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Jersey Finance is delighted to invite you to our ‘GCC Community of Interest Group’ which will take place on Tuesday 5 July between 9.00 am – 10.15 am at the Royal Yacht Hotel.

At the event, you will hear regional updates on our core markets in the region, as well as an update on our activity for 2022 from our Regional Directors, Faizal Bhana our Director for Middle East, Africa and India, and An Kelles, Director for GCC.

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact our events team.

Speakers

Allan Wood › Global Head of Business Development, Jersey Finance
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Born in Liverpool, Allan has more than 25 years’ financial service experience in Jersey and the UK.

As Global Head of Business Development, Allan is responsible for overseeing the promotion of Jersey as a leading international finance centre across key strategic overseas markets including Africa, the Gulf region, Asia, the US and the UK.

Allan joined Jersey Finance in 2015 as Business Development Director, before being promoted to Regional Head – West, where he was responsible for overseeing the Africa, US and UK markets.

Prior to Jersey Finance, Allan spent five years with Barclays in Jersey, where he was Vice President and leader of the Jersey International business within Barclays Wealth & Investment Management division. Before this, he spent 20 years with Royal Bank of Scotland.

A keen runner in his spare time, Allan successfully completed the London Marathon in 2014 and 2016, while he is also Chairman of The Grace Crocker Family Support Foundation, a Director of Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football Foundation, and an advisor to the Cherie Blair Foundation’s 100,000 Women Campaign Board.

Faizal Bhana › Director – Middle East, Africa and India, Jersey Finance
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Faizal is a UK qualified lawyer and for many years has worked and advised, and is a trusted advisor to institutions, corporates and families across the Middle East, Africa and India. Faizal specialises in banking and finance and has advised corporates, family offices and families including on their international investment and holding structures.

Faizal is responsible for developing the strategy for Jersey Finance’s engagement in Africa, the Middle East and India. He is focussed on his key markets, regularly travelling to all these countries, liaising and working with key stakeholders, including public and private institutions, corporates and families, building long-term mutually beneficial relationships.

An Kelles › Director – GCC, Jersey Finance
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An joined Jersey Finance in May 2016 as the Business Development Director for Asia and is now based in our Middle East Regional Hub office, in the DIFC in Dubai.

An studied law in Belgium at the University of Leuven including one Erasmus exchange year at Queen Mary and Westfield College in London. She subsequently did an LLM in international business law at Trinity College Dublin.

An qualified as a lawyer in Belgium before moving to Dublin to work in the international business team of the law firm Matheson. In 2009, she went to work for ATC Corporate Services in Luxembourg as a corporate lawyer and later as a business unit manager. After a shareholding change in 2013, ATC Corporate Services merged with the Intertrust Group. An joined the Intertrust Hong Kong office in 2014 as a business unit director for the European and the Private Equity team.

Chris Innes-Hopkins

Chris Innes-Hopkins UK Executive Director, Saudi British Joint Business Council

Chris Innes-Hopkins was appointed UK Executive Director of the Saudi British Joint Business Council in March 2014, and CEO of SBJBC UK in July 2014. Chris is responsible for establishing a long-term vision and strategy for SBJBC UK, and heads the Secretariat in London. Chris is a former senior diplomat whose posts have included Director UK Trade & Investment in Saudi Arabia; Deputy Head of Mission in Kuwait; Economic & Commercial Counsellor in Ankara; and Consul General in Jerusalem. He has also worked as a senior adviser to BG Egypt, the Middle East Association, the Egyptian Minister of Trade & Industry, and the European Union. Chris is Director of UK-Gulf Connect Ltd, and has wide experience of Middle East economic and social development in both public and private sector roles.

Agenda

Agenda

Agenda

Agenda

9.00 am

Welcome and Key Markets Update

  • Faizal Bhana, Director – Middle East, Africa and India, Jersey Finance
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Keynote

  • Chris Innes-Hopkins, UK Executive Director, Saudi British Joint Business Council
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9.15 am
9.35 am

Key Markets Update

  • An Kelles, Director – GCC, Jersey Finance
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Q&A Session

  • Moderator: Allan Wood, Global Head of Business Development, Jersey Finance
  • An Kelles, Director – GCC, Jersey Finance
  • Faizal Bhana, Director – Middle East, Africa and India, Jersey Finance
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9.50 am
10.15 am

Event Ends

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