© Oxford Business Group's series of publications are renowned as the leading source of economic information for nearly 30 countries across The Middle East, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean.

Regional Editor of Oxford Business Group; Dr. Zakaria Hejres Deputy Chief Executive of Economic Development Board; Samir Sami, Chief Corporate Officer of Securities & Investment Company; Essa Al Jowder, Senior Partner of Ernst & Young and Hatim Zu’bi, Partner of Qays H. Zu’bi Attorneys and Legal Consultants..

OBG’s latest report on Bahrain’s economy includes a detailed, sector-by-sector guide for foreign investors, together with a wide range of interviews with the most prominent political, economic and business leaders, including Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain. Other key figures interviewed include the minister of finance, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa; the former UN secretary-general, Boutros Boutros-Ghali; and Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, the chief executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board.

The Report: Bahrain 2009 has been produced in partnership with Bahrain’s Economic Development Board. Contributions have also been made by Securities and Investment Company BSC (SICO) as OBG’s capital markets research partner, Qays H. Zu'bi Attorneys and Legal Consultants as its legal partner, and Ernst and Young as its accountancy partner.

Oliver Cornock, OBG’s Regional Editor, agreed, saying that the move to open up the economy to foreign players and make the most of its location at the gateway to the northern Gulf had helped to strengthen Bahrain’s strategic position.

Dr. Zakaria Hejres said the Economic Development Board welcomed the newest edition of The Report: Bahrain which highlights trends in Bahrain’s economy and continued opportunities for business. “The report will prove to be a useful resource detailing recent economic and political developments in the Kingdom,” he said. “We are delighted to have played a key role in the compilation of The Report: Bahrain 2009 and to have collaborated with OBG. We believe it will strengthen and reinforce the view of Bahrain as an ideal location from which international companies can access markets across the Gulf.”

Santi Maitri Building in the presence of the Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Minister of Industry, Chanchai Chairungruang, and other key representatives from the world of politics and business.

Marking OBG's first report on Thailand's economy, The Report: Thailand 2009 includes a detailed, sector-by-sector guide for foreign investors, together with a wide range of interviews with the most prominent political, economic and business figures, including the Prime Minister.

Other key personalities contributing interviews include Taro Aso, the Prime Minister of Japan, Korn Chatikavanij, Thailand’s Minister of Finance, and Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General UN Conference on Trade and Development and former Director-General WTO. High profile international figures, such as former US President George W Bush also gives their views on Thailand’s economic development.

The Report: Thailand 2009 has been produced in partnership with the Board of Investment (BOI), which provides investment information, services and incentives for investors. Contributions have also been made by Thanachart Securities as OBG’s capital markets research partner, Tilleke & Gibbins as its legal partner and BDO Richfield Advisory Limited as its accountancy partner.

Thailand's Minister of Industry, Chanchai Chairungruang, welcomed OBG's decision to publish its first report on the country. "OBG has provided ground-breaking analysis and data in The Report: Thailand 2009 at a time when key players in the international business community are making important investment decisions," he said. "

Dr. Atchaka Brimble, BOI Secretary General, said that the Board had relished the opportunity to contribute its knowledge and experience of Thailand’s investment potential to The Report: Thailand 2009.

Mr. Andrew Jeffreys, Editor in Chief of Oxford Business Group and other key representatives from the world of politics and business.

The Report includes a detailed, sector-by-sector guide for foreign investors, together with a wide range of interviews with the most prominent political, economic and business figures, including the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

Other key personalities contributing interviews include Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Dato Sri Ong Tee Keat, Minister of Transport, Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities and Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, Association of South-East Asian Nations. High profile international figures, such as former US President Bill Clinton and His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, also give their views on Malaysia’s development plans.

The Report: Malaysia 2009 has been produced in partnership with the Malaysia Industrial Development Authority (MIDA). Contributions have also been made by Zaid Ibrahim and Co. as OBG’s legal partner, Russell Bedford as its accountancy partner, Maybank Berhad as its banking partner and K and N Kenanga Holdings Berhad as its capital markets partner.

Datuk Jalilah Baba, Director General of MIDA, said that the Authority was delighted to have contributed its knowledge and experience of Malaysia’s investment potential to The Report: Malaysia 2009. "OBG is recognised as the premier intelligence provider on emerging markets around the world," he said. "I am confident that The Report: Malaysia 2009 will provide members of the international business community with first-class access to the exciting opportunities that Malaysia has to offer."

and business figures, including a viewpoint from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The report also features interviews with Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Abdalla Salem El-Badri, Secretary-General, Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Andrew Brown, Country Chairman, Qatar Shell.

Marking the culmination of six months of groundbreaking field research by a team of analysts from OBG, it assesses trends and developments in all major sectors of the economy, including energy, industry, finance, banking, tourism, transport and real estate.

