8th Annual Gulf Marketing Forum to focus on innovation as a growth strategy

67% of executives plan to increase innovation spending

Innovative firms outperform competition by 40%

Shareholder return can double

Dubai, UAE: 05 Dec 07 Innovation is the key to a company's growth and spending on it will continue to grow.

That's the message for the region's marketers as 2008 approaches. 

Two-thirds of executives consider innovation a top-three priority, with 67% planning to increase innovation spending next year.1

And research shows companies that more closely align their innovation model with their corporate strategy perform better, with 40% higher operating income growth and twice the shareholder returns over the last three years.2

Leading global innovators outperform their peers by nearly 400 basis points per year in terms of stock price3 - highlighting the solid financial gains offered by lasting, sustainable innovation.

Marketers from across the Middle East can gain a fresh insight into innovation at the upcoming 8th Annual Gulf Marketing Forum in Doha.

The two-day event, entitled Sustaining Innovation in Marketing, is being organised by Gulf Marketing Review magazine.

It will include interactive workshops, panel discussions, and presentations from some of the biggest names in marketing from the region and beyond.

Colin Turner, President of Futuremedia plc, London, and Emeritus Professor of Entrepreneurship, Theseus Business School, France, will deliver the opening keynote address on creativity and innovation in marketing.

He will also give a workshop on how to sustain profitability from creative ideas.

Dr. Tim Jones, founder and CEO, Innovaro Ltd, London, will be jetting in to give a presentation on innovation leaders, which will examine how companies are successfully delivering the greatest innovation impact and engaging with consumers.

An insight into the ecological model for sustaining creativity and innovation will be offered by Tim Harle, Management Consultant, UK.

Dr Zeinab Karake-Shalhoub, Professor of Management and Information Systems at the American University of Sharjah and winner of the 2007 Emirates Businesswoman of the Year award, will examine innovations affecting the e-consumer.

Kamal Dimachkie, MD, Leo Burnett Dubai, Kuwait and Northern Emirates, will be looking at how to engage consumers with fresh ideas, while Tolga Sezer, Executive VP, Aujan Industries, Dubai, will examine the power of brand activation.

Sustaining Innovation in Marketing takes place on 11-12 December, Ramada Plaza, Doha, Qatar.

More details about the event are available at www.gulfmarketingforum.com

1. Boston Consulting Group, 2007

2. Booz Allen Hamilton, 2007

3. Boston Consulting Group, 2007

-Ends-

For more information please contact:
Priya Azaredo, GBC Events,
Tel:  +971 (4) 349 6663
Mob: +971 (0) 508 504 361
Email: priyaa@GBC-me.com
or visit: www.gulfmarketingforum.com 
www.gbc-me.com

© Press Release 2007