Sharjah FDI Forum 2018 Begins on Monday with 40 Industry Experts

The fourth edition of the region’s leading FDI event, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Sharjah FDI Forum unveils tomorrow (Monday).

The two-day event titled ‘Shaping the Future of Economies’, on December 10-11 is bringing together 40 global business leaders and economists representing the private and public sectors, who will offer cutting-edge information on the latest developments in foreign direct investment and related issues in the UAE and beyond.

A power-packed introduction on Monday morning at the Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (JRCC) in Sharjah will see the main address by HE Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy; and an address by Shurooq Executive Chairman, HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal. A keynote speech will be delivered by leading academic, Dr Huggy Rao, Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and co-author of Scaling Up Excellence.

Day 1 checklist – 3 panel sessions, MoU signings, presentations by industry promotion agencies in Korea, South Africa, India
Two one-to-one interviews on the new FDI Decree and its intended impact on future investment inflows; and another with Subhash Desai, Minister Industries, Mining Government of Maharashtra, India, who will reflect on the emerging investment opportunities in India’s hub of commerce, Maharashtra.

Among the key side sessions during the first day of the forum will include ‘Invest in Durban’ from South Africa and Korea’s Daejeon Metropolitan City and the Daejeon Information and Culture Industry Promotion Agency (DICIA), who will be shining the spotlight on new market opportunities in their respective cities.  

The first day will also see important presentations on the impact of digital transformation on investments by senior IBM officials, and three panel sessions that will cover the topics of 5G technology, the changing roles of chambers of commerce, the impact of FDI on GDP and employment featuring 14 regional and international thought leaders and industry experts.

Day one will also see the birth of three important partnerships; an official MoU signing between Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) and World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA); one between Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) and Makkah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) and another one between Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park and Daejeon Metropolitan City.

Day 2 checklist – Impact of VAT in the UAE, value creation through FDI, presentations by industry promotion agencies in Switzerland, Zimbabwe
The second day of the event has an equally insightful and informative agenda and seeks to share investment opportunities and advice for foreign businesses looking to invest in Sharjah, the UAE, and vice versa.

Henrik Von Scheel, the originator of the “4th Industrial Revolution” (Industry 4.0), mastermind of the German Digital Revolution (European Digital Agenda), Board Member OECD National Competitive Council will be delivering a keynote on Tuesday morning.

Among the main side sessions and workshops during day 2 of the forum to include Bee’ah – Sharjah Environment Company’s presentation on latest environment trends and the future of sustainability; Careem’s Senior Director of Government Relations and Public Policy, Samir Satchu, will speak about intelligent transport systems and the future of mobility; and Eagle Hills Sharjah will unveil their luxury living project on Maryam Island, being developed as Downtown Sharjah.

Among the key highlights during the second day of the forum, is a workshop organised by the Sharjah Government, with participants will be sharing key insights about what makes the emirate an ideal business hub, and Anthony Hobeika from MENA Research Partners will present an overview of the UAE/Gulf Region transformation expected in the next decade

A panel discussion on women driving economic growth will hear from and Najat Benchiba Savenius, Chief Executive Officer, Gazelle Advisory; Stefanie Vera Futorjanski, Innovation Advisor, Mentor, Angel Investor, Women Empowerment Advocate, Blockchain Enthusiast, Founding Team Dubai Future Accelerators Dubai Government and two more panelists.

The Sharjah FDI Forum, which was first launched in 2015, is organised by Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) with the support of the Ministry of Economy, and in strategic partnership with CNBC Arabia.

The upcoming edition seeks to boost to the emirate’s endeavours to attract more foreign investments, promote opportunities in main sectors, and strengthen the UAE’s position as a top investment destination in the region and the entire world.