DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today announced that the 8th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Regulators' Summit will take place in Dubai in collaboration with and support of the Dubai International Financial Centre. The event will take place on 17-18 February, 2014.

The GCC Regulators' Summit remains the Middle East's leading event on the topics of regulation, compliance, risk and governance, providing a perfect platform for regulators and financial professionals to meet and discuss challenges, propose solutions and share best practice in a unique conference experience.

The summit will feature a series of panel discussions, debates and Q&A sessions covering topical issues facing the financial services industry, including: regulator and industry responses to the regional and global regulatory landscape, enterprise-wide risk and the impact of regulation on business, corporate governance, enforcement and supervision trends, the emerging trend of AML risk in the investment banking business, extraterritorial regulation and cross border co-operation.

Over 400 senior-level executives are expected to attend the summit from various regulatory bodies, exchanges, associations and authorities. In addition, senior management and key heads of compliance, risk management, legal and audit from local and overseas leading banks, financial institutions and corporate entities will be in attendance.

Other organisations and leading industry practitioners supporting the regulatory summit include QFC Regulatory Authority, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Compliance Recruitment Solutions and Holt Consultancy.

Jeffrey Singer, CEO of Dubai International Financial Center Authority, commented: “We are delighted to co-host the 8th GCC Regulators’ Summit in Dubai in February 2014 alongside Thomson Reuters.   Since the DIFC was established a decade ago, we have provided our clients with a regulatory and legislative infrastructure of world class standards, which has not only allowed businesses operating from the Centre to grow organically, but also expand their offering across the region.  We look forward to utilizing the conference as a forum to discuss international best practices and collectively contribute to the GCC’s burgeoning economy.”

“We believe that this regulatory network is critical to effectively address cross-border issues, obtain and share information. Today, the cross-border cooperation is essential as the financial sector continues to internationalize. We are delighted to partner with the Dubai International Financial Center to organize the eighth round of the GCC Regulators' Summit in Dubai,” said Basil Moftah, managing director, Middle East, Africa & Russia / CIS, Thomson Reuters. “The summit has been the region's landmark forum for the financial compliance community in the past few years. The event will feature a series of panel discussions, breakout sessions and live debates with senior delegates from the governance, risk and compliance community, in addition to regional and international regulators and other financial organizations.”

Michael Ryan, CEO of the Qatar Financial Center Regulatory Authority said: “The QFC Regulatory Authority is delighted to be Lead Partner of the 8th GCC Regulators' Summit, which we have supported since its inception in 2007. The Summit has played an important role in establishing and maintaining a strong regional regulatory network and it continues to make a significant contribution to our dialogue on the common issues and challenges that we face in meeting our regulatory objectives.”

John Garret, the General Manager and Group Chief Compliance Officer of NBAD, says: 
“NBAD takes its compliance responsibilities seriously and is proud to sponsor the Thomson Reuters 8th GCC Regulators Summit.  This Thomson Reuters organized Summit continues to be the pre-eminent forum for discussion and thought- leadership in regulation.  It is definitely a ‘not to miss’ event on the calendar each year.”