Jeddah Economic Forum welcomes two Prime Ministers and a First Lady

Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Syed Hamid Syed Jaffar Albar, and UK Minister of International Trade and Investment, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, will also make keynote speeches. The announcement was made today at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

For the first time, the forum includes sessions dedicated to issues of special interest to business women. Amr Dabbagh, Chairman of the Jeddah Economic Forum commented, 'the inaugural, ladies-only 'Women in Business' Sessions under the Patronage of HH Princess Sarah Al Angari, wife of the Governor of Makkah Region will be launched on the first day of the Forum, January 18. We are also delighted that Mrs. Zinele Mbeki, First Lady of the Republic of South Africa, has agreed to present the Opening Address'.

Now in its fourth year, the Jeddah Economic Forum is widely recognised as the premier business gathering in the Middle East. The 2003 event is again being held under the most generous patronage of HRH Prince Abdul Majeed Bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of the Makkah Region.

The theme for the 2003 forum is, 'Global Competitiveness: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally'. The program will reflect the challenges facing businesses in the Middle East and the impact of global events on the region. Among topics for open panel discussions are the role of free trade zones and the future of family companies.

It is anticipated that the forum will be attended by hundreds of the region's leading businessmen and women, government officials and academics, together with many global business leaders and international visitors. 'We are expecting to receive business delegations from Bangladesh, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Russia, the UK and a group of high-technology entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley in the USA', added Amr Dabbagh.

Organised by the Jeddah Marketing (JMB), the forum will have as speakers and panelists: Christine McCafferty MP, (Member of UK Parliament), and Parliamentary Patron, Women in Business International; Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Chief Executive Officer, Tejari.com, U.A.E.; Dr. Carol O'Connor, Director, Vision in Practice, UK; Ms. Mervat M. Tallawy, Executive Secretary of UN Economic Social Commission for Western Asia; Director, Worldspace, U.A.E.; HH Princess Arwa Bint Fahad, Managing Director, RAMCO, Saudi Arabia. HE Mr. Amir K.M. Chowdhury, Minister of Commerce of Bangladesh; HE Dr. Ibrahim Al Assaf, Saudi Minister of Finance and National Economy; HE Dr. Bassem Awadallah, Jordanian Minister of Planning; HE Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Governor, Bahrain Monetary Agency; HE Dr. Hashim Abdullah Yamani, Saudi Minister of Industry and Electricity; HE Dr. Mohammed Al Jasser, Vice Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency; HE Dr. Fawaz Al Alamy, Saudi Deputy Minister of Commerce for Technical Affairs; HE Dr. Fawaz Al Zu'bi, Jordanian Minister of Communications and IT; HE Sultan Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, Ports, Customs and Free Zone, Dubai; HE Mr. Akel Baltaji, Chief Commissioner, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Jordan; HE Eng. Mohammed Al-Mady, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Saudi Arabian Basic Industries; Adnan Kassar, President, International Chamber of Commerce and Chairman, The Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture, Lebanon; Fadi Ghandour, President & CEO, ARAMEX International, Jordan; Ali S. Al-Shihabi, Board Director & Chairman of the Management Committee, Saudi Hollandi Bank; Moataz Al-Alfi, Chief Executive Officer, Americana Group; Mohammed Abudawood, Vice Chairman, Abudawood Trading Co, Saudi Arabia; Ghassan Nuqul, Vice Chairman, Nuqul Group of Companies, Jordan; Khalid Kanoo, Group Managing Director, Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo, Bahrain; Alan Crosbie, Chairman, Examiner Publications Ltd., Ireland; and Richard McCormick, Former President, International Chamber of Commerce.

Harvard Business School Professors Richard Vietor, John Quelch and Tarun Khanna will be presenting strategic papers and moderating the panel sessions.

This year's forum is sponsored by a range of regional business giants led by four main sponsors: the Abdul Laltif Jameel Group; the Kingdom Holding Company, the Saudi Aramco and National Commercial Bank. The forum is also sponsored by Saudi Hollandi Bank; Saudi British Bank; the United Sugar Company; Basamh Trading Co.; the Middle East Broadcasting Company and Arab Radio and Television - as joint official broadcasters; the Saudi Research and Publishing Company - as official publishers.

Amr Dabbagh also announced that the Jeddah Economic Forum 2003 will witness the official launch of Prince Abdulmajid Bin Abdulaziz Award of Excellence that would annually recognize companies and personalities from the private sector.

The highly successful 2002 forum, held last January, saw the former US President Bill Clinton, HH Sheikh Salman bin Hamad, Crown Prince of Bahrain and HR Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal as keynote speakers, Previous forums have hosted German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, former French President Valery Giscard D'Estaing, former British Prime Minister John Major and former President of the United States George Bush.

'The 2003 Jeddah Economic Forum has a talented and diverse range of speakers representing a broad spectrum of the region's political and commercial perspectives,' continued Amr Dabbagh.. 'Delegates can expect incisive presentations followed by lively panel discussions and debates. With the inclusion of the in augural Women in Business sessions, the forum continues to set the pace for regional events capturing the attention of international and local businessmen and women and continues to grow in importance to the business community and as a prestigious networking gathering.'