09:30 GST
Opening remarks - Environmental Finance
Ahren Lester, Assistant Editor, Environmental Finance
09:40 GST
Keynote welcome address
H.E. Dr. Alanoud Abdulla Alhaj, Acting Assistant Undersecretary, Green Development & Climate Change Sector, United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change & Environment
10:00 GST
Fireside chat
Elias El Mrabet, Executive Vice President, Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC)
10:20 GST
Panel: The emergence of the region as a hub for sustainable & transition finance
- Assessing what transition means in the gulf context – how does this differ to other regions?
- What does responsible decarbonisation look like? What are the biggest challenges?
- How do all sectors/industries fit into government net zero visions, including those which don't have clear net zero pathways? How can sustainability linked financing support all sectors?
- How will the energy landscape shift in 10, 20 years – oil & gas, renewables, carbon capture? The creation of "green" energy and waste reduction/energy efficiency
- Which industries & countries hold the most opportunity for sustainable investment aside from energy? Identifying regional opportunities in water, healthcare & aviation fuel
- Is the UAE's commitment to mobilise AED 1 trillion in sustainable finance by 2030 on track? What are the barriers and challenges to reaching this target? Does this differ between government entities and SME?
- The role of sovereign wealth funds in driving issuance in the region
Athmane Benzerroug, Chief Strategy, Transformation & Sustainability Officer, ADNOC Distribution
Nicolaas Alberts, Co-Head of the Middle East, Ninety One
Toby Shore, Corporate Treasurer & Senior Director, Emirates Global Aluminium
Vijay Bains, Chief Sustainability Officer & Group Head of ESG, Emirates NBD
11:05 GST
Break
11:35 GST
Panel: Outlook for the sustainable debt market in the Middle East – how will transition finance develop?
- Will record sovereign & corporate issuance continue in 2025?
- The demand and growth prospects for sustainability linked finance by sector and label
- Trends in SL vs UoP bonds and loans
- Development of Transition Loan Principles – what impact could this have for the region? Will this signal growth of a transition loan market? Could this also extend to a similar set of principles in the labelled bond market?
- Differences in sustainable finance operations in local vs international banks
- How can greenwashing claims be addressed and dispelled?
- How does sustainable/transition finance accommodate hard to abate industries? What options are there for labels which encompass and are reflective of regional realities?
- What lessons can be learnt from Japan's climate transition bond? Does this provide a model for the region?
- Recent developments and impact of sustainable finance frameworks from local banks
Bruce Johnson, Director, Corporate Finance and Treasury, Masdar
Craig Gosnell, Senior Director – ESG/Sustainable Finance, Fitch Ratings
Flavio Simonutti, Group Treasurer, TAQA
Oliver Phillips, Head of Sustainable Finance – Emerging Markets, Barclays
12:15 GST
Fireside chat: Investor and issuer insights on MENA's first blue bond
- Approaches to identifying robust and reportable 'blue' projects for corporates in sustainable finance instruments
- Perspectives on the prospects of 'blue' investment possibilities through sustainable debt instruments
- Regional opportunities and challenges for 'blue' sector investment and scaling blue finance in MENA
- Insights in how to promote 'blue' investments as part of broader green and sustainable transition financing strategies
Willem Visser, Sector Portfolio Manager, Emerging Markets and Impact Fixed Income, T. Rowe Price
Representative, DP World
12:35 GST
Panel: Regulation & taxonomies – the development of local policies and harmonization with global standards
- How have regional financial regulatory initiatives taken the lead for sustainable finance? What could future iterations learn from the experience of existing regional regulations and what could they teach international best practice?
- What role could domestic and regional taxonomies have in supporting transition and sustainable finance progress in the Gulf? What are the advantages and disadvantages of taxonomies for promoting transition finance?
- Would the region benefit from a unified taxonomy? How could this align with international standards whilst reflecting regional priorities and differences in definitions of transition?
- Gulf or Global? Should the region focus on sustainable finance regulation and policies which aligns with regional or international standards?
Luma Saqqaf, Founder & CEO, Ajyal Sustainability
Philippe Richard, Executive Director - International Affairs, Financial Services Regulatory Authority
Silvina Bruggia, Director, Sustainable Finance - Emerging Markets, LSEG
13:20 GST
Lunch
14:20 GST
Panel: Islamic finance – growth and potential in sustainable sukuk
- Is there a substantial pool of potential sukuk issuances that could significantly transform the market? How is this set to develop in 2025?
- As more corporates and investors seek to align with ESG principles will this bring a new pool of investors to the region?
- Will we see developments and innovation in sukuk structures – e.g. blue sukuk and transition sukuk?
Adnan Aziz, Chief Program Officer, Global Islamic Finance Program for Climate, Nature, and Development (GIFP)
Sohail Zubairi, Green Islamic Finance Specialist
15:05 GST
Fireside chat
15:25 GST
Break
16:05 GST
Panel: The view from investors
- What impact can the region have globally? What role can local investors have in green investments outside of the middle east?
- How is climate adaptation being incorporated into investment considerations?
- How are foreign investors viewing the region? Where are the biggest opportunities? What are viewed as the biggest barriers and challenges in regard to sustainable investment?
Aarthi Chandrasekaran, Head of Asset Management, SHUAA Capital
Bakr Abdel Wahab, Chief Investment Officer, Vortex Energy
Noora Obaid, Director of Sustainable Investing, ADQ
16:50 GST
Closing remarks
Ahren Lester, Assistant Editor, Environmental Finance
17:00 GST
Reception
