Forum brings together top entrepreneurs, senior
officials, investors and key influencers in the SME sector
Under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme
Commander of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al
Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth, and Community Development, has officially
launched the Abu Dhabi Entrepreneurship Forum 2013, organized by the Khalifa Fund
for Enterprise Development. The two-day forum is being held in the capital at
the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center.
The launch was conducted 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 and decision-makers. Exceptionally
high attendance has been received from public and private sector institutions,
as well as regional and global experts in the entrepreneurial sector.
In his speech, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan
stated: “It is my great pleasure to participate in the leading platform that
promotes leadership and innovation in the SME sector, while simultaneously
elevating our nation’s competitiveness on the global stage. The sons and
daughters of our great Land of Opportunity will innovate new ways of achieving socio-economic
benefits in their communities through sustainable entrepreneurship.”
His Excellency added: “The UAE, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, may God protect him, possesses
an extraordinary reservoir of future leaders and innovators, and we are fully
committed to creating a supportive business climate where leadership and
innovation can thrive and bring progress for the entire nation.”
His Excellency noted that: “The forum - whose agenda revolves around the
themes of self-employment and creative entrepreneurship - is a celebration of
business pioneers who were brave enough to venture into new fields and try big
ideas that had never been attempted. This will cement the UAE’s status as an
investment hub and leading SME incubator that inspires innovation, creativity,
efficiency and productivity, while also creating dynamic new employment
opportunities.”
Commenting on the Khalifa Fund, His Excellency said: “I would like to express
special praise for the Khalifa Fund’s exceptional contributions to the SME
sector, and also the remarkable way in which it has organized the forum into a
platform for knowledge transfer from experts to entrepreneurs. By providing all
the necessary elements for a business to succeed, the Fund has ensured that the
only limit is the entrepreneur’s ambition. From financial support to advice on
government regulations to education and training, the Fund is helping to make
our economy more diverse, more open and more competitive. We are witnessing an
acceleration in the transfer of technology and smart innovations, all of which
is highly conducive to innovative businesses.”
His Excellency went on to urge participants to make the forum a gateway
towards best practices of the highest international levels, using innovative
business models and harnessing the latest theories on administrative, economic
and entrepreneurial issues. This would solidify the sector’s position as a growth
engine driving the economy and job creation, while also serving as a tool for
social cohesion.
Elaborating on the upcoming discussions at the forum, His Excellency
said the forum should tackle the current economic challenges faced by
entrepreneurs in order to stay relevant to the most pressing business issues
locally, regionally and globally, adding: “A strong relationship between
education, training and employment will lead to large numbers of skilled workers
being absorbed by the SME sector, where they can express their creativity and
leadership skills to the fullest. All systems and policies need to be regularly
reviewed to ensure that they stay aligned with the market conditions, while
continuously nurturing stronger relationships with all the parties involved in
the business ecosystem.”
His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy,
commented: “Entrepreneurship has been identified as a top priority by our wise
leadership, and it is at the core of our economic plans. The success of this
sector will directly lead to the success of the Federal Government’s strategy
of economic diversification, empowerment and competitiveness.”
His Excellency added: “The Ministry of the Economy is keen to build
effective partnerships with all local and Federal institutions involved in the
SME sector, particularly the Khalifa Fund, in order to facilitate world-class
services and facilities for our citizens who are transforming ingenious
business ideas into a reality. The new legislation on SMEs, which is expected
in the fourth quarter of this year, will greatly help to upgrade this vital
sector in line with the highest international standards. The next phase of our
entrepreneurial evolution requires more concerted efforts and closer
collaboration between all Federal agencies and local stakeholders as part of a
formula to jointly achieve national prosperity.”
In his speech, former UK Cabinet Minister and Chairman of Lazard
International, and current member of the British House of Lords, Lord Peter
Mandelson said: “Entrepreneurs who have the creativity, innovation and ability
to transform big ideas into a reality are a massive asset in the public
interest, and contribute to the economy’s ongoing march of progress towards a
more prosperous horizon.”
Lord Mandelson pointed out: “The youth represent the fabric of UAE
society, and have all the attributes to position the country as a global leader
in entrepreneurship. It is highly inspiring to note the immense investments
made by the UAE towards upgrading the capabilities of its young generations.”
He added that the obstacles faced by the entrepreneurial sector can be
overcome by greater collaboration between the public and private sectors, as
well as more progressive laws to strengthen the SME sector as it is now the
backbone of most advanced countries.
In his speech, HE Hussein Jassim Al Nowais, Chairman of the Khalifa Fund
said: “The UAE was the very first Arab nation to champion the role of
entrepreneurship as a tool for leadership, innovation and creativity in order to
ensure sustainable prosperity for upcoming generations. We have adopted the
best mechanisms and programs aimed at achieving those goals, and this forum is
a fertile environment for cultivating the best entrepreneurial ideas so that SME’s
can harvest the benefits of our collective support.”
HE Al Nowais added: “The concept of entrepreneurship and nurturing a generation
of talented young innovators hinges on three main elements: the first is
ambition; the second is support and the third is commitment. These three
elements will yield higher economic growth and higher living standards for our
people.”
He went on to commend the crucial role played by the Khalifa Fund with
the support of the Government of Abu Dhabi, in not only empowering a new
generation of entrepreneurs but also creating a culture of smart leadership and
instilling the values of creativity, innovation and constant self-improvement.
This has also been accelerated by strategic partnerships with government
agencies and private sector companies regionally and globally, and provide a
wide range of diversified services and a package of exemptions and facilities
such as technical consulting, administrative expertise and direct funding.
Al Nowais noted that the adoption of the modern concepts of Business Management
by young people will prepare a generation of citizens who proactively
contribute to national economic growth.
Al Nowais added that Abu Dhabi has become a leading hub where
entrepreneurship flourishes, and is a regional economic gateway possessing
strong infrastructure and a favorable investment climate, security, stability,
prosperity and a strategic location as the bridge between East and West.
The two-day forum offers abundant networking opportunities and investment
avenues, in addition to promoting the growth of businesses and familiarizing
participants with successful Emirati business pioneers.
Its agenda includes a number of core issues geared towards stimulating
the business environment and self-employment, while boosting investment through
young people so they can shape the economic landscape of the emirate.
The forum will also bring
together numerous local, regional and global entrepreneurs such as: Abdullatif
Alsayegh, CEO of Alsayegh Media; 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.
It also features a number of leading companies in the region, notably:
the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development; the Abu Dhabi Department of
Economic Development; the Women's Fund of Jordan; Bayt.com; LinkedIn Middle
East; the International Finance Corporation and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.
The sponsors of the event
include Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, ‘Senaat’ General Holding Corporation and
British Petroleum, among others.
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