The close of another successful week in the life of the ACT Middle East in the teeth of some serious heat!
Two events in two days attracted more than 220 attendees, firstly to a breakfast briefing on the challenges of treasury technology (supported by Sungard and the DIFC Authority) and then our inaugural Annual Dinner and Treasury Awards celebration at the splendid Four Seasons Resort.
A great deal of work from all sides of the ACT and ACTME - including from the Committee members - went into making these events so successful but one key element really shone through: the palpable sense of a growing, vibrant and confident corporate treasury community all across the Gulf.
The latest edition of the Middle East Treasurer shows this off too with not just the awards winners highlighted but with our first cover and profile article showing off young Emirati talent looking to take on the mantle of being business leaders in the development of their economies. This follows our previous all woman cover from the treasury at leading retailer Majid Al Futtaim.
What came through from the awards was something else significant. The quality bar in terms of treasury practice in companies large and small has been raised and the example of AWRostamani and other medium sized companies who have won previous awards (such as Easah Salah al Gurg and Al Fahim) is that professional treasury management is an essential for growing, successful organisation. It is a great pleasure to recognise that type of achievement and the pride those treasurers take in their work.
Of course there are regional flavours whether in terms of developing legal structures or building more effective financial markets regionally. Those challenges make life more interesting even entertaining for treasurers across the region and we see that in places like Hong Kong and China as economies develop.
There is more to do of course and the ACTME plans to widen its engagement both territorially and from a policy and technical perspective with regional legislators and policy makers. I am sure the treasury community will be fully behind these efforts over the coming months and years.
[su_box title="Join us" box_color="#51284F]Join the region's largest and most well established network of treasury and financial professional at our Middle East Annual Conference this November.[/su_box]
