John Edwards to address 'Entrepreneurs in Dubai'

Edwards, who represented North Carolina in the Senate for six years, will outline to a regional audience of around 1,000 'Toward a Future of Hope and Opportunity in the Middle East: The power of Entrepreneurship.'

"John Edwards' commitment to this ground-breaking event reinforces what is already an unrivalled line-up of international speakers," said Jessica Sutherland, General Manager of IIR Exhibitions, one of the event's organisers.

"As a prominent politician in a country which boasts one of the world's most entrepreneurial-friendly environments, Edwards will offer a unique insight into how the public and private sector can co-operate to encourage start-up businesses."

Edwards, named by People magazine as 'America's sexiest politician,' is the sole politician in a five-strong US speaker line up for 'Entrepreneurs In Dubai' - the world's biggest gathering of entrepreneurs and business executives. The remaining five US speakers include some of the country's most well known self-made tycoons and business magnates, including real estate king Donald Trump, who will address the audience via video-link.

"With the US having recently been dubbed 'the land of entrepreneurs' by the US Chamber of Commerce President, Tom Donohue, it is no surprise that American success stories should feature in any international discussion of how to start and make a business succeed," said Sutherland.

Other US entrepreneurs in the overall speaker line up include: Kenneth Morse, the MIT Entrepreneurship Center Managing Director who took to teaching after helping to launch numerous high-tech ventures; Debbi Fields who epitomised the American Dream when she founded Mrs Fields' Cookies at the age of just 20 and Gary Hoover, who founded Hoovers.com, the world's largest Internet-based provider of enterprise information.

"Though a politician, John Edwards has much to contribute in his role as a socio-political entrepreneur who has campaigned for economic stimulation and fought for more resources to let individuals and communities recover from trade-related plant closings. Many of his characteristics are those of a business entrepreneur - he's a guy renowned for perseverance."

Despite his unsuccessful vice presidential campaign, Edwards' notorious perseverance suggests he will always be a major leader in the Democratic Party.

"You can be disappointed, but you cannot walk away," he told the media shortly after his campaign withdrawal. "This fight has just begun."

John Edwards' life has strong overtones of a motivational rags-to-riches story. Born in a small South Carolina town, the son of a mill worker, he developed a strong belief that all Americans deserve an equal opportunity to succeed and be heard. He became the first member of family to attend college, worked his way through University and a law degree and went on to work as a lawyer before entering politics.

His legal career was characterised by representing families and individuals in negligence cases standing up to the powerful insurance industry, its lobbyists and armies of lawyers.

"The ability to take on challenges sometimes against unbelievable odds is the characteristic John Edwards shares with many of the world's leading entrepreneurs and makes him an ideal speaker for this forum," said Sutherland.

'Entrepreneurs In Dubai,' which will run from May 23-25, will feature a speaker platform of over 30 of the world's and the region's most renowned business men and women and will also have an associated exhibition at which over 100 international companies will showcase their products and services. A quarter of the revenues from the event will go to a charitable organisation which supports entrepreneurial initiatives in developing markets.

Aimed at promoting an entrepreneurial spirit among young GCC national business men and women, IEFE is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board, Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders. IIR Middle East is organising the event in co-operation with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment. It is endorsed by the United Nations Conference On Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and oil giant Shell Markets Middle East and business solutions and services consultants Deloitte are headline sponsors.

The International Entrepreneurship Forum and Exhibition has attracted AME Info, Flip Media, BBC World, Gulf Business, Arabian Radio Network and Dubai Radio Network as Media Partners.

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"Americans are turning to entrepreneurship in droves, going into business for themselves and growing the economy." - President George W. Bush