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Bahrain to host
meet on venture capital
By Mehmood Rafique
 BAHRAIN
will host the first conference on venture capital
to discuss the current status of venture capital
and how to utilize this major source of funding
to stimulate the region's small and medium-size
entrepreneurs. Venture capital is considered one
of the highly specialized segments of funding,
or "smart capital," with an anticipated
fund under management to reach $4.4 billion by
the end of the year in the Middle East and North
Africa (MENA) region.
At a Press conference addressed by founding committee
members of the Bahrain-based Gulf Venture Capital
Association (GVCA), it was noted that GVCA is
a non-profit organization, launched in Bahrain
last April by founding-committee members who would
elect the new boards of directors and trustees
at a later stage.
GVCA chairman Abdullah M. Al Subyani said that
it was a strategic and very important move of
the Kingdom of Bahrain to facilitate the establishment
of the association. Ahmed Al Sari, Abdullah Al
Alami and Imad Ghandour also addressed the press
conference. Organized by the association, the
conference will be held in November.
The theme of the conference will be "Building
a Regional Venture Capital and Private Equity
Industry." During the conference, the European
Venture Capital Association will discuss ways
and means to position GVCA as a major player by
putting together professionals, policymakers and
strategists to benefit from venture capital and
high-risk funding.
"A key milestone has been achieved in the
development of the region's financial sector with
the recent establishment of GVCA. Formed by a
consortium of prominent institutions and professionals
from across the GCC, the association is a new,
independent trade and industry group committed
to supporting the growth of a strong venture-capital
and private-equity industry within the Arabian
Gulf," Al Subyani said.
"Through its formation, GVCA aims to encourage
and enable appropriate laws and industry regulations,
develop human resources, promote a risk-taking
investment culture, provide industry statistics
and facilitate networking events."
"In recent years, the Arabian Gulf has witnessed
a number of significant trends, including the
repatriation of capital and talent back into the
region, the deregulation of several key industries,
and the liberalization of markets for trade and
investment and increased emphasis on promoting
the private sector to the forefront of the economy.
Building on these trends, GVCA is committed to
playing a key role in bringing together the region's
extended community of investors and entrepreneurs
to focus on building venture capital into a major
component of the region's financial and economic
infrastructure."
Dr Oussama Tabbara, current GVCA vice-president,
said: "The association will launch several
regional programmes this year including a live
video-conference series to promote learning and
networking across nine GCC cities as well as a
number of training courses, workshops and road
shows tailored to serve the needs of the GCC's
emerging venture-capital industry."
Marwan Tabbara, a member of the founding committee
and current treasurer, said: "GVCA has launched
its website at www.gulfvca.org that includes additional
information about the organization, its committees
and an online registration form."
"The conference will address key issues related
to building a vibrant venture-capital and private-equity
industry in the region," Imad Ghandour said.
The conference will also include structured interactive
sessions designed to address key challenges facing
venture capital and private equity in the region.
Last update on: 17-6-2005
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Forum
to bolster Gulf venture capital market
By TARIQ KHONJI
Gulf Daily News
MANAMA: Over 400 participants from across
the Gulf are expected to take part in the Gulf
Venture Capital Association's (GVCA) first annual
conference, which will be held in Bahrain later
this year.
The theme of the event, being held at the Ritz-Carlton
Bahrain Hotel and Spa from November 15 to 17,
is Building a Regional Venture Capital and Private
Equity Industry.
It will include a combination of in-depth studies
with interactive panel debates.
The conference and the association aim to promote
the importance of the venture capital and private
equity industry to economic development and the
creation of high value jobs, said GVCA president
Abdulla Al Subyani.
"The association was registered with the
Social Affairs Ministry on June 1 and this conference
is our biggest project for this year," he
said.
The industry, said Mr Al Subyani, still has a
lot of room for growth and will help to encourage
a greater risk-taking environment.
"Venture capital is about managing risks.
It is an important tool for small and medium-sized
companies to get funding for projects," he
said.
GVCA information and statistics committee chairman
Emad Ghandour said the association will also be
lobbying for the interests of the industry and
to come up with comprehensive regulations.
He said although Islamic investments are very
close to venture capital, there are some differences
which need to be ironed out.
They were speaking at a Press conference at the
Regency InterContinental Hotel yesterday.
The GVCA comprises four committees - for membership,
learning and human resources, regulation and information
and statistics.
It comprises 110 initial members, including some
Islamic banks.
Speakers at the event include Saudi Arabia General
Investment Authority Governor Amr Dabbagh, First
Floor Capital managing partner Ismail Fariz Ali,
Aramex chairman Fadi Ghandour, American University
of Beirut Sulaiman Al Olayan Business School professor
Florence Eid and others.
A course on venture capital and workshops on related
topics will be held during the two days preceding
the conference. More details are to be announced
shortly.
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GVCA to Host
Conference on VC/PE
Khalid Al-Mutairi,
Arab News
DAMMAM, 8 June 2005 — The Gulf Venture Capital
Association (GVCA), registered in Bahrain, will
organize its first annual conference on venture
capital (VC) and private equity (PE) in Bahrain
on Nov. 15-17, 2005. The theme of the conference
will be “Building a Regional Venture Capital and
Private Equity Industry.”
The conference will address key issues related
to building a vibrant VC/PE industry in the region.
The conference will also include special structured
interactive sessions designed to address key challenges
facing VC/PE in the region. These sessions will
allow GVCA members to participate in shaping the
future of the industry.
The conference will be preceded with a short course
on venture capital.
GVCA is a regional trade association for venture
capital and private equity based in Bahrain. The
GVCA mission is to serve the VC/PE industry and
foster its growth in the Arabian Gulf region.
It will encourage establishing appropriate industry
regulations, develop human resources, promote
a risk-taking investment culture, provide industry
statistics and facilitate networking events.
For more information please
contact:
Euro RSCG Promopub – Bahrain
Tel +973 17530031, Fax +973 17530032
e-mail eurorscg@batelco.com.bh or
gvca@batelco.com.bh
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Gulf Financial
Insider - GFI
By David Beckett
Networking ideas to create innovation
 The
first conference on 'Building a regional Venture
Capital and Private Equity industry' organised
by the Gulf Venture Capital Association (GVCA)
will be held in Bahrain from November 15-17, 2005.
This forward thinking trade and industry association
attracts investors, conglomerates and business
entrepreneurs with the purpose of sharing ideas
and experiences in the development of a risk-taking
investment culture.
The primary role of the organisation is to focus
on investment trends, develop regulations and
analysis skills through organised conferences,
industry focused forums and educational seminars.
"We are very excited about this first conference
and we have invited key industry speakers who
we believe will inspire innovation and encourage
participants to interact with a 'coffee shop'
approach to sharing and analysing new ideas on
investment," said Abdullah Al Subyani, president
of the GVC. GFI will be supporting the progress
of this pioneering association.
Photo caption
(from left to right) Abdulla Al Subyani, Ahmed
Al Sari, Abdulla AlAlami and Imad Ghandour
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