvent and improve the way you communicate with your investors and build relationships with your stakeholders.
FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations manage change, mitigate risk and resolve disputes: financial, legal, operational, political & regulatory, reputational and transactional. With more than 6,700 employees located in 30 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges and make the most of opportunities.
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is a leading global financial institution that delivers a broad range of financial services to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.
INSTINCTIF Partners
Instinctif Partners is an EMEA business communications consultancy, experts in reputation, influence and communication. We help our clients to engage complex audiences, offering a comprehensive suite of communications solutions, including insight-led board level consultancy executed with creative flair. Our work delivers tangible commercial value, while communicating societal purpose. We work across borders and jurisdictions focused on delivering measurable outcomes, not producing outputs. We are big enough to deliver multi-stakeholder, co-ordinated solutions but small enough to be partners with all our clients.
We employ 300 people in 10 offices across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange is proud to set the stage for your success, where ideas meet capital and become reality. We connect companies, countries, and investors in the real world to make measurable and positive differences across the globe.
Customers look to us for broad access to capital markets and liquidity across multiple asset classes. We deliver a broad range of international equity, fixed income, exchange-traded funds, investment vehicles and foreign exchange markets. Customers can choose from our capital formation and execution venues, London Stock Exchange, AIM and Turquoise.
Having contributed to supporting the financial stability and growth of communities and economies globally for more than 300 years, London Stock Exchange is proud to be a catalyst for opportunity and sustainable growth.
Sustainable Square (ESG partner)
Headquartered in the UAE, Sustainable Square is a tech-driven global advisory firm that delivers impact through solutions in organizational sustainability, ESG transparency & disclosure, climate change, responsible investment and social impact. With a presence in 3 regions and 10 markets of operations, Sustainable Square works with leading brands across various industries and sectors, supporting them to identify Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks, empowering them to become more resilient and up-scale their impact, and assisting them in conducting their operations in a responsible and inclusive manner. A sustainability tech, climate tech pioneer, Sustainable Square offers innovative ESG reporting tools that automate complex processes and tasks, using technology to save time, reduce cost and enhance collaboration in meeting sustainability targets.
Bank of Palestine
Established in 1960 and headquartered in Ramallah, BANK OF PALESTINE (BOP) is a commercial private bank listed on the Palestine Stock Exchange (PEX) and regulated by the Palestine Monetary Authority. With total assets of USD 7.126 billion, BOP holds the largest market share in the sector accounting for over a third of customer deposits and credit facilities. It is the largest of the 13 financial institutions operating in Palestine. BOP operates the country’s leading banking network with 101 branches nationwide, serving over 1 million customers across retail, corporates, SME and public sectors. Offering a wide range of services – including retail, corporate, digital, and mobile banking – the bank is a leader in SME lending and plays a significant role in promoting financial inclusion, sustainability and entrepreneurship in Palestine.
BSF: Banque Saudi Fransi
BSF is a Saudi Arabian Joint Stock Company established by Royal Decree No. M/23 dated June 1977 Their Mission is to become the most modern, innovative and experience focused bank in the region.
EMIRATES STEEL
Emirates Steel Arkan is a public joint stock company (ADX: EMSTEEL) and the UAE’s largest steel and building materials manufacturer. The Group incorporates the latest innovative technologies in manufacturing, efficiency and sustainability, to deliver the high-quality products, services and solutions that you need for your business to thrive today and tomorrow.
Emirates Steel Arkan produces home-grown high-quality steel products that are shipped and used across the world and delivered into major global markets, for the construction, engineering and energy sectors. Additionally, the Group produces premium cement, blocks, pipes, and dry mortar, creating a one-stop shop for the manufacturing and construction sectors.
At Emirates Steel Arkan, we are committed to refining our manufacturing processes and creating steel and building materials sustainably and safely, whilst supporting the growth of the non-oil heavy industry sector in the United Arab Emirates.
E7 Group
Established in 2006 in Abu Dhabi, E7 Group (ADX: E7) provides commercial printing, security printing and solutions, sustainable packaging and distribution services. E7 has a strong track-record of utilizing best-in-class technology to create customized solutions for customers. The company continues to strengthen its position as an integrated services provider to a diverse and expanding customer base, including governments, enterprises and financial institutions, with customers located in the Middle East, Central and South Asia, Europe and South America.
