5th Dubai City of Gold Conference to focus on opportunities and challenges facing the world jewellery industry

The Conference will focus on the opportunities and challenges facing the global gold jewellery industry. Eminent speakers from around the world, covering the entire gamut of the industry including diamond, gold and pearl jewellery, bullion, refining and mining, are to converge in Dubai for the leading two day international conference.

The event will be inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates.

Her Highness Sheikha Lubna Bint Khaled Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy and Planning, will speak at the opening session.

'This year's Conference is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and important meetings in the jewellery industry. It will bring together an outstanding and diverse group of industrialists, bankers and experts in the forefront of gold, diamond and precious stones trade. The event will cover all sectors of the local and international jewellery business through four sessions-Industry Overview and Finance; Supply and Demand; Retail, E-commerce and Research; and Marketing. We have received an overwhelming response from the industry and there is already an excellent line up of speakers,'

said Tawhid Abdullah, managing director, Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group.

The annual event is organized in association with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and Standard Bank as presenting sponsor.

Colin A Griffith, Executive Director, Gold - DMCC said, 'The continued success of Dubai City of Gold Conference speaks for Dubai's significance in the global gold trade. The Conference has grown in scale and importance in the last few years and has helped to focus attention on some of the crucial issues facing the industry. In addition, it has also contributed to the development of the gold trade in and through Dubai. We look forward to supporting this year's conference, which will focus on the opportunities and challenges facing the global gold jewellery industries. '

Diamond Trading Company and World Gold Council, all of who have backed the Conference since its inception in 2003, continue to support it this year. Other sponsors include National Bank of Dubai, HSBC and Transguard.

Confirmed speakers so far are David Lamb, Worldwide Marketing Director, Diamond Trading Company; Paul Van Eeden, President of Cranberry Capital; Philip Olden, Managing Director-Marketing & Jewellery, World Gold Council; Kenneth Gassman, Founder & President of Jewellery Industry Research Institute; Jacques Voorhees, Chairman & Founder of Polygon, the first and largest online business-to-business trading community in the jewellery industry; Puru Saxena, Editor & Publisher of widely read economic report-Money Matters; and Prida Tiasuwan, Chairman of Pranda Jewellery Public Company Limited, Thailand, one of the world's leading manufacturers and exporters of jewellery.

'City of Gold Conference is known to be an exceptionally well organised conference with a wide variety of industry speakers who present a wealth of knowledge and insight into metals and precious gems markets. I believe this year the Conference will once again offer us the opportunity to learn first-hand from experts, what may lie in store for these markets going forward and where the pitfalls are that we need to look out for, 'said Paul Van Eeden who will be speaking at the forum for the second time since last year.

Over 350 delegates comprising of CEOs, industry leaders and bankers from local and international markets and representatives from the Government of Dubai are expected to participate in the Conference.

The first Dubai City of Gold Conference held in January 2003 underlined Dubai's key role as the regional hub for gold and jewellery. The second edition in 2004 focused on trade, finance, marketing, manufacturing and mining and it established the Conference as a leading international event.

The umbrella theme for the 3rd Dubai City of Gold Conference in 2005 was 'Marketing' which comprised of three elements- the Dubai initiative; branding of jewellery and watches; and tourism potential of the emirate. The 4th edition of the Conference in 2006, on the other hand, offered the industry an opportunity to align itself to work towards a concerted marketing effort.

Today, the Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group uses the Conference as a forum to share its success and provide insight to other international players interested in the regional market.

The Group expects more additions to the existing speaker line up for the 5th Dubai City of Gold Conference. Special travel packages are being organised for overseas delegates.