Abu Dhabi, 28 October 2013: The UAE Banks Federation, a professional representative body comprising 50 member banks operating in the UAE, has entered into a partnership with the Financial Times Live and The Banker magazine to host a high level Forum in Dubai on 26 November. The Middle East Banking Forum is the first conference to be hosted by the Federation and will become an annual event for leaders of UAE Banks Federation member institutions and top tier representatives of regional and international banks as well as other organisations serving and operating in the UAE's financial sector.
The ME Banking Forum will welcome senior bankers and economists from the public and private sectors, and top speakers from the region. The conference reflects the growing efforts being made by the UAE Banks Federation to provide added value and support to its members to develop the banking industry.
The key topic to be discussed at the conference will be prospects for banks in the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab spring and at a time of continued subdued global economic growth. Other areas of focus will include the UAE's progress as a regional financial hub, the provision of retail banking services to the region's rising numbers of middle classes, Islamic banking, corporate mergers & acquisitions, corporate banking, and cross-border expansion.
Announcing the decision to host its first annual conference, Chairman of the Federation HE AbdulAziz Al Ghurair said:”We are responding to a demand from our members for an event which brings together the leading participants in the UAE's banking sector as well as their international counterparts to review the latest trends and to hear from some of the world's leading proponents of best practice, as well as visionaries and experts in a wide range of financial disciplines. We have chosen one of the world's top financial events organisers to help us create a meeting to remember which will bring real value to us and to the UAE economy.”
According to the The Banker's “Top 1000 World Banks 2013”, the 92 Middle East banks in the rankings increased their Tier 1 capital by 7.9% over the previous year, and today account for a 3.7% share of the global Tier 1 capital represented by the 1000 banks in the tables.
The Financial Times (FT) Live is the conferences and events arm of the Financial Times which regularly gathers leading public and private sector decision makers and strategists at events in the top financial centres around the world. Working with its sister company The Banker magazine, FT Live offers valuable insight and intelligence to its audiences about issues affecting the development of the global finance industry.
About UAE Banks Federation: Established in 1982, the UAE Banks Federation, a professional representative body comprising 51 member banks operating in the UAE. The Federation advocates all banks' interests, and enhances cooperation and coordination among them, in order to promote and upgrade the UAE's banking industry for the benefit of the banking sector, its customers, and the national economy.
The UAE Banks Federation's mission and objectives are focused on developing and representing the interests of the member banks and defending their rights. It facilitates the exchange of banking, financial and monetary information in the regional and international fields, and coordinates cooperation around banking procedures and in the areas of legal, technical and administrative affairs. The federation plays a major role in raising public awareness around the beneficial role and distinctive financial, economic and social contribution of the banks to the UAE.
The Federation has an Advisory Council consisting of Bank CEOs which oversees the implementation of the policies, follows up on UBF's activities and makes necessary decisions, a steering committee and ten specialized technical committees, covering and discussing all relevant banking issues.