7 new professional associations join the Centre
02/05/2016 06:25 AST
Affirming Dubai’s success in consolidating its position as the centre for professional associations in the region, the Dubai Association Centre (DAC) has announced 44 per cent rise in its membership in the first quarter of 2016 which takes the Centre’s total membership to 23 from last year’s 16.
The recent joining of seven new associations reflects on the Centre’s attractiveness to professional associations. The new entrants include Young President Organisation, Middle East and North Africa Leisure and Attraction Council (Menalac), Middle East Facility Management Association (Mefma), The British Institute of Facilities Management, The Society of the Golden Keys, The Building Industry Consulting Service International and The Marketing Society.
Besides granting permission to these new professional associations, DAC is looking at attracting a large number of international associations to set up base in Dubai.
The Centre’s aim also is to highlight emirate’s position as a strategic hub of trade and finance supported by a stimulating investment environment and modern infrastructural facilities for global associations to make their base in the region.
Atiq Juma Nasib, Senior Vice-President, Commercial Services Sector, Dubai Chamber, stated that since its launch DAC has succeeded in consolidating Dubai’s position as a regional centre for professional associations to strengthen their economic activities in the region.
He added that the emirate with its easy access to the regional markets and highly developed infrastructural and logistics facilities including world-class airports connecting Southeast Asia and Africa provides an ideal platform for these bodies to operate from.
Nasib also said that the Centre’s efforts to promote Dubai as a hub to attract regional and global professional associations complement the Dubai Strategic Plan 2021, adds value to the lucrative business environment of Dubai as well as contribute to the sustainable development process of the emirate and the region.
Jamal Lootah, CEO, Middle East Facility Management Association (Mefma), said: “We are glad to be based in Dubai under the DAC umbrella which helps us to benefit from the amazing developments taking place in Dubai and GCC region where we can use the facility management expertise to manage these facilities. This also helps us to enhance the company’s focus in creating a knowledge platform for professionals in the field as well as creating a sustainable facility management industry that will have positive impact on the regional economy in the long term.”
Ahmad Hussain Bin Essa, the Executive Director, Middle East and North Africa Leisure and Attraction Council, said: “Menalac aims to promote and enhance excellence in the entertainment and attraction industry in the Middle East and Africa region, therefore, we chose Dubai because the emirate is one of the fastest growing cities in the region in the area of entertainment and tourism with several world class projects under construction and in the pipeline.
“The Dubai Association Centre had an integral role in setting up Menalac in Dubai with all the facilitation and support it provided in licensing the council and introducing it to the market. It also encourages various global associations to explore the potentials available in the emirate, benefit from economies of scale, experience in the association marketplace, flexibility and adaptability, and buying power,” he said.
Hani Ghorayeb, President, International Advertising Association (IAA) - UAE Chapter said: “The IAA UAE Chapter is privileged to be one of the first non-profit organisations to be officially registered with the Dubai Association Centre. Established in 1979, the UAE Chapter is one of the world’s largest Chapters headquartered out of Dubai reflecting upon the dynamic growth of the UAE’s marketing and communications industry. Its breadth of local member
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