The Report: Qatar 2009 has been produced in partnership with Qatar National Bank, OBG’s capital markets partner, Clyde and Co, its legal consultant and accountancy partner, Deloitte.

Oliver Cornock, Oxford Business Group’s Regional Editor, was upbeat about Qatar’s ability to ride the current global economic storm, saying that whilst GDP will undoubtedly slow in light of the world market, Qatari GDP is still likely to be the envy of much of the rest of the world. "Overseeing OBG's Gulf publications in this current economic climate is extremely interesting," he said. "Indeed, the region offers an array of positive stories amidst the broader financial gloom."

He added that Qatar benefited from a combination of enormous natural resource wealth and prudent, progressive government. "The government's drive toward developing a more diverse economy continues apace and developments in education, health and ICT all bode particularly well for the development of knowledge-based industries and their greater contribution to revenues," he said.

it assesses trends and developments in all major sectors of the economy, including energy, industry, finance, banking, tourism, transport and real estate.

The Report: The Bahamas 2009 has been produced in partnership with the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB). Contributions have also been made by Deloitte as OBG's accountancy partner and McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes as its legal partner.

Andrew Jeffreys, Editor-in-Chief of Oxford Business Group, said: "The Bahamas has clearly taken innovative steps in its bid to overcome the current global economic challenges. OBG's team of international analysts has benefited tremendously from the expertise and high quality analysis provided by our partners in analysing these measures."

Wendy Warren, CEO and Executive Director, Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB), said that the Board had been delighted to contribute to The Report: The Bahamas 2009. "OBG is recognised as the premier intelligence provider on emerging markets around the world," she said. "We have relished the opportunity to be part of this ground-breaking report which the international business community will find invaluable when making their business and investment decisions."

With a distribution of 41,000 copies, The Report forms part of the range of OBG's publications, which are renowned as leading sources of information on developing and emerging economies around the world. It is available in print form and online.

The sessions, attended by over 400, focused on macroeconomic issues as well as investment opportunities in the country.

Panelists for the first session, entitled 'Economic Outlook for the UAE,' included H.E. Mubarek Al Muhairi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority; Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan, Chairman and Founder, Bin Zayed Group; H.E Mohammed Omar Abdullah, Undersecretary, Department of Economic Development; Dr. Nasser Saidi, Chief Economist, DIFC Authority and Farouk Soussa, Head of Government Ratings, Middle East, Standard & Poor's.

The consequences of the global financial crisis was a prominent topic at the conference, with panelists coming to a positive consensus on the UAE's ability to weather the storm. Reasons cited for the emirates' relative stability included ongoing state-funded infrastructure projects in Abu Dhabi and the strong balance sheets of the federal government.

Cornock also chaired the 'Capitalizing on Infrastructure and Industry' session, which explored various modes of private participation, particularly public-private partnerships (PPPs), in the UAE. Abu Dhabi authorities seemed to indicate that they are committed to increasing privatization in industry and infrastructure development as it seeks to meet the goals of its Vision 2030 roadmap.

This session included panelists such as Khalid Hashim, Executive Director of Land Transport, Department of Transportation; Nasir Hassan, Senior Vice President, ADIC-UBS Infrastructure Investment Ltd, Dr. Ahmed Khayyat, CEO, Exeed Industries and H.E. Eng. Jaber Hareb Al Khaili, Zonescorp.

The Forum brought together over 400 international and regional investors with high-profile government officials and local business leaders. OBG’s latest UAE publication, The Report: Abu Dhabi 2008, was distributed to conference attendees and OBG's Abu Dhabi-based research team was on hand to answer questions on the Report.

Ali Abdelaziz Al Isawi made the keynote speech at the launch of The Report: Libya 2008, the first comprehensive English-language guide to the Libyan economy and business environment.

The Report: Libya 2008 has been produced by Oxford Business Group in partnership with the General People’s Committee (GPC) of Economy, Trade and Investment as well as three additional local research partners; Libyan Foreign Bank assisted with the research for the banking chapter, PricewaterhouseCoopers compiled the accountancy analysis and Tumi Law Firm was the research partner for the legal section of the report.

The launch conference, which took place at the Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel in Tripoli, was attended by members of both the local and international business community, together with top Libyan government officials. The conference was opened by Michael Benson-Colpi, Chairman of OBG. Addresses were also made by Andrew Jeffreys, Editor-in-Chief of OBG and Mohammed Tumi, Managing Partner of Tumi Law Firm.

Guests at the conference included Abdelhafid M. Zlitni, Secretary of the GPC for Planning and Secretary of the GPC for Information and Culture.

The culmination of eight months of on-the-ground research by a team of seasoned analysts from OBG, The Report: Libya 2008 covers the most important economic and financial developments in the country, while offering a detailed guide for investors from the Gulf. It also includes a Viewpoint from the Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Abu Minyar Al Qaddafi, as well as Saif Al Islam Al Qaddafi.