UAE Minister of Economy opens the Second Etisalat Academy International Talent Conference

His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy officially opened the proceedings, delivering the conference keynote in which he said:

"Supporting and driving talent has never been important as now. Today, as we move forward in the post-crisis world, one of our driving forces will be youthful, creative and innovative thinking and action. This comes from the talented youngsters, who are our future. The UAE has always been at the forefront in supporting youth power. The Government has undertaken several initiatives that support youth and encourage them to explore their full potential. This strategic conference is a fitting complement to the governmental initiatives."

"I am confident that today's conference will put the spotlight on the best practices in managing our national talent in a way that serves the best interests of our country and citizens," Al Mansoori added.

David Brennan, General Manager at the Etisalat Academy said, "Our desire is that delegates leave the conference inspired with ideas and approaches that can apply to their business reality. We also hope we have helped instill in them the determination to go back to their organization and put these ideas into action. The Middle East deserves to have the best ideas, such as those presented this week, to be implemented. If they are, then Government Departments and private companies will help considerably in the development of the local economies and nations as a whole."

Mariam Mohammed, Director of the 2nd International Talent Conference, said, "This is the second time we are running the conference in The UAE, and based on the success of last year and the importance of the content that is provided, we welcomed today more than 800 delegates from public and private sectors to benefit from this exceptional opportunity. I would like to take this opportunity to thank H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, the Ministry of Economy, Abu Dhabi Police Department, SHL International, Stellenbosch University and the HR Department at Etisalat."

This is the second time the conference is taking place in the UAE, and this year it hosts a series of talks addressing the overlying theme of 'Managing Talent in Turbulent Times'. It focused on identifying talented individuals, helping HR professionals make the right choice when hiring candidates and assisting leaders to manage talent in order to achieve their organisation's goals.

The Second International Talent Conference 2009 is supported by the UAE Ministry of Interior; the UAE Ministry of Economy; Abu Dhabi Police; SHL International; and Stellenbosch University and the HR Department at Etisalat.