"Family Business Forum" Dubai 2006 starts on Monday 24th April

The forum brings together highly esteemed business experts to highlight the importance of family businesses through strategies to develop leadership.

Dr. Hussam Al Talhuni, DIAC Director, said that the program will deal with several contemporary important topics that have to do with issues related to family-run companies.

Dr. Talhuni added that the forum is being held in Dubai since family companies represent nearly 92 per cent of privately held companies in the UAE.

Dr. Ahmad Saif Belhassa, member of the Executive Office of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and chairman, Belhassa Group will deliver the opening remarks along with Dr. Ali Lutfi, Former Prime Minister of Egypt.

Dr. Talhuni said that the first session will start at 10:30am. It will be chaired by Mohammed Saleh Al Saleh, Director-Expertise and Dispute Settlement Department, UAE Ruler's Court.

Then Mr. Hisham Al Shirawi, Board member - DCCI will lead a discussion on the topic "Evaluation of Mergers and the Transfer of Family Businesses to Joint Stock Business and Entering the Financial Market".

It will be followed by Dr. Habib AL Mulla Managing Partner- Al Mulla & Associates
Board of trustees Member- DIAC, who will speak on "Administrative and Legal Challenges Facing Family Business: Impact on Development".

Mr. Antoine Akl, Honoring President - International Union for Lawyers
Managing Partner - Akl & Akl Law Firm, will throw light on "The necessity of introducing changes to corporate law to serve the needs of family businesses".

Eng. Sobhi Batterjee, President& Founder of Family Business Academy- KSA and
President& CEO of the Saudi German Hospitals Group, will lecture on "Succession Planning".

Dr. Talhuni said that the second session will be opened by its Chair, Mr. Salah Al Hujailan who is chairman, Salah Al Hujailan Law Firm (KSA) and Board of Trustees member- DIAC

Dr. Ali Lutfi Former prime minister of Egypt will open the proceedings with a lecture on
"Family Businesses in Open Markets"

Dr. Hamza Haddad, Former Jordanian Minister of Justice and Board of Trustees member-DIAC, will speak on "Legislative Support for the Development and Transition of Family companies into Public shareholding companies".

Mr. Essam Al Tamimi, Managing partner - Al Tamimi & Company Law firm, will enlighten the audience on "Transfering Family Businesses into Public Shareholding Companies".

Mr. Jaafar Aweidah, Deputy Director General of Al Nabooda Group, will speak on the subject of how "Sometimes Family Business is just a Business".

The third session will be chair by Mr. Nizar Saradast General Adviser - DCCI.
Walid Chiniara, Lawyer/specialist in Family Business - Al Tamimi & Company law firm, will throw light on the subject of "Family Governance/Corporate Governance: Adapting current corporate law to meet the needs of Family Businesses."

Alexander Zalami, Director of Dubai Ethics Centre- DCCI, will lecture on "Developing Family Business and its Governance."

Dr. Izza Al Din Akasha, Professor of Business Law-DUC, gives a presentation on "The impact of Family businesses on the UAE Economy: the legal Perspective".

Dr. Hussam AL Talhuni, Director of DIAC, will express his ideas on "Dispute Resolution for Family Businesses".

The Forum will end with a general discussion.