Day One: Thursday, June 12, 2008

08:15-09:30 Registration of Participants at Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel Ballroom

10:00 -11:15 Opening Ceremony:

• Mr. Raouf Abou Zaki, General Manager, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group
• Mr. Nejat Kocer,Vice President, TOBB, Turkey
• H.E. Dr. Mervat Tallawy, General Coordinator for the Arab Economic, Social, and Development Summit, The League of the Arab States
• H.E. Barham Saleh, Deputy Prime Minister , Iraq
• H.E. Dr. Salem Fayyad, Prime Minister, Palestine
• H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabr Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qatar
• H.E. Nur Hassan Hussein, Prime Minister, Somalia
• H.E. Eng. Mohammad Naji Otri, Prime Minister, Syria
• H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister, Turkey

 11:15-11:30 TAF 2008 Award Ceremony:

• Sheikh Abdullah Bahamdan, Chairman, The National Commercial Bank, KSA
• Mr. Mohammed Hariri, Chairman and General Manager, BankMed: Received by: Mr. Paul Doani, Executive Committee Chairman, Turkish Telecom, CEO, Oger Telecom and Mr. Nemeh Sabbagh, Executive General Manager of BankMed, Lebanon and Chairman, Turkland Bank, Turkey
• Mr. Mohammad S. Al Omar, General Manager, Kuwait Finance House, Kuwait, Chairman of Kuveyt Turk Bank, Turkey
• Dr. Sani Sener, President and CEO, TAV, Turkey

11:30-12:00 Tour of the Exhibition and Networking Break

12:00-13:00 Panel I: Turkish -Arab Economic Partnership: A Vision for the Future

With growing trade and capital flows between Turkey and Arab countries, Arab-Turkish economic relations are moving into a new phase of a strategic and deeper and more strategic partnership. This panel will discuss the following issues:

• What is driving the growth of Turkish- Arab economic trade and investments?
• Can a Turkish-Arab free trade zone be achieved?
• New policies and reforms needed to move into the next level of partnership

Moderator: Mr. M. Rifat Hisarciklioglu, President, TOBB-DEIK, Turkey

Panelists:

• H.E. Kemal Unakitan, Minister of Finance, Turkey
• H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al-Houssien, Minister of Finance, Syria
• H.E. Eng. Mohammed Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz Al Shehi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Economy, UAE
• H.E. Muhammad Silala, Minister of State, Arab Affairs Relations, Libya

13:00-14:00 Panel II: The Evolving Banking and Capital Markets Links

A series of acquisitions has brought an increasing number of Arab banks and financial institutions into Turkey. This growing involvement in Turkey's banking and financial markets will pave the way for a larger flow of capital and trade between Turkey and the Arab countries. This panel will discuss the following issues:

• Why Arab banks are expanding into Turkey?
• What strategy for Turkey: Acquisition or organic growth?
• What risks face Arab banks in Turkey?
• What can Turkey's capital markets offer Arab investors?
• What role for Turkish banks in Arab markets?

Moderator: Mr. Faysal Abou Zaki, Deputy General Manager, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group

Panelists:

• Mr. Hüseyin Erkan, Chairman & CEO, Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB), Turkey
• Mr. Nemeh Sabbagh, Executive General Manager, BankMed, Lebanon and
  Chairman, Turkland Bank, Turkey
• Mr. Walid Alameddine, Chairman-Banking Control Commission, Central Bank of Lebanon
• Mr. Ufuk Uyan, Chief Executive Officer, Kuveyt Turk Bank, Turkey

14:00-15:45 Lunch hosted by BankMed at Anadolu Hall, Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel

16:00-17:00 Panel III: Turkish-Arab Investment: A New Paradigm

In the last few years, Turkey has been the destination of a growing flow of capital from Arab investors reflecting more confidence in its economic future. This flow is expected to intensify if political stability and a high rate of economic growth are sustained in Turkey. This session will discuss the following issues:

• Why has Turkey become one of the growing destinations for Arab investors?
• Can Turkey sustain its appeal to Arab investors?
• What are the drivers of future Arab investments in Turkey?
• What potential role for Arab Sovereign Wealth Funds in Turkey?

Moderator: Dr. Elias Baroudi, Deputy General Manager – Research and Development, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group

Panelists:

• Sheikh Khaled Alireza Zeinal, President, Xenel Industries Co. Ltd, KSA.
• Mr. Ilhami Koc, General Manager, Is Investment, Turkey
• Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir Al Shamsi, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Chairman of Federation of Chamber of Commerce & Industry, UAE
• Mr. Ahmet Zahir Erkan, General Coordinator, GAP, Turkey
• Dr. Mostafa Al Kafry, General Director, Syrian Investment Agency, Syria

20:00-22:00 Dinner hosted by Saudi Cable Company at the Swisshotel Boat
(Transport is available at Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel at 19:30)

 

Day Two: Friday, June 13, 2008

09:30-10:30 Panel IV: Potential of Tourism and Real Estate

Turkey ranks today among the top ten tourism destinations in the world with the number of tourist arrivals topping 27 million in 2007 and tourism revenues rising to $18.5 billion. The potential for strengthening Arab-Turkish tourism activity is very promising as are the possibilities of creating a regional tourism industry. Turkey also offers considerable investment opportunities in tourism and real estate development projects. This session will discuss the following:

• The potential for Turkish-Arab tourism.
• Linking Arab and Turkish tourism: Preconditions and policy requirements.
• Investment prospects and opportunities in Turkish and Arab tourism and real estate projects.

Moderator: Dr. Elias Baroudi, Deputy General Manager–Research and Development, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group

Panelists:

• H.E. Ismet Yilmaz, Undersecretary, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Turkey
• Architect Akram Abu Hamdan, Chairman, Mawared International, Jordan
• Mr. Hanifi Tekin, Chairman, DEMTAS Group, Turkey
• H.E. Sidi Mohammed Amjar, Minister of Investment Promotion, Mauritania

10:30-11:00 Morning refreshments and networking Break

11:00-12:00 Panel V: Turkey’s Growing Energy Needs and the Arab Connection

• Rising energy demand and prospects of growing dependence on Arab oil producers.
• New pipeline projects through Turkey and their contribution to closer Turkish-Arab economic relations.
• Political, economic and energy cooperation between Turkey and the Arab and Eurasian countries.
• Investment opportunities for the private sector in transit pipeline projects and gas processing and storage facilities.

Moderator: Mr. Mehmet Habbab, Chairman, Delta Petroleum, Turkey

Panelists:

• H.E. Dr. Mehmet Hilmi Güler, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Turkey
• H.E. Eng. Sufian Al-Alao, Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources, Syria

12:30 Lunch hosted by Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group

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