Manama: Mahmood Rafique, Editor: All is set for Ministers, global industry leaders and business movers and shakers to address the two-day Gateway Gulf Investment Forum, which kicks off on Monday at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.
The second edition of the highly anticipated Forum is jointly hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) with the support of senior government officials across the Kingdom’s finance, investment and industry portfolio, the forum will tackle global challenges and trends under the banner of “Investing in a Rapidly Transforming Region.”
Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy; and Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain Economic Development Board welcomed the delegates at the welcome reception-cum-dinner on Sunday in presence of top Government officials.
Gateway Gulf 2024 will welcome an intimate, high-level gathering of the top 250 ministerial and senior government officials, C-suite business professionals, and executive investors from key markets across America, Europe, Asia, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and beyond.
The GCC region is emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic economic success stories. The Gulf economies projected to grow by 3.5% in 2024 to a combined total of about $ 2.1 trillion and likely to reach $2.8 trillion by 2030, thanks to an ambitious economic diversification agenda which is driving investment across a range of non-oil sectors.
Bahrain is one of the most diversified economies in the Gulf, with the non-oil sector contributing 84% to its GDP in 2023. As the Kingdom continues to prioritize investments in high-potential sectors such as financial services, ICT, manufacturing, logistics and tourism, it is also focusing on developing its human capital and furthering its digital transformation agenda. Bahrain’s forward-looking policies, strategic location, and business-friendly environment have made it one of the region’s most attractive destinations for international investors looking to expand into the wider GCC market.
The Kingdom’s role in driving regional collaboration and co-investments are key highlights at Gateway Gulf, with discussions on how these partnerships can further unlock sustainable economic growth.
The Forum will host a series of panels, focus meetings, and one-on-one sessions including Investing for Resilience, AI’s transformative Power, and Futureproofing the Workforce, where the high-level speakers from Bahrain include: Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy; Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain Economic Development Board; Fatima bint Jaffer Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism; Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of Customs Affairs; Khalid Humaidan, Governor of Central Bank of Bahrain; Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chairman of Aluminium Bahrain (Alba); Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Chief Executive of Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
Over the two-days, the sessions will feature some of the world’s leading experts in their fields, where key regional and international speakers include Lord Gerry Grimstone, Former Minister for Investment at Department for International Trade and Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Member (Chairman Gemcorp Capital); Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Cabinet Member and Minister of Economy, United Arab Emirates; Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, DP World; Sir Jonathan Symonds, Chairman of the Board, GSK; Khalfan Belhoul, CEO Dubai Future Foundation; Safra Catz, CEO, Oracle; s. Henadi Al-Saleh, Chair of the Board, Agility; Mark Burns, CEO, Gulfstream; Edward Dolman, Executive Chairman and CEO, Phillips; Keith Svendsen, CEO, APM Terminals and Jeremy Crane, CEO, Yellow Door Energy
