The Future Of Financial Centres

The Future Of Financial Centres
White Paper Launch

Webinar - Dubai, Canada

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The global financial industry is amid a wave of change. From the financial crisis in 2008, changes in technology, demand for sustainable finance, and the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic; all have required a collective response to shape a better future for the industry.

Financial centres worldwide have been co-ordinating responses to some of the world’s most pressing challenges and spearheading efforts to strengthen their jurisdictions’ financial markets, business environments, and innovation ecosystems to enable sustainable global growth.

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in partnership with the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) and the Z/Yen Group, are launching The Future of Financial Centres, whitepaper. The paper provides insights on how financial centres are collaborating and cooperating to enable sustainable growth, addressing the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), developing human capital and working together to share a vision for financial centres in 2030.

Webinar Details

When: 13:00 - 14:00 BST

Where: Wednesday 6 July

Webinar Agenda:

13:00-13:05: Introduction, Professor Michael Mainelli, Chairman, Z/Yen Group

13:05-13:10: Opening remarks by Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority

13.10-13.15: Introduction to the white paper by Jennifer Reynolds, Chair of the WAIFC

13.15-13.35: Key findings of the white paper by Mike Wardle, Chief Executive Officer, Z/Yen Group

13.35-14:00: Q&A session

Date
Wednesday, 06 July 2022

Time
13:00 - 14:00 BST

Cost
Free

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Resources:

Future Of Financial Centres Launch Presentation

The Future Of Financial Centres Whitepaper

Speaker(s):

Arif Amiri
Chief Executive Officer
Dubai International Financial Centre Authority

Arif Amiri's bio

Arif Amiri is the Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority with responsibility for the strategy and direction of the Centre. Under his leadership, DIFC has emerged as a powerful catalyst for growth and the leading global financial centre and the top innovation hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region. Mr. Amiri’s vision for DIFC builds on the UAE’s commitment to innovation and economic diversification. Since taking office as CEO in 2014, he has been delivering on this vision by spearheading the DIFC’s drive to advance the innovation agenda and accelerate digital transformation across the entire financial ecosystem. He focuses on ensuring DIFC remains at the forefront of delivering new opportunities for economic growth. Mr. Amiri leads the Centre’s 2024 strategy as a major component of Dubai’s Future District, which will support the UAE’s strategic direction for the next 50 years, further enhance the DIFC’s position as a global financial centre, accelerate the advancement of the economy and develop the next generation of financial talent. Mr. Amiri is also the Chairman of the Board of Art Dubai supporting the leadership’s vision to further establish Dubai as the hub of the creative economy. Committed to establishing DIFC as the region’s leading lifestyle destination, in 2021, Mr. Amiri’s committed efforts led to Art Dubai returning to the Centre, the original home of arts and culture. Mr. Amiri is a Board Member of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), a non-profit association registered in Belgium, representing 19 leading international financial centres across four continents, as well as a Board Member of the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Emerging Markets Advisory Council (EMAC), a forum for enhancing the voice of emerging markets institutions on the reform agenda for the global financial system. From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Amiri was the Chairman of the Middle East Investor Relations Society. Underlining his significant contribution to the region’s retail sector, he received the Honorary Award at the Retail City Awards in 2011, and the Retail Leadership Award at the 2012 Asian Leadership awards. Prior to joining DIFC Authority, Mr. Amiri held a number of positions at Emaar Properties PJSC. As Chief Commercial Officer, he drove the all-round commercial operations of the company and grew their portfolio significantly. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Retail, where he provided strategic and tactical leadership for the retail and entertainment operations of Emaar across Dubai and other key emerging markets. Mr. Amiri’s career began with an eight-year term at HSBC Bank Middle East, where he was responsible for the implementation of a number of corporate and institutional banking initiatives. Mr. Amiri holds a Post-Graduate Executive Diploma in Organisation Behaviour and Marketing Strategy from the University of Cambridge, Dubai, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Business Administration from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.

