Leading academics, businessmen and marketeers help structure this year’s Marketing Forum in Dubai

A first-time initiative from The Marketing Forum has seen a panel of 10 leading academics, businessmen and marketeers help structure this year’s event, to be held at Emirates Towers, October 21 to 23.

The advisory panel includes: Abdullah Al-Jehani, vice president of Saudi Arabian Airlines; Abdulla Al Zamil, senior vice president of Zamil Air Conditioners and MEED’s Young Businessman of the Year; and Professor Julia Saurazas.

After research into the preferences of attendees at six previous Marketing Forum events, the format of the 2002 conference has changed. This year’s programme, entitled Best Marketing Practice in Action, will include two key-note speeches, presented by leading marketing personalities on each of the two days.

The morning key-note will set the tone of the day while the one at the end of the day will consolidate the thinking and discussion points raised during the conference. The two afternoon sessions will each be broken into a choice of four break-out seminars.

Gray explained: “We have re-structured the event to provide a greater opportunity for interaction. The break-out seminars will give delegates with the chance to examine the best application of the strategies that are raised in the key-note speeches. The seminars will be delivered by business academics and practitioners from Canada, Europe, India and the region.

“However, The Marketing Forum is not just about discussing strategy – it is about implementation. Not only will delegates discuss what to do – they will learn the benefits to be gained and the route to go forward.”

Brian Berry, the conference project manager, stressed that the need to equate strategy to bottom-line results has influenced the tailoring of conference content to meet the needs of marketing decision-makers in the Middle East.

Berry explained: “The breakout seminars in particular are geared to deliver proven methods to turn marketing plans into dollar benefits.

“It is essential that marketeers consider local market culture and trends when implementing brand and campaign strategies. All marketplaces have attributes that are individual, and international marketeers must be quick to understand the impact these attributes have on their brand position, and operational strategies.”

Capitalising on the success of the previous two international marketing conferences, the organisers have already signed up first-class, globally recognised speakers.

Key-note speakers include Jim Harris, a leading authority on strategic planning and leadership development, who will speak on Planning for growth and decay in a dynamic marketplace. The founder of YO! Sushi, Simon Woodroffe, will address Daring to create the new. Both speakers will be appearing in the Gulf for the first time.

Alyque Padamsee, the charismatic chairman of AP Associates in India, will be making a welcome return to The Marketing Forum, this year discussing The expectation of the new consumer; and Khamis Al Muqla, chairman Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East, Bahrain will address the current hot topic of Making the case for best practice in advertising.

Break-out seminars will be hosted by eight recognised business leaders, including: Professor Colin Gilligan, professor of marketing, Sheffield Business School, UK; Ron de Pear, managing director, WCSS, Mediaedge@cia, UK; and Mark Van der Ven, managing director of ACCPAC in Dubai.

The event has already captured the attention of marketeers and business practitioners around the region, as well as from international companies with interests in the Gulf. More than 300 delegates from a wide geographical footprint are expected to attend.