Middle East’s Biggest Investor Relations Event To Feature Exclusive Corporate Access With Leading Global Investors At The Abu Dhabi Edition In December 2024

The Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) is set to host its biggest-ever MEIRA Annual Conference & Awards, taking place for the first time in Abu Dhabi at the Conrad Etihad Towers Hotel on December 11-12, 2024. This highly anticipated event, hosted in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), promises to be the most impactful edition yet, bringing together over 600 attendees, 100+ local and international buy-side, 50+ speakers, and an expanded agenda of more than 10 sessions.

This year’s conference is headlined by ADNOC Group as the Main sponsor, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX),First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Smart Media as the Strategic sponsors, with additional sponsorship from HSBC, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, ADCB, AlRamz, International Securities,Emirates NBD, Goldman Sachs, Presight, Agthia, Riyad Bank, Aldar Properties, Almarai, Nasdaq, AD Ports Group, London Stock Exchange (LSE), and other top-tier companies and advisors from the regional and international markets. The prestigious lineup of sponsors cements the event’s reputation as the biggest gathering for the region’s capital market professionals, regulators, stock exchange representatives, and other stakeholders.

Khaled Al Zaabi, Group Chief Financial Officer at ADNOC, commented: “ADNOC Group, along with our six listed operating companies, is proud to participate in the upcoming MEIRA conference, reaffirming our commitment to transparency, investor engagement, and the highest standards of corporate governance. This event serves as an invaluable platform to showcase our strategic achievements, elaborate on our growth opportunities, demonstrate the value on offer across our ecosystem, as we continue to drive sustainable value for our investors.”

Centered around the theme ‘Bridging Opportunities: Accelerating IR in the Middle Eastern Capital Markets,’ the 16th MEIRA Annual Conference aims to highlight the vital role Investor Relations play in connecting regional capital markets. This year’s edition will feature over eight keynotes and panels on cross-exchange trading, global market dynamics, ESG, Islamic finance, and regional growth. Attendees will also gain access to 18 workshops coveringthemessuch as AI-driven stakeholder communication, integrated reporting, navigating regulatory compliance and digital transformation in IR among others.

This year, the event broadens its focus, actively engaging both buy-side and sell-side professionals, expanding beyond traditional IR officers. A key highlight of the 2024 edition is the introduction of bespoke corporate access, offering MEIRA members direct connections with international and local buy-side through pre-scheduled meetings, facilitated by FAB, JP Morgan, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, ADCB, Al Ramz and International Securities. Over 100 institutional investors are set to participate in the event, including BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Lazard, Abu Dhabi Pension Fund, ADQ, Public Investment Fund (PIF), Mubadala, Oman Investment Authority and many more. This shift reflects MEIRA’s commitment to enhancing the event’s reach and influence as IR continues to drive regional economic growth.

Abdulla Salem AlNuaimi, Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) said, “ADX looks forward to hosting the 2024 MEIRA Conference in Abu Dhabi, plays our part in supporting the advancement of the UAE, and wider Middle East Capital Markets ecosystem. As a global listing platform, connecting listed companies with international and local buy-side investors is one of our ongoing efforts in fostering closer market engagement and bolstering the development of these companies.  We will continue to collaborate with our Exchanges and industry partners unlock more investment opportunities and innovative services to enable issuers and investors in achieving their growth ambitions and investment needs.”

The conference will also feature a distinguished lineup of C-suite speakers, including Abdulrahman Abdulla Al Seiari and Youssef Salem, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively, of ADNOC Drilling. The opening session of the Conference will include the CEOs of leading regional exchanges ADX, BHB,DFM, MSX andTadawul. Among the key speakers, Manuel Isaza, Deputy Head for the BlackRock Investment Stewardship will sit on a fireside chat with MEIRA’s CEO, Paolo Casamassima, answering questions from the C-Suite and IROs around Best Practices in Investor Engagement, Sustainability and Governance.

As the regional capital markets attract more global attention, Paolo Casamassima, Chief Executive Officer of MEIRA, highlighted: “The MEIRA Annual Conference & Awards plays a crucial role in the development of IR in the region, and this year’s edition is poised to deliver greater impact, being held in one of the world’s most dynamic and rapidly growing financial hubs. The conference has been designed to provide a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities facing IR professionals in the Middle East. The event will bring together a unique mix of regional and international experts, offering unparalleled insights and compelling opportunities for all participants.”

As part of the event, an Exclusive Awards Dinner by invitation only, will be held at the Emirates Palace the evening of the 12^th of December, to celebrate and recognize leaders in the IR community. This year, over 22 awards will be presented, honouring excellence and acknowledging the significant contributions made by professionals in the region’s capital markets.

Please visit the website, for more information and to register for the conference.