Online event
Current situation in the Middle East: Risks and opportunities for business
Thursday 05 November at 10:00AM
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A practical briefing on geopolitical, security and economic developments in the Middle East and Pakistan, and their implications for business risk and decision‑making.
What you’ll learn
- Improved understanding of current regional risks and their implications for business
- Practical approaches to mitigating geopolitical, security and operational risks
- Awareness of emerging opportunities and priority markets despite regional uncertainty
Description
This session will provide UK businesses with timely, practical insight into the rapidly evolving geopolitical, security and economic landscape in the Middle East and Pakistan, and what it means for trade, investment, supply chains and business operations.
Attendees will leave better equipped to make informed decisions and manage risk amid ongoing volatility.
Speakers
Gemma Stevenson
His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East and Pakistan, Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
Gemma Stevenson is His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East and Pakistan, and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, taking up the role in September 2026.
Prior to this role, Gemma was Director in the Department for Business and Trade covering the UK’s Strategy for Small and Medium Enterprises. She previously held senior civil service roles focusing on the UK’s commercial relationship with the Indo-Pacific, and economic and investment security.
Before joining the civil service, Gemma spent a decade in South Asia where she was an adviser to the Indian and Afghan governments on trade and commerce issues, and Director to the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan. She has acted as a consultant for private sector clients in the UK from the professional services, transport and consumer goods sectors.
Tom Griffin
Partner, Control Risks
Tom leads Control Risks consulting business across the Middle East & Africa. He has considerable expertise in advising businesses as they embark on growth strategies across the region, helping them manage the challenges and complexities inherent with operating in Africa and the Middle East and providing support around reputational, operational & political risks, pre-market assessments, stakeholder mapping, due diligence and strategic business intelligence.
Niamh McBurney
Associate Director, Middle East and North Africa, Control Risks
Niamh McBurney leads Control Risks’ political, regulatory, and operational analysis on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and oversees the practice’s analysis on the Arabian Peninsula. Based in Dubai, she supports clients in navigating myriad political risks, opportunities and challenges for investors and operators in a range of sectors through custom advisory work and contributions to our subscription services. Her areas of expertise are GCC politics, regional security, and regional energy markets.
Angiolo Tosi
Director, Crisis and Risk Consulting, Control Risks
Angiolo is a Director in the Crisis and Security Consulting practice in the Middle East. He advises a broad range of clients on their corporate security, enterprise risk management, and resilience requirements, including government, financial services, oil and gas, energy, retail, leisure and hospitality.