Under the patronage of Hamdan bin Mohammed… Ahmed bin Mohammed opens the 11th session of the Dubai International Project Management Forum

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, opened the Dubai International Forum for Project Management, in its eleventh session, which is held under the slogan: (Bridging Communities), in the presence of a number of officials, heads of bodies and institutions, and officials of major international companies.

Upon his arrival to the site of the event held in Madinat Jumeirah, His Highness was received by Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, and Abdullah Al Basti, Secretary General of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai.

His Highness viewed a mural entitled (A Century of Mobility in Dubai), which highlights Dubai’s legacy in developing road and transportation infrastructure over 100 years, as it reviews the process of developing the transportation infrastructure in the Emirate of Dubai, since the era of the late Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, who adopted a policy of openness and laid the first foundations for prosperity, then the era of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the builder of modern Dubai, where his reign witnessed the start of providing mass transit services and the construction of… Roads and bridges, the most important of which is increasing the length of the roads, the opening of the Al Maktoum Bridge in 1963, which is the first crossing on the Dubai Creek, and the project was implemented by international companies, the opening of the Shindagha Tunnel, which is the first underpass crossing, linking the Deira and Bur Dubai regions, the implementation of the Clock Roundabout, which is one of the most prominent vital landmarks in Dubai, the implementation of Port Rashid, and the construction of Burj Rashid (the commercial center).

The comprehensive development renaissance in Dubai continued, as it witnessed a qualitative leap during the era of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, who transformed Dubai into a global city, topping global competitiveness indicators in all sectors. The roads and transportation sector witnessed a qualitative leap, and this phase witnessed the adoption of a comprehensive vision to integrate road systems with mass transportation, and the development of strategic projects such as the Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, and public transportation buses, in addition to employing smart solutions and traffic management systems according to the best standards. International practices, which have enhanced the efficiency of transportation and quality of life, and the mural concludes with a review of the future vision led by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, which focuses on anticipating future modes of transportation, most notably self-driving vehicles, air taxis, smart and sustainable transportation, and employing advanced technologies and artificial intelligence in managing the transportation system.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also viewed a model of the “Dubai Auto Market” project, which is being developed by DP World. It is considered the largest and best of its kind in the world. It is located on an area of 22 million square feet and includes more than 1,500 showrooms, in addition to areas for workshop complexes, warehouses, and multi-storey parking lots, in addition to a conference center, hotel, auction house, and spaces allocated for restaurants, cafes, and retail stores. The market was also designed. To accommodate up to 800,000 vehicles annually, it includes many vital facilities such as customs inspection, employee housing, entertainment facilities, etc., which makes the market integrated in terms of infrastructure, facilities and services, and will provide the best services and facilities that meet the needs of investors and traders.

His Highness viewed a model of the iconic station: (Emaar Properties), the highest metro station in the world, with a height of 74 meters and a width of 38 metres. It was inspired by the idea of ​​​​the transit gate: (Gateway), and is distinguished by its unique urban design. It is a cultural landmark added to the cultural landmarks in the Emirate of Dubai, and shows the vision of the emirate as a gateway to the future, and forms a visual presence that is in harmony with the urban fabric in the region, and elevates the concept of place making.

His Highness listened to an explanation about the station, which has an area of ​​approximately 11,000 square metres, and its capacity is estimated at about 160,000 passengers per day, and it is expected that the number of its users in 2040 will reach more than 70,000 passengers per day.

His Highness the Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai witnessed the opening session of the Dubai International Project Management Forum, in which the world tennis legend and one of the most prominent humanitarian icons, Andre Agassi, reviewed his journey from the tennis courts to charitable work, explaining that sport contributed to consolidating the values ​​of discipline, commitment, and the ability to manage long-term goals, which are the same principles on which successful project management is based.

Agassi also stressed that education constitutes the cornerstone of any sustainable change in societies, and that his early interruption from education was the main motivation for devoting his efforts to supporting educational initiatives around the world, through the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education.

Agassi said: “I find my passion and purpose are what drives me. I focus on details, build the best teams, and set clear goals and measurable results for each initiative, just as I plan a long game with specific steps and clear responsibilities. I also surround myself with experts in education and community development, relying on data and strong teams more than on passion alone.”

Regarding his leadership in sports and charitable work, he pointed out that teamwork is based on respect, trust, and communication, clarifying roles, and putting people in the best position to achieve success. He stressed that he adopts the leadership style by example and purpose, while ensuring that everyone understands the reason behind the work, and not just accomplishing tasks. He is also keen to create a culture of trust and ownership so that everyone feels responsible and empowered to contribute their ideas to the success of the work.

Agassi touched on his early beginnings in education, and said: I started my charitable foundation when I was twenty-four, after I left formal education in the ninth grade, and the lack of formal education motivated me to devote my life to helping others obtain what I did not obtain. He explained that he faced personal difficulties in the beginning, which prompted him to borrow $40 million to start the foundation, based on his conviction that success should go beyond its impact on his life, to include every child he could help.

Regarding the future, Agassi stressed that combining sports and education can be an effective way to connect communities globally, so he transferred his activities to the Social Impact Fund, in an effort to achieve a more effective model, instead of relying on donations, as he was able to finance multiple educational projects and build approximately 130 schools, while achieving a return for investors, pointing out that integrating education into sports programs to teach life skills, leadership and resilience, in addition to benefiting from technology and global partnerships, will allow access to quality education outside the traditional classrooms.

Agassi concluded his speech by calling on project managers to invest their personal passion in designing projects of societal value, stressing that the best projects are those that are managed with a clear vision and are measured by their true success in people’s lives.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, accompanied by Mattar Al Tayer, honored the keynote speaker at the forum, Andre Agassi, and also honored the organizing partners of the forum, which are: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Ports World (DP World), Emaar Properties, and the Project Management Institute (PMI).

The honor included the strategic sponsors: Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) and Mapa, in addition to the platinum sponsors: Limak, Al Naboodah Group, Western Baynouna Group (WBG), and Planesware.

The honor also included the forum’s golden sponsors, namely: Wade Adams Contracting Company, United Automobile and Heavy Equipment Company, China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC), China General Engineering Corporation (CRRC), Parkin Company, and Keolis MHI.

The honor also included the silver sponsors, which are: Parsons Company and Datco Company (DBB), in addition to the supporting sponsors, which are: Alghanim International Company, Road and Traffic Engineering Company (RTC), Al Zarouni International Equipment Company, and ICOM Company.

Forum topics
In its eleventh session, the forum discusses 5 main themes and 16 sub-themes. The main themes include the Sustainable City axis, which covers the topics of sustainable development and future societies, while the digital transformation axis covers the topics of leadership and strategy, flexible management, digital twins and metaviruses, and blockchain technology. The Future Jobs axis includes topics of efficiency and improvement, remote project management, the circular economy and the project economy, and the role of specialized education. The future trends and technology axis includes artificial intelligence topics. The future of smart mobility and data management. As for the focus on customers, it covers topics of communication with customers, empowering the work team, and flexible and hybrid project management.