This conference aimed to delve into the transformative capabilities of sectors such as financials, consumer goods

As 2021 drew to a close, the conference came as investors in FEM markets were taking stock of both global developments and local growth stories. FM and MENA players outperformed EM indices during the year, thanks to a combination of rising retail activity and strong foreign inflows into MENA markets even when aggregate valuations were no longer cheap. The conference brought together investors and key market participants to share insights on: what the recovery looks like for 2022, the future of inflation in the US and FEM economies, the potential for a commodity super cycle, the ongoing burden of high debt levels, and the staying power of high-growth stocks.

The 2019 conference came after yet another challenging year for Emerging and Frontier Markets. In spite of improved valuations following weak performance in 2018, increased in US interest rates continued to pose a challenge for heavily indebted FEM markets. Stimulus measures offered diminishing returns to scale for the Chinese economy, regarded as an increasingly important engine for FEM growth. The year saw two strong themes throughout FEM – (1) index upgrades and the impact of passive flows on Saudi Arabia and often-overlooked Kuwait and (2) ongoing recovery in markets that have already taken steps to rebalance their economies, such as Egypt and Pakistan.

The 2016 conference shaped up to be a particularly crucial meeting as we witnessed major global changes that had significant repercussions on the investment climate in the region. As the year 2015 drew to a close, we saw the continued rollout of new political and economic realities across the region, with new challenges bringing new opportunities. In Egypt, a new Central Bank of Egypt governor had just taken the helm and natural gas flows to industry improved substantially. Meanwhile, the outlook for the UAE and Kuwait was broadly positive, with the UAE’s diverse economy and Kuwait’s financial reserves helping both economies withstand the impact of lower oil prices. The EFG Hermes’ One on One Conference provided companies and investors with the perfect venue to discuss these new regional realities and explore compelling opportunities that went beyond oil and tapped into the core fundamentals of regional economies.