Gatehouse Bank to host prestigious Real Estate Investment Panel event for Women
- Focus on investment opportunities to promote economic empowerment -
Release Date: 10 September 2012
Kuwait: Gatehouse Bank plc, a Kuwaiti-owned wholesale Shariah compliant investment bank based in London, is set to host a unique event as part of the 2nd Gulf Women Economic Forum on the 25-26 September. Entitled ‘Investment Opportunities for Women in the GCC’, the event aims to help GCC women improve their understanding of real estate fundamentals and the skills to exploit future opportunities for wealth preservation and growth in real estate, specifically investing in London and the UK.
At the end of 2008 women in the Middle East controlled 22%, or USD 346 billion of total assets under management in the region. By 2011, this figure was estimated to have grown by as much as 11.5% to USD 385 billion, making women an influential investor group holding a wealth of unrealised capital in their own right. Gulf women today represent an average of 35% of the national work force across the GCC nations, with women in leading positions in important private sector companies holding the largest proportion of bank deposits and an increasing proportion of capital and portfolio investments.
In 2011, non-European buyers invested over USD 30 billion in Europe, with London taking by far the largest share of interest, at 40% of the total. The UK property market alone is now worth USD 53 billion, with real estate being widely recognised as a safe-haven asset class.
For women operating in the region, this search for tangible assets offering a sustainable return on investment is key. By sharing experience and advice, Gatehouse aims to help women not only realise their potential as investors, but also equip them with the tools and knowledge to play a fundamental role in business and long-term wealth preservation across the region.
Ms Azeemeh Zaheer, Vice President at Gatehouse Bank and a key presenter at this prestigious event, explains: “At Gatehouse Bank we have close relationships with an increasing number of professional female clients, and it’s clear that women play a central role in wealth management both today and in the future. However knowledge is key in terms of helping these women to realise their potential, and we aim to help them develop a solid understanding of the fundamentals of real estate investment in a way that will benefit both themselves and their families in the longer term.”
“Our expertise in Shariah compliance and advisory, combined with our track-record in sourcing, structuring and delivering high quality real estate investments, means that we are ideally placed to share our knowledge and understanding of the very specific and individual requirements of our investor base,” added Ms Zaheer.