Today, a number of senior executives and financial sector leaders participated in a special symposium entitled “Global and US Investment Prospects: Strategic Financial Leadership for Sustainable Growth in the GCC, the Middle East, North Africa, and the World” at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel.
This symposium, hosted by EMIC Training in collaboration with Bentley University, contributed to forming a platform for dialogue on the future of investment strategies, financial governance, and sustainable growth in a rapidly developing global economy.
The discussion at the symposium included a review of global and American perspectives on how to enable financial leadership to develop corporate strategy in light of market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty, and the technological transformation of capital markets.
Mr. Marwan Matar, Managing Director of EMIC Training, said: “This dialogue reflects the region’s growing influence in global capital markets. By providing American and international expertise, we are working to help financial sector leaders in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC countries translate global visions into practical and sustainable growth strategies.”
For his part, Professor Andrew McIntosh, Global Executive Education Fellow at Bentley University and CEO of Bowman & Fitzio Asset Management, shared the international perspective, emphasizing the role of geopolitical rebalancing, digital innovation, and sector rotation strategy in influencing mergers and acquisitions and investment flows.
Professor McIntosh highlighted the high growth opportunities emerging in Africa, Asia and the Gulf region, emphasizing the increasing role of the GCC countries in driving the diversification of global capital.
Dan Farley, Bentley University Trustee and Chief Investment Officer of State Street Investment Management Group, provided the American perspective, detailing the role of US capital market innovations and policy-led re-industrialization in reshaping global investment patterns.
Farley also emphasized the growing importance of the GCC countries as a global investment powerhouse, noting Bahrain and its neighboring countries’ leadership in capital transfer and sustainable asset allocation.
Dr. Sean O. Ferguson, Vice President for Strategy and Innovation at Bentley University, moderated the panel, where he led a discussion that combined theory and practice, translating macroeconomic trends into practical financial strategies. He said: “By exchanging views in this symposium, we are working to help executives translate macroeconomic transformations into informed decisions. The Gulf Cooperation Council plays an increasingly important pivotal role in shaping the future of the global financial sector, and we are proud to support this dialogue and contribute to the development of the next generation of strategic financial leaders in the region.”
The event brought together senior executives from Bahrain’s private sector and regional financial institutions, contributing to Bahrain’s position as an emerging center for thought leadership and financial dialogue.
