More than 1,800 delegates from 63 nations confirmed to attend IAA World Congress in Dubai

The list of IAA Congress delegates reads like a Who's Who of the advertising and media world, and includes the chiefs of the world's top five advertising and marketing services groups and the four most powerful media services networks.

The appearance of the biggest names in the advertising world is unprecedented for any IAA World Congress and Exhibition, organizers from the UAE Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) said yesterday.

"The Dubai Congress marks the first time the leaders of the top agencies are present in one place," said Tanvir Kanji, president of the IAA-UAE Chapter and head of Inca Tanvir Advertising. "The presence of these thought leaders and opinion shapers is indicative of the interest that Dubai has generated around the world, and of the importance of this region to the international communications industry."

Among the high-profile names confirmed for the three-day Congress are Colin Gottlieb, CEO of Omnicom Media Group for Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive of WPP; Jack Klues, Chairman of Publicis Groupe Media and Tateo Mataki, CEO of Dentsu, who is addressing a forum outside Japan for the first time in Dubai.

Platinum sponsors of the Congress include Gulf News, CNN, Dubai Television and Motivate Publishing, while Gold Sponsors are Dentsu and EMAAR. Silver sponsors include the Chouieri Group, MBC, BBC World and Al Ittihad, while Khaleej Times, Dubai Duty Free, AME Info, FedEx and Arab Media Group (AMG) and Al Wataniya have Bronze sponsorship status. The 40th IAA World Congress is held in association with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Dubai Media City.

The Congress in Dubai has piqued the curiosity of delegates from around the region and the world, drawing participants from Vietnam to Colombia and from Bulgaria to Australia. Of the more than 60 countries represented, the largest delegations belong to Saudi Arabia, India, China, U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Jordan and Japan.

The 40th IAA World Congress and Exhibition is being held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and is being organized under the Congress Chairmanship of Mohammed Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs.

"This Congress is not only an opportunity for industry professionals to get to know each other, create relationships and make contacts in different parts of the world, but is also an ideal opportunity for Dubai to showcase the best of the UAE and the Gulf region," said Joseph Ghossoub, IAA World President-elect. "During these three days, we will see what global business is all about, and the Congress in turn will see what this part of the world is about."

While the Congress and Exhibition are underway, the IAA will also play host to an exhibition of public service advertising (PSA) campaigns from around the world in the main concourse of the Dubai International Convention Centre. The exhibition is open to the general public, free of charge.