The 1st International Conference on Finance, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth in Emerging Markets(FISGEM 2026) jointly organized by the King Saud University, Telfer School of Management. University of Ottawa, University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris School of Business, IRD, France and Universita Cattoica de Sacro Cuor with the support of CRECC Research Center (Paris School of Business), Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne, Arco (Saudi Arabia), Emeraude Pianta (Tunisia) and OneHealthAI (France) will take place on February 14 and 15, 2026, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This prestigious event brings together leading scholars, policymakers, and industry experts to explore cuttingedge research and trends in finance, innovation, and sustainable development with a special focus on emerging markets.
Co-Founders and Presidents
Executive Board
Keynotes Speakers
Prof. Sadok El Ghoul, University of Alberta, Canada
Prof. Sadok El Ghoul is a Full Professor of Business Administration at the Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta, where he teaches finance, international business, and econometrics. He holds an MBA and a Ph.D. from Université Laval. His research interests include corporate finance, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, international finance, financial institutions, and the role of culture in financial markets. His work has been published in leading journals in finance, management, international business, business ethics, and accounting, including the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Review of Finance, Management Science, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Business Ethics, The Accounting Review, and Contemporary Accounting Research. He was awarded the McCalla Professorship at the University of Alberta for the 2013–2014 academic year. He has received several academic awards. He currently serves as an editor for the Journal of Banking & Finance and Emerging Markets Review, and is on the editorial boards of several other scholarly journals. In 2017, he received the Martha Cook Piper Research Prize, awarded to two early-career faculty members at the University of Alberta.
Omrane Guedhami, University of South Carolina, USA
Professor Omrane Guedhami is the C. Russell Hill Professor of International Finance at the Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, where he has coordinated the Ph.D. program in International Finance since 2008. He holds an M.Sc. from HEC Montréal and a Ph.D. from Laval University. His research focuses on international finance, corporate governance, privatization, CSR, and national culture, with over 120 peer-reviewed publications—including 42 in FT50 journals—and more than 20,000 Google Scholar citations. He has received numerous awards, including the Moskowitz Prize and JIBS Silver Medal, and is recognized as a top author in the Journal of Corporate Finance.Professor Guedhami has taught at Laval University and Memorial University of Newfoundland and joined the Moore School in 2007. He teaches finance across all levels and has twice been named Professor of the Year. He is active in academic service as a conference organizer, guest editor, and editorial board member, including for JIBS and formerly Journal of Corporate Finance.
Iftekhar Hasan, Fordham University, USA
Prof. Iftekhar Hasan is University Professor at Fordham University, holding the E. Gerald Corrigan Chair in Finance. He serves as academic director of the Ph.D. program and co-director of the Center for Research in Contemporary Finance at the Gabelli School of Business. He is also a scientific advisor to the Central Bank of Finland, a faculty affiliate at the University of Sydney, and a research fellow at the Wharton Financial Institutions Center and the IWH Institute in Germany. He currently serves as editor of the Journal of Financial Stability. His research spans financial institutions, corporate finance, capital markets, and emerging economies, with a strong focus on interdisciplinary and policy-relevant topics. He has published over 475 scholarly works, including 16 books and more than 365 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals across finance, accounting, economics, international business, and management. He ranks among the most cited financial economists globally. Professor Hasan has held visiting positions at numerous institutions worldwide, including Cambridge, NYU Stern, EPFL, Carlos III Madrid, and universities in Australia, France, China, and Southeast Asia. He has consulted for global organizations such as the World Bank, IMF, UN, Federal Reserve, and various central banks and regulatory bodies. His accolades include being named a Fulbright Scholar and Selector, Louis Bachelier Fellow, Changjiang Scholar in China, and receiving honorary doctorates from the University of Vaasa and Romanian American University. He also serves on advisory boards in Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and France.
Prof. Khaled Hussainey, Bangor Business School, UK
Prof Khaled Hussainey has been Professor of Accounting at Bangor Business School since April 2024. With over 25 years of experience in higher education, he has previously held academic positions at several renowned universities, including Portsmouth, Plymouth, Stirling, Manchester, and Ain Shams. A recognized expert in corporate narrative reporting, his research in accounting and finance is widely disseminated, with more than 200 articles published in peer-reviewed academic journals. He is listed among the world’s most influential researchers according to Stanford University’s “Top 2% Scientists” ranking. He also serves as editor or editorial board member for several international journals, including the Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, the International Journal of Emerging Markets, and the International Journal of Finance and Economics. His work has been supported by prestigious institutions such as the ESRC, the British Academy, the FRC, and the QNRF.
Prof. Dima Jamali, Canadian University Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dima Jamali is a prominent figure in education and sustainability, currently serving as at the Canadian University in Dubai. Previously, she held the role of Dean at the University of Sharjah. With over 20 years in academia, primarily at the American University of Beirut, she’s recognized for her expertise in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and social entrepreneurship. Dr. Jamali has authored numerous books and over 100 international publications focusing on sustainability in developing countries, especially the Middle East. She’s been ranked among the top 2% most influential global scholars by Stanford University and has received prestigious awards, including the National Council for Scientific Research Excellence Award and the Aspen Institute Faculty Pioneer Award. She’s also been honored as Personality of the Year for CSR by the Arab Organization for Social Responsibility and received the Shoman Prize for best young Arab researcher. Dr. Jamali has worked as an expert consultant for the United Nations and various projects funded by organizations like the World Bank and the US Agency for International Development.For the past five years, she’s been a driving force behind the UN Global Compact Network for Lebanon, collaborating with leading firms to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in Lebanon.
Meet the Editors
Join an exclusive session featuring renowned editors and associate editors from leading international journals in economics, finance, energy, and management. Gain key insights into the publishing process and engage directly with journal decision-makers.
Sabri Boubaker
EM Normandie Business School, France
– Editor, Journal of International Financial Management & Accounting
Leila Dagher
American University of Beirut, Lebanon
– Co-Editor, Energy Policy
Sadok El Ghoul
University of Alberta, Canada
– Associate Editor, Journal of Banking & Finance
– Subject Editor, Emerging Markets Review
Omrane Guedhami
University of South Carolina, USA
– Editor, Contemporary Accounting Research, Journal of Business Ethics, Corporate Governance: An International Review
– Consulting Editor, Journal of International Business Studies
Iftekhar Hasan
Fordham University, USA
– Editor, Journal of Financial Stability
Khaled Hussainey
University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom
– Editor, Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting
Mohamad B. Karaki
Lebanese American University, Lebanon
– Editor-in-Chief, Review of Middle East Economics and Finance
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