International Enterprise (IE) Singapore through its partner, the Center for Management & Professional Development (CMPD), the community outreach arm of the University of Dubai, a prestigious academic institution established by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, successfully delivered the Sixth Middle East Fellowship Program.
A total of 21 senior executives from Singapore’s private and public sectors attended the week-long program which was held in Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, UAE recently. Participants included prominent Singapore private sector players such as Keppel, Surbana, CrimsonLogic and many others as public sector participants from the Ministry of Education, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Dr Omar Hefni, President of University of Dubai, said: “CMPD made great efforts in putting together a pool of top academicians, consultants and business experts who shared their expertise with the participants in an interactive manner and in turn provided a plethora of information under one roof.”
The objective of the 6-day Executive Management Program was two-fold. Firstly, it aimed to expose senior decision makers in the private and public sectors to the intricacies of doing business in the Middle East and to appreciate its local culture. More importantly, this highly participative program was designed to provide networking opportunities for Singapore companies and organizations to help them establish important connections with government officials, professionals and businessmen in the UAE.
Khoo Wee Lin, Deputy Director, Capability Development Group of IE Singapore, said, “The Executive Management Program was aimed at helping Singapore companies understand the business and social culture in the Middle East which will subsequently assist them build successful ventures in the region. Business hubs such as Doha and Abu Dhabi are important nodes in this region and we hope Singapore companies build networks and gain a foothold in this region.”
The Program has been designed to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the Middle East’s business systems, and equip them with an awareness of business practices and emerging business opportunities in the Middle East. For this purpose the participants travelled across Qatar and UAE recently to get a first hand feel of the opportunities and challenges in the region. The Program covered a comprehensive range of topics including business, political and economic overview of the GCC countries, Politics of Oil, Arab Culture and Society, Islamic Finance, how to set up business in the UAE, Overview of Supply Chain & Logistics Industry and present economic climate in the UAE and the proactive steps taken by the government to increase liquidity, and the outlook for the next five years, amongst others etc.
University of Dubai partnered with Qatar University to deliver several expert series lectures in Doha and also made good use of its own expert faculty from the College of Business to cover several topics delivered in the UAE. The program also included site visits to government and private organizations like Qatar Foundation, Qatar Chamber of Commerce, Qatar Custom and Port Authority, Qatar Urban Planning & Development Authority, Zones Corp, Pearl Qatar and Masdar etc.
Singapore companies have been involved in a growing number of key projects in the Middle East in recent years and such programs will facilitate greater joint ventures and foster greater understanding between Singapore and the GCC region.
