Annual Report 2012
Annual Report 2012 : 3
ADNEC at a glance Economic
Industry accolades
ADNEC people
Sustainability
• Economic impact: AED 2.34bn • Events: 360 • Visitors: 1.4m
• ICCA Worldwide rankings: Abu Dhabi from 268th to 100th • World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre at World Travel Awards • Best Purpose Built Venue at Middle East Events Awards
• Total of 311 employees at end of 2012 • 3,533 hours of training • 67% of UAE Nationals in senior management positions
• 30% of ADNEC plant machinery is now powered from our cooking oil waster • 55 pints of blood donated by ADNEC people at blood donation drive • 18% of all waste generated at ADNEC was recycled
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Contents Message from the Chairman Message from the Managing Director Group CEO review of the year Board of Directors Management Team
7 9 11 12 13
ADNEC Group
15
Timeline 2005-2012 - Awards and accolades ADNEC Group Group photos Group highlights Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre
ADNEC Employees Our vision, mission and values Our People
16 18 22 24 26
29 30 32
Stakeholder engagement
37
Corporate Responsibility
41
Sustainability 42
Contact details Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company Khaleej Al Arabi Street P.O.Box: 5546, Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 (0) 2 444 6900 Fax: +971 (0) 2 444 6135 www.adnec.ae
Excellenc
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Message from the Chairman Dear ADNEC supporter, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company is central to this emirate’s very serious business tourism ambitions while also playing a key role in helping the destination to enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike. The investment that has gone into Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and its immediate area over recent years is a physical demonstration of our own, and the tourism industry’s, commitment to becoming a credible force on the global business events arena. Headway has already been made. 2012 saw Abu Dhabi city named, by the International Congress and Conventions Association (ICCA), as among the world’s Top 100 busiest destinations for association meetings. While we were happy to have entered the big league having jumped 134 places in a year, we’ve set our targets even higher. Within the next five years, we want to be among ICCA’s Top 50 – and we’re already making major strides forward. We have secured a number of global conventions and have set down a road map to attract eight major business wins in 2014 and 10 wins during 2015. Business events is often the unsung tourism sector – perhaps not earning the popular headlines mainline attractions are subject to – but there should be no doubt of its importance. A detailed economic impact study commissioned by TCA Abu Dhabi has shown that 19% of global business events visitors coming to our emirate were international and not resident in the UAE. These visitors spent AED 10,000 (US $2,723) per event while domestic visitors spent AED 640 ($174). There are also compelling socio-economic benefits resulting from this sector including improved education quality across various sectors, knowledge and technology transfer, research collaborations, destination and opportunity awareness, the positioning of Abu Dhabi as a thought leader, the ongoing development of human capital and the catalysing of inward investment.
ADNEC is at the heart of these goals and year-on-year proves to be a partner of choice for some of the world’s most discerning meetings and event organisers. I have total confidence in ADNEC’s ability to deliver on our ambitions and recommend the venue, and its management team to you, as you look to fulfil your own business goals.
Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan Chairman
Value
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Message from the Managing Director 2012 has been a year of positive change for Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company during which we welcomed our new Group CEO and revisited our five year strategy to ensure sustainable growth. Our mission is to increase business tourism for Abu Dhabi and raise the Emirate’s profile both locally and internationally through hosting major exhibitions and conferences. We are continuing to contribute to creating economic diversification in Abu Dhabi and help drive the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. 2012 saw the number of visitors to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and the Al Ain Convention Centre grow to 1.4 million during 2012, compared to around one million visitors during 2011. The number of events hosted also grew to 360 in 2012 from 232 the previous year, indicating an increase of 55 per cent. This growth rate suggests Abu Dhabi is emerging as a key destination for exhibitions, meetings and international associations to do business. The business event visitor is traditionally a higher spender than the leisure tourist; sometimes by up to seven times as much. With this in mind, our future strategy continues to focus on bringing more conferences and congresses to our venues and support business tourism and economic impact for the region. As an example, we hosted the largest congress to date in Abu Dhabi which saw 12,000 visitors arrive at ADNEC for the convention – 80 per cent of them first time visitors to the emirate. The direct economic benefit to the emirate has been calculated at US $21,880,540 (AED 80,325,725). We are committed to support Emiratisation and develop our talented UAE Nationals. We achieved 41 per cent Emiratisation in 2012, with a target of 44 per cent in 2013 and 52 per cent by 2017. The goal of Emiratisation at ADNEC is not only to increase the national workforce, but also build on the competencies of our Emiratis to drive ADNEC’s core business.
