Jose Maria Aznar, the man who led Spain economically and culturally back to the forefront of Europe, will speak on the challenges and opportunities of free trade and globalization as part of the 40th International Advertising Association (IAA) World Congress being held in Dubai from March 20 to 23, 2006.
Aznar, the two-term prime minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004 and one of the key architects of his nation’s emergence as the eighth-largest economy in the world after years of decline, is one of 31 high-profile speakers confirmed for the 40th IAA World Congress.
A highly sought-after international speaker and author, Aznar will share his thoughts on the power and purpose of globalization, the process of building stability and the challenge of instituting reform with the more than 1,600 international and regional delegates already registered to attend the Congress and parallel Media Exhibition at the Dubai International Convention Centre.
Organized by the UAE Chapter of the IAA under the chairmanship of Mohammed Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, the Congress and Exhibition offers a unique business-to-business opportunity for advertising agencies and media companies from around the region and the world to network, share best practices, demonstrate their creative edge and highlight award-winning work.
The speaker roster also includes David Taylor, voted European Business Speaker of the Year in 2004 and author of the best-selling leadership manual The Naked Leader; Sahar Hashemi, co-founder of the successful Coffee Republic chain and author of entrepreneurial guide Anyone Can Do It – Building Coffee Republic From Our Kitchen Table; and marketing guru Sergio Zyman, former chief marketing officer of Coca-Cola USA and author of The End of Marketing As We Know It, The End of Advertising As We Know It and Renovate Before You Innovate.
Other renowned speakers at the three-day Congress include businessman-publisher and two-time U.S. presidential candidate Steve Forbes; former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine; and Norman Pearlstine, former editor-in-chief and current senior adviser to Time Warner Inc., in addition to the leaders of the world’s top five advertising agencies and media companies.
While the Congress and Exhibition are taking place, the IAA will play host to an exhibition of public service advertising (PSA) campaigns from around the world under the banner of ‘Great Ads for a Better Future.’ The exhibition, which includes posters, print advertisements, TV spots and reports from companies, NGOs and international organizations, will be on display in the main concourse of the Dubai International Convention Centre and is open to the general public, free of charge.
About the International Advertising Association (IAA):
The IAA has grown from a tripartite organization (advertisers, advertising agencies, media) into a one-of-a-kind strategic partnership which champions the common interest of all enterprises involved in the branding process.
The IAA is the only global partnership of marketing communications professionals and draws its members on a local, regional and global scale. The membership comprises enterprises and individuals committed to brand building. Headquartered in New York, the IAA currently has over 75 Chapters worldwide – from Argentina to Australia, from China to Chile.
The IAA UAE Chapter was founded in 1979 and has a membership base of nearly 250. The Chapter is currently the largest chapter in the world and has won the Chapter Award for Excellence twice.
