Topic to be discussed at Leaders in Dubai, led by Dr Madeline Albright
Lebanese industrialist Jacques Sarraf, president of Malia Holding, urged leaders in Corporate Arabia to embrace globalisation, while acknowledging that modern developments were not always "for the best".
Sarraf, who is one of the regional leaders associated with the international leadership summit, Leaders in Dubai, said: "Globally, people are struggling with some elements of modern life, while easily accepting others.
"Many people say that they do not like the pace of modern life, yet they broadly endorse the things that make life go fast, especially cell phones and the Internet."
Globalisation was the subject of a Pew Global Attitudes Project, which is chaired by Dr Madeleine Albright - one of the nine speakers at Leaders in Dubai, and former Secretary of State in America. The project's advisory board members include Hernando de Soto, Henry Kissinger, Queen Noor of Jordan and Desmond Tutu.
According to the survey, globalisation, the free market model and democratic ideals are accepted in all corners of the world. Most notably, the report found strong democratic aspirations in most of the Muslim countries surveyed. These aspirations remain intact despite the conflict in Iraq.
Majorities in 41 of the 44 countries surveyed say that international trade and business contacts have increased in the past five years. More than 75 per cent of those interviewed in almost every country think children need to learn English to succeed in the world today.
Sarraf explained: "There is significant opposition to modern commercial culture in advanced countries, where opinions about the pace of life and such modern conveniences as fast food and television are more mixed than they are in the developing world.
"There also is a significant global generation gap on views of modern life. Younger and better-educated people are more comfortable with the pace of modern life."
Despite the widespread support for the globalisation process, people around the world think many aspects of their lives are getting worse. Majorities in 34 of 44 countries see the gap between rich and poor, the affordability of health care and the ability to save for their old age as getting worse.
Sarraf is the former head of Lebanon's Association of Industrialists. He is also a founder of the Lebanese Russian Association, a founder and honorary President of the Lebanese/Canadian Business Association, and Vice President of the Union of Mediterranean Confederation of Enterprises.
His comments came in the lead-up to Leaders in Dubai on November 28 - 29, at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, where he has been appointed one of the Corporate Ambassador alumni.
Leaders in Dubai is expected to attract more than 2,000 business leaders from across Arabia. Dr Albright is part of the highest profile line-up at a Middle East conference. Eight political, business and strategy leaders will debate international leadership principles in front of more than 2,000 delegates.
The full line-up of speakers is:
- Bill Clinton (via videocast), former President of the USA from 1993 - 2001
- Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 - 2003
- Madeleine Albright, the first female Secretary of State in the USA and a director of the New York Stock Exchange
- Daniel Pink, the author of Free Agent Nation, the Washington Post bestseller, who will suggest six aptitudes crucial to the survival of white-collar workers
- Kenichi Ohmae, the former director of McKinsey Japan, who has earned global acclaim as 'Mr Strategy'
- Arie de Geus, who was at the helm of Royal Dutch Shell for 40 years and has been described as "the global statesman" of business change
- Spencer Johnson, the author of the bestsellers Who Moved My Cheese and The One-Minute Manager
- Scott Bedbury, one of the world's leading brand architects, responsible for Nike's Just Do It campaign and the emergence of the Starbucks brand.
Regional business leaders - the Leaders in Dubai corporate alumni - have confirmed their support for the event. They include: HE Sheikh Faisal Al Qassemi, founder of the Al Qasimi Group; Nabila Al Anjari, Assistant Under-Secretary for Tourism Affairs in Kuwait; Aramex's President and CEO Fadi Ghandour; former Lebanese minister of national economy Saeb Jaroudi; Bharat Jashanmal, of the GCC retail corporation Jashanmal & Sons; Khamis Al Muqla, founder and chairman of Gulf Hill & Knowlton and Gulf Saatchi & Saatchi; Lebanese industrialist Jacques Sarraf; veteran hotelier Sami Zoghbi, regional head of Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts; and Saudi industrialist Abdulla al Zamil.
Delegate prices for the full two-day summit are US $2,995 per person; corporate booking and prices are available through www.leadersindubai.com or email info@leadersindubai.com
Headline sponsors are the international names Citigroup, EMAAR, Mastercard, Nokia and Saudi Oger Ltd.
CNN is confirmed as the international media partner, with Al Arabiya News Channel as headline media partner. Media sponsors are Al Hayat, AME Info, Gulf Business, Gulf News and Oman Economic Review.
LEADING MINDS, part of the international conference organisers IIR, is a company specialising in presenting the latest thoughts and groundbreaking ideas from pre-eminent international business authorities.
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About the company
LEADING MINDS is a division of the Institute for International Research, the world's leading business information company. LEADING MINDS specialises in organising public events with top business authorities - the leading minds. Just to mention a few: Tom Peters, Gary Hamel, Robert Kaplan, Philip Kotler, Dave Ulrich, Edward de Bono, Jack Trout, Daniel Goleman, Al Ries, Nicholas Negroponte, Don Tabscott and Michael Porter. LEADING MINDS has a global reach, with significant activity in Asia-Pacific, Europe and Africa and has run well over 200 events in the last five years.
For more information please contact:
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© Press Release 2005