I would like to thank all ADNEC people and of course our stakeholders and partners. Your support, dedication and commitment enables us to continue to strive for excellence and realise our vision and goals.
Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri Managing Director
Innovativ
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Group CEO review of the year 2012 was a remarkable year for Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company. From achieving Gold in the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award to hosting Abu Dhabi’s largest congress to date; 2012 was certainly a year we are all proud of. Joining ADNEC at this exciting time and witnessing the company’s growth and development is a real honour. I truly believe we should celebrate what sets ADNEC apart: our passion for excellence and enthusiasm to develop new ideas. Our achievements in 2012 have placed us at the forefront of the meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) industry. As a group we won nine awards including Best Purpose-Built Events Venue at the Middle East Event Awards, Gold SKEA Award and World’s Leading Meeting and Conference Centre at the World Travel Awards. In 2012 we reviewed our strategic focus to increase the conference and congress side of our business; our record breaking congress visitor numbers and calibre of confirmed wins is incredibly positive. 12,000 delegates attended the World Ophthalmology Congress 2012. This is the largest congress to be held in Abu Dhabi to date. We also hosted the 79th Annual UFI Congress - a first for the Middle East - which saw a record 450 delegates gather from across 55 countries. The iconic Capital Gate tower opened and was awarded the World’s Furthest Leaning Manmade Tower by the Guinness Book of World Records. Hyatt Capital Gate opened across the top floors of Capital Gate building. This 5-star business hotel has strengthened Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre’s onsite offering for business tourists and visitors. ADNEC has continued to develop our sustainability efforts and work in a greener way. We joined Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group and have recycled more materials than ever before.
Our people continue to be our most valuable assets. I am proud of both our diverse team as well as our strong Emiratisation development programme. 2012 saw eight UAE Nationals complete our Space to Perform ExCeL London development programme, including two individuals who had the opportunity to participate during the 2012 London Olympics. I feel that ADNEC is in a better position than ever to deliver our business strategy and vision. We have the best people in place to drive the business forward. I am excited about 2013 and the long-term future for ADNEC.
Pieter Idenburg
Group Chief Executive Officer
Board of Directors His Excellency
Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan Chairman In addition to his role as Chairman of ADNEC, His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan holds a number of official positions, including Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority and Chairman of Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC). He is also on the Governing Board of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) and is a Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
His Excellency
His Excellency
His Excellency
Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri
Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi
Mohammed Omar Abdulla
Her Excellency
His Excellency
His Excellency
Reem Yousif Al Shemari
Khalifa Nasser Bin Huwaileel Al Mansoori
Saif Mohamed Al Hajeri
Managing Director
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Management Team
Pieter Idenburg
Mike Henderson
Group Chief Executive Officer
Group Chief Strategy and Finance Officer
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri
Khalid Al Hashmi
Salah Al Jaeedi
Saleh Hassan Al Marzooqi
Chief Commercial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Operating Officer
IDEX Director
ADNEC Group Business tourism has been identified as a key economic diversification driver in Abu Dhabi and ADNEC is playing a key role to realise this ambition.
