Opening
Dubai strengthens global association hub claim
he Dubai Association
Centre was officially
inaugurated on 8 December
2019 at its new
headquarters housed in One, Central
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
The new HQ in the United Arab
Emirates provides a business base from
which registered associations can expand
within their industries and sectors across
the Middle East and beyond, as well as a
place from which they can service their
members.
Dubai is an increasingly popular
Middle East, North Africa and South
Asia HQ for multinational organisations
and more international associations are
also joining them in the Emirate to meet,
exchange knowledge and network.
The day after the inauguration of the
new Centre, the second Dubai
Association Conference opened at
DWTC.
The first session on day one of the
two-day conference, which took place
under the theme ‘The Societal Impact of
Associations’, was addressed by His
Excellency Helal Al Marri, Director
General of Dubai’s Department of
Tourism and Commerce Marketing and
Dubai World Trade Centre, and His
Excellency Hamad Buamim, President
and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai
Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
They discussed the growth of the
conference and also the critical role
associations are playing in driving
change in the region and globally.
His Excellency Helal Al Marri, said:
“Around the world, especially in markets
where they have a well-established
presence, we repeatedly see the positive
impact associations can have on
professionalism, training and standards,
ensuring their respective sectors and
industries are able to effectively support
the customers and end users they serve.
They can leverage their expertise,
especially in an environment where
innovation and future-readiness are
critical.
“Our vision continues to be for the
Dubai Association Centre to provide a
platform for this and to be a gateway for
regional and international associations to
establish themselves in the Emirate and
take advantage of opportunities in Dubai
and the wider region. The inauguration
of Dubai Association Centre’s new offices
is an important step in building a strong
association community and further
demonstrates our commitment to
empowering associations and equipping
them to provide leadership.”
His Excellency Hamad Buamim,
added: “Associations need the right
ecosystems in place that can support
their success and growth – that is what
we are doing with the Dubai Association
Centre as we build and grow the
association community in the region.
Through DAC, we are providing a
framework for international and
professional associations to establish a
presence in the UAE and conduct
business in the Middle East.”
The Dubai Association Conference
was held under the patronage of His
Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of
Dubai Executive Council.
The conference also featured a session
delivered by Geneviève Leclerc, CEO
and Co-founder of #Meet4Impact, which
explored how associations could improve
their value proposition.
There was also a keynote by Patricia
V. Blake, Chair of the American Society
of Association Executives. She shared
examples of projects and activities that
associations have created and which had
a big impact around the world.
Emirates pilot Bakhita Almheiri also
delivered a keynote which demonstrated
how young Emirati females were
breaking down barriers and leading the
country and region into a new era of
impact.
Other high-profile speakers and
panelists attending the conference
included the ICCA CEO Senthil
Gopinath and Managing Director of
Global Destination Sustainability Index,
Guy Bigwood.
Above: Sharing the
association vision
in Dubai
DWTC – driver of growth
Since opening in 1979, DWTC
has played a central role in the
growth of the region’s
international trade. With
120,770sqm of covered exhibition
space, it is the region’s largest
purpose-built events complex,
hosting over 500 business events
annually and welcoming over 3m
visitors.
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CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD
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