Four areas of capital markets, including Trading, Post-Trade, ESG, and Public Relations, were discussed during the ConFEAS 2023, an annual International Conference of the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges. The conference returned with a brand new format and gathered in Armenia around 200 participants, including 40 speakers from Exchanges, CSDs, Banks, Regulatory Bodies, Investment Companies, and IFIs from more than 30 countries to touch upon the most recent developments, challenges, and potential in modern capital markets.
 
During their opening speeches, Armen Nurbekyan, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, and Rafayel Gevorgyan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, emphasized the strategic significance of fostering capital market growth in Armenia. They highlighted the need for constructive dialogue between the public and private sectors to ensure alignment between regulatory policies and private sector initiatives and challenges.
 
The annual ConFEAS event, previously held in Abu Dhabi and Bucharest, has been held for the first time in Armenia this year. Konstantin Saroyan, Secretary General of the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges, mentioned: “This event presents a remarkable opportunity for all participants to acquire new knowledge and establish valuable connections through networking.”
 
High representatives and experts from renowned organizations such as Bloomberg, EBRD, Ernst & Young, Euronext, Blockstation, Eric Salmon and Partners, Baymarkets, stock exchanges, and central depositories from Greece, Poland, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Egypt, Romania, Hungary, Georgia, and Armenia, players from the private sector such as TBC bank, SPRING PR-Company, AICA - Angel Investor Club of Armenia and Team Telecom Armenia, engaged in extensive panel discussions. They covered diverse subjects, including trading and post-trading, sustainability and ESG, financial education, investment, and public relations.
 
Vachik Gevorgyan, Chief Executive Officer of Apricot Capital CJSC, the General Investment Partner of ConFEAS 2023, reflecting on their operations in Armenia as an investment and fintech company, mentioned several challenges that are being solved through joint efforts of ecosystem players and regulators.  “We are actively addressing the issues by enhancing connectivity with local counterparts and supporting the efforts of the Armenian Stock Exchange and Central Depository in implementing new software solutions. Additionally, we prioritize workforce development through training programs and advocate for regulatory updates to keep pace with rapid technological advancements”.
 
Throughout the conference, there was a strong emphasis on fostering ecosystem development through collaborative endeavors, adopting best practices, and capacity building.