Dubai, UAE - 09 March 2009: In recent years the Gulf region's logistics sector has witnessed huge growth in conjunction with the Middle East boom. However, the industry's future growth is facing restrictions due to the current demands being placed on existing infrastructures across the region.
Industry leaders, stakeholders and key decision makers will be meeting together at MEED's Supply Chain Management and Logistics conference, 10th - 12th March 2009 at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Dubai, to discuss the vision and future of the industry and the challenges it faces.
Edmund O'Sullivan, Chairman MEED Events said, "Due to the rapid development in the region, many sectors of the local economies have been hard pressed to keep up with the increasing demands placed upon them and transport infrastructures are no different. Our local economies are now faced with having to make largescale state investments to upgrade and create their transport infrastructures in order to meet future demands. Increases in public spending have been announced across the Gulf- Dubai has increased its public spending by 42% to US$ 10.3bn this year and Saudi Arabia has revealed that expenditure in 2009 would be US$ 127bn."
Currently, the eight major ports Kingdom of Saudi Arabia handle up to 30 million tons of cargo per annum, while the creation of Dubai World Central airport is helping to turn Dubai into a global logistics hub with extended capacities and functionalities. In addition, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar have all invested significantly in the development of their logistics infrastructures and have shown their ambitions to gain a greater share of this growing market.
MEED's Supply Chain Management and Logistics conference has been created to give solutions to the problems that are presently facing the Middle East. The conference offers a solution-driven programme that includes case studies and, as is the hallmark of MEED's events, has a focus on relevant and realistic figures, facts and challenges.
Senior representatives and decision makers from companies involved in almost every aspect of the regional supply chain industry such as Saudi Aramco, DHL, Maersk, Al Futtaim Logistics and IBM will be present at the conference and relevant case studies of the main problems facing the logistics industry in the region will be discussed.
Speakers at the Supply Chain Management and Logistics conference include Omar Hijazi, CEO, Tejari, who will be discussing ways to shape the future of logistics and supply chain in the Gulf region, as well as Oussama el Omari, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority and Tom Nauwelaerts, Head of Logistics, Al Futtaim Logistics. Anthony Elwine, Manager Global Industries, Maersk will be presenting a case study exploring up-to-date warehousing technologies to overcome future space availability challenges.
MEED's Supply Chain Management and Logistics conference offers a unique networking opportunity for supply chain and logistics leaders who will be sharing their experiences and creating business opportunities. Attendees will be able to view state-of-the-art methodologies and reliable strategies to implement their business efficiently and understand what the future holds for customs clearance procedures, trade routes, SCM and logistics market access.
A post conference masterclass led by Manny Hontoria, Director, Global Surface Transportation Group, Oliver Wyman, Dubai, on 'Strategies to successfully enter and manage the high growth Gulf logistics market' will also be held on Thursday March 12th.
For more information and to secure a place at MEED's Supply Chain Management and Logistics conference contact:
MEED customer services team on +9714 390 0049, www.meed.com/events/supplychain or email conferences@meed-dubai.com.
Since November 2007, MEED is no longer referred to as the 'Middle East Economic Digest', but as the leading source of business intelligence in the Middle East.Please delete 'Middle East Economic Digest' from any reference points and refrain from using this term in any press coverage.
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About MEED
MEED is internationally recognised as the leading source of business intelligence for anyone doing business in, or with, the Middle East and North Africa. With journalists and contacts across the entire Middle East and North Africa region, MEED provides reliable, up-to-date business news, analysis and data in both print and online. MEED attracts customers from across 78 countries worldwide.
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www.meed.com/events
For additional information please contact:
John Stapley
Account Director
Siren Consulting
Tel: +971 4 321 5351
john@sirenconsulting.com
© Press Release 2009
