Opening Remarks
Speakers:
May Ben Khadra
Business Anchor and Economic Analyst
Welcome Remarks by Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)
Speakers:
H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi
Chairman
Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)
Keynote Address
Speakers:
H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri
Minister of Economy
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi Action - Keynote
Abu Dhabi’s economy will expand by 6 per cent to 8 per cent over the next two years, with the oil sector, financial services, government spending and foreign investment driving the growth. The expansion from 2021 to 2022 comes after a dip in gross domestic product of about 3 per cent to 4 per cent in 2020 and will depend on the Covid-19 pandemic and the global trade environment.
Attracting investment is an overall effort of all the government departments. In this session, we will have the Abu Dhabi government heads speak about the Response, Impact and Future economic outcome of the Abu Dhabi government policies.
Speakers:
H.E. Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili
Chairman
Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Economic Response to Covid-19
Session Chair:
Neslihan Aydagul
Managing Director - UAE
The Business Year
Speakers:
H.E. Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi
Undersecretary
Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)
Virtual Exhibition and Networking Break
The Abu Dhabi Experience
Abu Dhabi is one of the most attractive destination for business to set up and expand, with excellent logistic facilities, infrastructure, interconnectivity, access to talent. In this session we will have business share their experience on why Abu Dhabi.
Session Chair:
Khuloud Al Omian
Editor-in-Chief - Forbes Middle East
CEO - Arab Publisher House
Speakers:
H.E. Jamal Saif Al Jarwan
Secretary General
UAE International Investors Council
Ismail Ali Abdulla
Chief Executive Officer
STRATA Manufacturing PJSC
Bader Al Lamki
Chief Executive Officer
Tabreed, (National Central Cooling Company)
Khalid Buhumaid
Senior Vice President - Government Relations
EGA
Christopher Daniel
Managing Director and Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Accelerating Digital Transformation of the Economy & Instilling a Culture of Leadership and Innovation amongst the Youth
This session will highlight the initiatives and measures taken by the government and the private sector to boost and contribute towards the digital transformation of the economy, instilling the culture of leadership and innovation among Emirati youth and support their creative projects, in line with the Abu Dhabi Government’s directives and strategies to build a strong economy based on knowledge and innovation.
Session Chair:
Eiman Elkord
Managing Director
Takamul Academy for Talented Children Development
Speakers:
Abdulla Al-Nuaimi
Acting Deputy Chief Executive
Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)
Philip King
Global Head of Retail Banking
ADIB
Gianmario Pisanu
Managing Director - Consulting Lead and Responsible Business Lead - Middle East
Accenture
Media Interview: World Investment Forum Highlights
Speakers:
James Zhan
Director of the Investment and Enterprise Division
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Abu Dhabi Free Zones Attraction
Abu Dhabi has successfully positioned itself as the regional/global hub for manufacturing, finance, logistics, entertainment, and many more. Covid has proved challenging for many free zones. This panel addresses how SEZs can kick start economic growth, diversify economies, make economies more competitive and resilient and trigger Industry 4.0 developments. It will discuss how SEZs can be instrumental in reaching specific development goals in different geographic jurisdictions. What does the post Covid era look like for Free zones in Abu Dhabi?
Session Chair:
Nasouh Raslan
Associate
Al Tamimi & Co
Speakers:
Samir Chaturvedi
Chief Executive Officer
Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD)
Michael Garin
Chief Executive Officer
twofour54 Abu Dhabi & Image Nation Abu Dhabi (INAD)
Emmanuel Givanakis
Chief Executive Officer
ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority
Strengthening the Startup Ecosystem in Abu Dhabi
This session will gather starups accelerators and governments to discuss how to strengthen and boost the startup ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, attracting international tech startups, ease of setting up businesses in Abu Dhabi, attract investments and accelerating technology within the ecosystem to boost startup growth.
Session Chair:
Roberto Croci
Managing Director
Microsoft for StartUps, MEA
Speakers:
Ramesh Jagannathan
Vice Provost-Innovation - NYUAD
Managing Director, startAD
Mattia Fugazza
Senior Principal – Ventures & Growth
Mubadala, MENA
Badr Ward
Chief Executive Officer
LAMSA
Basil Al Askari
Co-Founder & CEO
MidChains
Talal Bayaa
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Bayzat
Made in Abu Dhabi–Empower SME Futurists
The SME sector plays a vital role in the diversification of the national economy, and together with Khalifa Fund, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development is committed to supporting entrepreneurs and developing the SME ecosystem into the UAE by ensuring financing, capabilities department, the opening of target markets, facilitating business, and driving innovation.
In this session, experts will discuss the commitments of Abu Dhabi government entities and the private sector to strengthen the role of SMEs in economic development by enabling them to contribute effectively to the emirate’s gross domestic product.
Session Chair:
Jorge Camarate
Partner and Leader of the Financial Services Practice,
Strategy& Middle East
Speakers:
Sanad Al Meqbali
CEO
DeliveryZone
Frederik Bisbjerg
Executive Director, Digitalization & Innovation| Acting Executive Director, Customer Service and Sales Operations
Daman National Health Insurance Company
Mouza Obaid Al Nasri
Acting CEO
Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED)
Massimo Falcioni
Chief Executive Officer
Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)
Dr. Hassan Alsayegh
Director of SME Development
Ministry of Economy, UAE
Omran Bukhalaf
Director of Customs Affairs
Abu Dhabi Customs
Eng. Khalid Al Marzooqi
Director of Strategic Planning and PMO Department
Abu Dhabi Customs