OPEN ARMS
Dubai Association Centre
Written by Paul Colston
The new Dubai Association Centre is providing global
associations with a gateway to some of the world’s fastest
growing economies
THE CITY OF DUBAI is staking a claim as impact associations can have
one of the world’s best for association on professionalism, training
business, with the opening of the Dubai and standards, ensuring
Association Centre. their respective sectors
This new hub is found inside the Dubai
and industries are able
World Trade Centre, and offers registered to effectively support
global associations a base from which they the customers and
can do business in the Middle East and end users they
beyond. It was inaugurated at the Dubai serve. They can
Association Conference, which took place leverage their
on 8 December 2019. expertise, especially in an environment
The Dubai Association Conference was
held under the patronage of His Highness
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid
17
His Excellency Hamad Buamim added:
where innovation and future-readiness are “Associations need the right ecosystems
critical. in place that can support their success and
The conference featured a session
growth – that is what we are doing with
Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and delivered by Geneviève Leclerc, CEO the Dubai Association Centre as we build
chairman of Dubai Executive Council. and co-founder of #Meet4Impact, which and grow the association community in
explored how associations could improve the region. Through DAC, we are providing
their value proposition. a framework for international and
The first session on day one of the
two-day conference, which took place
under the theme ‘The Societal Impact There was also a keynote by Patricia of Associations’, was addressed by His V. Blake, chair of the American Society presence in the UAE and conduct business
Excellency Helal Al Marri, director general of Association Executives. She shared in the Middle East.”
of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and examples of projects and activities that Commerce Marketing and Dubai World associations have created, and which had a Trade Centre, and His Excellency Hamad big impact around the world. Buamim, president and chief executive Emirates pilot Bakhita Almheiri also
officer of Dubai Chamber of Commerce delivered a keynote which demonstrated
and Industry. They discussed the growth how young Emirati females were breaking
of the conference and also the critical role down barriers and leading the country and
associations are playing in driving change region into a new era of impact.
in the region and globally.
His Excellency Helal Al Marri said:
professional associations to establish a
Other high-profile speakers and
panellists attending the conference
“Around the world, especially in markets included ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath and
where they have a well-established managing director of Global Destination
presence, we repeatedly see the positive Sustainability Index, Guy Bigwood.
www.aenetwork.co.uk
Association leaders in
discussion at DAC