Keynote H.E. Sheikha Lubna Bint Kalid Al Qasimi Minister for Foreign Trade United Arab Emirates H.E. Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi is the Minister for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates. She is one the UAE's most prominent government officials and was recognised by Forbes Magazine in 2010 as the world's most powerful Arab woman. Sheikha Lubna's expertise and leadership skills have been honed by over 20 years' experience in management and as a regional pioneer in information technology. After stints as a software developer for Datamation UAE and a systems engineer at UAE University, she became Dubai branch manager for the General Information Authority. She then worked for the Dubai Ports Authority for seven years as Senior Manager of the Information Systems Department. After being honoured with the Distinguished Government Employee Award, Sheikha Lubna was named in 2000 as the first CEO of Tejari, which she guided to become the premier electronic business-to-business marketplace for emerging markets. In 2001, she was also appointed as head of the Dubai e-Government executive team, responsible for instituting e-Government initiatives throughout the public sector.  In 2004, Sheikha Lubna became the first woman to hold a cabinet position in the UAE when she was appointed to manage the newly merged economy and planning portfolios. She spearheaded the Ministry of Economy during one of the country's most prosperous periods. She was also Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Securities & Commodities Authority from 2004 to 2008. In February 2008, Sheikha Lubna was appointed to another highly sensitive post as Minister of Foreign Trade.  Her leadership abilities have also been tapped to help guide the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), the organisation charged with the ownership, construction and operation of nuclear power plants in the UAE. Sheikha Lubna has received several international honours, including the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur from the French President, the Order of Civil Merit from Spain's King Juan Carlos, and the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity of the Italian Republic. Sheikha Lubna holds a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Chico, and an Executive MBA from the American University of Sharjah. She has honorary doctorates from Exeter University in the UK and Hankuk University in South Korea.  Conference Chair David Gardner Associate Editor and International Affairs Editor Financial Times David Gardner is the Financial Times' International Affairs Editor and an Associate Editor. Previously, he was Chief Lead Writer at the Financial Times. His areas of expertise include the Middle East and South Asia. Among his previous jobs are: Mexico and Central America Correspondent 1984-89; Brussels Correspondent 1990-94; Middle East Editor 1995-99; and South Asia Bureau Chief 1999-2001. Mr Gardner won the David Watt prize for international journalism in 2003. He regularly appears on international television and radio.
	Speakers Scott McDonald President Oliver Wyman Scott McDonald is the President of Oliver Wyman - the management consulting business of Oliver Wyman Group. In his role as President, Mr McDonald provides global leadership to the entire set of industry practices and horizontal capabilities within Oliver Wyman. He also sits on the management committee of Oliver Wyman Group, which includes Oliver Wyman, NERA, and Lippincott. Before becoming president in 2012, Mr McDonald was the Managing Partner of Oliver Wyman's Financial Services practice. In this role, which he continues to hold, he manages the practice globally across all of its service lines and advises senior executives in financial services around the world, especially on matters of competitiveness and industry regulation and reform. Mr McDonald joined the firm in 1995, was elected a partner in 2000, and elected by his partners as Managing Partner in 2007.
	Adel Ali CEO Air Arabia Adel Abdullah Ali's achievements as an innovator and pioneer in aviation, and his contribution to air transport and tourism in the Arab world, are globally recognized. He transformed the Arab aviation sector in October 2003 when he set up Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa's first low-cost carrier, opening up a previously untapped market niche in the region. Under Mr Ali's leadership, Air Arabia has grown into the largest low cost carrier in the MENA region, as well as the first publicly owned airline in the Arab World and its largest by market value. Drawing on his 28 years' experience with industry leaders such as Gulf Air and British Airways, Mr Ali has helped Air Arabia become one of the world's best run low cost carriers, delivering a profit for eight years in succession. Air Arabia has expanded operations, entering new ventures and diversifying into new revenue streams. Today, the Group holds a portfolio of successful businesses and projects, offering travel, tourism and hospitality services across the globe. In addition to being Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, Mr Ali is Chairman of Sharjah Information Systems Associates, Alpha Sharjah Catering, Alpha Aviation Academy, and Cozmo Travel, and a board member of Sharjah Aviation Services.
