• Home
• News Article

UAE-Based 'Potential' to Showcase Web Training Programme at TECOM SME Builder Event

Registration to be Offered for 'SME Evolution Programme'
Dubai-UAE: 23 February, 2011 - Potential, a leading UAE-based business development company, today announced it will highlight the important role of its 'SME Evolution Programme', the first free web-training of its kind, at the forthcoming TECOM SME Builder event.

The 13^th edition of TECOM SME Builder will be held on 24 February at the Dubai Knowledge Village Conference Centre. Potential will leverage its status as an event partner to invite registrations from small units for the 'SME Evolution Programme' that aims to enhance the global competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE and MENA region.

Over an initial period of six months, the programme will provide a distinctive combination of more than 50 free 'webinars' as well as live workshops in association with professors from globally ranked universities.

Shadi Banna, Managing Partner of Potential and a member of the TECOM SME Builder Advisory Board, will introduce the programme through a presentation. It will examine Dubai's business landscape, the way investments are being pumped in to help SMEs expand and the role of the 'SME Evolution Programme' as a joint initiative with regional and local partners.

Banna said: "The TECOM SME Builder event provides an ideal environment for SME owners to upgrade business management skills and widen contacts within their specific business field for greater interaction. We are keen to participate in this event and highlight the significance of our free web-training process, while creating an opportunity for the participants to register directly.

"A pioneering corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, Potential aims to help SMEs improve their business efficiency and readiness to compete internationally and create more jobs. We believe the TECOM SME Builder offers the right environment to share our vision and offer business owners details on the mechanism of the programme that will benefit the MENA entire region."

Through the programme, Potential aims to help SMEs network with their peers throughout the Middle East and gain support from each other and from other mentors who will be assigned to answer questions and enquiries.

Union National Bank (UNB), UAE-based banking institution providing personal and corporate banking services, is one of the local partners that has joined the programme to help SMEs learn more about financing opportunities. Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), a regional venture capital company assisting small businesses in investments and growth opportunities, will determine the type of funding needed for business expansion, while TECOM Investments ' partnership comes as part of its continuous support to SMEs across the UAE.

For more information, please visit www.potential.com.

SMEs are also invited to register for the free webinars on the following website:

www.potential.com/sme-registration

-Ends-

About Potential:
Potential has pioneered the innovative Next Generation Performance framework for DEVELOPING STARS, whether Individual Entrepreneurs, Large Organizations or employees within SMEs. Founded in 2005 with headquarters in Dubai and team locations across the Middle East region, Potential is supporting thousands of individuals and hundreds of companies to kick-start their businesses, improve their performance, boost sales, improve customer service performance, innovate, expand and develop their Next Generation Leaders.

The company's portfolio consists of consulting, coaching and training capabilities, deployed across products such as the flagship Potential Entrepreneur program for Individual Entrepreneurs as well as bespoke development programs for SMEs and Large Organizations. Potential follows a special and unique methodology of work with its customers. It uses a customized sequential program to evaluate the situation of the client's business, discover areas that need improvement, undertake training and onsite coaching and then re-evaluate results.

During the past 5 years, Potential helped dozens of entrepreneurs to startup their companies and supported hundreds of SMEs to expand their business. Moreover, Potential has provided tailored performance improving programs to over 50 leading corporations including Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, Doha Bank, Dell, Du, Belkin, HP, and Saudi Telecom.

About UNB:
Union National Bank (UNB) is a public joint stock company incorporated under the laws of the United Arab Emirates in 1982. UNB is the only bank in the UAE with significant shareholdings by the Governments of both Abu Dhabi (50%) and Dubai (10%). The remaining 40% of the shares are publicly held. The shares of UNB are listed on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. UNB was the first bank of its size in the Middle East to be certified to ISO 9001 standards in 2002 for a complete range of banking services across the Head Office and Branches. The ISO 9001 certification has been successfully renewed in 2005 and again in 2008 with enhanced scope. In 2009, UNB's ISO 9001 certification has been upgraded to the 2008 version becoming the first bank in the region to receive this certification from M/s Lloyds Register Quality Assurance. UNB is fully prepared to comply with the UAE Central Bank's guideline and timeframe for the Basel II implementation.

About TECOM SME Builder:
The TECOM SME Builder provides the ideal environment for owners of small and medium enterprises to upgrade business management skills and widen contacts within their specific business segment for greater synergy. Triannual workshops that form an integral part of TECOM SME Builder activities provide cutting-edge solutions to crucial issues faced by Small to Medium Business owners through the participation of leading industry experts and specialists. In addition to SME owners, membership to TECOM SME Builder is open to even those who are considering the prospect of launching their own business. Prospective business owners also stand to gain considerable information through interaction with peers from the industry sectors that they are targeting. TECOM SME Builder will benefit all SME owners irrespective of the sector in which they are active as the focus is on business practices with universal applicability. Even those looking to launch a new business idea can depend on TECOM SME Builder to tap into the large knowledge repository resident within the membership.

About MEVP
Middle East Venture Partners is a Middle East-focused venture capital firm that invests in the early and growth stages of innovative companies run by talented entrepreneurs primarily, but not exclusively, in Lebanon and the greater Levant region. MEVP favors consumer technology, consumer products, and consumer services sectors, but also considers ventures in other areas, such as media, logistics and hospitality, among others. To-date, MEVP has 7 portfolio companies. For more information, visit www.mevp.com

For further information, please contact:
Nermine Afiouni
Account Manager
Jiwin Public Relations
An APCO Worldwide Company
Phone: +971-4-3692925
Fax: +971-4-3688001
Email: Nermine.Afiouni@jiwin.ae

© Press Release 2011