Review of SuperReturn Middle East 2009 that took place in October 2009


What made SuperReturn's private equity conference such a high-value must-attend event?

  • An incredible list of the world's and the region's finest speakers assembled in Dubai, including: David Rubenstein, Co-Founder & Managing Director, THE CARLYLE GROUP, Josh Lerner, Jacob H Schiff Professor of Investment Banking, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, Stephen Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, THE BLACKSTONE GROUP, Guy Hands, Chairman & CIO, TERRA FIRMA.
  • Powerful insights into the region were provided by the very cream of regional leadership. Ammar AlKhuadairy, Board Member, Chief Executive officer & Managing Director, AMWAL ALKHALEEJ joined Ahmed Heikal, Chairman and Founder, CITADEL CAPITAL, Ali Al Shihabi, Founder & Executive Chairman, RASMALA INVESTMENTS, David Smoot, CEO Private Equity, DUBAI INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL, Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, Managing Director, ABRAAJ CAPITAL to share their knowledge.
  • A brand new panel of powerful regional investors together with a discussion on the expectations of regional family offices brought invaluable insights from such powerful investors as Abdulmohsen Al Touq, General Manager, AL TOUQ COMPANY, Muhammad Al Agil, Chairman, JARIR GROUP, George Siguler, Managing Director & Founding Partner, SIGULER GUFF, Faranak Foroughi, Founder & CEOTHARWA MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY, Manoj Madnanai, Managing Director & Board Member, KULCZYK INVESTMENTS and Souheil Hajjar, Managing Director, MAJID AL FUTTAIM ASSET MANAGEMENT.
  • The critical issue consolidation/rationalisation of private equity in the Middle East was tackled by some of the brightest minds, along with with the question of how companies will survive the economic storm. Karim El Solh, CEO, GULF CAPITAL  joined Zulfi Hydari, Managing Director Private Equity, HBG HOLDINGS, Abra Mir, Managing Partner, NBD SANA CAPITAL and Abe Saad formerly Founding CEO, AB CAPITAL.
  • Brilliant and globally-renowned economics academic, Willem Buiter CBE, Professor, Chair European Political Economy, London School of Economics, was guest speaker. This international expert turned his attention to the Middle East and North Africa and pointed the way for regional and international business.

The 3rd Annual Middle East, North Africa,Turkey & South Asia Private Equity & Venture Capital Summit

HE Ford Fraker
HE Ford Fraker US Ambassador
SAUDI ARABIA
Ahmed Heikal
Ahmed Heikal Chairman & Co-Founder CITADEL CAPITAL
Guy Hands
Guy Hands CEO TERRA FIRMA CAPITAL PARTNERS
Ammar AlKhudairy
Ammar AlKhudairy Board Member, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director AMWAL ALKHALEEJ
Ali Al Shihabi
Ali Al Shihabi Founder & CEO
RASMALA INVESTMENTS
David Smoot
David Smoot CEO Private Equity
Duba International Capital
Zulfi Hydari
Zulfi Hydari Managing Director Private Equity HBG Holdings
Professor Josh Lerner
Professor Josh Lerner Jacob H. Schiff Prof of Investment Banking HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

Just some of the comments about the 2009 event

"SuperReturn Middle East is a superb event in terms of the quality of its speakers, its programme and attendees. It's our preferred and only event." Ammar AlKhudairy, CEO, AMWAL ALKHALEEJ

"We've always found SuperReturn Middle East to be a very compelling gathering of both LPs and GPs and others in the private equity space - for us it is the most important regional event." Scott Foushee, Managing Director, Head of Frontier Markets Private Equity, PINEBRIDGE INVESTMENTS

"In three years, SuperReturn Middle East has established itself as far the most important event for private equity in the region."‬‪ Yahya Jalil, Director Private Equity & Senior Executive Officer, THE NATIONAL INVESTOR

"The networking and level of debate at SuperReturn Middle East were second to none. Both the speakers and the audience were superb." Josh Lerner, Jacob H Schiff Professor of Investment Banking, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

  • The brand new Value Creation Summit provided a masterclass in strategic and operational value creation in portfolio companies in the region - including how to overcome the challenges of a downturn and minority investing. Renowned private equity guru, Josh Lerner, Jacob Schiff Professor of Investment Banking, Harvard Business School led an intensive course alongside leading speakers from Alix Partners, McKinsey and Celerant Consulting in one single day of interactive learning.
  • No fewer than 110 pwerful and authoritative speakers in total formed keynote speeches, panels, Q&A sessions, interviews and roundtable discusssions packed in a 3 day main conference.
  • No fewer than 500 key private equity industry players gathered at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai, for a superlative networking agenda, including such great features as speed networking with LPs, off-the-record lunch tables, the electronic Spot-Me device and roundtable discussions hosted by leading speakers.
     
    Delegates also set up numerous invaluable meetings with other attendees at the event thanks to electronic access to delegates being provided weeks ahead of the event. the event.

 

ICBI Event

2009 Principal Sponsors

2009 Principal Advisory Services Sponsor

2009 Principal Legal Sponsor

2009 Co-Sponsors

2009 Official Arabic Broadcaster

2009 Investment Community Partner

2009 Media Partners