First Mills
Founded in 2017 as a result of the privatization of the General Food Security Authority (GFSA), First Mills is one of the cornerstones of Saudi Arabia’s strategic food security ecosystem.
First Milling Company (First Mills) is a market-leading Saudi milling company, engaged in the production of high-quality flour, feed, bran, and diverse flour derivatives. The Company operates four large-capacity mills, strategically located in Jeddah, Qassim, Tabuk, and Al-Ahsa, covering all major regions of the Kingdom. Its Jeddah plant, the largest, is located in close proximity to the Jeddah Islamic Port, along the main Red Sea international shipping corridor that connects the world’s Eastern and Western hemispheres.
The Company’s B2B customers include large industrial players, commercial bakeries, restaurants, and catering businesses. Other customers include wholesalers, modern and traditional trade customers, farms and feed distributors, as well as retail customers. As such, First Mills plays a fundamental role in maintaining the fabric of food security throughout the Kingdom.
First Mills is proud to be the number one player in the flour milling industry, holding the highest market share in terms of both value and volume. On aggregate, the Company’s four plants have a milling capacity of 4,900 tons per day, while feed capacity stands at 900 tons per day. The Company currently has a diverse workforce of 620 employees, servicing over 7,500 direct and indirect customers.
Gulf Insurance Group
Established in 1962 in Kuwait, Gulf Insurance Group is one of the largest and most diversified insurance groups in the Middle East and North Africa with operations in life and non-life as well as Takaful insurance. Evolving from its origin as a prominent personal and commercial insurer in Kuwait, Gulf Insurance Group has now solidified its standing as a regional insurance powerhouse in the MENA region. With more than 100 branches across 12 markets, +3,950 employees and +3.5 million customers GIG is delivering unprecedented growth for a sustainable future.
The Group enjoys a strong competitive market position in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt and excellent operational footprints in UAE, KSA, Turkey, Algeria, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, and Lebanon with reported consolidated assets of US$ 3.83 billion as of 31 Dec 2023.
The Group has attained a competitive edge in its markets through the implementation of a comprehensive approach involving latest IT services, Innovation in Products and Distribution, strong Customer Relations Management, and robust Enterprise Risk Management. Furthermore, GIG utilizes the best standards in corporate governance Corporate Governance, prudent underwriting practices, and its decentralized Business Model focusing on Human Capital Development and Digitalization.
The Group prides itself on the distinguished quality offerings to meet the ever-changing customer needs and exceed their expectation. We enjoy providing the utmost professional and personalized attention to both individual and corporate clients in their current and future insurance needs.
GIG is a majority-owned subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, a Canadian holding company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, which, through its subsidiaries, is primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management.
MSCI
MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community
With over 50 years of expertise in research, data and technology, we enable clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently build more effective portfolios. Clients use our industry-leading, research-enhanced solutions to gain insight into and improve the investment process.
At MSCI, we strive to bring greater transparency to financial markets and use innovation to drive global economies. Healthy economies stimulate job creation, encourage infrastructure development, and generate the returns necessary to improve living standards for everyone, everywhere.
SAGER Investor Relations
Founded in Riyadh in 2015, Sager IR is Saudi Arabia’s first homegrown investor relations advisory firm, offering a holistic range of IR services to listed companies and those preparing to go public in the Kingdom. Sager IR stands out for its tailor-made solutions designed to help companies establish, enhance and institutionalise their IR departments, whilst also supporting pre-IPO setup.
Teneo
Teneo is the global CEO advisory firm. We partner with our clients globally to do great things for a better future.
Drawing upon our global team and expansive network of senior advisors, we provide advisory services across our five business segments on a stand-alone or fully integrated basis to help our clients solve complex business challenges. Our clients include a significant number of the Fortune 100 and FTSE 100, as well as other corporations, financial institutions and organizations.
Our full range of advisory services includes strategic communications, investor relations, financial transactions and restructuring, management consulting, physical and cyber risk, organizational design, board and executive search, geopolitics and government affairs, corporate governance, ESG and DE&I.
The firm has more than 1,500 employees located in 40 offices around the world.
