<p>On the 22nd of September we held an informative seminar in collaboration with the IIEL - Georgetown University Law School titled Doing Business in the Middle East: Legal Considerations &amp; Successful Strategies. With the current global business interest in the Middle East, particularly from the U.S., the seminar was a timely opportunity to hear from senior industry experts who provided valuable insight into the legal considerations and successful strategies that are top-of-mind for those doing business in the Middle East. The panel sessions addressed key topics such as the legal framework, the foreign investment landscape and operational considerations. David Hamod, President &amp; CEO of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Washington delivered the keynote address where he gave an overview on the region and the current opportunities. Speakers also included:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ross Leckow, Deputy General Counsel, Legal Department - International Monetary Fund</li>
<li>Dr. Andrei Mikhnev, Head of Trade and Competitiveness, Middle East &ndash; World Bank Group</li>
<li>Andrew Keller, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State</li>
<li>Al Larson, Senior International Policy Advisor, Covington</li>
<li>Alex Perkins, International Government Affairs &ndash; Fiat Chrysler Group, LLC</li>
</ul>
<p>We were fortunate to have William Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of Georgetown in attendance where he expressed that the event was one of the best events they have held at the Law School. Essam Al Tamimi also gave a macro overview on the Middle East and shared his thoughts on doing business. Al Tamimi panelists Samer Qudah and Ibtissem Lassoued discussed opportunities, success stories and key considerations.</p>
<p>The seminar brought together senior representatives from the business community including H.E. Salah Sarhan - Arab League Ambassador to the United States. The event was a great success and reinforced the vast amount of business interest in the region.</p>