SPEAKERS
DR. HAMAD BUAMIM
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
DMCC
Dr. Hamad Buamim is the Chairman of the Board of DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre). Previously, Dr. Hamad served as President and CEO of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce from 2006 to 2022, where he led key business transformations in Dubai and chaired the ICC World Chambers Federation in Paris from 2018 to 2022.
In addition to his current role at DMCC, Dr. Hamad holds several other leadership and board positions, including Chairman of National General Insurance PJSC and Vice Chairman of Deyaar Properties PJSC. He also serves as a Board Member at Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC, International Hotel Investment PLC - Malta, and Economic Zones World (JAFZA).
Dr. Hamad earned a Doctorate of Business Administration from Warwick Business School, UK, where he is also a regional chair of the university’s global advisory board; an MBA with honors in Finance from the University of Missouri, Kansas City; and a BSc in Electrical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Throughout his career, Dr. Hamad has made significant contributions to the success of several high-profile boards, including the UAE Central Bank, Dubai World, Istithmar World, Emirates NBD PJSC, Network International, and Kerzner.
MICHAEL LAWRENCE OBE
CHAIRMAN
ASIA HOUSE
Michael Lawrence is the Chief Executive of Asia House, an independent think tank and advisory service. He leads the Asia House team in delivering business and market intelligence to some of the world’s biggest companies and governments in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Michael was appointed Chief Executive of Asia House in September 2012 after a distinguished career as a journalist, editor and executive in international media. He has developed Asia House into the premier UK-based institution on Asia and the Middle East, chairing high-level dialogues between senior political figures and business leaders and enabling impartial and objective discussion on key strategic issues. Michael is a trusted advisor to governments, global financial institutions and multinational companies with relationships at the most senior level.
Prior to joining Asia House, Michael spent 18 years at Reuters (later Thomson Reuters), the international news and financial information organisation, where he held several senior positions over the course of his career. Michael was Global Editor of Reuters from 2006-2012, leading a team of 3,000 journalists covering news in text, television and pictures from almost 200 bureaux around the world. The news operation covered the world’s biggest stories in politics, economics, financial markets, business, energy and sport. Michael’s earlier roles included Managing Editor for Europe, Middle East and Africa, from 2000 to 2006. He was part of the editorial team that delivered Reuters’ much-praised coverage of the Iraq war, and he ran the region through the turbulent years that followed.
Michael joined Reuters in 1994 to launch Reuters Financial Television – a ground-breaking service for the financial markets. He was later appointed Financial Editor.
Following the acquisition of Reuters by Thomson in 2007, Michael played a central role in the integration of the two news teams. Once complete, Michael launched the Reuters Financial Commentary service which culminated in the acquisition of BreakingViews.
Michael began his career as a cadet journalist on the Daily Mirror newspaper in Sydney. He later moved to the Sydney Morning Herald where he worked in Sydney for several years before becoming a political correspondent in Canberra. Michael was appointed Finance Editor of news station 2GB in Sydney in 1984 where he produced and presented a daily business programme. He later became current affairs producer and presenter at the station before moving to London as European correspondent for Australia’s Macquarie network.
From there Michael moved to London news radio station LBC, where he was programme director. He also spent a stint as a reporter and presenter for CNBC Europe before joining Reuters.
Michael was awarded an OBE in the King’s 2023 New Year Honours list for his services to international relations between the UK and Asia.