The 3rd Middle East Insurance Forum is set to take place in Bahrain on 20th & 21st March 2006.
The event is supported by the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA) and organized by Beirut-based Al Iktissad Wal Aamal.
This year’s conference builds on the previous two events, held successfully in Bahrain.
The event will bring together leading figures in the industry to discuss and debate issues of relevance and to set best-practice models, review regulatory reforms, takaful (Islamic insurance) products, bancassurance and the opening of new markets.
The Forum will be launched with the keynote speech on “The opening of the international insurance markets: Trends and consequences” delivered by Dr. Thomas Hess, Head of Economic Research & Consulting from Swiss Reinsurance Company. Panel discussions will revolve around building confidence in the Arab insurance sector, developing medical insurance and retirement plans and the consolidation of insurance markets via mergers, alliances and privatisation.
Demographic changes, the soaring oil prices, economic changes, privatisation of state assets, introduction of compulsory health insurance and the growth of takaful will be among major topics that will all be featured on the last panel of this two-day event.
The Forum will also feature an inter-active workshop session on Dispute Resolution dealing with the role of mediation.
Speakers include experts from insurance and reinsurance agencies, regulatory agencies, financial organisations and more, in the interest of finding adequate solutions to unresolved issues which will focus on the theme of this year’s conference “The Influence of Global Trends on Middle East Insurance Markets”.
The Middle East Insurance Forum will be held at the Ritz Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa.
“ The Forum, now in its 3rd year, has assumed a central role in joining together key players in the Middle East insurance sector. In doing so, this event has succeeded in identifying the potential for growth in the industry and bases its agenda on the realisation of the most critical steps to cultivate a stronger insurance market ” said Mr. A. Rahman Al Baker, Executive Director, Financial Institutions Supervision.
This year, the Forum, which is organized by Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group in cooperation with the Bahrain Monetary Agency, is being held at a time when the Arab insurance industry is experiencing growth and significant structural changes.
