|
More than 1,000 business leaders and key personalities from around the world took part in this year's Jeddah Economic Forum, which opened at the Jeddah Hilton.
Jeddah Marketing Board chairman Amr A Dabbagh said this year's forum includes 60 speakers and panelists, representing more than 12 countries.
The board, set up by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, leads a new initiative to develop and organize a series of prestigious local, regional and international business conferences in the city.
The annual forum, which was first organized in 1999, has become the region's strategic think tank focusing on local, regional, and international economic and social issues.
'In addition to attracting some of the most influential global leaders, we have a powerful agenda that will cover burning issues in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and worldwide,' said Dabbagh.
These topics were addressed over a three-day program that included entrepreneurship, business growth and job creation in the context of globalization and political and economic realignments in the region and across the world.
The forum also highlighted the achievements of countries that have pursued strategies for rapid economic development.
For the first time ever, the keynote speech was delivered by one of Saudi Arabia's leading businesswomen, Lubna Olayan, chief executive officer of Olayan Financing Company.
She spoke on the topic - 'A Saudi Vision for Growth'.
Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Adel Fakieh highlighted the role of women in this year's Jeddah Economic Forum noting that the 5th Jeddah Economic Forum promises to surpass all previous years.
This event has attracted some of the most influential speakers of our age from around the world,' he said, 'and has made Jeddah the heart of economic deliberation and debate in the Middle East.
The scope and quality of the forum is greatly enhanced by the contribution of many distinguished women whose knowledge and experience add an important dimension to the agenda.
In addition to the opening address by Lubna Olayan, other women participants included Queen Rania of Jordan, who delivered a keynote speech, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Professor Laura Tyson, Dean of the London Business School, which is the chosen Academic Partner for this years forum, Dr Haifa Jamal Al Lail, Dean of Effat College, Dr Thurayya Arrayed, Planning Advisor to Saudi Aramco, and Dr. Selwa Alhazza, Head of Ophthalmology at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
The first day focused on key economic and social issues facing Saudi Arabia.
The second day highlighted the regional agenda by showcasing experiences of economies in Asia and the Middle East, such as Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Turkey and the UAE that have pursued aggressive strategies for economic development.
Speakers included Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Lebanon Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Turkey Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohammed, and Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Dr Kassymzhomart Tokayev.
Iraq was represented by ruling council member Samir Shakir Mahmood, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdul Amir Raheem Al Aboud and economist Professor Athir Y H Hadad, in a session moderated by Kamel Lazaar, president and managing director of Swicorp, Switzerland.
Dubai's experience was covered by a session entitled 'Sand to Silicon' with Dubai Department of Economy director-general Mohamed Al Abbar, and Saeb Aigner, CEO of Lonworld, and a Governor of London Business School in a discussion moderated by Dr Jeffrey Sampler, Associate Professor at London Business School.
The third and final day focused on the global agenda. Examination of the theme of accelerated growth through the lens of globalization and international economic integration highlighting successful models from the US, Mexico, and Sweden.
The keynote speech was given by former US president Bill Clinton. He returned as a second-time participant to address the Jeddah Economic Forum on the subject 'A Global Outlook for 2004 and Beyond' in a session moderated by Prince Faisal Bin Salman, chairman of Saudi Research and Publishing Company.
Other speakers on the final day included Ernesto Zedillo, former president of Mexico, whose theme is 'From Zero to Hero' at a session moderated by Majed Al Kassabi, director-general of Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation, and Gunnar Lund, Sweden's Minister for International Economic Affairs & Financial Markets.
Film actors John Cusack and Chevy Chase, and Michael Golden, publisher of the International Herald Tribune formed a panel for 'The Media & Entertainment Agenda' moderated by Judith Kipper, director of the Council on Foreign Relations.
'Oil & Global Economic Stability' was covered by a panel consisting of Dr Mohammed Al Sabban, Advisor to the Saudi Ministry of Petroleum, Ray Irani, chairman and CEO of Occidental Petroleum, and Peter Robinson, vice-chairman of the Board of Chevron Texaco Corporation. Professor Michael Hay, Deputy Dean of London Business School moderated a session on 'Entrepreneurship; the Driving Force for Job Growth & Job Creation?'
The final keynote speech at Jeddah Economic Forum 2004 was 'The Future of WTO and Its Role in Global Economic Growth, given by Supachai Panitchpakdi, director-general of the World Trade Organization, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Professor John A Quelch, Senior Associate Dean at Harvard Business School, with the participation of Dr Fawaz Al Alamy, Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs, Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
|