Egypt’s biggest listed investment bank EFG Hermes kicked off on Sunday its 15th annual One on One Conference in Dubai under the patronage of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai. The 2019 conference is headlined as “Navigating the Path to Opportunities” and runs until Wednesday. This year’s event will see executives from 186 companies from 26 countries meet directly with more than 520 investors representing 260 institutions and family offices, managing an aggregate $11 trillion in assets under management.
“Our 15th One on One Conference is expected to feature our largest and most diverse group of participants yet, driven by the firm’s rapid expansion into frontier emerging markets (FEM) across four continents. The number of participating companies is up this year, with Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in particular increasing their representation at a time when both markets are experiencing important changes that will generate new opportunities,” said Karim Awad, group chief executive officer of EFG Hermes.
Saudi Arabia’s inclusion in the MSCI and FTSE emerging market indices is expected to drive inflows through 2020 while volatility and expected medium-term decline in oil prices are creating powerful incentives for the Kingdom and other GCC markets to enact regulatory change and fiscal reforms that will drive consolidation and strengthen non-oil industries. Meanwhile, Nigeria is facing several headwinds in terms of macro and equity performance, but visibility remains strong on 2019 earnings growth and yields continue to be attractive.
“Since its inception, we have sought to make this event a direct access platform for global investors and companies in the world’s most compelling markets. Even in the face of macroeconomic challenges such as significant capital outflows from emerging markets and rising US interest rates, frontier emerging markets represent the greatest potential for driving growth and generating accretive returns,” Awad added.
With thousands of direct meetings taking place between investors and presenting companies, we hope to provide attendees with insights on how to navigate these rougher global waters to unlock new value,”
Mohamed Ebeid, co-chief executive of investment banking at EFG Hermes, said: “This year’s conference features a strong line of speakers from innovative global companies who will offer fresh perspectives on expected trends in FEM.”
