A new year always brings new challenges but we hope, new opportunities as well. Not only is the Middle East set for accelerating growth, but more and more of its companies are starting to see the benefits of investing in a professional treasury team.
Although the number of treasury roles in the Middle East is not large at present, it is increasing all the time. Our magazine, the Middle East Treasurer already has a GCC circulation of more than 2,000 print copies with online access available to the entire ACT and ACTME network.
We know regional treasurers are focussed on the building blocks of treasury: governance, process and achieving operational stability. More recent evidence suggests however that treasurers and finance managers in the region are placing themselves in a local, regional and international context, looking to understand the impact of global banking regulation, the changes that are taking place in international trade flows and payments, and their options in capital markets, whether conventional or Islamic.
The ACT and ACTME are looking to help treasurers and their employers face the issues of growth in a number of ways. We are working towards offering future finance leaders aiming to be career treasurers or those who may only interact with us from time to time a structured ladder of educational and professional development. This will include education and qualifications, career-long CPD and building on existing ethical standards.
On a different note, I want to mention the success the Fourth ACT Middle East conference and Deals of the Year Awards held at the Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, Dubai last November. The ACT team enjoyed meeting and networking with the more than 380 corporate treasurers and finance professional who attended. The details of the companies and treasurers and their hard-won awards are in the Middle East Treasurer. I would like to add my thanks to all who attended especially the speakers and presenters for their continued support of the ACTME. I hope to see you in Dubai again later this year!
The ACT Middle East is going from strength to strength in events, publishing, webinars and education and we are very proud to be contributing even in a modest way to the continued development and emergence of the region.