Timeline 2005-2012 2005
2006
2007
2008
ADNEC formed by Decree
Program launched to
IDEX staged for first time
First World Future Energy
Phase 1 of new Exhibition
March
August
October New management team recruited
May
attract international organisers
September
February
in new Centre
Centre completed
Capital Centre land sale
January
Summit
Capital Gate construction starts
launched
June ADNEC acquires ExCeL London
1st Summer in Abu Dhabi staged
October ADNEC Phase 2 completed
ADIPEC holds full site let
Awards and accolades 2008 Project of the year
Construction Week
2009 Middle East’s Leading Exhibition & Convention Centre Best Venue Future Commercial & Retail Development Best Exhibition - IDEX 2009 Best International Venue
World Travel Awards Middle East Event Awards Cityscape Abu Dhabi Middle East Event Awards Confex Awards
2010 Best International Venue Green Award International Venue of the Year
Exhibition News Awards Middle East Event Awards AEO Excellence Awards
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2009
2010
2011
2012
50% increase in the size
First wedding held in Al
Road re-alignment and
World Future Energy
January
of World Future Energy Summit
February Completion of quay wall & pedestrian bridge
IDEX holds first full site let
September Aloft Abu Dhabi opened
March
Ma’ared wedding hall
April First concert in ICC Abu Dhabi
June ExCeL London phase 2
and ICC opened Aloft ExCeL construction starts
October Most successful ADIPEC so far
January
Grandstand canopy completed
February NAVDEX launched Record breaking IDEX
April
January
Summit
February World Ophthalmology Congress
September ADNEC wins SKEA Gold
ADNEC wins International Venue of the year at AEO Awards for 2nd year in a row
November Largest ever ADIPEC
May Al Ain Convention Centre extension project opens
October Aloft London ExCeL opens
2011 World’s Leading Meeting and Conference Centre Middle East’s Leading Exhibition & Convention Centre Recognition for ADNEC's role in"supporting and enhancing the national economy" Best International Venue Outstanding contribution to sustainability Best International Venue Best Commercial / Mixed Use Project - Capital Gate Best Overall Project - Capital Gate
World Travel Awards World Travel Awards UAE Ministry of Economy Exhibition News Awards Middle East Event Awards AEO Excellence Awards Cityscape Global Awards Cityscape Global Awards
2012 Golden Category in Customer Service World’s Leading Meeting and Conference Centre Best purpose-built events venue
Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award World Travel Awards Middle East Event Awards
ADNEC Group
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre is a multi-award winning venue offering organisers of exhibitions, conferences and live events an indoor space of 73,000 square metres. This incorporates two large conference halls that can each seat 1,000 people, 20 meeting rooms, 11 halls, a purpose-built banquet facility that can seat 700 people in a dinner setting and a multi-functional 7,920 square metre, 6000 seat conference centre facility. The venue also boasts a range of restaurants, cafes, shops, onsite hotels and business facilities as well as outdoor event spaces and the stunning Waterfront Quayside.
Al Ain Convention Centre Al Ain Convention Centre provides the city of Al Ain with an exceptional venue for exhibitions, conferences, weddings and other special events. It is built in a unique architectural style that is in harmony with the city’s existing architecture with a marquee-style roof. It offers 11,900 square metres of exhibition and conference space.
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ExCeL London ExCeL London, the London’s largest international exhibition and convention centre, was acquired by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company in 2008. It sits on a 100-acre campus alongside Royal Victoria Dock in London’s Docklands and has hosted a variety of events including the 2012 London Olympics. The venue is the UK’s largest fully-flexible auditorium for up to 5,000 delegates. It is London’s largest banqueting hall for up to 3,000 guests and its conference centre can accommodate up to 1,200 people. Since opening in November 2000, the venue has staged more than 3,800 events and more than 12 million people from over 200 different countries have visited.
Capital Centre One of Abu Dhabi’s most significant economic development projects, Capital Centre, is a mixed-use micro-city development comprising apartments, offices, hotels and serviced apartments. Plot developers include major investment and holding companies from the UAE, multinational banks and leading hospitality companies.
ADNEC Group
Capital Gate Owned and developed by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, Capital Gate is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s furthest leaning Man-made tower. It was built to lean 18 degrees and is the ultimate business address in the UAE capital. With far reaching views across Abu Dhabi and the Arabian gulf, the gravity defying tower accommodates approximately 15,000 square metres of exclusive office space, as well as the 5 Star Hyatt Capital Gate hotel
Hyatt Capital Gate Located in the iconic Capital Gate tower, the five star Hyatt Capital Gate hotel provides 189 rooms and unsurpassed views of the city and coastline. It was the first Hyatt hotel in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The on-site hotel supports Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre’s business tourism needs.
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Aloft Abu Dhabi
Aloft London ExCeL
Owned by ADNEC and operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Aloft Abu Dhabi is one of the largest Aloft hotels in the world.
On October 31 2011, ExCeL London opened the UK’s first Starwood Aloft hotel. Aloft London ExCeL, was built by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company and is linked to the ICC London ExCeL.
The four star hotel offers 408 rooms over 12-storeys and is interconnected to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
The four-star, 252 room hotel is located right next to the Prince Regent DLR station and is just minutes away from London City Airport, Canary Wharf and from the O2 Arena on the new Emirates Air Line cable car.
IDEX First held in 1993, IDEX (International Defence Exhibition & Conference) is the largest tri-service defence exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. IDEX takes place biennially under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and is organised by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company in association with the UAE Armed Forces GHQ. IDEX is the only international defence and maritime security exhibition in the MENA region and demonstrates the latest technology across land, sea and air sectors of defence. It is a unique platform to establish and strengthen relationships with government departments, businesses and armed forces.
