The Hawkamah Journal issue 02/2013 | Page 3

FOREWORD We are delighted with the positive feedback we have received on the very first issue of the Hawkamah Journal. There is clearly demand for such a publication and we intend to build on these initial steps. The basic idea behind the Hawkamah Journal is very simple: to address corporate governance and leadership from the practitioner’s perspective and the underlying theme is to link governance with performance (rather than just controls). It is directed to board directors, shareowners, executives and governance professionals. It covers the whole spectrum of governance, from SMEs and family owned enterprises to listed and stateowned enterprises. We have a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa region, however our scope is global. Illustrative of this fact is that the contributors in this issue include practitioners operating in Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. We are honored to have been granted the opportunity to interview Dr Helmut Maucher for this issue. His knowledge and thoughts are as fascinating as his successful career. And we are equally grateful to all authors for their valuable contributions. Their contributions cover current practices in the Middle Eastern companies, the role of investors in the region, best practices in corporate reporting, board diversity, and board leadership. To address corporate governance from the practitioner’s point of view inevitably means addressing “subsidiary governance”. This important area has not gained the attention it deserves and our aim is to help fill this gap in this and in the future issues. This issue features no fewer than four articles on the topic, and we hope that these as well as the other articles, will give readers not only food for thought, but also practical insights. H.E. Hamad Buamim Chairman Hawkamah, The Institute for Corporate Governance Hawkamah issue02 56pages.indd 3 9/19/13 10:07 AM