DED and DQG highlight need for joint efforts to promote business excellence

The annual event is an ongoing initiative to further promote practical concepts of quality and excellence amongst the business community.

'Share Best Practice Conference reflects DED's strategy to encourage Dubai businesses to apply excellence and quality management practices in their work environment,' said Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director Gerenal for Executive Affairs at DED in his opening speech.

He added:

'The conference is a vital step in the journey to excellence as it provides the opportunity to benchmark management techniques against best practices. It serves as a platform for the progressive exchange of ideas, knowledge and expertise between role-model organisations and potential aspirants of the Dubai Quality Award.'

Ali Ibrahim said: 'Sharing knowledge and expertise is the most valuable practice that successful businesses can do for the collective benefit of the society. This will help in spreading the message of quality and helping others to catch up with the international best practices.'

Marwan Al Sawaleh, Chairman, DQG, said: 'Quality is a key component in further shaping the local business community into a major economic force; without quality and business excellence, there is no way we can realise our economic goals. Dubai Quality Group is therefore pleased by the remarkable support gained by the Share Best Practice Conference, which reveals a strong desire in the local entrepeneurial and business community to co-operate in promoting business excellence.'

More than 400 people from the business community attended the event, which saw the winners of the Dubai Quality Award (DQA) 2007 engage the concerned business community in quality management initiatives by sharing their best practices.

The conference had four sessions with many of the DQA winners presenting a selected best practice to the audience.

The winners explained the role of the Dubai Quality Award and its significance in furthering the development of quality and business excellence in Dubai.

In addition, the conference also hosted two renowned speakers on quality aspects - Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Vice President of e-Total Quality Management (e-TQM) College, and Ron Kaufman, the world's leading educator and motivator for upgrading customer service and uplifting service culture.

The full-day event witnessed presentations from the winning companies of the DQA 2007 including Wild Wadi Water Park, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Mars GCC, Prime Healthcare Group and Al Naboodah Laing O'Rourke.

At the conference, Ali Ibrahim and Marwan Al Sawaleh honoured renowned quality pioneers for their contributions to quality management practices.

His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs; Mr. Nabeel Al Yousuf, Director General, the Executive Office; Dr. Ahmed Nuseirat, Advisor Dubai Government Excellence Programme; Dr. Mansoor Al Awar; Mr. Shawqi Sajwani, Group Director of Organizational Development, Dubai Holding; Mr. Fareed Mohammed Ahmed, Secretary General, Dubai World; Pro. Hadi El Tigani, Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi International Centre for Organizational Excellence; Mr. Abdul Qader Obeid Ali, Director Group Internal Audit & Quality, Dubai World; Dr. Lway Nakasha, Director, Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award; Mr. Ahmed Obaid Al Mansouri, Chairman, Dubai Consultancy; Ms. Hawa Bastaki, Director of Central Laboratory Department, Dubai Municipality and Mr. Shouqi Al Yousuf, Vice President - Corporate Support, DEWA, received the honours. These thought leaders and entrepreneurs have played a key role in establishing the current dynamism of the Dubai economy.