Group photos
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2
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4
5
6
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World Future Energy Summit
4-
World Ophthalmology Congress
2-
ADIPEC 2012
5-
GIBTM -The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition
3-
UFI 79th Congress
6-
TEDx Abu Dhabi 2012
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7
8
9
10
11
12
7-
Multiple award wins in 2012
10- Chinese State Circus
8-
Routes Abu Dhabi
11- The Rat Pack
9-
Al Fanoos - Ramadan Tent
12- Bjorn Again
Group highlights
2012 London Olympics ExCeL London was the most complex venue in modern history of the Olympic Games, playing host to boxing, wrestling, judo, tae-kwon-do, weight lifting, fencing and table tennis as well as six Paralympic sports. During the Olympics, ExCeL London experienced it’s busiest day; with over 70,000 visitors attending the event. One third of all Olympic medals were handed out at ExCeL London’s venue. ExCeL London was the largest venue after the Olympic Park. During the Olympic Games, ADNEC Group advertised across 33 poster sites in London, including the largest advertising site in London, seen by over three million people.
Al Ain Convention Centre Three new shows were launched at Al Ain Convention Centre including the Agriculture Show, Al Ain Reads and Micro Project National Exhibition and visitor numbers have continued to rise. In 2012 Al Ain welcomed 238,495 visitors.
Two ADNEC UAE National employees joined ExCeL London to help with the organisation and management of the venue for one month during the London 2012 Olympics.
ExCeL London 2012 awards In 2012, ExCeL London scooped six coveted industry awards: zz zz zz zz zz zz
aeo Excellence Awards: The Excellence Award aeo Excellence Awards: Venue of the Year Business Superbrand: Business Superbrand Event Awards: Exhibition Venue of the Year Event Top 20 Venues Poll 2012: Ranked Number One World Travel Awards: Europe’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre
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Anchor tenant at Capital Gate Capital Gate opened in 2012 and secured it’s anchor tenant; Etihad Rail. Capital Gate is one of the most desired shell and core office addresses in the city, and provides a platform for local and international companies seeking to establish a prestigious commercial base in the UAE capital. Tenants are given access to a number of commercial and entertainment venues via an airconditioned walkway. Etihad Rail is an innovative and dynamic transportation solution accommodated in an equally innovative and dynamic building of global standards.
The 160m high Capital Gate consists of 35 floors with 15,000 square metres of commercial office space from the second to the sixteenth floor. The remaining floors host the five-star Hyatt Capital Gate.
Hyatt Capital Gate opens Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi opened in Capital Gate building. The business hotel is located from 18th to 33rd floors of the iconic Capital Gate building, which leans a record-breaking 18 degrees and is considered city’s premium business address. The opening of the hotel further broadened the destination appeal of ADNEC for tourists business.
ADNEC joins Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group ADNEC joined the Abu Dha bi sustainability group confirming our commitment to developing innovative solutions and initiatives to promote sustainability standards across the business. Since then, ADNEC has developed and launched internal initiatives which will increase awareness of the importance of sustainability. All ADNEC employees are encourages to think about sustainability in everything they do and, as a result, their enthusiasm is universal.
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre “This outstanding accolade is recognition of the Company’s on-going and tireless efforts to elevate the level of ADNEC’s services and worldclass facilities to meet the needs of strategic partners whilst attracting more international event organisers to Abu Dhabi.” His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADNEC
2012 was a great year for ADNEC. The Abu Dhabi venue hosted a total of 360 events which is a 55 per cent increase compared to 2011. The centre hosted 17 conferences that attracted around 25,000 participants as well as 111 special events and meetings. The three largest events, World Future Energy Summit, World Ophthalmology Congress and the Tawdheef together accounted for over 64,000 visitors. As part of the on-going development and expansion of the facilities and hospitality services in the vicinity of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the total number of hotel rooms was increased to 1,232 rooms towards the end of 2012.
Award winning Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre won Best Purpose Built Venue Award at the Middle East Events and was also named the World’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre for 2012 at the World Travel Awards for the second consecutive year. Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company achieved several prestigious awards and certifications, including ISO 9001:2008 certification and Gold in the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Awards 2012.
Achieving SKEA Gold is testament to ADNEC’s commitment to provide world-class services that meet and exceed its partners and customers expectations. ADNEC was granted this accolade by the SKEA Council, under the patronage of HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The presentation was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and other dignities.
