MANAMA: A forum that gathers hundreds of regional investors in Bahrain could help the country explore avenues to invest and partner in businesses locally and internationally, according to an expert.
The eighth Al Dana Ferguson Forum which opened yesterday at the ART Rotana, Amwaj Islands is being attended by 250 investors from the GCC.
The two-day forum, Bahrain – the Smart Hub/Gateway for Global and GCC Investments and Industries, also brings together 20 international delegates from 20 countries.
“The mission of the forum is to show the world what Bahrain has to offer and put it more in the map for business and investors and how open and accommodating it is for businesses and people from around the world,” Ferguson Partners Family Office managing partner Dr Steen Ehlern told the GDN on the sidelines of the opening.
“A lot of companies at the forum are representing industries where local Bahraini investors and companies would like to join venture and may be have them invest here or at the same time partner in other countries.
“There are avenues that could be tapped and interestingly there is quite a buzz about Bahrain these days. The global economy is doing well and oil prices have gone higher and Bahrain is pretty diversified.
“So people are having Bahrain notified and monitored on their radars.”
Meanwhile, Ferguson Partners Family Office partner Muneera Al Mubarak said “family offices” need to be set up to help family businesses face future challenges.
“There is high growth potential in the region, particularly with the GCC having a young demographic age profile by global standards, with more than 50 per cent of the population under 25 years,” said Ms Al Mubarak.
“Sustained substantial investments have been made in economic diversification and the development of physical and social infrastructure, which has contributed to real GDP growth rate of more than five per cent in the region over the past decade.
“Thus, one of the main future challenges was preserving and sustaining the family business and transitioning to the next generation and succession planning.
“Family offices are set up to help master these challenges and serve individual family members, the family as a whole and the family business.
“The future of investment and development lies in the private sector and public private partnerships.”
The event is attended by entrepreneurs, business owners and family businesses from across a range of different sectors along with financiers and officials from Bahrain.
Keynote speaker on the opening day was Dr Nazar Sadeq Al Baharna from Bahrain who spoke on the topic “Scale-up economies – the new and economic growth engine”.
Panelists and speakers at the forum include delegations from the UK, Germany, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, US, Canada and GCC countries.
Topics discussed over the two days include Future Energy Outlook, Oil and Gas, Investments in Clean Energy, in Silicon Valley Ventures, Clean Tech and Commercial Vehicles, Investments in Healthcare Technology and Connectivity, Investments in Iceland, Investments into Gemstones, Pearls and Diamonds, the Gold Bullion and Blockchain, Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision, Bahrain’s role as a Pioneer and Innovator, Renewable Energy and Investments into Food and Security.
raji@gdn.com.bh
&uuid=(email))