Business & Money | Sunday 8 February, 2015 12:30 am |

The 2015 World Forum for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), organized by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), kicks off today (8 February) at the Al Jawaher Reception & Convention Centre in Sharjah till the 10th of February 2015..

The opening day of the Forum will be attended by HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, HE Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, and Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Shurooq, as well as top officials from local and international investment agencies and organizations.

Being held under the theme ‘Where East Meets West’ and featuring a prestigious line-up of distinguished guest speakers from multinational companies from around the globe representing a spectrum of different sectors, the sessions of the 12th edition of the World Forum for FDI will cover a range of topics crucial to global FDI environment, including the importance of diplomacy in cross-border commercial transactions, developing talents and immigration, ports and infrastructure, and fostering partnerships between companies from the distinct Eastern and Western business cultures.

HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, will deliver the opening address of the forum, followed by HE Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, and Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, after which Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, will present the opening session, ‘Leapfrogging Competition: Tech Strategy for Business’.

In addition to Sir Berners-Lee, the Forum will present keynote addresses by Mr Gurcharan Das, Former Chief Executive, Procter & Gamble India, who will be exploring the topic ‘India Versus China – Who will Win the Race?’ and Ms Robin Chase, Founder & Former Chief Executive of Zipcar & Buzzcar, who will expound on ‘Building an International Business’.

The Forum will furthermore include five top-tier panel discussions, namely ‘East Meeting West: Geopolitics and Foreign Direct Investment’, ‘Global Infrastructure: Enhancing FDI’, ‘Vanishing Frontiers: Cross-Border Financing Options for FDI’, ‘Navigating Bureaucracy: Breaking the FDI Barriers’, and ‘Developing Top Talent; Part One: Trends; Part Two: Workforce Development; Part Three: International Mobility’.

Delegates, visitors, and speakers will also be taken on a tour of the SAIF-Zone – the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone – and will enjoy lunch in Heart of Sharjah, in addition to experiencing the Desert Safari.

The global event’s attendees will include CEOs and senior executives from notable local and international corporations, investment promotion agencies and economic development organizations.

Organizing the WORLD FORUM for Foreign Direct Investment in Sharjah in 2015, which is being held in the Middle East for the first time, marks another prestigious milestone for the Emirate and is in line with the Emirate’s mission and strategy to attract investment and establish itself as a premier destination for high-level investment related conferences and events. In previous years the world’s leading FDI platform has been held in prime locations including Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Valencia, Bologna, Vilnius, Tallinn, Shanghai, and Philadelphia.

The WORLD FORUM for Foreign Direct Investment is being sponsored by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Hamriyah Free Zone, the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone), the Department of Seaports and Customs – Government of Sharjah, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce, Gulftainer, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, and Tilal.