American University of Sharjah to Promote Sustainable Economic Development

    In partnership with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry , the Business Forum will feature prominent speakers and will focus on business development and growth in the region.
    Career Fair, to be held on March 19, will provide students and alumni with the opportunity to meet over 70 regional companies.
    The event will feature an art exhibition celebrating “Art through the University and Community Dialogue.”

Sharjah, Sunday, March 17, 2013–Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, UAE Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of American University of Sharjah ( AUS ), His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, will inaugurate the annual AUS Business Forum and Career Fair at the university tomorrow, March 18.

The event, which is organized by the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, is held in partnership with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will bring prominent business leaders together to share their expertise and address key business development and growth in the region with students and alumni.

As part of AUS ‘s mandate to become “organically linked” to the economic, cultural, scientific and industrial sectors of society, the event will provide a platform for collaboration through the alliance with the private sector. The event represents a major milestone in bridging education with industry and ensuring sustainable economic prosperity.

“As an innovative initiative emanating from our alumni, the forum is a special gathering of eminent women and men from the private sector whose presence today fulfills an important purpose for this university: the sharing of bold, creative ideas by some of the finest minds with a receptive audience on matters both relevant and timely,” said Dr. Thomas J. Hochstettler, AUS Provost and Acting Chancellor.

Commenting on the event, Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs, highlighted the importance of convening this forum, which will demonstrate how business, industry and education can work together to fulfill the current societal and economic needs. “At AUS , we open the door wide to the flow of ideas and talent between private industry and private education, so that the enhanced synergy flows both ways.”

Through the day, panels will discuss topics covering a wide variety of areas that will include business and investment, energy and environment, innovative trends in entrepreneurship and finance, social media and creative technologies, among others.
“I’m looking forward to addressing the audience at this significant event and passing on the experience from the business world especially to the students and faculty; and I also hope to inspire and guide the business leaders of the future,” said Hamish Gordon Tyrwhitt, Chief Executive Officer, Leighton Group, Australia, who will be a keynote speaker at the opening of the event.

Speaking on the dynamics of how communication is impacting the fast-paced corporate world, Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company (du), UAE, also a keynote speaker, said, “The rapid transformation of the way we communicate today is impacting radically everything we touch in our lives as individuals, families, communities, corporations, governments and even nations as a whole. It might naturally raise a lot of questions or concerns but it certainly can create even more exciting opportunities.”

The annual Career Fair will be held the next day, Tuesday, March 19, and will provide AUS seniors and alumni with the opportunity to meet representatives from over 70 local, regional and international organizations from the private and public sectors.

A special art exhibition has also been scheduled as part of the Business Fair and Career Forum. The exhibition will include work by renowned Emirati and Qatari artists and is part of the “Art through the University and Community Dialogue” initiative originated by the university last year for the purpose of building relationships between educators and artists.

Keynote speakers at the event will include Hamish Gordon Tyrwhitt, Chief Executive Officer, Leighton Group, Australia, and Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, du, UAE. Panelists will include: Arif Masood Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, The Abraaj Group, UAE; Thomas Lundgren, Founder, THE One, UAE; V. Shankar, Group Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank – Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas; Majid H. Jafar, Chief Executive Officer, Crescent Petroleum, Board Member, SCCI , UAE; Tirad Mahmoud, Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, UAE; Sanjay Verma, Consul General of India to Dubai; D. Shivakumar, Senior Vice President, Nokia IMEA, UAE; Lovraj Talwar, Managing Director, Terrazzo Ltd, UAE; Khaldoon Al Tabari, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Drake & Scull International PJSC, UAE; Habib Fekih, President, Airbus Middle East, UAE; Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman, Unilever North Africa and Middle East, UAE; Sultan Abu Sultan, Chairman, Barclays Bank, UAE; Nariman Al Awadhi, Chief Manager, Banking Supervision Department, Central Bank of the UAE, UAE; Yousuf Bastaki, Vice President Projects, Emirates Aluminum (EMAL), UAE; Philippe Dessoy, General Manager, Six Construct, UAE; Thumbay Moideen, Founder President, THUMBAY Group, UAE; Marwan Al Serkal, Chief Executive Officer, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), UAE; Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, UAE; Hind Seddiqi, VP Marketing, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, UAE; Ziad Makhzoumi, Chief Financial Officer, Arabtec Holding PJSC, UAE; Kamal Hassan, Founder and CEO, Innovation 360; Liam Wholey, Chief Executive Officer, Travel Attache and The Ticket Attache, UAE; Abdullatif Alsayegh, Chief Executive Officer, Alsayegh Media, UAE; Dr. Mahboub Hashem, Interim Head, Department of Mass Communication, American University of Sharjah , UAE; Dr. Mohammad Ayish, Professor of Mass Communication, American University of Sharjah , UAE; Alexandre Mussallam, Chief Executive Officer, MAF Dalkia Middle East, UAE; Marc Richli, Senior Advisor, Veolia Water Middle East, UAE; Fouad Kraishan, Director, International Business Development, Vert Investment Group, USA.