Economic impact Researched commissioned by ADNEC and TCA Abu Dhabi suggests the economic impact generated by business events and tourism will increase by approximately 7 per cent per annum on average until 2020. The economic impact of hosting World Ophthalmology Congress in 2012 delivered a direct economic benefit to the emirate of AED 80 million ($21.7 million). ADNEC has also been named to host 2015 World Conference on Tobacco or Health which is estimated to generate a direct economic impact of AED14 million ($3.8 million).
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ICC Abu Dhabi The ICC (International Convention Centre) opened at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre with the objective to boost the UAE capital’s positioning as a destination for large-scale international conventions and association events. The facility offers 6,000 seat tiered seating and strengthens ADNEC’s strategy to promote the emirate as a growing market for international association meetings. A number of major events such as the World Ophthalmology Congress, World Future Energy Summit and the first International Renewable Energy Agency General Assembly have since been staged at ICC Abu Dhabi.
Record breaking visitor numbers It was a year for record breaking; 12,000 delegates attended the World Ophthalmology Congress. This is the largest congress to be held in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to date. The 79th Annual UFI Congress was also held at ADNEC. This was not only a first for the Middle East, but also saw a record 450 international leaders and decision makers from the exhibition industry sector gathered from 55 countries for the event
ADIPEC annualised Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) is the largest exhibition for the Middle East oil and gas industry and it is supported by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the UAE’s Ministry of Energy. Since its inception in 1986, the event has grown year on year and occupies the entire venue at ADNEC. Approximately 45,000 visitors attend the four day exhibition which is held bi-annually. With support from ADNEC, in 2012 ADIPEC announced it would become an annual event from 2013.
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ADNEC Employees ADNEC is proud of its diverse workforce, which is made up of over 30 nationalities. As an international company with clients from all over the world, ADNEC understands the importance of a diverse workforce and that customer expectations vary from market to market according to different cultural and lifestyle needs.
Our vision, mission & values
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The strength of our business comes from championing and implementing our vision and goals across the whole company. We are stronger on the outside because of our strength on the inside. Our four company values shape the culture of our company and guide us in everything we do. They steer our behaviours and inspire work accountability.
Vision To become the most successful exhibition, conference and events centre in the region
Mission zz To increase business tourism for Abu Dhabi zz To raise the Emirate’s regional and international profile through hosting major exhibitions and conferences zz To create an exciting and diverse calendar of entertainment, cultural and sports events that deliver memorable experiences
Values people first zz zz zz zz
Quite simply a company is its people We believe in sustainable growth and Emiratisation We’re dedicated to attracting and nurturing the best talent We maintain a collaborative, engaging and creative environment in which our people can thrive and grow
embrace opportunity
strive for excellence zz We’re focused on finding solutions and implementing suggestions zz Our commitment to growing the company is driven by our passion for excellence and enthusiasm to develop new ideas zz We have an unfaltering dedication to be the preferred venue choice in the region
transparency
zz For our clients and stakeholders, we create opportunity by remaining agile and responsive to their needs
zz We act with integrity and value all our people, partners and clients
zz We work in an environment driven by continuous improvement
zz We are accountable for our actions and always behave in an honest and trustworthy way
zz We remain flexible and challenge our way of doing business to become better at what we do
zz We communicate with positive intent and actively listen for understanding
Our People
ADNEC growth and development area ADNEC’s growth and development is attributed to our great people and clear corporate vision. We are committed to attracting and maintaining the best talent.
Emiratisation ADNEC is dedicated to Emiratisation; this is a priority and platform to grow our business. In 2012 ADNEC achieved a 41 per cent Emiratisation rate with a goal to achieve 44 per cent by 2014 and 52 per cent by 2017. ADNEC is committed to increase Emiratisation and develop all UAE Nationals currently working for the company.
A Space to Perform ADNEC has developed a specialised development programme with ExCeL London. The A Space to Perform programme provides UAE Nationals the opportunity to experience firsthand an established venue in the European market. It is one of ADNEC’s most important training opportunities and gives ADNEC’s UAE Nationals specific hospitality and MICE industry experience.
Training ADNEC is passionate about nurturing talent. We maintain a collaborative, engaging and creative environment in which our people can thrive and grow. ADNEC seeks to develop both the leadership and technical skills of employees through performance evaluation and direct communication with an employee’s line manager. It draws a benchmark between work requirements, personal needs, required skills, and the agreed personal objectives.
