DMDF 2024 Explores Dynamics of Saudi Financial Market

A previous conference organized by the Saudi Financial Academy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A previous conference organized by the Saudi Financial Academy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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DMDF 2024 Explores Dynamics of Saudi Financial Market

A previous conference organized by the Saudi Financial Academy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A previous conference organized by the Saudi Financial Academy (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Debt Markets and Financial Derivatives Forum (DMDF 2024), set to launch on Sunday in Riyadh, will focus on key principles aimed at exploring the dynamics of the Saudi financial market.
Organized by the Financial Academy, the forum will be held under the patronage of Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, Chairman of the Capital Market Authority and the Board of Trustees of the Financial Academy, with the participation of industry leaders, experts, and specialists from the financial securities sector.
The forum will examine emerging trends and insights from experts and CEOs in the financial sector, contributing to the mission of the Financial Academy, which aims to leverage its resources to provide high-level specialized services that align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Mana bin Mohammed Al-Khamsan, CEO of the Financial Academy, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the forum comes in parallel with the Kingdom’s ongoing advancements, driven by Vision 2030, which seeks to achieve exceptional results across all areas, particularly the economic sector, a cornerstone of the country’s development.
Key Focus Areas
According to Al-Khamsan, the forum will address several major topics in the financial sector, including strategic partnerships with local and international exchanges, such as collaborations with the Saudi Tadawul Group and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. It will also include partnerships with renowned international organizations like the CFA Institute and the International Capital Market Association (ICMA).
He added that a central focus will be on the debt and derivatives markets, which are expected to experience significant growth in the near future due to recent legal and regulatory reforms. These markets will play a crucial role in diversifying financing sources and improving liquidity.
The CEO of the Financial Academy also noted that the debt and derivatives markets in Saudi Arabia are experiencing rapid growth, and are expected to play a vital role in expanding funding sources and enhancing liquidity over the next few years.
Additionally, the official anticipated a rise in foreign investments in the Saudi financial market due to an improved regulatory environment and increased confidence among international investors.
Future Outlook
According to Al-Khamsan, the forum will shed light on these transformations through panel discussions and dialogues centered on future trends and challenges facing these markets. It will also present innovative solutions to keep pace with global financial market developments.
The forum aims to deliver measurable outcomes by tracking the impact of the Financial Academy’s initiatives on career development within the sector and fostering the principles of continuous professional training across the Kingdom’s financial industry, he underlined.
Al-Khamsan continued that the forum seeks to raise awareness and facilitate the exchange of expertise on modern financial instruments and risk management, while solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading investment destination regionally and globally. This will be achieved through collaboration with prestigious local and international entities such as the Saudi Tadawul Group, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the CFA Institute.

 

 



Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.