The big guns of the global media industry have converged in Abu Dhabi to attend the emirate's inaugural media summit which begins on Tuesday. More than 40 chairmen and 80 CEOs are among the delegates attending the three-day event.

The invitation-only summit will focus on emerging media in fast-growing economies of Middle East, Africa and Asia, said the organisers.

It is being held under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.

The event is being hosted by the Abu Dhabi Media Company, along with leading Abu Dhabi partners, including twofour54°, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Etisalat, Etihad Airways, Aldar and Mubadala. Booz & Company is the official knowledge sponsor.

Over 400 delegates from diverse territories across the globe including China, Korea, India, Chile, US, and the UK will join high-profile regional and UAE-based media executives at the Yas Hotel, where they will be discussing and debating issues affecting the media industry around the globe.

A large contingent of high-level regional and international press corps will also be in attendance, said the organisers.

Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Media Summit and of Abu Dhabi Media Company, said, 'the Middle East is one of the fastest-growing regions for the media industry, thanks to more accessible technologies, higher disposable incomes, and increased consumer appetite for news and entertainment.'

'Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Media Company are looking to play a key role in this growth, which is why we have gathered some of the most influential minds in our industry together here this week. We believe that this summit will become one of the most important industry forums of its kind anywhere in the world,” he added.

Edward Borgerding, CEO of Abu Dhabi Media Company, said, “We are very excited to have such a phenomenal list of co-chairs and delegates for the first Abu Dhabi Media Summit. This is a truly global group, with diverse perspectives and experiences in their regions.'

The high-profile list includes Khaldoon Khalifa al Mubarak, Chairman, twofour54; Tim Armstrong, chief executive officer of  AOL; Dr Kai-Fu Lee, chairman and CEO of  Innovation Works; Dr Seok Chae Lee, chairman of KT Corporation; Maurice Lévy, chairman of PublicisGroupe; Didier Lombard, chairman of Orange/France Telecom; Kishore Lulla, chairman and CEO of Eros International; Dirk Meyer, president & CEO of AMD; Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman & CEO of Bharti Enterprises; Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corporation; Mohammed Omran, chairman of Etisalat; Hartmut Ostrowski, chairman & CEO of Bertelsmann AG; Dr Prannoy Roy, executive chairperson of NDTV;  Hans Vestberg, president & CEO of Ericsson; Mehmet Ali Yalçindag, CEO & vice chairman of Dogan Media Group and Barry Meyer, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros Entertainment.

'We hope that bringing this group together will not only help spark a dialogue about our shared challenges and opportunities in the media industry, but also help us work towards common solutions for evolving our industry during a time of transition,' Borgerding added.-TradeArabia News Service