ICAIKC Hosts 5th Annual International Conference “Evolving Equations- Trust: Technology: Transformation”
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Kuwait Chapter (ICAIKC) proudly hosted its 5th Annual International Conference at the prestigious Salwa Sabah Conference Centre, delivering a vibrant platform for knowledge-sharing, networking, and collaboration. Themed “Evolving Equations- Trust: Technology: Transformation”, the event showcased the evolving role of the Leadership in a rapidly changing global landscape, without any dilution in the element of Trust while using Technology and carrying out necessary Transformation to stay relevant. The event was a great success with participation from over 450 participants, including 40 representatives from GCC and other chapters of ICAI, as well as event sponsors.
An Inspiring Inauguration
The conference commenced with a traditional lighting of the lamp ceremony, symbolizing wisdom and prosperity. Distinguished dignitaries graced the occasion, including:
- Shri Sanjay K. Muluka, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of India to Kuwait
- CA. Aniket Sunil Talati, ICAI President 2023-24
- Mr. Faisal Abdulmohsen Al-Tobaikh, General Secretary & Board Member of Kuwait Accountants & Auditors Association (KAAA)
- Dr. Mahdy Ismail Aljazzaf, College of Business, Kuwait University, Board Member of Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Former Executive Director at World Bank Group and Former Vice chairman & Commission at CMA
- Dr. Kiran Bedi, Retired IPS and Former Lieutenant Governor of Puduchery
- CA. Rohit Agarwal, Chairperson of ICAI Kuwait Chapter
- CA. Venkata Ramana Badida, Vice Chairperson of ICAI Kuwait Chapter
The very well-known event management host Mr. Abdulaziz Darwish guided the proceedings with finesse.
The dignitaries, along with the office bearers of ICAIKC, jointly unveiled the Conference souvenir, marking the beginning of a day filled with enriching discussions and insights.
Chairperson address and Key Announcements
In his welcome address, CA Rohit Agarwal highlighted ICAIKC’s pivotal contributions to the professional community in Kuwait. He emphasized the Chapter’s role in fostering collaboration between India and Kuwait. At the close, Chairperson expressed heartfelt gratitude to all dignitaries, speakers, overseas delegates, sponsors, all the chapter members and announced the two upcoming landmark events:
- ICAI World Forum of Accountants 2.0 (WOFA 2.0), New Delhi, India (January 30 – February 1, 2026)
- First time ICAI GCC Cricket Tournament, Bahrain being selected as Host for the year 2026 to be held on 13-14 February 2026.
Strengthening India-Kuwait Ties
Shri Sanjay K. Muluka, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of India to Kuwait in his address, lauded ICAIKC’s dynamic efforts in strengthening India-Kuwait relations. Reflecting on the conference’s theme, he remarked on its relevance in the current global context and expressed optimism about the growing synergy between the two nations. Similarly, Guest of Honor Dr. Mahdy Ismail Aljazzaf and Special dignitary, Mr. Faisal Abdulmohsen Al-Tobaikh (General Secretary & Board member, Kuwait Accountants & Auditor Association) underscored the importance of professional collaborations and the integral role of accountants in Kuwait’s economic landscape. CA Rohit Agarwal, Chairperson and CA Venkata Ramana Badida, the Vice chairperson welcomed these dignitaries at the event.
Insightful Sessions and Keynote Addresses
CA Charanjot Singh Nanda, ICAI President, set the tone of the conference through his video address and congratulated ICAIKC for organizing 5th Annual International Conference. He emphasised on how the theme of the conference “Evolving Equations- Trust: Technology: Transformation” is apt in current scenario. ICAI President also welcomed everyone to the ICAI’s WOFA 2.0 which will be held in New Delhi, India from 30th January 2026 to 1st February 2026. His address set the stage for a series of engaging sessions that followed:
- In the inaugural segment, CA. Aniket Sunil Talati (ICAI President 2023-24), highlighted in his inspiring address on how the Chartered Accountants are supporting world economy. CA Aniket Talati highlighted ICAI being the largest accounting body in the world with more than 1 million students & over 50+ chapters across the world. He discussed how technology—particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI)—is reshaping the accounting profession and emphasised to uphold the “TRUST” wherever we are, hold badge CA with honour and concludes by saying – i am the I in ICAI.
