The Middle East has continued to be at the epicentre of global current affairs. The Annapolis conference, the US "surge" in Iraq and the deadlock in Lebanon all made regular headlines. But this year developments in business and economics arguably had an equally strong impact around the world. The theme "Learning from the Future" reflected our contention that by considering how the world may evolve in 15-20 years time we can draw important lessons for today. The combination of economic, political and social factors at play in the Middle East makes this year a particularly fitting time for such an exercise.