More than 50 leading industry experts will take part in the third Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) to be held in Abu Dhabi in February, 2010.

AWCS 2010, being organised by Meed at the Emirates Palace Hotel from February 8-10, will be themed ‘Growing in a Challenging Market’.

The summit will be the single largest gathering for industry professionals in the Middle East, organisers said.

Eng. Sultan Saeed Nasser Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy; Fatima Obaid, chief operating officer of Al Jaber Group; Abdullah Mohammed Hameedadin, deputy governor and head of the Economic Cities of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (Sagia); Johan Beerlandt, chief executive officer of Besix Group; Dr Mustafa Sani Sener, president and CEO of TAV Group, as well as other high-ranking public sector officials, regional CEOs and private sector top executives will take the stage at the summit.

Richard Thompson, editor of Meed, said: “AWCS really is the who’s who of Middle East construction. The sector in the region is undoubtedly facing an extended period of uncertainty and the conference will provide some real insight into what the key players are doing to adapt to the challenges and issues ahead.”  

The summit will focus on, amongst other issues, the government’s role in creating the right environment for the construction sector to grow, strategies to tackle the projects slowdown, the new realities of funding and financing projects, as well as focusing on winning new contracts in the region.

Beerlandt said: “The summit is the perfect platform to interact with, and learn from, the leaders of important construction companies from across the Middle East.”

As well as looking at the challenges faced by the industry, AWCS 2010 will also feature project showcases on transportation, infrastructure, social infrastructure and real estate. For the first time, the summit will also look, in detail, at the opportunities available in the Saudi Arabian construction market, focusing on corporate alliances, challenges and regulatory frameworks. – TradeArabia News Service