Saudi Arabia has emerged as the most attractive investment destination in the Middle East’s petrochemical, printing, packaging and plastic industries, revealed Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), organiser of “Saudi PPPP 2009″, in a press conference held today (Sunday, October 11, 2009) at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh. REC also disclosed that more than 500 companies will represent 24 countries in the upcoming mega trade event to tap into the Kingdom’s robust business opportunities.

Speaking at the press conference, Fadi Kaddoura, Vice President – Sales and Marketing, REC, said, “Saudi PPPP 2009 will offer a unique platform for companies to identify and pursue gainful business and investment opportunities that have been unlocked by the Saudi Government’s proactive efforts in developing its petrochemicals industry. Moreover, Saudi PPPP features a unique combination of four major trade exhibitions, allowing trade visitors and exhibitors to optimise their business potential, and creating exciting possibilities to synergise and build strategic partnerships.”

Commercial counsellors of several National Pavilions that will be put up at Saudi PPPP 2009 joined REC at the press conference in discussing the role of Saudi Arabia in promoting the industry’s growth in the region. REC underscored the fact that Saudi Arabia’s groundbreaking petrochemicals projects, estimated to be worth SAR 172.5 billion, will dramatically increase Saudi Arabia’s production capacity and further consolidate the country’s position as a leading producer and supplier in the regional and global petrochemicals industry. This has been further reinforced with the country scoring a chart-topping 74.3 points in the Middle Eastern Petrochemicals Business Environment Rankings matrix.

On the other hand, recent reports have revealed that the Saudi printing industry continues to grow by 15 percent annually as printing expenditure in Saudi Arabia has been at an all-time high. At 40 kilograms a head, Saudi Arabia’s consumption of plastics rates twice as much as any other GCC country, even as the country’s packaging sector accounts for up to 70 per cent of the GCC packaging market, valued at USD 2 billion.

Saudi PPPP 2009 will be held from Shawwal 29 to Zul Al-Qi’dah 2, 1430 / October 18 to 21, 2009, at the newly built Riyadh International Exhibition Centre, one of the region’s most advanced exhibition facilities. The leading business-to-business event comprises Saudi Petrochem 2009 – The 4th International Exhibition for Chemicals and Chemical Technology Industry; Saudi Plas 2009 – The 9th International Plastics Technology Show; Saudi Pack 2009 – The 9th International Packing Machinery and Materials Show; and Saudi Print 2009 – The 9th International Pre-press and Printing Technology Exhibition.

Supported by diamond sponsor Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and gold sponsor Petro Rabigh, Saudi PPPP 2009 will also feature a comprehensive range of products manufactured locally in Saudi Arabia, which collectively account for 35 per cent of the total products showcased in the event. The trade event’s confirmed exhibitors now represent a substantial 77.4 per cent increase in participation, while exhibition space has been expanded by 100 per cent to reach 15,000 square metres.
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The one day conference was organized by Gulf Publishing Company and inaugurated by H.H Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, witnessed the participation of over 115 individuals interested in the field of energy and technology from all over the world.

Addressing the participants, H.H Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed said:

“The complex relationships between the global oil companies, the price of oil, supply and demand, funding for new technology development, alternative energy resources and all of this as it impacts our environment are key issues that we all must face. I am confident that conferences such as this, along with a renewed commitment to the future of our children and planet, will provide the stability we all crave as citizens of the world.”

Within the framework of this conference, several presentations and panel discussions were held, they were dedicated to issues like: sustainable solutions for meeting energy demand, the dynamics and impacts of the current market on the relationship between national and international oil companies, the relationships among the global economy, the price of oil, supply and demand and the human capital, the recruitment and retention of young talent in tough economic times and many more.

In his welcome speech H.H praised Gulf Publishing Company for the efforts they have put into making this conference a huge success, he said:

“Gulf Publishing is creating lasting connections for women in the energy industry. They have given you a platform to express ideas and exchange diverse opinions in an exciting, dynamic environment.”

The conference wrapped up with a networking reception, where participants had the chance to further elaborate on the subjects of the conference and build relations for future collaborations.

The Women’s Global Leadership Conference was held under the Platinum Sponsorship of Ernst & Young, the Gold Sponsorship of Schlumberger, and the Silver Sponsorship of ExxonMobil. The conference was also supported by numerous organizations around the region.
The next Women’s Global Leadership Conference in Energy and Technology will be held in Houston Texas on November 3rd and 4th, 2009.
For more information visit www.wglnetwork.com. You can also follow them on www.twitter.com/WGLNetwork and join their group on LinkedIn, Women’s Global Leadership Network.

The five women selected for the WLP will be assigned a series of projects in departments outside of their own to increase their exposure to the other business units and groom them to take on more responsibility. Soft skills instruction, coursework and on the job training will all be utilised to further develop and hone their skills.

“Women tend to fall off the corporate ladder once they reach the higher rungs,” said Dina Amin, one of the five selected for the programme and the Head of Business Cards at Barclays Bank UAE. “This initiative recognizes the important role women play in the workforce and encourages all of us to pursue the professional goals we have set for ourselves.”

The programme was restricted to the middle management grades because it tend to be the “tipping point” in the professional career of a woman.

“To retain talented female employees, businesses have to go the extra mile to encourage women who choose to remain in the workforce and equip them with the right tools for their career enhancement” said Amin.

A six months mentoring programme will be created for each of the five employees. Following completion of the programme each of the participants will be asked to mentor a less senior female employee at Barclays – thereby extending the reach and efficiency of the programme.

The WLP programme in the UAE is a part of the larger, award winning Diversity and Inclusion campaign that Barclays has implemented across all of the markets it operates in. The Diversity and Inclusion campaign allows each market the flexibility to identify specific areas they would like to focus their resources toward improving. After thorough review, Barclays in the UAE chose to devote special attention to the retention and promotion of female managers in the organisation.