- Dr Kiran Bedi, the keynote speaker, highlighted the importance of social responsibility of leadership towards the society emphasizing connecting the “Haves with Have nots”. She graciously announced her community support online platform //skillsstockexchange.com at the 5th Annual Conference of ICAI Kuwait chapter. This web-based platform meant to exchange skills, support people those who in need of skill, which will be officially launched soon. She promised to dedicate her rest of life to this cause. Further, in an interactive Q&A session madam Dr. Bedi addressed various questions from attendees and urged everyone to join her social cause through her online portal.
- CA. R.S. Bhatti, Retired IPS & Former DG of CISF, who delivered a thought-provoking session on the importance of ethics, emphasizing the balance between personal aspirations and professional responsibilities. Mr. Bhatti captivated the audience with powerful insights into the macro trends shaping governance and society. Ethical living, he explained, is not about achieving perfection but navigating life’s complexities with balance and honesty.
- Mr. Ayman AlBannaw, Mentor, Advisor, Writer and Market observer, a leading expert in Data Analytics and AI, shared his insights on how data-driven decision-making is revolutionizing business strategies, urging organizations to adopt innovation for sustainable growth. He spoke on The Future – Quantum, Edge, and the Next Tech Frontier. He shared insightful perspectives on AI, its phases of maturity, and the region’s accelerating digitization, offering deep guidance on ethical adoption and future-ready governance.
- Mr. Ananth Narayan Gopalakrishnan, former Whole-Time Member of SEBI, highlights the Insights on Investor Behaviour and Regulations at ICAI Kuwait Chapter’s 5th Annual Conference. In his insightful address, Mr. Gopalakrishnan shed light on the role of regulators in ensuring market integrity and investor protection. Drawing on research studies, he shared an interesting perspective on investor behaviour and performance, noting that “dead investors”—those who make the fewest trades—often achieve the best returns, followed by women investors. While men, who tend to overestimate their market knowledge, frequently underperform.
His session offered delegates valuable lessons on the importance of discipline, patience, and trust in the regulatory ecosystem, making it one of the most engaging discussions of the conference.
CA Firoz Ali, CA Sweta Chipra, CA Sonia Enamakel and CA Sonali Jagath Prasad warmly welcomed these distinguished speakers at the event.
Recognizing overseas support and participation
The ICAI Kuwait Chapter proudly hosted a felicitation ceremony to honour the Chairpersons of Overseas Chapters from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, KSA, and Bahrain for their exemplary leadership and contribution to the profession.
The felicitation was gracefully conducted by the organising committee members CA Kriti Buchasia and CA Nisha Jalan, with honours presented by Chairperson CA Rohit Agarwal, Vice Chairperson CA Venkata Ramana Badida along with Immediate past Chairperson CA Adiya Vikram Dhanuka. This segment highlighted camaraderie and collaboration among GCC ICAI Chapters, reinforcing the spirit of global professional unity.
Engaging Panels and Discussions
A panel discussion moderated by CA Sriram Gopalakrishnan, ICAIKC’s Past Chairperson 2023-24 featured prominent leaders, including:
- Mr. Hasan Fayyadh, Head of Digital Banking, Gulf Bank
- Mr. Rabah Zarzour, Chief Business Development Officer, STC
- Mr. Rami Zamel Al Dhafiri, Assistant General Manager – Digital Transformation Burgan Bank
The discussion explored opportunities and challenges around Technology & required necessary Transformation along with the evolving role of Leadership in Kuwait’s economy, from shifting trends to the transformative impact of AI and sustainability initiatives.
Conference delegates and guests highly appreciated this insightful and thought-provoking discussion.
