More than 200 global industry design leaders working with multi-billion iconic projects across the Mena region will discuss further advancement of the sector at a major design conference in Dubai, UAE next 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, organized 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 the 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 by Jeffery Brand, principal of Perkins Eastman, a leader in revolutionary health-care designs, including that of the Sheikh Khalifa Specialist Hospital, to participate in the Leaders in Design MENA summit, where they will be sharing invaluable knowledge.

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 MENA 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 - 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 60 presenters, some of the renowned gurus in the industry 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. We at International Business Council are extremely pleased to host such prominent industry leaders at our summit Leaders in Design MENA and receive such a wholehearted support from both global and regional frontrunners.”

American Institute of Architects (Middle East), Association of Professional Interior Designers, The Middle East Council of Shopping Centres, RIBA Gulf, amongst the other industry bodies, have endorsed Leaders in Design MENA and will be playing an active role in the summit’s agenda over the course of two days.

Leaders in Design MENA is a key meeting place for interior design professionals from the region to discuss the latest global markets trends in the industry as well as learn and source 360-degree solutions for their diverse portfolios of projects.  – TradeArabia News Service