Event Detail

Friday, May 16, 2008

The Emergence of Private Equity in the GCC Region: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract:
Increasing privatization of economic activity coupled with rapid economic growth and high liquidity in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have sparked interest from the private equity industry around the world. The private equity industry in the region accounts for only a small proportion of the region's dynamic economic activity. However, private equity opportunities are emerging in areas including 1) family-dominated companies which are focusing on rationalizing operations; 2) governments undertaking privatization initiatives or seeking capital partners in infrastructure, health, transportation, energy, water, and financial services projects; and 3) multinational enterprises seeking to increase operations, extend their geographies, and nurture partnerships. This seminar aims to examine the nexus of opportunities and challenges in the development of a private equity industry in the region. It attempts to address regional perspective by utilizing the author's research framework on private equity development in Dubai, UAE.

Bio:
Dr. Ant Bozkaya is a Research Fellow at Harvard University's Belfer Center for International Affairs, with a joint appointment at Solvay Business School, Universite Libre de Bruxelles . His research compares modes of financing of high-technology startup ventures in the United States and Europe, specifically looking at the impact of public policies and financial institutional structures. Dr. Bozkaya has studied the role and structure of venture capital organizations in Belgium for the Office of the Prime Minister. He was also a visiting Research Fellow of Venture Capital at the Helsinki University of Technology. Recently, Dr. Bozkaya co-edited (with Philip Auerswald) the forthcoming book, Financing Entrepreneurship, Edward Elgar Publishing (2008).

• Location:
  Belfer Center Library (L369)
• Date:
  Friday, May 16, 2008
• Time:
  12:15 PM

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