Since its inception, 22 UAE Nationals have taken part in the programme.
“Work experience is essential as it gives you a stepping stone into work. At, ExCeL London I made the most out of my opportunities at work as it is majorly important for the future”.
Mohamed Al Jeaidi
Annual Report 2012 : 33
Celebrating our shining stars 2012 saw the inaugural A Time to Shine initiative launch. This recognition and rewards programme was launched to thank individuals who demonstrate achievements in support of ADNEC’s core values and who go above the norm.
Employee Satisfaction Survey ADNEC is committed to conduct an annual employee satisfaction survey. The results from this survey are analysed and support the company’s employee engagement, HR and communication strategy. In 2012, 88 per cent of ADNEC staff took part in the survey.
“Buddy Up” Mentoring Programme In 2012 ADNEC launched its Buddy Up mentoring programme; specifically to develop and support UAE Nationals within the company. ADNEC’s trained mentors help to develop our UAE National’s skill sets and knowledge with the objective to enhance both professional and personal growth.
Staff Conference ADNEC is committed to hosting an annual all staff conference. This development day encourages networking, learning, teamwork and knowledge sharing. It provides the opportunity for UAE Nationals to lead teams and develop their leadership and management skills.
Encouraging innovation As part of ADNEC’s continual drive to promote knowledge sharing and improvement, and encourage staff engagement, a staff suggestion scheme was launch in 2012: Contribute. In 2012, 34 suggestions were submitted via this initiative.
Our People
Internal Communications ADNEC is committed to share and encourage two-way communication between all ADNEC people. Developing clear messages and cascading relevant information is critical in ensuring employee engagement and alignment to our company vision and mission. We know that people like to receive information and news in different ways. We also know that not everyone in ADNEC has regular access to a computer. With that in mind, ADNEC has a number of communication channels to ensure that all messages, news and information are available to all ADNEC people.
Internal newsletter ADNEC has an informative monthly newsletter that enables all ADNEC people to stay up to date with current activities and achievements.
Intranet news items
Notice boards ADNEC has notice boards across the offices to ensure that all ADNEC people have access to information. These boards include posters, MYnews newsletter, health and safety information and memos.
Through our intranet, we publish daily news stories allowing all ADNEC people to have up-to-date and instant information. The internal website is the primary place to visit to find information.
“Working in ExCeL London was an excellent experience that has been added to my skills and knowledge to demonstrate them into actions through my role at ADNEC. I hope I meet ADNEC’s standard by continuously developing my knowledge and skills that I gained which reflect both benefits for me and ADNEC”.
Alya Al Marzouqi
Annual Report 2012 : 35
A safe environment to work By working together towards the common goal of creating a healthy and safe environment, we have improved efficiency, quality and productivity.
First aid Point (ADNEC and Al Ain Convention Centre ) The Medical Services Contract with LLH Hospital provides the following services: zz 4 Nurses in ADNEC zz 2 Nurses in Al –Ain zz Ambulance contract exist with LLH Hospital and also communication with Abu Dhabi Police
“I gained a lot of knowledge and skills working with the Conference Sales team at ExceL London. I had the opportunity to attend trade shows and look at the business from a different point of view. It was definitely a rewarding experience”.
Khalifa AlQubaisi “The ExCeL London development programme is challenging and rewarding. The management team at ExCeL gave me great support and cooperation. My mentor at ExCeL London dedicated a great deal of his time and gave me valuable advice which I refer back to when needed. He taught me professionalism when dealing with different situations, my team and clients”.
Darwish Al Khamiri
Annual Report 2012 : 37
Stakeholder engagement ADNEC is an outward facing company. This means our external resources, partnerships and customers are an important part of our strategy and values. We strive to make doing business easy with our partners and place an emphasis on work accountability and responsibility.
Stakeholder engagement Thank you to all our stakeholders, partners and clients that we worked with in 2012: Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training
Ideas Conferences & Exhibition Organizing
Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC)
IIR (Informa) Middle East
Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA)
Int’l Association of Operative Millers Middle East & Africa District
Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Limited (GASCO)
Irineo, Rosalie Abacan
Abu Dhabi Judicial Department
KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency)
Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Abu Dhabi Sports Council
Lujain Exhibition Organizer LLC
Abu Dhabi University Knowledge Group
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB)
ADCO - Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations
Medienburo Am Reichstag GmbH
ADNH Compass
Meeting Minds FZ LLC
ADNOC - Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
Merck Sharp & Dohme
Al Amry Group
Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Al Bader Exhibition Organizers (Al Ain)
Mokshi Interactive Events Pvt Ltd
Al Hader Exhibitions and Conferences
Mubadala - MDC General Services Holding Company
Al Multaqa Local and International Exhibitions
New Medical Centre Healthcare (NMC Healthcare)
Aloft Hotel
Petrofac Services Ltd.