Jennifer Reynolds
Chair
World Alliance of International Financial Centers

Jennifer Reynolds's bio

Jennifer Reynolds is the CEO of Women Corporate Directors Foundation (WCD). WCD is the world's largest network of women corporate board directors, with more than 2500 members serving on more than 8,500 public and private boards around the globe. Jennifer’s 25 year career in the financial services industry has included senior roles in investment banking, venture capital, and global risk management. Prior to joining WCD, Jennifer served as the President & CEO of Toronto Finance International (TFI), a public-private partnership which promotes and develops Canada’s financial services sector, and serves as the international representative for the Toronto financial centre. Prior to joining TFI, Jennifer was the President & CEO of Women in Capital Markets (WCM), Canada’s largest industry association and advocacy group for women in the financial sector. Jennifer is a former Director on the Board of Citibank Canada, current Director on the Board of BF&M Insurance Group Ltd, Director on the Board of the Canada Development Investment Corporation ("CDEV"), and a Director on the Board of Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Jennifer is the Co-Chair of the UN convened Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) network and also serves on the Advisory Council for the Institute of Sustainable Finance. In 2015 and 2017, she was named a Women's Executive Network (WXN) Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner. Jennifer is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Women's Leadership program, and she received her MBA from McGill University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Economics and Political Science from McGill University. Jennifer also holds the Institute of Corporate Directors Designation, ICD.D.

Mike Wardle
Director
Z/Yen Group

Mike Wardle's bio

Mike Wardle is a Director and the Head Of Indices for Z/Yen, managing work on the development and delivery of the Global Financial Centres Index, Global Green Finance Index, and Smart Centres Index. Mike worked as a civil servant for almost 20 years mostly within the field of education policy. He was a director and then Chief Executive of the General Social Care Council, establishing the regulation of social workers. Mike's career moved into consultancy, programme management and coaching and he worked with Z/Yen for six years delivering programme management services to the Church of England, Unison, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust before taking up his current role.

Chairman:

Professor Michael Mainelli
Executive Chairman
Z/Yen Group

Professor Michael Mainelli's bio

Professor Michael Mainelli co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London's leading commercial think-tank and venture firm, in 1994 to promote societal advance through better finance and technology. Z/Yen boasts a core team of respected professionals as well as numerous associates, and is well-capitalised due to successful spin-outs and ventures. A qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist, and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin, Michael gained his PhD at London School of Economics where he was also a Visiting Professor. His research in aerospace (rocket science) and computing (architecture & mapping), led to him starting Swiss companies in seismology, cartography and energy information. He became a senior partner with accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn directing global consulting, and Corporate Development Director for Europe’s largest R&D firm, the Ministry of Defence’s 14,000 strong Defence Evaluation & Research Agency, leading to two privatisations. Michael is Executive Chairman of Z/Yen, FS Club, and the Esop Centre; Emeritus Professor and Honorary Life Fellow of Gresham College, the Tudor ‘Open University’ home of the Royal Society; non-executive Director of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (national standards body) and AIM-listed Wishbone Gold plc; Alderman for Broad Street Ward of the City of London Corporation; City & Guilds Council; Trustee of Morden College; Fellow of Goodenough College, Honorary Fellow of King's College London, and Visiting Professor at the UCL Bartlett School of Construction & Project Management. Michael has advised numerous governments, including UK departments and the Taoiseach’s Office. Awards include a UK Foresight Challenge Award for the Financial Laboratory; UK Smart Award for prediction software; British Computer Society Director of the Year; Technology Strategy Board Challenge Award for financial avatars; Gentiluomo of the Associazione Cavalieri di San Silvestro; Consigliere del Senato Accademico of L’Accademia Tiberina; ‘Hons’ award from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment; Member of the Order of St John. Michael was elected one of the two Sheriffs of the City of London 2019-2021; the first time since 1228 that two Sheriffs served consecutive terms. Michael is a Freeman of the City of London, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of World Traders, and a Freeman of the Company of Watermen & Lightermen, as well as an Honorary Liveryman of the Furniture Makers, Water Conservators, Marketors, Tax Advisers, International Bankers, and Management Consultants, and an Honorary Freeman of the Educators. Michael has published over 50 journal papers, 200 professional articles, and four books. Michael's humorous risk/reward management novel, Clean Business Cuisine: Now and Z/Yen, written with Ian Harris, was a Sunday Times Book of the Week in 2000; Accountancy Age described it as 'surprisingly funny considering it is written by a couple of accountants'. Their third co-authored book, The Price of Fish: A New Approach to Wicked Economics and Better Decisions, won the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards Finance, Investment & Economics Gold Prize. Michael loves skiing, dicing with bagpipes, woodcarving, dabbling in languages, and racing modern or classic sailboats. From 1996 to 2017, Michael and his wife Elisabeth undertook the restoration of the Thames Sailing Barge S B Lady Daphne, while he still lectures on, and supports, sailing barges and their history, and sits on the world's oldest sailing racing body, the Thames Match.