KDIPA partnered with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) and the US Chamber of Commerce to organize the “U.S-Kuwait 2nd Economic Forum” held on January 14, 2019 in KCCI headquarters. The forum, aimed at highlighting the strength of bilateral economic and commercial relations and the pivotal role of the private sector in both countries to further their collaboration, as well as promoting a host of lucrative investment opportunities that portrayed Kuwait as a dynamic growth market, and which brought together a plethora of Kuwaiti and American officials and business people.
The forum opened with two welcoming remarks by Mr. Abdul Wahab Al-Wazzan, Vice Chairman, Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry; followed by Mr. Steve Lutes, Vice President of Middle East Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The forum also witnessed a keynote remarks featuring H.E Mr. Khaled Nasser Al-Roudhan, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Minister of State for Services Affairs.
The economic forum presented two panels that focused on showcasing the Key Opportunities for U.S. Companies in Kuwait as well as Investing and Doing Business in the United States.
The first panel titled “Key Opportunities for U.S. Companies in Kuwait” discussed strategic insights from the Kuwaiti government and companies which was moderated by Mr. Dirrar Yusef Al-Ghanim, KCCI Member. The panelists included KDIPA’s Director General Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; Mr. Khaled Abdulrazzaq Al Khaled, CEO, Boursa Kuwait; Mr. Bernard Dunn, President of Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey of the Boeing Company; and Mr. David Walker, Head of Public Sector to Europe, Middle East and Africa, Citi Group.
The second panel addressed ‘Investing and Doing Business in the United States’ and was moderated by Mr. Steve Lutes, Vice President for Middle East Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The panelist included the Honorable Lawrence Silverman, U.S Ambassador to Kuwait; Mr. Farouk Bastaki, Managing Director & CEO, Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA); Mr. Tarek Sultan, Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of Agility; Mr. Jeff Hamilton, Senior Commercial Officer & Commercial Counselor, U.S. Embassy Kuwait.
Concluding the forum with a speech by H.E Mr. Ali Mohammed Al-Ghanim, Chairman of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Mr. Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President for Middle East Affairs, US Chamber of Commerce.
The forum included practical steps to strengthen business collaboration between the two countries marked by the agreement signing between Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry, represented by Mr. Abdul Wahab Al-Wazzan, Vice Chairman Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, represented by Mr. Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President for Middle East Affairs. In addition to the signing of the memorandum of understanding between KDIPA, represented by Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, KDIPA’s Director General, and Citi Bank N.A. – Kuwait Branch, represented by Mr. David Walker, Head of Public Sector, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Citi Group.
