TOP CEO Conference looks at issues facing regional CEOs

TRENDS magazine, in association with the INSEAD Business School, launched the Top CEO Conference and Awards. The Conference will take place on April 5, 2016, and is aimed at creating an open dialogue among the regional executives on ways to help improve their business and the region. The second edition of the TOP CEO Awards ceremony will be held on the evening of the same day.

The TOP CEO Conference and Awards have been organized by TRENDS and INSEAD, which was recently ranked the number one business school by the UK’s The Financial Times. The conference and awards aim also at further pushing the anti-corruption and transparency agendas in the region.

The themes of the TOP CEO Conference in 2016 are diverse and are very relevant to the region’s business environment, take a look at some ofnthe main themes below.

Economic diversification: As the region moves away from oil, there are strong indications of the disintegration of old business models. What will be the effects on businesses in the next few years? Is there a risk-proof business model?

When tech kills your business: Old jobs and businesses are disappearing, while new ones are being created. Is this affecting your business? How will you deal with it and adapt to new realities?

VAT and its consequences: Subsidies are the past and taxes are the future of the gcc. How this will affect your consumers? How tax-ready is your company? What we can learn from other markets? What legal know-how is required?

Women in boardrooms: Under-represented in the region’s job market, it’s high-time women professionals are given their due. Women in boardrooms bring the point of view of almost 50 percent of your consumers. What can companies do to create women business leaders of the future? GCC governments are moving in the right direction, but how can businesses keep up with the changes?

Anti-corruption and transparency: one of biggest hurdles is achieving good corporate governance. Where should we start? Are the problems identified? What are the perks of finding good corporate governance solutions?

Adapting to the end of American umbrella: Quite certainly, the united states has taken a few steps back from this region. Will this leave a strong void? Who will fill the vacuum? Russia? How this will affect the businesses in the region?

Education and talent: With the increasing digital components in business and the rise of artificial intelligence, the future of jobs looks challenging yet full of opportunities. How can businesses help to create the workforce of the future? Are more tie-ups with educational institutes needed? What can be done to infuse scientific spirit into young population of the region?

Cybersecurity: As the world gets more and more connected, the risks of attacks resulting in financial and data loss are increasing. Is there an iron wall? How to deal with the increasing costs of cybercrime?

The aspirations of youth: With more than 100 million youth, the middle east and the gcc region have a reserve of human energy that can help them transform for the better. How can the government and the private sector help unleash this energy and focus it on initiatives that will create jobs and transform the region?

The forthcoming Top CEO Awards will celebrate the very best in GCC business leadership. The prestigious annual event, organized by TRENDS magazine and INSEAD – the leading international business school – sets the standard for business awards programs in the region by honoring only leaders from publicly listed companies.

Top CEO was established to acknowledge industry heads at the helm of growth in the Gulf equities market. Recognizing that the region’s stock markets are the engines of the economy, the program celebrates the business acumen of senior GCC business figures and highlights those individuals who have excelled as supreme guiding lights for their respective listed organizations.

Julien Hawari, Co-CEO at Mediaquest, the media company organizing the event and publisher of TRENDS magazine, said: Top CEO is a major awards ceremony held to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the region’s leading CEOs. Along with independent auditors, TRENDS and INSEAD will ensure the transparency of the process The awards’ stringent and open evaluation procedures make them the foremost leadership awards program in the region and a benchmark for business heads and their companies.”