Conference Programme 2017

Event Overview

Building Strong Partnerships To Generate Investment-led Growth

The 3rd Annual Maritime Standard Ship Finance & Trade will be held at Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort on 20th November this year. The first two Ship Finance and Trade Conferences, held on 2015 and 2016, were both very successful, bringing together experts from the fields of shipping, ports, banking, finance, trade and maritime law, among others, to discuss and debate the key issues and trends facing the market in the Middle East and Subcontinent. For 2017, once again a high quality list of keynote speakers is being lined up, including some of the leading and most well-known personalities in the business, as well as senior executives with many years’ experience in their chosen fields.

Monday, 20th November 2017

Conference Programme Outline

09:00

Registration and Welcome Refreshments

09:45

Welcome by

Clive Woodbridge
Conference Chairman & Editor, The Maritime Standard

09:50

Inaugural Address by

Trevor Pereira
Managing Director, The Maritime Standard

10:00

Keynote Address by

H.E. Dr. Abdullah Salem Alkatheeri
Director General,
Federal Transport Authority-Land & Maritime

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi
Chief Executive Officer,
Abu Dhabi Ports

 

10:30

Main Session 1 – Shipping and Ports – How will politico-economic factors shape future opportunities and challenges?

• World oil prices – what is the outlook and what does that mean for shipping and ports?
• Will shipping restructuring take the industry back to health
• Port investment – local strategies to benefit from global trends
• Global political tensions – the implications for tanker shipping
• Preventing a future collapse of confidence
• Restructuring businesses for long term stability
• Ship finance – is the business fit for purpose?

Confirmed Speakers:

Abdulla Bin Damithan
Director Commercial
DP World – UAE Region

Ali Shehab
Deputy CEO
Kuwait Oil Tanker Company

Khamis Juma Buamim
MD and Group CEO
Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC

Chris Peter
CEO
Emirates Ship Investment Company

Ross Thompson
Acting/Chief – Commercial and Strategy Officer – Ports
Abu Dhabi Ports

11:45

Panel Discussion/Question & Answer Session

12:30

Lunch Break

13:30

Session 2: Developing strategies for the future

• Mergers and acquisitions – how to ensure a sound future for combined businesses
• Investing positively in an uncertain market
• Governmental strategies for securing inward investment
• Banks – is their view on shipping changing for the better?
• Fund managers – what role do they have to play?
• Alternative lending platforms for the maritime industry

Confirmed Speakers:

Jacob Berman
Managing Director
Infrastructure and Transportation. Corporate & Institutional Banking, Standard Chartered

Andrew Simmons
CEO
Global Marine Transport Capital LLC

Bora Bariman
Head of the Energy & Marine segment
National Bank of Fujairah

Andrew Baird
Partner
Watson Farley & Williams (Middle East) LLP

Adel Al Wahedi
CFO
Abu Dhabi Ports

15:00

Panel Discussion/Question & Answer Session

15:15

Coffee Break

15:30

Session 3: Case studies: Developing businesses to diversify maritime clusters

• Putting insurance at the heart of regional growth
• The value of having local lube oil and other marine product supply networks
• Offering security advice to combat cyber crime and piracy
• Classification – the importance of local expertise
• Maritime law – laying the foundations for regional success
• How trade finance can help overcome a barrier to trade development

Confirmed Speakers:

Amir Mosadeghi
CEO
Islamic P & I Club

June Manoharan
Director
LUKOIL Marine Lubricants DMCC

Katherine Yakunchenkova
General Manager
Al Safina Security

Stephen Bligh
Senior Principal Consultant
DNV-GL

Sinan Ozcan
Executive Officer
Maersk Trade Finance

17:00

Panel Discussion/Question & Answer Session

17:15

Round-up and Thank You by Clive Woodbridge

17:30

Networking Reception

18:00

End