With the presence of HE the President of the Council of Ministers in lebanon, Mr. Fuad Siniora, The 15th Arab Economic Forum was launched at the Intercontinental Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut on Friday, May 4th, with the attendance of over 700 top officials and leading investors from over 18 countries.

The conference concluded its sessions on Saturday 5th May, and was organized by the Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group and the Central Bank of Lebanon in partnership with the Association of Banks in Lebanon and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

After the opening, The Arab Economic Forum organizers presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Honor:

• H.E. Ali Bin Ibrahim Al Noaimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia
• H.E. Badr Al Humaidi, Minister of Finance, Kuwait
• Mr. Faisal Hamad Al Ayyar, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Kuwait Projects Co. (Holding)
• Dr. Naaman Al Azhari, Chairman General Manager, BLOM Bank, Lebanon
• Dr. Jospeh Torbey, Chairman, Union of Arab Banks

MP Bahia Al Hariri presented the “Rafic Al Hariri Investors Award” to H.E. Dr. Ali Zumae, Chairman and Managing Director, AREF Investment Group, Kuwait
Whilst H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, received Basil Fleihan Young Leaders Award.

The conference dedicated its sessions to discuss the following topics:

• Assessing the New Oil Boom: Could it lead to building the future base for the Arab economies?
• Building up the Competitiveness of the Arab Countries in Attracting Foreign Investment.
• An Outlook on Economic Prospects in Lebanon from the Viewpoint of Young Business Leaders
• The Arab Banking Industry: Challenges of Growth and Expansion
• The Real Estate Boom the Arab Region
• Private Equity and its Role in Opening Up New Growth opportunities for Arab Companies

The 15th Arab Economic Forum comprised the following prominent speakers:

• H.E. Fuad Siniora, President of the Council of Ministers, Lebanon
• H.E. Ali Bin Ibrahim Al Noaimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia
• H.E. Bader Mashari Al Humaidi, Minister of Finance, Kuwait
• H.E. Dr. Jihad Azour, Minister of Finance, Lebanon
• H.E. Sheikh Salem Abdul Aziz Al Sabbah, Governor, Central Bank of Kuwait
• H.E. Dr. Omaya Toukan, Governor, Central Bank of Jordan
• H.E. Riad Salamé, Governor, Central Bank of Lebanon
• H.E. Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah, Secretary General, The Cooperation Council for the Arab State of the Gulf
• H.E. Dr. Ali Zumae, Chairman and Managing Director, AREF Investment Group, Kuwait
• H.E. Dr. Mohamad Halaika, Member, The Upper House of Parliament, Jordan
• Sir Roger Tomkys, Chairman, Arab British Chamber of Commerce
• H.E. Dr. Mokhtar Abdel Moneim Khattab, Chairman, Horizon for Investment and Industrial Development, Egypt
• H.E. Sheikh Tariq Al Qasimi, Chairman, Emirates Investments Group, UAE
• Mr. Faisal Hamad Al Ayyar, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Kuwait Projects Co. (Holding)
• Dr. Hilal H. Al-Tuwairqi, Chairman, Al-Tuwairqi Group of Companies, Saudi Arabia
• Dr. Francois S. Bassil, Chairman, Association of Banks in Lebanon
• Mr. Sulyman A. Al Majed, President, Tanmiyat Group, Saudi Arabia
• Mr. Nabil Itani, Chairman and Managing Director, Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL)
• Dr. Faysal Alaquil, Director of Business Development, CPC Holding, Saudi Arabia
• Dr. Robert Eid, Chief Executive Officer, Arab National Bank, Saudi Arabia
• Mr. Ahmad Tantash, Chairman and CEO, Jordinvest, Jordan
• Mr. Hossam El Mestikawi, Chief Financial Officer, Olympic Group, Egypt
• Mr. Brent Sadler, CNN Bureau Chief in Beirut
• Mr. Salah Osseiran, Chairman, Business Projects Company (Holding)- BPC and Head of Economical Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon
• Mr. Fawzi E. Farah, CEO, Corporate Finance House, Lebanon
• Dr. Marwan Kaddoura, Chairman & CEO, Credit Card Services Company, Lebanon
• Mr. Tony Georges Salameh, Chairman and CEO, Aïshti, Lebanon
• Mr. Saad Al Azhari, Vice Chairman and General Manager, BLOM Bank, Lebanon
• Mr. Robert Fadel, Director, ABC, Lebanon
• Mr. Salah Al Mayyal, Managing Director of Levent Holding and Chairman of Al Tharawat Co., Kuwait
• Dr. Walid Mouneimne, Chairman, Nokia Siemens Networks, Middle East and Africa Region
• Mr. Nehmetallah Ephrem, Managing Director, Indevco Group, Lebanon
• Dr. Makram Sader, Secretary General, Association of Banks in Lebanon
• Dr. Florence Eid, Partner & Head of MENA, Pantera Capital Management LP, UK
• Mr. Khaled Hassan Rashed, CEO & Board Member, CORECAP, UAE
• Dr. Kamal Hamdan, Chief Economic Division, CRI Consultation & Research Institute, Lebanon
• Mr. Karim Souaid, Managing Director, GrowthGate, Bahrain
• Mr. Nader Hariri, Director, Umniah Holding, Lebanon

The Forum was concluded on May 5th by a lunch hosted by the President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon, H.E. Fuad Siniora at the Grand Government Saraya, followed by an interactive session with His Excellency which will be transmitted live on Al Arabiya TV Network.