Forum showcases the UAE as the region’s leading incubator of innovative SME’s
Abu Dhabi Entrepreneurship Forum 2013 kicks
off in Abu Dhabi tomorrow, under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme
Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Organized by the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise
Development, the two-day forum runs from 8 - 9 October at the Abu Dhabi
National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).
His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture,
Youth & Community Development, is scheduled to officially launch the forum
in the presence of His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of the
Economy; His Excellency Mohammed Omar Abdullah, Undersecretary of the
Department of Economic Development; and a number of senior officials,
decision-makers and entrepreneurial specialists from across the region and
beyond.
Opening speeches will be delivered by HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al
Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth & Community Development; HE Hussein
Jassim Al Nowais, Chairman of the Khalifa Fund; and Muhammad bin Abdul Jalil Al
Fahim, Honorary Chairman of Al Fahim Group, among other prominent guests.
Commenting on the forum, HE Abdullah Al Darmaki, CEO of the Khalifa Fund
elaborated: "The goals of the Abu Dhabi Entrepreneurship Forum coincide
with the aspirations of the Khalifa Fund, specifically to enhance economic
mobility and diversify the sources of income for our enterprising innovators,
by supporting sustainable projects that benefit the emirate and the wider business
community of the UAE. The Khalifa Fund is showcasing the impressive potential
of our entrepreneurs who we support every step of the way by offering finance,
expertise, investment opportunities and networking. This will contribute to a
more robust economy for our emirate, and the ever-increasing creativity and
innovation will enhance our national competitiveness.”
HE Al Darmaki went on to add: “The forum’s agenda features two days of special
activities, workshops and panel discussions, facilitating knowledge transfer on
how to transform big ideas into feasible and sustainable projects that boost
the national economy. All this will be achieved under the umbrella of creating
a culture of innovation for the next generations of business pioneers.
Ultimately, the cumulative effect is that the UAE will solidify its position on
the global map of competitiveness.”
The forum is widely anticipated to be another giant step towards Abu
Dhabi’s growing status as an economic powerhouse and regional investment hub.
Participants will explore further channels of cooperation and investment opportunities
to attract young visionaries and encourage smart start-ups.
Among the most prominent participants are Lord Peter Mandelson, former Cabinet
Minister in the UK and now Chairman of Lazard International and member of the
British House of Lords; Chad Hurley, co-founder of global social networking
giant YouTube; and Mohammed Alshaya, Executive Chairman of MH Alshaya Company.
Participants will tackle the biggest challenges faced by entrepreneurs,
using their own success stories to propose solutions and inspire SME’s.
The forum will also bring together numerous local, regional and global entrepreneurs
such as: Abdullatif Alsayegh, CEO of Alsayegh Media; HE Abdul Baset Al Janahi,
CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development; Badr Jafar,
Managing Director of the Crescent Group and co-founder of Global Gumbo Group;
Hala Fadel, Chair of the MIT Enterprise Forum in the Pan-Arab region; and Clare
Woodcraft, CEO of the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development.
Various leading companies from around the region are participating, notably: Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council (ADTC), National Entrepreneurship Institution,
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Noor Islamic
Bank, ‘Sanabel’ - The Microfinance
Network of Arab Countries, Al Amal Microfinance Bank from Yemen and Bedaya
Center from Qatar, among others.
The sponsors of the event include Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, ‘Senaat’ General
Holding Corporation and British Petroleum, among others.
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