More than 200 global industry design leaders working with multi-billion-dollar iconic projects across the Mena region will discuss further advancement of the sector at a major design conference in Dubai this month.
Organised by International Business Council, Leaders in Design Mena takes place on November 15 and 16 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
“For many years now, Leaders in Design Mena, organised by International Business Council, is a forum for the region’s driving elite of the real estate industry to connect with new potential business partners and develop valuable relationships,” said Francis Gallagher, principal and managing director of HKS Architects, the firm behind the SR2.3 billion ($613 million) King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“It is a great opportunity to share our vast experience with other professionals as well as to take the pulse of the region.
Gallagher will be joined at the summit by Jeffery Brand, principal of Perkins Eastman and a leader in revolutionary health-care designs including that of the Sheikh Khalifa Specialist Hospital, where they will be sharing invaluable knowledge with other experts.
Rashid Doleh, co-founder and managing partner of Reem Mall, a billion-dollar retail project in Abu Dhabi, UAE, will also be attending the Leaders in Design summit to share his valuable expertise on a discussion entitled, “Storytelling in Retail Interior Design.”
One of the most crucial topics that will be deliberated during the summit is Sustainable Design. It will discuss how green design has gone from a novelty approach practiced by a few select designers for an enlightened group of clients, to an indispensable consideration of the design process among all firms, big and small.
“Leaders in Design Mena is one of the most important events in the region for designers and I am honoured to be invited to share my experiences in architectural design at the conference,” said Michael Fowler, managing director of Aedas Middle East.
“This event offers a great opportunity for design professionals from around the globe to discuss current issues, challenges and market trends, especially their impact on future development and the design profession in Mena. I believe both the programmes line up and the spontaneous conversations that follow will spark a lot of ideas and definitely inspire every one of us.”
Among the 60 presenters are Marc Cerone, director of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Andrew Linwood, head of Design of Areen Hospitality, Clay Pendergast, senior vice president of HOK, Predeep Menon, CEO of RSP Architects, and Tom Hasker, managing director – Property of Atkins Middle East.
Elena Jassim, CEO of International Business Council, said: “The Middle East is becoming a trend-setter when it comes to the design and architecture industry.”
