IMF Seminar: Young Entrepreneurs and the Digital Transformation in the Middle East and North Africa
IMF SEMINAR EVENT
DATE: April 13, 2023
DAY: Thursday
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
LOCATION: IMF HQ1 Atrium (HQ1-1-700)
Overview
The Middle East and North Africa, one of the most youthful regions in the world, has an opportunity to embrace the digitalization drive to address its long-term economic challenges of stubbornly high unemployment, low productivity, inequality, and a wide gender gap. In this seminar, panelists will be young entrepreneurs from MENA. They will describe their journey from a simple idea to a successful business by leveraging digitalization, the difficulties faced by young entrepreneurs in the region, the needed ecosystem to support innovation, and the opportunities for structural reform that will maximize the benefits of digitalization.
IMF Seminar: Young Entrepreneurs and the Digital Transformation in the Middle East and North Africa
Panelists
Opening Remarks: Bo Li
Bo Li assumed the role of Deputy Managing Director at the IMF on August 23, 2021. He is responsible for the IMF’s work on about 90 countries as well as on a wide range of policy issues.
Before joining the IMF, Mr. Li worked for many years at the People’s Bank of China, most recently as Deputy Governor. He earlier headed the Monetary Policy, Monetary Policy II, and Legal and Regulation Departments, where he played an important role in the reform of state-owned banks, the drafting of China’s anti-money-laundering law, the internationalization of the renminbi, and the establishment of China’s macroprudential policy framework.
Moderator: Jihad Azour
Jihad Azour is the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund where he oversees the Fund’s work in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Caucasus.
Mr. Azour served as Lebanon’s Finance Minister in 2005-08, during which time he coordinated the implementation of important reforms, including modernizing the country’s tax and customs systems. Before and since his time as finance minister, he held a wide range of positions in the private sector, including McKinsey and Booz and Co. where he was a Vice-President and Senior Executive Advisor. Prior to joining the IMF in March 2017, he was a Managing Partner at investment firm Inventis Partners.