08:00 Registration
08:30 Welcome:
Stella Klauhs, CEO, Peninsula Press
Opening remarks:
H.E. Sheikh Mohammad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs
“Kuwait: a commitment to progress”
Matthew Lodge, Ambassador, United Kingdom Embassy to Kuwait
08:35 Panel 1: A new business environment in Kuwait
The Emir of Kuwait, H.E. Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, has laid out a challenging vision: to diversify the economy away from its current heavy reliance on petroleum, transforming the Gulf nation into a global business and finance hub. GDP diversification and greater private-sector dynamism are essential if Kuwait is to maintain its current strong financial position and continue to offer citizens improving standards of living and social benefits. New laws have been passed to help increase the participation of foreign firms in the country, in particular in the multi-billion dollar Kuwait Development Plan.
Opening remarks:
Dr. Sheikh Meshaal Al-Sabah, Director General, KDIPA
Panelists:
Henadi Anwar Al-Saleh, Chairperson of the Board, Agility
Nader Al-Awadhi, Senior Partner, DLA Piper Kuwait
Faisal Ali Al-Mutawa, Chairman & CEO, Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa Commercial Co.
Bader A. Al-Sumait, CEO, Global Investment House
Moderator:
Jane Kinninmont, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Head of MENA Program, Chatham House
09:30: Q&A
09:45: Bonus Breakout Session: Paving the way for a stable secure business climate.
Counselor Abdulrahman Nemash Al-Nemash, President, Kuwait Anti- Corruption Authority (KANCOR)
Salem Al-Ali, CFA, Assistant Secretary-General, KANCOR
10:05 Panel 2: Entrepreneurship at the heart of Kuwaiti DNA
For many decades, Kuwait has been virtually synonymous with petroleum. Wealth from oil has spurred unimaginable economic growth and social progress, but has sometimes tended to crowd out Kuwaitis’ traditional entrepreneurial drive. Now the country is seeking to return to its roots, when there was no oil and Kuwaitis were known throughout the region as excellent merchants and business innovators. A new generation of Kuwaitis is pushing open new doors, so the challenge is to build the right framework to help transform this potential into reality.
Opening remarks:
Dr. Mohammad Al-Zuhair, Executive Chairman, Kuwait National Fund for SME Development
Panelists:
Mohammed Jaffar, CEO, Talabat
Basil Al-Salem, Chairman & CEO, Kuwait Food Concepts Co.
Nouf Al-Mutawa, Partner & MD, Bon Group
Muhannad Al-Sane, GM, almowazi.com
Fahad M. Al-Falah, Managing Partner, Menafile
Moderator:
Russell Byrne, Co-Founder & CEO, Education Consortium
10:50 Q&A
11:05 Bonus Breakout Session: Is the development of STI a condition for flourishing entrepreneurship?
Dr. Ahmad Bishara, Deputy Director General, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences
11:20 Coffee Break
11:40 Keynote Speaker:
The Rt. Hon. Lord Maude of Horsham, UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment
12:00 Panel 3: Education, innovation and excellence
Building a strong culture of excellence in education, scholarship, research and the arts is key to developing Kuwait. The country needs to ensure an environment that is both inclusive and diverse, fostering a spirit of community among national, regional and global counterparts. Many of the nation’s leading institutions serve the needs of Kuwait and the region engaging with academia, business, and community partners.
Prof. Moudi Al-Humoud, Rector, Arab Open University
Dr. Hanan Al-Mutawa, Executive Committee Member, Supreme Education Council (SEC)
Dr. Mussaad M. Al-Razouki, Chief Business Development Officer, Kuwait Life Sciences Company
Mona Al-Mukhaizeem, Managing Partner, Sirdab Lab
Moderator:
Michael Thomas, Executive Chairman and CEO Pathfinder
12:45 Q&A
13:00 Keynote Speaker:
Prof. Kazem Behbehani, OBE, Director General, Dasman Diabetes Institute
13:20-14:45: Lunch
14:45 Panel 4: Alliances for the future – a platform for development
There is often an impression that Kuwait does not need foreign direct investment, but in fact the KDP calls for substantial FDI in various areas. There is a long, close relationship between Kuwait and the UK, and many UK firms will be interesting in participating in the KDP, but Kuwait today is open to investment from all around the world – Europe, America, Asia and other countries in the region. This panel will focus on how and where Kuwaiti and international companies can best work together as Kuwait seeks to diversify.
Opening remarks:
Lord Jonathan Marland, Co-chair, UK-Kuwait Business Council
Panelists:
Sir Edward Lister, Chief of Staff & Deputy Major for Policy Planning, London
Muhannad Al-Sane, Chairman & CEO, Al-Riyada Finance & Investment Co. KSC
Khaled Talaat, Branch Manager, IBM Kuwait
Marc Bertino, Managing Director of Trading & Offset, GE Global Growth
Moderator:
Yousef Khaled Al-Marzook, Executive GM & Editor in Chief, Al Anba
15:30 Q&A
15:45 Bonus Breakout Session: Technology’s contribution to Kuwait’s Development Plan.
Anas Meerza, Group CEO, National Technology Enterprises Company (NTEC)
16:05 Panel 5: Kuwait mega-projects in the context of the KDP
Unveiled in 2010, the US$125 billion Kuwait Development Plan (KDP) was heralded by the government as historic and aimed at “decreasing the country’s dependence on oil.” Now the country’s development goals have been updated with the 2015-2020 KDP. Building on the original plan, the new KDP presses ahead with mega-projects that include airport, metro, GCC rail link and port infrastructure, amongst many others, while seeking to speed up implementation. The government is looking to public-private-partnerships (PPP) to attract local and international investors.
Opening remarks:
H.E. Hind Al-Sabeeh, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Minister of State for Planning and Development
Panelists:
Adel Mohammad Al-Roumi, Director, Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Ghusain, Vice Chairman, Kharafi National
Ghosson Ghassan Al-Khaled, COO, ACICO Industries Company
Assaf Al Salem, Chairman, Tharwa Trading and Contracting
Moderator:
Peter Meyer, Executive Chairman, Middle East Association
16:50 Q&A
17:00 Bonus Breakout Session: Up close with a Kuwait entrepreneur
Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Entrepreneur
17: 20 Closing remarks: presented by Lord Marland
H.E. Sheikha Intisar Al -Sabah, Founder & CEO, Lulua Publish
Preliminary program, for planning purposes. Please note that all panel subjects and speaker lists are provisional.
Panel themes may be subject to change. Speaker lists include confirmed, invited and suggested names.