Business & Money | Wednesday 30 March, 2016 4:23 am |

CEOs and VPs from the Arabian Gulf region and beyond will come together under one roof on April 5, 2016, for the Top CEO Conference and Awards at the Westin Mina Seyahi, Dubai. The event, which is held in recognition of the very best in GCC business leadership, is organized by TRENDS magazine and INSEAD – the leading international business school – and sets the standard for business awards programs in the region by honoring only leaders from publicly listed companies. 

Economic diversification and technology were the two most disruptive forces in the GCC last year. As low oil prices continue to adversely affect the government budgets in the Arabian Gulf countries as well, cybersecurity and the digital element pose huge risks for the GCC economies. Regional and international speakers at the TOP CEO Conference will discuss the most pressing issues, including ‘Economic Diversification’, ‘When Tech Kills Your Business’ and ‘Cybersecurity’, with the aim of finding solutions for economic improvement.

“The biggest challenge for businesses is the disruptive factors that are beyond the control of their boardrooms, which is why the solutions discussed at the Top CEO Conference are of crucial importance,” said Julien Hawari, Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mediaquest Corp. “The Top CEO Conference not only recognizes and celebrates the achievements of the region’s leading CEOs, but also provides a platform for the most pressing issues in the financial, economic and business sectors to be openly discussed,” he added.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) managing director Christine Lagarde said at a recent event in the UAE that the country’s authorities had made the correct measures in building large fiscal and external buffers to advance economic diversification and, more recently, they have taken steps to address the consequences of the sharp drop of oil prices, notably the reform of fuel subsidies. Lagarde noted that there is a need to pursue gradual fiscal consolidation by raising non-oil revenues and fully phasing out energy subsidies, as well as a requirement to safeguard financial stability and to continue implementing growth-enhancing reforms. 

The first edition of the TOP CEO Conference will also play host to the second TOP CEO Awards.  The award’s stringent and open evaluation procedures position it as the foremost leadership awards ceremony in the region and a benchmark for business leaders and their respective organizations. It has stood out as a distinctive and unique event, as only the CEOs of listed GCC companies are evaluated. The awards are presented following an analysis of the financial statements of these companies, with the assessment process being fully audited to ensure that corporate governance and transparency form part of the overall ranking.