Black Block Conferences & Exhibition
Player Events
CFA Institute
PPS Pubications Ltd
Clarion Events Middle East
Reed Exhibitions FZ LLC
Cyprus Tourism Organization
Reed Travel Exhibitions
Department of Transport Abu Dhabi
Routes Development Group
dmg :: events Abu Dhabi
Royal Show
dmg :: events Middle East
Safari Exhibitions Organisers
Emirates Publishers Association
Saudi Culture Mission
Emirates Falconers Club
Select Training and Management Consultancy LLC
Emirates Foundation
Sheikh Zayed Book Award
Emirates Steel Industries PJSC
Siemens LLC
Emirates Treasures Exhibitions
Taiwan Trade Centre TAITRA
ESRI
Terrapinn Middle East FZ LLC
Excon Middle East
The British Council (Dubai)
Flash Entertainment
The General Secretariat of Executive Council
General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments
Tourism & Culture Authority of Abu Dhabi (TCAAD)
GL Events Dubai
Turret Media FZ LLC
Global Medical Solutions
UAE Armed Forces - GHQ
Gulf Streams Exhibition Organising & Conducting LLC
UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation
Gulf Treasures Exhibitions
UFI The Global Association
Hyatt Capital Gate
WEC Daegu 2013 Organising Committee
Ideal Idea Events Management LLC
Zoom Artistic
Annual Report 2012 : 39
External stakeholder communication ADNEC is committed to delivering key corporate messages and information to our external stakeholders. The objective is to increase awareness of the region and our MICE offering within the industry.
Dr. Bruce Spivey
President of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) World Ophthalmology Congress 2012
Communication channels include:
zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz
ADNEC website Press releases Press conferences Social media Interviews Features Forums and panel discussions Specific industry white papers
Anca Westley
Head of Marketing - Masdar Manager, World Future Energy Summit
“For the past 6 years, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has been Masdar’s strategic venue to host the World Future Energy Summit – a high-level, global platform uniting thousands of people from all over the world. To successfully host an event of this caliber, which involves the participation of heads of state and other dignitaries, Masdar has relied on the support and global expertise of our partners at ADNEC. Their team is supportive, responsive and knows how to execute a bestin-class event. ADNEC successfully manages the best venue for conferences, exhibitions and events in the heart of Abu Dhabi and we plan to keep on hosting our future events there”.
“I am most pleased to report that the response from the attendees was uniformly positive. The convention centre is first rate, easy to navigate and was given extremely high marks by the ophthalmologists. All in all we had a great conference and the absolutely first rate convention facility greatly added to the congress.”
Paul Woodward Managing Director - (UFI) UFI Congress 2012
“I would like to offer a very big thank you on behalf of the UFI team, our Presidents and all members, to ADNEC for the wonderful support we received during the 79th UFI Congress. Our record number of delegates were all very positive about their week with us in Abu Dhabi and this is in no small part due to the big effort made by everybody at ADNEC to provide the best possible experience. We have received very positive coverage of the UFI Congress from both our own industry press and the general media who were there. It’s not often that we manage to attract major news channels to our events”.
Annual Report 2012 : 41
Corporate Responsibility ADNEC is committed to behaving in a sustainable way and engaging in community and wider society initiatives. ADNEC has a holistic approach to sustainability, from the design of its buildings to its commitment to using fish sources that are not endangered. The company has been recognised regionally and internationally for its initiatives including the Middle East Event’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability and was a finalist in the AEO Excellence Awards for Sustainable Initiative of the Year
Sustainability ADNEC is increasingly focusing on minimising the environmental impact of its operations. Various initiatives have been undertaken to reduce the corporate footprint by efficiently managing the resources that have an impact on the environment.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group (ADSG) ADNEC is a member of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group (ADSG). Initiated by EAD, the Abu Dhabi sustainability group is a membership organisation that welcomes public and private entities in Abu Dhabi to share knowledge and experience to assist in policy development recommendations and create an open dialogue with all members. ADSG has a series of task force groups that are designed to address pressing issues that the members face in their organisational activities. ADNEC has actively participated in a number of development workshops with ADSG.