Adnoc Distribution
ADNOC Distribution, the UAE’s leading fuel and mobility retailer, has been fueling customers’ journeys since 1973. Prioritizing the highest levels of customer service, the Company continually strives to enhance customer experience and operations with cutting-edge AI and digital technology-powered solutions. Operating service stations in all seven emirates, as well as in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the Company also operates a network of EV charging points across the UAE and markets its Voyager line of lubricants in over 40 countries worldwide.
As of June 2024, ADNOC Distribution operates 847 service stations across its network, including 534 in the UAE, 69 in Saudi Arabia, and 244 in Egypt, as well as 34 vehicle inspection centers. The Company provides customers with a wide range of high-quality, non-fuel retail products at its 364 ADNOC Oasis convenience stores, and offers a comprehensive range of automotive services, including car wash and oil change facilities.
Beyond retail, ADNOC Distribution is the UAE’s leading marketer and distributor of fuels to commercial, industrial and government clients. Employing over 13,000 people from 75 countries, ADNOC Distribution has been listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) since December 2017.
Adnoc Gas
ADNOC Gas is a key enabler of ADNOC’s ambitious growth plans and decarbonization strategy. We are also a central pillar of Abu Dhabi's and the UAE's energy ecosystem, capitalizing on access to 95% of the UAE's natural gas reserves, the 7th largest natural gas reserves globally, enabling UAE gas self-sufficiency and industrial growth, and expanding export capacity to meet increasing global gas demand. .
ADNOC Gas was formed as part of the consolidation of the operations of ADNOC Gas Processing, ADNOC LNG and ADNOC Industrial Gas. The company became operational on 1 January 2023.
In one of the largest ever Initial Public Offerings (IPO) in the region, ADNOC Gas became a publicly traded company in March 2023, when approximately 5% of its shares were listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).
These developments have added to our rich heritage that stretches back almost 50 years. We were the first company to establish gas processing and liquefaction facilities in the region and have the third longest continuous LNG operation in the world. We have continued to invest to add capacity and maintain the very highest levels of reliability achieved across our operations.
As we transition to a lower carbon intensive energy mix, the world will still require supplies of natural gas and LNG to meet its growing energy needs. As the lowest-emission hydrocarbon, natural gas is one of the enablers of the energy transition. We are strongly placed to meet these growing needs and are strategically located to supply the emerging economies of Asia where growth is expected to be concentrated.
ADNOC Logistics & Services
ADNOC L&S is a fully integrated global energy maritime logistics leader that operates across three key segments. With a total fleet of 280+ owned vessels and an additional 600 chartered every year, ADNOC L&S provides services to more than 100 customers in over 50 countries.
Driven by next-generation technologies, a talent base of over 7,000 people and a steadfast commitment to decarbonization, ADNOC L&S offers secure, dependable, and efficient maritime and logistics solutions across the entire energy value chain.
Fertiglobe
Fertiglobe is the world’s largest seaborne exporter of urea and ammonia combined, and the number one producer of nitrogen fertilizers by production capacity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and an early mover in sustainable ammonia.
With plants in the UAE, Egypt and Algeria, Fertiglobe’s production capacity comprises of 6.6 million metric tons of urea and merchant ammonia annually, distributed by a centralized global sales and marketing organization through a robust storage and distribution infrastructure, with direct access to six key ports and distribution hubs on the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and the Arab Gulf. As a leader in merchant ammonia and early mover in low-carbon ammonia projects, Fertiglobe also aims to play a role in the decarbonization of industry, food, transport, and energy, and it is ideally placed to further strengthen its leadership position in the coming years as the demand for renewable and low-carbon ammonia continues to grow.
Fertiglobe employs more than 2,700 employees and was formed as a strategic partnership between OCI Global and ADNOC in September 2019. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Fertiglobe was incorporated in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) in October 2021.
Borouge
Building on the advanced, unique, and proprietary technologies of Borstar® and Borlink™ from Borealis, Borouge provides value-creating polymer solutions for the agriculture, infrastructure, energy, advanced packaging, mobility, and healthcare industries. With a workforce of more than 3,100 people, Borouge serves customers in over 50 countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Committed to delivering creative solutions for a wide range of industries and customers around the world in an effective and environmentally responsible manner, Borouge leverages Borealis’ most advanced proprietary technologies. The company actively contributes to addressing global challenges such as climate change, food waste and scarcity, access to fresh water, energy transition, healthcare support, and waste management.
