Al Khaliji is gold sponsor of Gulf's largest banking conference

Al Khalij Commercial Bank led the way as a gold sponsor of this year’s Bonds, Loans and Sukuk Middle East Conference – the Gulf Region's largest corporate and investment banking event, which was held June 2-3.

The conference was held in Dubai with more than 900 delegates from leading financial institutions. Al Khaliji, the leading Qatari commercial bank, was represented at the conference by Paul Maguire, head of the bank’s International Banking Division, and Muhammad Jawaad Chawla, Head of Regional Corporate and Structured Finance. The pair featured as expert speakers on multiple panels at the conference.

Maguire led a session titled "Pricing Dynamics of Gulf Council Country loan markets: Do Rates Truly Reflect the Cost of Funds or Underlying Risk?" where he addressed issues ranging from the strength of the Qatar’s economy, current risk pricing, and the latest issues facing local and regional banks in moving loan and capital markets forward.

Chawla was part of a panel on refinancing outstanding liabilities, where he said the loan market makes more sense than refinancing in bonds or sukuks. Chawla said both ways to raise debt have attractive prospects: bonds may be able to offer a wider investor base, but loans can be closed with a handful or "club" of banks that have less onerous disclosure requirements and are simpler to carry out.

Sponsoring the high-profile conference allowed Al Khaliji leadership from around the Gulf Region to network with banking industry peers as well as leaders from the bank’s client base.