UK-Tunisia Trade & Investment Forum 2018

On 10th October, DMA welcomed 170 delegates to Savoy Place for the UK-Tunisia Trade & Investment Forum 2018. Attendees were welcomed by Ambassador Khedher and Ambassador de Sousa before hearing from Mehdi Ben Abdallah, the President of the Tunisian British Chambers of Commerce, about the strong and growing business ties between the two countries as well as the many opportunities that are being and will be developed in the near future.

Dr Slim Feriani, Minister of Industry and SMEs, in charge of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energy then delivered the Keynote Address with Baroness Fairhead, Minister of State, Department for International Trade, then echoing all points about the relationship the two countries enjoy.

Delegates were then presented to on topics including Tunisia’s economy, agriculture, energy and ICT.

We would like to thank our sponsors without which the event would not have been a success:

Perenco, DLA Piper, EY Tunisia, Tunisair.

PROGRAMME

09.00-10.30: Registration & Refreshments

10.30-11.00: Opening
Chair: The Lord Sheikh

Atam Sandhu, CEO, DMA
HE Nabil Ben Khedher, Tunisian Ambassador to the UK
HE Louise de Sousa, UK Ambassador to Tunisia
Mehdi Ben Abdallah, President, Tunisian British Chamber of Commerce

11.00-11.15: Keynote Address

Dr Slim Feriani, Minister of Industry and SMEs, in charge of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energy

11.15-11.30: Baroness Fairhead, Minister of State, Department for International Trade

11.30-12.00: Tunisia’s Economic Outlook
Chair: The Lord Sheikh

Nadia Gouta, Tunisia Investment Authority
Bassem Kamar, Lead Economist, EBRD
Q&A Session

12.00-12.45: Investing in Tunisia

Sami Bousselmi, London Representative, FIPA Tunisia
Nourreddine Hajji, Vice President, Tunisian British Chambers of Commerce
John Forrest, Head of Global Trade & Government Affairs, DLA Piper
Vomic Shah, Head, International Business Development (MENA, Asia, CIS), UK Export Finance

12.45-13.00: Increasing Bilateral Trade
⁠Dr Andrew Murrison MP, Prime Minister’s Envoy to Tunisia

⁠13.00-14.30: Networking Lunch

14.30-15.15: Session 1: Growing Agriculture and Agri-business
Chair: Peter Meyer, Director, Meyer & Co Merchant Bankers

Fakhiri Taieb, Director for Projects, APIA (Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency)
Karim Fitouri, CEO, Olivko

15.15-16.00: Session 2: Energy & Renewables
Chair: Peter Meyer, Director, Meyer & Co Merchant Bankers

Mohamed Ali Khlil, Director General for Energy Strategies, Ministry of Industry and SMEs
Gabriel de Lastours, Senior Banker (MENA Región), EBRD

16.00-16.45: Session 3: ICT
Chair: Simon Tonge, Executive Director, DMA

Ben Southworth, Tech Sector Lead, Expectation State
Alysia Silberg, General Partner, Street Global Venture Capital

16.45-17.00: Summary and Closing Remarks

Atam Sandhu, CEO, DMA

17.00-17.30: Drinks Reception