Borouge operates one of the world’s largest integrated polyolefin complexes in Al Ruwais Industrial City, UAE, and maintains a diverse regional footprint with logistics hubs, warehouses, and gateways across the MENA region, Europe, and Asia, as well as a Compounding Manufacturing Plant (CMP) in Shanghai.
Visible Alpha
Revolutionizing Investment Research
Visible Alpha is a part of S&P Global, creating a premium offering of fundamental investment research capabilities with S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Capital IQ Pro platform. Visible Alpha’s deep, granular consensus and broker estimates data complements Capital IQ’s broad estimates solution. The combination of our businesses allows us to offer an incredibly comprehensive platform for financial analysis, and our goal remains the same: to help you make more informed decisions while saving time and increasing efficiency.
Lumi
Lumi is the dominant player globally in the facilitation of Annual General Meetings for Companies (whether listed or non-listed), Associations, Legislative Bodies, Membership Organizations and Partnerships.
Based on proprietary, patented technology, Lumi provides software, hardware and services that assists registrars or event organizers to register delegates, provide live, secure polling, Q&A management services and relevant reporting – whether in a physical location, a virtual environment or a combination of the two.
Lumi is headquartered in Hampshire, UK where central functions including finance, product development and marketing are based, but has offices in 11 countries across EMEA, APAC and the Americas. Highly differentiated in the majority of markets where it is active, it benefits from extremely strong, experienced and renowned MDs who head up each in-country team.
Registrars play a pivotal role in facilitating the AGM process, by enabling issuers to obtain access to the Lumi platform. Lumi holds global relationships with multiple leading company registrars and has long-term licensing and service arrangements with all leading registrars across all operating territories.
Following a successful MBO in 2017, backed by Vespa Capital, Lumi has continued to consolidate their market leading positions across the globe, as well as expanding both organically and through acquisition.
Its mobile solution enabled Lumi to facilitate the UK’s first electronic AGM held by a listed company, Jimmy Choo, in June 2016. The onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic rapidly accelerated the adoption of the Lumi virtual meeting platform, expanding the number of countries in which Lumi operates to over 30.
Weconvene
WeConvene is the cloud-based meetings and events management and marketing platform that helps the capital markets community book better®. For over 10 years, WeConvene has made the creation, distribution, marketing and execution of official meetings and events between analysts, corporates, investors, IR firms, expert networks, and investment banks fast and easy, generating better outcomes including greater team efficiency, increased meeting attendance and enhanced client satisfaction. More recently, the Company expanded its platform with its conference solution and Conference as a Service (CaaS) offering which enables clients to host small to large scale conferences.
Pivot Advisory
Pivot Advisory was founded to support businesses to understand, improve and implement best practice investor relations with the support of qualified and experienced IR professionals. We help bring out the best your business has to offer and advise on how to communicate to a wide range of stakeholders to ensure your strategy, performance, and guidance are delivered clearly and transparently. Our main job is to understand your business and help you achieve your goals by curating bespoke plans that meet your business needs at each stage of its maturity. We also offer a range of support to help you execute these plans in conjunction with experienced and trusted partners that we work with to help give you the holistic service offering you need. Pivot Advisory is your strategic partner in everything IR. So whether your business is on track to list, needs to improve its current IR program, or is restructuring, we provide a standard approach for each scenario in addition to tailored solutions for ad-hoc projects.
Dana Gas
Established in 2005, Dana Gas is the first and largest private sector natural gas company in the Middle East and is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
We have exploration and production, as well as processing and transportation assets in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and Egypt.
In the KRI, Dana Gas is engaged in and has interests in upstream, midstream and downstream activities, including the exploration, production and processing of natural gas, gas transmission and the sale of petroleum products.
In Egypt, we have high-quality gas assets and our principal operations are focused on developing and producing from 14 active fields in the onshore Nile Delta. New exploration acreage is expected to be awarded upon ratification of the concession consolidation with three exploration prospects ready to be drilled.
InspIR Connect
InspIR Connect empowers Emerging Market companies to improve their shareholder base by strategically matching them with investors, leading to improved valuation. Leveraging deep relationships with North American institutional investors, InspIR Connect provides direct access to investors that are appropriate for the client company, fostering meaningful engagement and long-term partnerships.