Asian Business Leadership Forum set to honour business heads

Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, addresses the Asian Business Leadership Forum in Dubai in 2015.

The UAE Ministry of Economy is associating with the Asian Business Leadership Forum (ABLF), a leadership event series, to promote the Emirates' position as the centre of the world, offering the best infrastructure for business, investment and lifestyle.

The seventh annual edition of the ABLF is scheduled for Saturday at Dubai's Palazzo Versace under the patronage of Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

"The work of the ABLF celebrates regional and international dialogue and cooperation to promote growth and create a better future for the region. The UAE has good and close trade and economic relationships with other Asian countries. Great leadership, in this age and time, calls for the ability to build sustainable relationships and break through barriers. I support the ABLF platform that strengthens the growing links between private business, government and the people of Asia," said Shaikh Nahyan.

The event in 2016 rolls out under the theme of 'Heroes of the Innovation Economy' where 14 globally recognised leaders with a strong social consciousness, who have leveraged innovative technologies and successfully adapted new learnings to their sectors of business, will be honoured, said Malini N. Menon, managing director of IEDEA, which is organising the event.

Dignitaries who have confirmed attendance include Shaikh Nahyan; UAE Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri; Hussain Jasim Al Nowais, chairman of Senaat; Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former prime minister of Malaysia; Dr Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Chairwoman of the Marriage Fund Institution, UAE; Mona Al Marri, director-general, Government of Dubai Media Office; Shaukat Aziz, former prime minister of Pakistan; Kamal Nath, former Cabinet Minister of India; Lord Meghnad Desai, Member of the House of Lords; Anil Agarwal, chairman of Vedanta, UK; Dr Amina Al Rostamani, Group CEO, Tecom Investments, Gopichand P Hinduja, co-chairman, Hinduja Group; Prakash Lohia, chairman, Indorama Corporation, Singapore; Sunil Vaswani, chairman, Stallion Group; Fahad Al Gergawi, CEO of Dubai FDI, Yogesh Mehta, managing director, Petrochem ME; Yu Tao, president and CEO, China State Construction Engineering Corp Middle East; Irene Natividad, founder and president, Global Summit for Women, USA; and Rajiv Luthra, founder and managing partner, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices.

- issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com