Knowledge and research to drive development of Arab world

The ASF, which takes place in Dubai from 4-6 December, is being leveraged as a strategic platform for the launch of knowledge focused products. This year's event, which will bring together over 600 global leaders to discuss key issues impacting the Arab world, will roll out more than 10 research products, including the Arab Business Intelligence Report (ABIR), Arab Innovation Index, BRIC CEO Guides and interactive maps, all developed by Moutamarat.

Hareb said:

"The ASF is a holistic platform for the Arab world to discuss concerns that influence the continued development of this region. Knowledge is power and we are positioning the event as a launch pad for specialised research, which will be crucial in allowing top decision makers, governments and thought leaders to make informed judgments on the strategic direction needed for Arab development."

Some of the world's leading research and information companies have developed the knowledge products at ASF this year. Led by Moutamarat, it has PricewaterhouseCoopers as the exclusive knowledge partner, as well as Beehive Media, Cambridge Energy Research Associates, Confederation of Indian Industry, Eurasia Group, INSEAD, McKinsey & Company, Parmenides Foundation and Reuters.

Khalid Al Malik, CEO, Moutamarat, said: "We conceived of a technology platform that draws on best practice and technology and it will set a benchmark for future high profile gatherings. It will allow the leaders, ministers and other participants to connect seamlessly through a portable, permanently accessible online facility. The ASF technology will create a type of event that is new to the Arab world. By facilitating communication between participants, this communication platform will underpin the ASF's information exchange and decision making processes."

The Arab Business Intelligence Report (ABIR), which is being designed in conjunction with PricewaterhouseCoopers, is a groundbreaking survey of the attitudes and opinions of the Arab world's most respected senior executives. The survey also produces the first ever Arab Economic Confidence Index. The survey gathers solid business data, which provides a contextual backdrop of macroeconomic stability and intra-regional economic ties. The latest edition of the ABIR covers nine sectors and 18 Arab countries.

The Arab Innovation Index is a yearly research product co-produced by Moutamarat and INSEAD. It addresses CEOs' readiness to invest in innovation, identify opportunities and barriers to corporate innovation, and provide evidence on the overall progress of innovation activity in the Arab world.

Covering the same nine industries and 18 Arab countries as the ABIR, it provides a unique insight on country and industry rankings as well as a comparison of innovation levels in Arab countries and industries.

The BRIC CEO guides are associated with the BRIC CEO Summits and are co-produced by Moutamarat, the IBEF, Ernst & Young and McKinsey & Company. The 2006 China and India CEO Guides are based on unique business knowledge aimed at CEOs, including strategic insights for business partnerships and clear information outlining the respective business, economic and social environments. They address common challenges and opportunities for synergy between these two countries and the Arab world.

Research-based debates are also central to the Arab Strategy Forum's program and the discussion of scenarios at the event will focus on hot issues such as Energy and Political Risk in the Arab world. Each will identify the key social, economic and political forces that will shape the region's development for the coming years, in domestic, regional and global contexts.

In addition, the ASF will unveil interactive tools to tackle some of the most urgent issues in the region in a more didactic way. Together with various knowledge partners, Moutamarat is developing a series of interactive and animated maps of the Arab world that will represent some of the main topics of the ASF 2006 official agenda. The maps will be exposed in a branded map gallery designed to help understand complex issues that confront Arab leaders today.