Global brands unite in support of Leaders in Dubai

Citigroup Private Bank, Emaar Properties, Etisalat, Nokia, MasterCard International, and Saudi Oger have aligned themselves as headline sponsors for the two-day event.

Saad Hariri, son of the late Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri and head of Saudi Oger, said: 'Leadership is about having a vision of success. It is the power to encourage people to work together as a team, and a great leader paves the way for others to follow and succeed.'

Hariri paid tribute to his father, and cited him as an example of effective leadership. 'He motivated people to be their best by believing in themselves. He empowered them to have the courage to pursue their goals.'

Emaar Properties are a headline sponsor for the second successive year, and the chairman Mohamed Alabbar will introduce one of the speakers, former Malaysian prime minister, Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, at the event.

Alabbar said: 'Leaders in Dubai, which brings together some of the finest contemporary leaders in the world, offers a platform from which we can unite to deliver a message of hope, as well as being a catalyst to give leadership purpose and direction. Strong, inspired and effective leadership is vital for the continued success of a corporation - or country.'

Deepak Sharma, CEO of Citigroup Private Global Wealth Management, will introduce former American president Bill Clinton's speech.

Ten business and political headline names will take part in the debate on leadership best practices at Leaders in Dubai, to be held on November 28 - 29 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

Speaking at the event are:


• FW de Klerk, former president of South Africa and winner of the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize

• Bill Clinton (via videocast), former President of the USA from 1993 - 2001

• Madeleine Albright, the first female Secretary of State in the USA and a director of the New York Stock Exchange

• Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 - 2003

• Gabriele Albertini, the unconventional and charismatic mayor of Milan

• Daniel Pink, the author of Free Agent Nation, the Washington Post bestseller, who will suggest six aptitudes crucial to the survival of white-collar workers

• Kenichi Ohmae, the former director of McKinsey Japan, who has earned global acclaim as 'Mr Strategy'

• Arie de Geus, who was at the helm of Royal Dutch Shell for 40 years and has been described as 'the global statesman' of business change

• Spencer Johnson, the author of the bestsellers Who Moved My Cheese and The One-Minute Manager

• Scott Bedbury, one of the world's leading brand architects, responsible for Nike's Just Do It campaign and the emergence of the Starbucks brand

Regional business leaders - the Leaders in Dubai corporate alumni - have confirmed their support for the event. They include: HE Sheikh Faisal Al Qassemi, founder of the Al Qasimi Group; Nabila Al Anjari, Assistant Under-Secretary for Tourism Affairs in Kuwait; Aramex's President and CEO Fadi Ghandour; former Lebanese minister of national economy Saeb Jaroudi; Bharat Jashanmal, of the GCC retail corporation Jashanmal & Sons; Khamis Al Muqla, founder and chairman of Gulf Hill & Knowlton and Gulf Saatchi & Saatchi; Lebanese industrialist Jacques Sarraf; veteran hotelier Sami Zoghbi, regional head of Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts; and Saudi industrialist Abdulla al Zamil.

Official partners are Dubai Municipality, ETA Star, Global Investment House, Kuwait Financial Centre Markaz, Octara, Prime Limousine, and TCS Express Worldwide. Audi is the official car partner, and HP is the official IT partner.

CNN is confirmed as the international media partner, with Al Arabiya News Channel as headline media partner. Media sponsors are Al Hayat, AME Info, Gulf Business, Gulf News and Oman Economic Review.

LEADING MINDS, part of the international conference organisers IIR, is a company specialising in presenting the latest thoughts and groundbreaking ideas from pre-eminent international business authorities.