Independent Directors: Governance and Opportunities in Uzbekistan and the Middle East
Thu, Nov 05
|Capital Club
Directors' Circle & Chairs' Circle Members Only
Time & Location
Nov 05, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Capital Club, Gate Village, Building 3 - Zaa'beel Second - DIFC - Dubai - UAE
About the event
Impact Boards EM are hosting an exclusive, relaxed and intimate networking lunch and discussion on Thursday 5 November 2026.
This event will take place at the Capital Club in Dubai at 13:00 UAE time. Due to limited spaces available, we encourage you to sign up quickly to secure your place.
We will explore and discuss the following topics:
How Franklin Templeton, through UzNIF, is shaping corporate governance in Uzbekistan by bringing truly independent directors onto the boards of portfolio companies.
What it takes to serve on the board of an industrial company outside the regulated financial sector, where international investors closely scrutinise governance, performance and accountability.
The changing corporate governance landscape in the Middle East and the opportunities and expectations for independent directors across the region.
The event will be moderated by Olga Pascault, Co-Founder & Chair – Impact Boards EM.
The speaker for the event will be Dr. Martin Fritsch.
Martin earned a PhD in Business Administration in Vienna before beginning his career in investment banking, where he focused on privatizing state-owned companies in Eastern Europe. After working at General Electric in London, he joined DHL to lead global mergers and acquisitions and later served as CFO of a major division generating more than USD 15 billion in annual sales.
In 2021, he relocated to Dubai to become CFO of VFS Global, successfully overseeing the company’s sale to Blackstone. He serves on the boards of several state-owned companies headquartered in Switzerland and the UAE.
In Uzbekistan, he is a board member of Thermal Power Plants, Regional Electricity Networks, and Railway Infrastructure. He has also published several books on digitisation and artificial intelligence.
His linkedIn profile can be viewed here.
Expect insightful conversation, valuable connections and a relaxed setting to exchange experiences with fellow board professionals. Registration is complimentary for Directors' Circle & Chairs' Circle members only.