Executives to be asked about the good and bad of doing business in the Gulf

The survey, which is one of the most comprehensive of its kind held in the region, will be distributed to thousands of senior executives of local and foreign companies operating in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Executives will be asked about their future investment and expansion plans, the major difficulties they face in doing business in the region and what they see as the major advantages.

Event director for the Leaders in Dubai Business Forum 2006, Alan Kelly, said the survey would provide important economic indicators for the future and give authorities throughout the region an insight into the concerns of business leaders in the region.

'The survey will be distributed to foreign business councils operating in the Gulf and to executives who register for the Leaders in Dubai Business Forum 2006.

'We are intentionally not putting the survey on the Internet because we want to target the decision makers and ensure that the responses we get are from the people who count.

'This is something everybody can benefit from so we are urging business leaders to take a few minutes out of their busy schedule to complete the survey,' Mr Kelly said.

Completed surveys have to be returned by September 21 and a report on the findings will be released prior to the Leaders in Dubai Business Forum 2006 which is to be held November 28 and 29 at the Dubai International Convention Centre.

'The survey is sure to be a key topic of conversation among those who attend the Forum. It asks some important questions and we don't want people to sugar coat their answers,' said Mr Kelly.

More than 2000 of the region's top business leaders are expected to attend this year's Forum and they will be addressed by seven of the world major influencers including among others, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, former Disney boss Michael Eisner, renowned corporate strategists, C K Prahalad, economic forecaster Harry S Dent Jnr and creative thinker Edward De Bono.

For the first time the keynote speakers will be joined by members of Al Rouad, a group of young pioneer Arab business leaders.

They include Maha K Al-Ghunaim, founder, vice chairman and managing director of Global Investment House, Kuwait; Faisal bin Juma Behoul, founding and managing partner, Ithmar Capital, UAE; Ibrahim Belselah, CEO I Capital, UAE; Esam Yousif Janahi, CEO and board member of Gulf Finance House, Bahrain; Ibrahim Al Asmakh, chairman, Regency Group, Qatar; and Yousef Al-Essa, CEO, Addax Investment Bank, Bahrain.