The New Global Trade Order: An Asia House conference in Dubai

About the event

Asia House assembled some of the world’s leading thinkers on global trade and investment for a major conference in Dubai on 22 April.

Held in partnership with DMCC, The New Global Trade Order provided insights and analysis to help business leaders and policymakers better understand – and capitalise on – the new global trade order.

Panels

The future of trade
Taking a broad view of the key trends emerging in the global economy, this discussion will explore the challenges and opportunities these present to businesses operating between Europe and the Middle East and the rest of Asia. This panel will offer predictive analysis on both the shifting politics as well as market developments across the global economy. Of particular interest will be the emergence of new trade hubs to service the shifting trade order, and the geographies likely to benefit.

The Belt and Road Initiative
With a specific focus on China’s new approach to infrastructure development beyond their borders through the Belt and Road Initiative, this panel will take stock of the initiative’s progress to date and analyse the associated commercial opportunities and economic impact of the initiative to the Middle East, and Asia more widely.

The digitalisation of trade
A digital revolution is unfolding in global trade, an industry which has traditionally relied on a paper-based documentation system and bogged down by high administrative costs. This discussion will highlight the impact of new technologies as they enable new forms of connectivity between economies, especially among emerging markets, regional blocs and trade hubs across Asia and the Middle East.

Event details

Where

Almas Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai , United Arab Emirates

When

8:30am - 2:00pm, 22 Apr 2018

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Agenda

08:30 – 09:00

Registration and morning coffee and tea

09:00 – 09:30

Welcome Address and Opening Speeches

Michael Lawrence, Chief Executive, Asia House
Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, Chairman, Asia House
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, DMCC

09:30 – 09:40

Keynote Speech

His Excellency Abdulla Al Saleh, Undersecretary for Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates

09:40 - 10:00

Keynote Speech: Embracing Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements into the Multilateral Trading System

Dr. Yonov Agah, Deputy Director General, World Trade Organisation

10:00 – 10:45

Panel 1: The Future of Trade

Taking a broad view of the key trends emerging in the global economy, this discussion will explore the challenges and opportunities these present to businesses operating between Europe and the Middle East and the rest of Asia. This panel will offer predictive analysis on both the shifting politics as well as market developments across the global economy. Of particular interest will be the emergence of new trade hubs to service the shifting trade order, and the geographies likely to benefit.

HE Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference
Doug Lippoldt, Chief Trade Economist, HSBC Global Research
Anthony Gardner, Senior Counsel, Sidney Austin LLP
Moderator: Michael Lawrence, Chief Executive, Asia House

10:45 - 11:15

Refreshments break

11:15 – 12:15

Panel 2: The Belt and Road Initiative

With a specific focus on China’s new approach to infrastructure development beyond their borders through the Belt and Road Initiative, this panel will take stock of the initiative’s progress to date and analyse the associated commercial opportunities and economic impact of the initiative to the Middle East, and Asia more widely.

Ravi Suri, Global Head of Infrastructure Finance, KPMG
Neil Cuthbert, Partner, Dentons
Adeeb Wang, Gulf Regional Manager, China Energy Engineering Corporation
Anne Ruth Herkes, Former State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy
Moderator: Kapil Chadda, Vice Chairman of Global Banking MENAT, HSBC

12:15 – 13:00

Panel 3: Digitalisation of Trade

This discussion will highlight the impact of new technologies as they enable new forms of connectivity between economies, especially among emerging markets, regional blocs and trade hubs across Asia and the Middle East.

Abhijit Prasad, Managing Director, Global Head of Product Management, GTRF, HSBC
Kaiser Naseem, Head of Banking & Digital Finance Advisory Services MENA, IFC
Anthony Butler, Chief Technology Officer for IBM's blockchain practice in the Middle East and Africa
Moderator: Michael Lawrence, Chief Executive, Asia House

13:00

Closing remarks