	Yasir Al-Rumayyan CEO Saudi Fransi Capital Yasir Al-Rumayyan joined Saudi Fransi Capital as CEO in January 2011. He was instrumental in merging and streamlining the business activities of the three entities -- Calyon Saudi Fransi, Caam Saudi Fransi and Fransi Tadawul -- which cover Investment Banking, Asset Management and Brokerage respectively. Prior to joining Saudi Fransi Capital, he was the Director of the Corporate Finance and Issuance Division at the Capital Market Authority (CMA), where he oversaw all IPO, Private Placement, Sukuk/Bond Issuance, M&A and Mutual Fund (publicly/privately offered) transactions at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  His division was also responsible for market development initiatives such as ETFs and Saudi Equity Swaps. He was one of the CMA's founding members and worked there from 2004 to 2010. He spent the early part of his career at Saudi Hollandi Bank, where he occupied key positions in various departments. He was the Head of International Brokerage at Saudi Hollandi Bank prior to joining the CMA. Mr. Al-Rumayyan has a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from King Faisal University and is a member of the Saudi Organization for Certified Public Accountants (SOCPA). He has also completed the General Management Program (GMP2) at Harvard Business School.
	Stuart Anderson Managing Director, Regional Head Middle East Standard & Poor's Stuart Anderson is the Managing Director & Regional Head of Middle East for Standard & Poor's; based in their regional office at the Dubai International Finance Centre. Mr. Anderson was appointed to this position in September 2011.  Prior to that Mr. Anderson had more than 20 years of experience with Standard Chartered Bank in business development, risk management and governance functions throughout Asia and the Middle East. He had been appointed to the role of Chief Risk Officer at Standard Chartered in Bahrain earlier in 2011 and over the last four years has been responsible for managing the bank's wholesale risk management function in Abu Dhabi. His prior roles in the Middle East include leading Standard Chartered's regional non-bank financial institutions business and its wholesale bank business in Qatar.
	Ali Mohamed Al Khouri  Director General Emirates Identity Authority Dr. Eng. Ali Mohamed Al Khouri is the Director General (Under Secretary) of the Emirates Identity Authority, a federal government organisation established in 2004 to roll out and manage the national identity management infrastructure programme in the United Arab Emirates. He has been involved in the UAE national identity card programme since its early conceptual phases during his time with the Ministry of the Interior. He has also been involved in many other strategic initiatives during his past 22 years of work in the government sector.  He holds an Engineering Doctorate in Strategic and Large Scale Programmes Management from Warwick University, UK; and a BSc (Hons) from Manchester University, UK. Dr. Al Khouri is also a Professor Emeritus in Identity and Security and a Fellow of the British Institute for Technology and E-Commerce in London. He is an active researcher in the field of advanced technologies implementation in the government sector, and the approaches to reinventing governments and revolutionising public sector services and electronic business. He has published more than 50 research articles in various areas in the past 10 years.  Mahmood Al Kooheji CEO Mumtalakat, Bahrain Mahmood Hashim Al Kooheji is the CEO Bahrain Mutalakat Holding Company B.S.C., the investment arm of the Kingdom of Bahrain. He is responsible for devising and executing Mumtalakat's strategy to manage the Kingdom's strategic non-oil and gas related assets and grow the wealth of Bahrain. Mr Al Kooheji oversees the management of stakes in over 35 commercial enterprises, and the growth of a portfolio valued at around BD2.7 billion (US$7.1 billion) as of June 30, 2012. He also directs initiatives to firmly implement the highest standards of transparency and corporate governance across Mumtalakat and its diverse holdings.  Mr. Al Kooheji is a founding member of Mumtalakat, and assumed the role of Deputy CEO after its establishment in 2006. Under his direction, Mumtalakat has grown its portfolio through successful acquisitions such as 30% of McLaran Group Ltd, and the restructuring of existing assets like Aluminum Bahrain. Mr. Al Kooheji's contribution was instrumental to the issuance of Mumtalakat's US$750m bond in 2010 and the launch of its international credit ratings. As Chairman of Aluminum Bahrain, he spearheaded the company's 2009 restructuring and the subsequent listing of 10% of its shares in London and Bahrain. Before joining Mumtalakat, Mr. Al Kooheji had a solid track record in the public sector. He participated in the issuance and marketing of Bahrain's first Sovereign US$500m bond, and was actively involved in the Bahrain Economic Development Board's initiatives. As Assistant Undersecretary of Economic Affairs, he directed all public-private partnerships in Bahrain. He has been Chairman of Gulf Air, Hawar Holding Company, Gulf Aviation Academy, Bahrain Atomizer International, and Bahrain Institute for Entrepreneurship and Technology. Mr. Al Kooheji holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Staffordshire University in the UK, and an MBA from Henley College of Management, Brunel University, London.
