26 Feb 2025

Highlights from the 2025 MENA Regional Conference

The MENA Regional Conference 2025, held in Dubai, was an earnest gathering of firm leaders, professionals, and member firms from our MENA, North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe regions. Over two days, all 20 participants showed a strong commitment to learn from and connect with each other.

They explored thought-provoking discussions, insightful presentations, and meaningful networking opportunities to bolster their personal and firm success. We are proud to see how the MENA region and conference have grown over the years, and its broader influence on our association today.

Day 1

The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Dr. Mowafak Alyafi (Alyafi Group), Ala Farahat (Farahat & Co.), and Syed Asif Zaman (Ahmad Alagbari Chartered Accountants), setting an enthusiastic tone for the event.

Key sessions throughout the conference addressed business landscapes, technological advancements, strategic collaborations, and regulatory complexities. The UAE business overview, led by Ala Farahat and Syed Asif Zaman, provided crucial insights into the region’s economic climate. Members shared firm updates – offering high-level summaries of their recent developments, areas of growth, industry expertise, and service innovation.

A highlight was the Collaborate to Create session, which was inspired by our conference theme. Led by Zaid Alfakeer (Shrakat for Business Development & Management Advisory), DiAndrea Green (Bennett Thrasher), and Yeeshu Sehgal (AKM Global), the trio emphasized the power of partnerships within our association. Alia Noor’s (Ahmad Alagbari Chartered Accountants) Winning the Tech Battle session explored how AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity are reshaping the financial landscape for auditors and accountants.

Attendees gained valuable business insights from Willum Van Den Hoogen, who detailed his experience of globally expanding Florius Flowers while preserving its family business values. He emphasized the significance of trusted professional partnerships and provided insights into working with external advisors to support successful international growth.

The session on cross-border tax complexities, led by Toine Geesink (Bol International), provided practical strategies on tax residency for high-net-worth individuals and sales agency permanent establishments.

The first day concluded with a networking dinner and drinks at Atlantis, The Palm, generously sponsored by Ahmad Alagbari Chartered Accountants.

Day 2

Our second day opened with an Economic Market Update from Zaid Alfakeer who addressed global and regional economic trends. John Spourdoulas (Prerecognize) led the AI in Practice session, demonstrating real-world applications and challenges of AI in business. Dr. Mowafak Alyafi’s Family-Owned Business Handbook provided invaluable guidance on sustaining businesses across generations.

The conference also tackled U.S. state and local sales tax challenges in a session by DiAndrea Green, who outlined compliance strategies for foreign companies. Zahran Thariq (Farahat & Co.) led discussions on audit quality, ensuring firms know and uphold high industry standards.

The conference concluded with an LEA Global update and remarks by Tony Szczepaniak (LEA Global). He shared an overview of the latest developments within our association and key takeaways from the event. He expressed appreciation for the contributions of speakers, panelists, and attendees, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and innovation within the alliance.

Our farewell lunch at Levantara Restaurant offered a final opportunity for meaningful discussions, reflections on key learnings, and networking to ensure participants left with valuable connections and actionable insights for future growth.

In Conclusion...

Thank you to all who made this conference an incredible success! In addition to the new and strengthened relationships, we also left with the following insights:

Collaboration is key to growth and innovation
Embracing technology and innovation is a necessity
Understanding cross-border regulations and maintaining multinational relationships is crucial for global business success
Continuous learning and knowledge sharing are key to staying competitive in today’s market