Economic Outlook and Market Insights
The ICAI Kuwait Chapter concluded its final technical session of the day with an engaging fireside chat featuring two distinguished figures from the investment world – Dr. Vijay Kedia, renowned ace investor, and Mr. Anuj Singhal, Managing Editor, CNBC Awaaz, widely known as the “Nifty Magician.”
Dr. Vijay Kedia shared valuable insights into his professional evolution from trading to long-term investment strategies. He provided a compelling perspective on India’s remarkable economic transformation, tracing the nation’s growth trajectory from 1984—when the BSE stood at approximately 250 points with a GDP of $220 billion—to the present day, with the BSE soaring to around 85,000 points and GDP reaching $4.2 trillion.
Adding a unique touch to the session, Dr. Kedia captivated the audience by presenting a specially composed piece dedicated to the Chartered Accountant community and unveiled his latest musical composition, keeping spirits elevated throughout the discussion.
Mr. Anuj Singhal offered thought-provoking perspectives on the evolving nature of market cycles and investment timeframes. He highlighted the dramatic shift in investor behaviour, noting how “long-term investment” has transformed from a 5-10 year horizon to merely 6 months in today’s fast-paced market environment.
The session provided attendees with invaluable insights into both the historical context and contemporary dynamics of India’s investment landscape.
CA Andaleeb Girkar warmly welcomed both the legends for the insightful fireside chat, which captivated the entire audience.
Closing Highlights
The participants thoroughly enjoyed, the Kahoot Quiz and exciting prizes, which added an element of entertainment to the intellectually stimulating event.
Organising committee members CA Jatin Bagaria and CA Suparna Mukherji conducted this exciting technology-oriented conference related quiz session, which was widely attended & appreciated by all the conference delegates.
The event concluded with a warm Vote of thanks delivered by CA Umesh Soni, Secretary of the ICAIKC where he thanked all the esteemed dignitaries, visionary leaders and speakers from Kuwait and India, Media partners, Hospitality partner, Event partner, Organising team members, and all the Sponsors for extending their generous support to this Conference.
- Title Sponsor: STC
- Strategic sponsor: Alghanim International
- Platinum Sponsors: Humansoft, Commercial Bank of Kuwait, Boubyan Bank, Kuwait Finance House & Burgan Bank
- Travel Partner: Kuwait Airways.
- Technology Partner: Tally
- Gold Sponsors: Ali AlGhanim & sons, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, RSM Albazie & Co., Caesars Group, Deloitte, Alshaya Group, Gulf Bank, Advanced Technology Company, HEISCO & Kuwait Finance Center – MARKAZ
- Silver Sponsors: PKF Kuwait, Bahrain Exchange Company, Kuwait International Bank, AlMailem Group, Al Sayer Franchising Co., Kout Food Group, Fourthsquare, EY, Jashanmal, KIPCO, KPMG, ILAF Takaful Insurance, Xcite, Grant Thornton and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB).
- Annual Sponsors: National Bank of Kuwait, Al Mulla Exchange, Protiviti
- Printing Partner: Sultan Printing Industries.
- Support Partner: Fiscal Consulting
Special thanks to Oula Fuel Marketing Company & Best Al Yousifi for their generous support to the conference.
Heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Puneet Chaudhary, the CEO of Virtuous group, Mumbai-India for his invaluable support and time to this conference for curating the event and facilitating speakers from India.
Thanks to the MC Mr. Abdulaziz Darwish whose energy, elegance, and seamless flow kept the entire conference vibrant and engaging.
Attendees left with renewed perspectives on the “Evolving equations around Trust- Technology- Transformation” amid addressing global challenges.
A Resounding Success
The ICAIKC’s 5th Annual International Conference was a resounding success, reinforcing the global prominence of Indian Chartered Accountants. The event not only showcased professional excellence, Technological advancement, Transformation requirements and importance of Trust but also strengthened the bond between India and Kuwait, paving the way for future collaborations.
