Event Details

Saudi Arabia is moving aggressively to establish its capital Riyadh as the pre-eminent business hub in the Middle East under the guise of Project HQ. The initiative requires foreign businesses seeking contracts with the Saudi government, state-owned companies or sovereign wealth fund to locate their regional HQs in the country (preferably Riyadh) by 2024.


The UAE will not stand still and will continue to implement reforms aimed at attracting foreign businesses and investors, which to date have included looser restrictions on foreign ownership, easier access to citizenship for foreign nationals, a shift to a Monday to Friday working week and the new "Projects of the 50" initiativeโ€”a series of developmental and economic projects that aim to consolidate the UAE's position as the leading commercial and logistics hub in the Middle East.


In the company of Pat Thaker, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Regional and Editorial Director, we will explore what this all means for businesses operating in the region.

Please note that this event is limited to senior-level executives and per invitation only. If you are not an existing member of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network, but would like to learn how you can attend our events, please contact us.

Speakers

  • Robert Willock (Director, MENA of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network)

    Robert Willock

    Director, MENA of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

    Robert is the Director of the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network based in Dubai and covering the MENA region. Robert works closely with network members to help inform their business strategies through political, economic and operational insight and to connect them with their senior leadership peers.
    Robert is a business journalist, editor and publisher with nearly 25 years of experience covering a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality, retail, construction, energy and transport, and a particular interest in human capital management.
    He is an accomplished event chairman, moderator and speaker.
    Robert completed an MBA at the University of Leicester School of Business in 2012 and holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Nottingham.

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  • Pat Thaker (Regional Editorial Director, MEA of The Economist Intelligence Unit)

    Pat Thaker

    Regional Editorial Director, MEA of The Economist Intelligence Unit

    Pat Thaker provides the intellectual leadership necessary to ensure that the Economist Intelligence Unit’s analysis and forecasts for the Middle Eastern and African markets are the most insightful available to international decision-makers. Her deep knowledge and regional experience means she frequently chairs and speaks at conferences in the MEA region on subjects such as the business case for Africa, the impact of low oil prices for the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), global food security, urban sustainability and corporate social responsibility. She leads the EIU’s Middle East and Africa team, ensuring that its regional forecasts are integrated with its global macroeconomic outlook, and developing the regional expertise required to diagnose problems and devise viable solutions for EIU clients.

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