	Abdulrahman Al Zamil Chairman Zamil Industrial Investment Company, Saudi Arabia Abdulrahman Abdulla Al Zamil has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zamil Industrial Investment Company since its formation in 1998. He is also Chairman of Zamil Holding Company. Dr Al Zamil started his distinguished career in 1973 as Assistant Professor at King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran. He was appointed Deputy Governor of Electricity in 1977, and then served as Deputy Minister of Commerce for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1980 to 1996. From 1997 he served for 12 years as a member of the Shoura Council in Saudi Arabia. He currently serves on numerous boards, including as Chairman of the Board of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Export Development Center, Chairman of the Board of the National Power Company, Chairman of the Board of Emirates Industrial City Company, and Board Member of Sahara Petrochemicals Company, Saudi International Petrochemical Company, and the High Committee of King Saud University Endowment. He held previous board memberships in the Ministry of Defense's economic offset committee. Dr Al Zamil has represented the Government of Saudi Arabia and headed many delegations at various international conferences and events.
	Craig Hewett Senior Vice President and Head of Business Development NASDAQ Dubai Craig Hewett is Senior Vice President and Head of Business Development at NASDAQ Dubai. He has responsibility for the commercial activities of the exchange including product and market development, membership, training and market data. Prior to joining NASDAQ Dubai in July 2011, Mr Hewett was Chief Business Officer of the Bahrain Financial Exchange from 2008. He has international expertise in trading a variety of asset classes, with a particular focus on derivatives.  As Deputy Commercial Director of the London Metals Exchange (LME) which he joined in 2000, Mr. Hewett was responsible for new business expansion, focusing on revenue development, the commercialisation of key business activities and ensuring the exchange achieved its growth strategy. Prior to joining the LME, Mr. Hewett held numerous positions with organisations such as Xerox, where he was involved in developing sales and marketing strategy for a number of products and services. He holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and an MBA from Newcastle University. He has lectured regularly on hedging and managing price risk on the LME.
	Chirag Shah Head of Strategy and Corporate Planning Dubai International Financial Center Authority Chirag Shah heads the Strategy and Corporate Planning Department at the DIFC Authority, primarily responsible for supporting Strategy Development at the Authority through a combination of strategic thinking, planning, provision of value added research and effective initiative management. Mr Shah's Department also leads Strategic Planning for DIFC, serving its industry and sector research needs and monitoring financial services sector trends globally for new strategic ideas at DIFC. Mr Shah is a member of the DIFC Executive Team, DIFC Authority Legislative Committee and DIFC Registration Review Committee. He has worked in strategic and high impact influencing positions in major emerging markets in South Asia and MENA, in a period where those regions saw dramatic shifts in the development of the financial services industry.  Alex Wittenberg Partner and Head of Global Risk Center Oliver Wyman Alex Wittenberg is a New York-based Partner within Oliver Wyman's Global Risk & Trading practice, with over 20 years of cross-industry experience in risk management advisory and risk transfer solutions. Mr. Wittenberg specialises in integrating risk into strategic decision-making and financial performance, developing risk mitigation, transfer and governance models and frameworks for boards and management across a range of industries and sectors. He also heads Oliver Wyman's Global Risk Center, which engages in industry-leading research by partnering with external organisations.  Mr. Wittenberg is Marsh & McLennan's contributor to the World Economic Forum's annual Global Risk Report examining the long-term impacts of risk on the global economy. He also co-developed the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)'s study of the Country Risk Officer, examining how countries manage catastrophic risk, and a recent study, Future Global Shocks, on sources of future systemic risk.  Mr. Wittenberg is also a Commissioner and Technical Advisor for the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), and has jointly developed a paper with the Association of Financial Professionals examining the impact of long-term commodity volatility on non-financial corporates. Mr. Wittenberg became Managing Partner of Oliver Wyman's Corporate Risk practice in 2005. Previously he served as Managing Director and Practice Leader for Risk Finance, Risk Modelling and Financial Products at Marsh Canada. He is a graduate in Economics and Political Science from the University of Western Ontario.