UFI Sustainability Development Committee ADNEC is a member of the UFI Sustainability Development Committee. The UFI Committee on Sustainable Development was formally established in 2008 to support UFI as it focuses on the issue of Sustainable Development in the Exhibition Industry. ADNEC was one of six members who actively helped the UFI Sustainability Development Committee create the Sustainability Reporting Framework for the exhibition industry.
Annual Report 2012 : 43
ADNEC’s facilities have been used on numerous occasions for events with a Society Dimension with ADNEC offering free or reduced tenancy including:
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SummerFest Abu Dhabi Ramadan Football Festival Al Ain Summer Festival HE Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Poetry Night World Jiu Jitzu Championships “Drive Safe” Initiative – use of media hoardings and communication with staff to improve driver safety zz Aloft runs for children @ ADNEC – use of venue for indoor fun run zz Participation of Educational Institutes / Schools in the events / exhibitions – ADNEC has a proactive policy to encourage the attendance of large numbers of students from across the UAE at relevant events. This includes bespoke catering and transport management policies for such events which can include 120 buses and 5,000 students attending shows at any one time.
Recycle for a Cause ADNEC has committed to support the Philippine Community Fund (PCF) and Abu Dhabi’s Cause Connect Recycle for a Cause initiative. The charity PCF commits to rescue children and families from living in deep poverty by providing shelter, food and education for them. As part of our support, we have purchased four plastic bag and nine ring pull tab collection boxes that have been placed around our Abu Dhabi venue. The ring pulls and plastic bags that are collected are sent to the PCF to make handicrafts and merchandise. These are then sold to raise an income to sustain these children and families.
Live Events free tickets As part of our commitment to sustainability, we designate a number of Live Events free tickets to give away to schools and charities. We also supply transport and provide free parking as relevant.
Choose Wisely Our Abu Dhabi venue, Aloft Hotel and Hyatt Capital Gate Hotel all have Choose Wisely menus. This means we use sustainable fish in our recipes.
Sustainability
Bio-Fuel ADNEC recycles used cooking oil from our kitchens and turns this into fuel that is used in our plant machinery on-site. 30 per cent of our machinery is now powered from our cooking oil waste.
Waste Management In 2012 we recycled:
zz Cartons 104 tonnes zz Paper 66 tonnes zz Plastic 3.8 tonnes
zz Glass bottles 1.4 tonnes zz Scrap metal 8 tonnes zz Used batteries 1 tonne
Let’s Act Now Let’s Act Now is an internal sustainability campaign that encouraged all ADNEC people to think about sustainability issues and pledge what they will do to act now.
ADNEC people were encouraged to submit their pledges and have their photo taken at the dedicated photo booth area at an staff event.
ExCeL London and Sustainability ExCeL London is committed to working with suppliers and customers to improve sustainability performance throughout all activities. ExCeL London operate their sustainability management systems in compliance with both ISO20121 and ISO14001 requirements. In 2012, ExCeL London achieved a 86 per cent recycling rate, through the use of its own onsite material recovery facility. ExCeL London also diverts all of its food waste and certain types of paper through its on-site wormery. Holding over 300,000 worms - the largest in the UK - the wormery reduces the number of waste collections required and produces a valuable soil additive.
Annual Report 2012 : 45
Such measures are needed because the events hosted by ExCeL London attract thousands of people over a relatively short period of time and produce vast quantities of waste that needs to be processed and removed from the venue on a daily basis.
Supporting wider society
ExCeL London has installed LED lights with automatic switch off and dimmer controls to ensure areas are only lit when necessary. In total, these measures delivered a 74 per cent energy saving and are regarded in the lighting industry as an exemplar installation, receiving several awards.
This means building long-term relationships with local partners to deliver long-lasting benefits for London communities. Maintaining an open dialogue with the community is important in shaping the future of ExCeL London and the community in which they operate.
ExCeL London holds recycling and sustainability as part of its core values and has incorporated these into its overall company objectives.
ExCeL London community involvement focuses on:
ExCeL London believes that involvement in social issues should aim to achieve partnerships, which will benefit the community as well as enhancing ExCeL London’s own activities.
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Education and employment Health and nutrition Sports Charitable and in-kind giving