Page 11 - CSA Speaker Bulletin September 2016 | CSA Celebrity Speakers
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because it could usher in further avoid hot conflict spots; while happily can only increase transparency and
FDI, and know-how. It should also yielding the defence of the Middle East better governance in the economies
help rationalise public expenditures oil to Western powers, for now. of the region. People understand
-- something the region direly needs. risk in the region, but assessing it
Also, as family businesses transition via “People methodically and discussing it overtly is
succession planning, new opportunities understand risk the emergent next step.
in M&A are becoming available, and in the ME region,
this is a trend that will only grow as but assessing Q.What role do
wealth is passed on from father to son it methodically entrepreneurs have in
(or daughter!). and discussing changing the face of
it overtly is the wealth creation in MENA?
Q.Geopolitics is an emergent next
essential key in the The rise of entrepreneurship
world of the energy step.” throughout MENA has the potential
industry. How do you see the of fundamentally transforming these
relationship between ME vs Q.Risk management: do economies, capturing international
China developing? you consider this a key attention, and attracting foreign direct
skill around the ME investment. Some of the most intelligent
Since the Arab revolutions began, Region? and dynamic minds in the region are on
China’s national oil companies a mission to promote entrepreneurship,
suffered setbacks to their investments In most parts of the Middle East and we are starting to see the impact
in politically unstable countries such businesses have a very good of this focus. The region is naturally
as Iraq, Libya and Syria. China is now understanding of risk, having navigated predisposed, through the presence of
relaxing its traditional non-intervention political and security fault lines since large proportions of networked and
policy to maintain and expand its their inception. But a more professional connected youth in every country, and
economic interests in MENA. But it is and strategic approach to risk is also through the availability of liquidity.
highly unlikely that China’s greater emerging, particularly in economies Harnessing the energies of the region
political activism in the Middle East that had not been accustomed to and properly channelling this to the
and its growing economic stake will geopolitical risk resulting in domestic requisite funding, is the challenge, but
translate into military activism. China implications. Change is starting to we are starting to see the impact of
is clearly trying to avoid being sucked become visible in several GCC countries connecting ideas with finance. n
into the increasingly complex MENA and it is sometimes being driven top
vortex. Unlike its active military role in down. For example, the Saudi National
territorial disputes in the South China Transformation Program (NTP) has
Sea, China seems happy to assume a some risk management frameworks
back-seat role to the Americans and embedded into it. Such governmental
the Europeans in the MENA region, level adoption of risk management
particularly when it comes to securing could help businesses converse with
MENA oil fields and shipping lanes. governments on such matters, and this
China will probably be content to
continue its back-seat political ride
and instead concentrate on developing
its presence in the maritime periphery
and Indian Ocean. Therefore, China
will be expected to continue to deepen
its economic and political ties with
the MENA region; establish new trade
routes and diversify its commerce;
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