Importance of Transparency and Disclosure for SMEs
Almas Conference Centre, Almas Tower, JLT
Tuesday, 25 November 2014
8:30 am to 11:00 am
Overview:
This seminar will provide a general understanding about the extent of
transparency and disclosure requirements Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
need to comply with in order to have better access to finance. The Seminar will
also focus on the basic disclosures required to be made by SMEs in order for
stakeholders to be able to make informed decisions about the SMEs business.
The seminar will cover both Financial and Non - Financial disclosures for SMEs.
Transparency and Disclosure is one of the key pillars of Corporate Governance
good governance framework and practices can help SMEs to prepare for future
expansion.
Who should attend?
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Business Owners
Board Members
C-Suite Officers
Senior – Middle Managers
Compliance Officers
Board Secretaries
Those responsible for developing and implementing corporate governance
framework and practices
What you will learn?
 The minimum disclosure requirements for SMEs
 Financial and Non -Financial disclosures
 Basic Financial Reporting Disclosures for SMEs
How will you learn?
We will use a combination of presentations and facilitated interactive learning
methodology including live voting technology during the delivery of the Seminar.
Attendance is free for DMCC Free Zone member companies. RSVP required due to
limited seating; please contact [email protected]
AGENDA
8.30 – 09.00
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09.00 – 09.15
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Welcome note and Updates by DMCC
Krysta Fox – Director, Free Zone
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Importance of Disclosure and Transparency For Businesses
Dr. Ashraf Gamal El Din
Hawkamah
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Basic Financial and Non - Financial Disclosures and Means of Disclosure
Muhammad Faraz
Howarth Mak
10:15 – 10:35
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Corporate Governance Standards for Disclosure and Transparency for
SMEs
Jahanara Sajjad Ahmad
Hawkamah
10:35 – 11:00
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09.15 – 09.45
09.45- 10.15
Registration, networking and
Refreshments.
Q & A session
About the speakers:
Dr. Ashraf Gamal El Din is the Chief Executive Officer of Hawkamah, the Institute for Corporate
Governance. Prior to joining Hawkamah, Dr. Ashraf was the Executive Chairman of Egypt Post.
Before that, he was the Deputy Executive Director of the Egyptian Banking Institute, the training
arm of the Central Bank of Egypt. He was also the founder and Project Manager of the Egyptian
Corporate Responsibility Center working on promoting the concepts and application of CSR in Egypt.
Furthermore, he was the Executive Director of the Egyptian Institute of Directors (EIoD), the
Institute of Corporate Governance in Egypt and the Arab Region Dr Ashraf served as a board
member and head of the Audit Committee in a number of listed, non-listed, State Owned and
family owned companies. He also served a member of the General Assembly of the Holding
Company for Transportation.
Furthermore, Dr. Ashraf is an Associate Professor of Management, Faculty of Commerce, Cairo
University and holds a PhD degree from Manchester University, UK, and a Master’s degree in Public
Administration from Carleton University, Canada. He further holds a Bachelor degree in Business
Administration from Cairo University with highest honor. Dr. Ashraf worked as head of Business
Administration Department at Nile University for Graduate Studied, affiliated with the Ministry of
Communication & Information Technology. Since 1997, he taught a large number of management
and business courses in Egypt, the US, and the Gulf Area.
Jahanara Sajjad Ahmad is Manager Corporate Governance at Hawkamah, responsible for driving
Hawkamah’s Task Forces on Corporate Governance of State Owned Enterprises, Islamic Banks and
Insolvency and Debtor Creditor Rights leading to the task of implementing the Policy
recommendations culminating out of the work of the Task Forces throughout the MENA region.
Prior to joining Hawkamah, she was Director Securities Market Division at the Securities and
Exchange Commission of Pakistan where she was responsible for regulating the Primary Capital
Market of Pakistan, ensuring adequate disclosure in the prospectuses of companies proposing to be
listed on the Pakistan and the International Stock Exchanges, Development of the Debt Capital
Market, Licensing of Special Purpose Vehicles, Monitoring the implementation of the Takeovers and
Acquisition Law for Listed Companies and Enforcement of the Code of Corporate Governance of
Pakistan. Jahanara is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan.
Muhammad Faraz is a Chartered Accountant from Pakistan with enriched auditing and accounting
skills. He is currently working as an Audit Quality Manager with Horwath Mak (DMCC) office,
Auditors and Business Advisor, a member firm of Crowe Horwath International, ranked among the
top 10 global accounting networks. He is an Associate Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants
of Pakistan (ICAP) and Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP) with over
10 years of experience specializing in Audit and Financial Reporting. He has strong experience in
IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) application. He has wide experience in a variety
of industry segments like trading, servicing, manufacturing and retailing.