The UAE is China’s most important non-oil trade partner among the GCC countries and their trading and investment relationship is accelerating rapidly, particularly against the backdrop of China’s One Belt One Road strategy. The treasurer’s role is becoming increasingly important in multinational organisations and this webinar takes a look at trade relationship and how best to prepare for the future in today’s uncertain climate.
This webinar took place in association with Arabia Monitor, on 4 May and focused around the development of the UAE as a regional trade hub and the rise of Chinese influence.
In partnership with:
Speakers
Peter Matza is our Speakers’ Chair, acting as Chair at selected ACT events and supporting events and content development on a part-time basis. Peter joined the ACT in September 2006, was appointed Head of Publishing in May 2008, Engagement Director in February 2012 and moved to his latest role in July 2016. Peter is a Fellow of the ACT (having been a member since 1992) with over 30 years of treasury and banking experience.
Dr. Florence Eid-Oakden is the CEO and Chief Economist of Arabia Monitor. She has been a professor of economics and finance at the American University of Beirut and a visiting professor at INSEAD and HEC Paris. Formerly head of MENA research at JP Morgan, Dr. Eid-Oakden has also worked with the World Bank on Latin America & North Africa and on the buy side as a hedge fund investment professional. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Arab Banking Corporation International Bank in London and in Jordan, the Arab Bankers Association of North America in New York, and sits on the Advisory Council of the Al Faisal University College of Business, Saudi Arabia. She has also served as a Trustee of the American University in Paris, and a Director of Shuaa Capital in Dubai. Dr. Eid-Oakden received her Ph.D. in Organization Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a joint MIT-Harvard Doctoral Committee. She appears periodically on Bloomberg, CNBC Europe, CNBC Arabia, CNN and the BBC.
My current role is as the International Treasury Manager – Developing Markets for RB based in Dubai, covering LATAM, Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific across 40+ direct presence markets. I’ve been with RB for just over 2.5 years. I’m responsible for all aspects of Treasury and my role can be split broadly into 3 areas; cash/liquidity management, FX risk management and supporting the business. My priorities differ greatly across markets and can change very quickly depending on the changing regulatory and political landscapes.
My Treasury career started in 2010 as an intern working for Alghanim Industries in Kuwait. I subsequently moved to Rexam as a Treasury Assistant on a fixed term contract to support the roll out of a TMS, in which we won the Large Cap Treasury Team of the Year award. In 2012 I moved to Burberry as the Group Treasury Analyst where I spent 2 years. I became AMCT qualified in 2012 and obtained my MCT Diploma in Feb 2015.
Download the slides here.