Exceptional judging panel for Global Business Opportunities Award recruited

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These outstanding professionals and business leaders have devoted their expertise and well-known experience to analyze the projects and determine which the most praise-worthy one is.

The Al Ahli Holding Group (AAHG) developed the Global Business Opportunities (GBO) initiative, launched in May this year, as a direct result of the vision and statement from His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai for the young generation of the UAE and the Arab World. GBO is the first of the AAHG's social responsibility initiatives, in partnership with the Junior Achievement Argentina.

The initiative, designed and passionately driven by the AAHG's CEO Mohamed Khammas and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Division Director Lina Hourani, was designed to create opportunity for Arab youths - aged 18-25 - to be exposed to professional business training. In brief the GBO initiative is aimed at encouraging and empowering young Emiratis, creating our young leaders and global entrepreneurs.

The list of high caliber judges on the panel includes:

- Mr. Louis Hakim - Vice President for Philips
- Mr. Walid Hanna - CEO Arab Business Angels Network
- Mr. Abed Albaset Aljanahi - CEO Mohamed Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders
- Mrs. Huda Barakat - MANAGING partner Al-Tamimi & Company advocates and legal consultants
- Mr. Zeinab Karake-Shalhoub - Director of Research at DIFC | Dubai International Financial Centre
- Mr. Salam Saadeh - Managing Director in the Shuaa Capital Group
- Mr. Edgardo R. Mondino - Business Consultant. Marketing and Strategic Planning
- Professor. (Argentina)
- Assem Kahbesh YAL regional CEO

The final presentations and Awards event is scheduled for October 22nd, in Dubai, at which each of the participating student groups will present their Business proposals to the judges and an audience of 700 of their peers.

For the business plans evaluation the jury has developed the following criteria to assist in the decision making process:

- The business idea
- The written presentation of the project
- Potential market
- Commercial description
- Purchase plan
- Organizational structure
- Legal structure
- Economic-financial study
- Risks, environment
- conclusions
- Final live presentation

Walid S. Hanna, Chief Executive Officer,
Arab Business Angels Network LLC., said:

'In my exciting journey with the Arab Business Angels Network to identify young spirits with an entrepreneurial bent, it has been a pleasure to participate in the Al Ahli Holding Group Business Plan Competition this year. Watching this cross-cultural exchange of business ideas has proven to be an amazing experience to all parties involved. We look forward to witness some of the Business Plans become real companies that will contribute to the UAE economy.'

Dr. Zeinab Karake-Shalhoub. Director of Research DIFC, Dubai International Financial Centre, said, 'At Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), we take our corporate social obligation very seriously; we don't only talk the talk but we walk the walk. Just yesterday and in the aftermath of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, Dr. Omar Bin Suleiman, the Governor of DIFC, where Lehman's Middle East headquarter is home to more than 40 of its employees, announced that 'no one will be asked to leave or face deportation;' he went on to state that it is 'DIFC's social obligation towards those people who left their homes in the U.S. and Europe to work in Dubai.' Simply put, actions speak louder than words. At DIFC we go the extra mile; to us it is a social obligation (a duty- something we must do); whereby to others it is a social responsibility (something they should do).'

Shalhoub added, 'In short, the goal of the Global Business Opportunities Initiative which is to provide hands-on, experiential programs to teach the key concepts of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy to young people from different communities with different cultural backgrounds is in line with DIFC vision and commitment to corporate social obligation values.'

Hoda, Al Tamimi & Company, Dubai International Financial Centre (Head Office), said, 'There are rare opportunities for young Arabs to show and prove their entrepreneurial spirit and to prepare them for future business life.'

'This very worthwhile initiative was of immediate interest to me as a giveback to the community and to provide opportunities for some UAE Nationals to develop and nurture their skills. It is a rare opportunity to travel to different countries and to see how others do it and to work with different cultures one-on-one to develop business plans at such a young age. I am fully supportive of this project, and have already been very impressed with the standard and quality of the work done to-date. I would actively encourage others to support such an initiative to develop a new breed of entrepreneurial and innovative talent in the UAE,' she added.

Celina Aoun, Marketing & Communications Executive Arab Business Angels Network LLC., said, 'In my exciting journey with the Arab Business Angels Network to identify young spirits with an entrepreneurial bent, it has been a pleasure to participate in the Al Ahli Holding Group Business Plan Competition this year. Watching this cross-cultural exchange of business ideas has proven to be an amazing experience to all parties involved. We look forward to witness some of the Business Plans become real companies that will contribute to the UAE economy.'

On his behalf, Louis Hakim, Vice President of Royal Philips Electronics and CEO of Philips Middle East, said, 'I am glad to be supporting such an initiative. It is within our responsibility to create new and additional educational opportunities for those passionate youth who are our future of tomorrow. Such a training program like the 'Global Business Opportunity initiative' will not only bring out the youth's creativity but also add to their cultural enrichment which is the key in today's globalized business environment.'