DIFC is a Co-Sponsor in Fund Forum 2005, Monaco

• DIFC Executives chaired session, Lynton Jones, DIFX Chairman, gave a presentation
• Senior executives from banking and fund management institutions, including those from DIFC, also attended

The DIFCA, a long standing supporter of Fund Forum, again attended the event held in Monte Carlo, Monaco, this year as co-sponsor. The annual fund management conference took place between the 4th - 7th July and tackled the latest developments and trends in the fund management industry and covered such issues as profitability, marketing, distribution, investment strategy and performance, outsourcing, cost efficiency and winning new business. DIFC’s Head of Asset Management & Fund Registration, Sandy Shipton and Kevin Birkett, Asset Management & Fund Registration Director, chaired a session at the event titled, ‘New Opportunities in Emerging Markets’. DIFX Chairman, Lynton Jones gave a detailed presentation about the DIFC and, specifically, the DIFX.

Over 1300 industry professionals had attended the event in 2004 but this number was surpassed at the largest ever Fund Forum. Speakers at the event included Nicola Horlick as Special Guest Speaker along with such luminaries from the fund management industry as Bob Yerbury, CEO and CIO of Invesco Perpetual, Michael Green, CDO of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Europe and Stanley Fink, CEO of Man Group PLC. Dennis Geelan of Merrill Lynch presented on Merrill Lynch’s operation in the Middle East and its reasons for locating at the DIFC.

Also presenting was Richard Noble, well known business Entrepreneur and former holder of the World Land Speed record. Mr Noble spoke on team leadership.

Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, DIFCA Director General said,

“This is a key event. Fund and asset management is a critical pillar for the DIFC and we have already achieved considerable success in this field. Mellon Global Investment and Franklin Templeton have both been licensed to operate from the DIFC and Invesco has applied. We expect many more such applications over the coming months.

Sandy Shipton and his team are very much part of the international fund management community and it is only appropriate that the DIFC is a high profile sponsor of this event. Besides taking part in the numerous sessions and seminars, we were also able to network with an audience made up of over fifty CEOs and nearly 1500 top level attendees.

The DIFC hosted a Welcome Cocktail reception on the first day of the Event at Jardins des Boulingrins, Place Du Casino, Monaco. In addition, the DIFC held a prize draw during the event. Two winners received 2 nights stay at the iconic Burj Al Arab as their prize.