Tawasal Volume 1 - Spring 2013 by AmCham Abu Dhabi

TAWASAL | CONTENTS

IN THIS EDITION

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

ABU DHABI - UNITED STATES ECONOMIC COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

FEATURES

WOMEN ACHIEVE

NEW MEMBERS

RECENT EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Founding Member Highlight Elias Sayah Member Focus with Morten Mauritzen

TAWASAL Vol. 1 | Spring 2013 Creative Development Intern Communications Interns

Newsletter Team Elisa Yi Matthew French Norina Miszori

TAWASAL | MESSAGES

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE Dear Members, It is a great pleasure to include this message in the inaugural edition of Tawasal, a name which reflects the core mission of AmCham Abu Dhabi: “to connect” the United States and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi through the promotion of trade, investment, and goodwill. I encourage you to review the entire newsletter to learn more about the work of your chamber over the past six months, and please forward it along to your friends and colleagues. This March brought us our 5th annual AmCham Abu Dhabi Roundtable Summit and the creation of the new Abu Dhabi - United States Economic Council with three key strategic partners: the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the U.S. Embassy - Abu Dhabi, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry. This new Economic Council will bring together the leadership of these leading organizations and provide a regular forum for us to raise issues of concern to our members and to work collaboratively to address factors that hinder trade and investment. The report of the 2013 Roundtable Summit will be released soon, and we believe the issues highlighted in the report will aid the Economic Council in setting its agenda. On the heels of the Roundtable Summit came our annual AmCham Advocacy Week where a delegation of volunteers from our U.S. Public Affairs Committee continued to raise awareness in Washington, DC of the unique concerns of Overseas Americans, and spread our message that Americans Abroad = US Exports = Jobs at Home! The committee’s report of this year’s Advocacy Week will be released in the weeks ahead and the committee will continue to update our membership on relevant developments in Washington. On July 1, my second term as Chairman will conclude and a new Chairman will take office. Our governing documents provide for an advisory role for the immediate past Chairman, and I intend to stay involved in the work of the board and our committees; however, I look forward to the fresh ideas that new leadership will naturally bring to the organization. It has been a great honor and pleasure to serve on the board of AmCham Abu Dhabi since 2010 and I will certainly miss my regular interaction with our great staff and membership. I wish to thank the dedicated AmCham staff and interns, our generous sponsors, our many member volunteers, our key strategic partners in the U.A.E. and U.S., and Ambassador Corbin and his excellent team at the U.S. Embassy, for their tireless effort and support during my term of office. It is your generous contributions that have made AmCham Abu Dhabi the recognized voice of American business in the U.A.E. Very truly yours,

Gregory J. Golden Chairman 3

Abu Dhabi - United States Economic Council

TAWASAL | FEATURES

ABU DHABI - UNITED STATES ECONOMIC COUNCIL

AmCham Abu Dhabi hosts the Signing of the Charter of the Abu Dhabi - United States Economic Council at the 2013 Roundtable Summit The highlight of the 2013 Roundtable Summit was the signing of the Charter to establish the Abu Dhabi United States Economic Council, a body charged with finding ways to facilitate and coordinate potential solutions to obstacles hindering business activity-trade and investment -- between the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the United States of America. The members of the new Council are the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the U.S. Embassy - Abu Dhabi, and AmCham Abu Dhabi. Read more about the Roundtable Summit on page 24

TAWASAL | BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2012-2013 Officers

GREGORY J. GOLDEN Chairman Partner, Baker Botts L.L.P.

PETER RAFFERTY Vice Chairman Fund Manager, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority

YASSIN Y. YASSIN Treasurer Financial Advisor Abu Dhabi Police - GHQ

NATASHA KOHNE Secretary Managing Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

SOUAD AL HOSANI President Nexus Business Services

MATTHEW E. BYRD President and CEO Gulf Alliance Company A Perot Company

JEFFREY DECKER Developer Sector Leader RW Armstrong

RONALD HERMAN CEO Mubadala GE

LINA EL LABBAN - LAMPKIN Project Manager Executive Council

TRACY LAVIN Director, Community Relations New York University Abu Dhabi

ROBERT K. LUNDAY Global Mentor Emirates Advanced Investments

MORTEN MAURITZEN Lead Country Manager ExxonMobil Affiliates in the UAE

Members-at-Large

TAWASAL | BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2012-2013 Members-at-Large

GUY MEHULA President MENA Parsons International Ltd.

GARY MENKE Director - Middle East Raytheon International, Inc.

CLARK WILLIAMS Chief Operating Officer BPG Group

Non-Voting Members

DR. QAISER ANIS Partner Alliot Hadi Shahid

CASSANDRA GAUDIN Executive Director AmCham Abu Dhabi

JOHN SIMMONS Counselor for Commerical Affairs Regional Senior Commercial Officer for the Gulf U.S. Embassy - Abu Dhabi

Honorary Members

HONORABLE MICHAEL H. CORBIN Ambassador of the United States of America to the United Arab Emirates

H.E. YOUSEF AL OTAIBA Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to United States of America

DANNY E. SEBRIGHT President U.S.-UAE Business Council

TAWASAL | MESSAGES

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Dear Members, Welcome to our newly named newsletter, Tawasal, a name courtesy of Platinum Member Saeed Ghanim, who as thanks for his contribution, enjoyed a wonderful ride with Bell Helicopter over Abu Dhabi (page 17). This issue is jam-packed with details of the hard work and many contributions of our directors, members, staff, and interns in furtherance of the AmCham Abu Dhabi mission. We also feature two of our Platinum Members and key supporters: Elias Sayah (page 18) and Morten Mauritzen, Lead Country Manager of ExxonMobil Affiliates in the UAE (page 20). Since our last newsletter, AmCham Abu Dhabi has continued to pursue its mission with innovative programming, advocacy, and collaboration at a breakneck pace. AmCham Abu Dhabi has informed the Abu Dhabi community about the U.S. presidential race and celebrated Election Day with the entire Abu Dhabi community. We marked two of the most significant gatherings in Abu Dhabi – ADIPEC and IDEX – with wonderful kick-off events. We showed our appreciation for the men and women of the United States Air Force by opening our homes at Thanksgiving and hosting a Lunch & Learn event featuring Brigadier General Paul McGillicuddy. We also honored leading Abu Dhabi companies and individuals at our 3rd Annual Excellence Awards. AmCham Abu Dhabi provided the Abu Dhabi community with a free tax seminar by PricewaterhouseCoopers. We hosted the 5th Annual Roundtable Summit where we tackled issues hindering trade and investment in Abu Dhabi. We celebrated the launch of daily direct flights by Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi to Washington D.C. and spread the message of Americans Abroad = US Exports = Jobs at Home at our annual Advocacy Week in Washington D.C. As our event season draws to a close, as always – we will go out with a bang. Do not miss our 4th of July celebration to be held at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort on July 5, 2013. Great sponsorship opportunities are now available (page 52). Looking ahead, AmCham Abu Dhabi will soon be moving to a larger office space in the Abu Dhabi Trade Center next to the Abu Dhabi Mall. This new space is indeed a significant development for AmCham Abu Dhabi, reflecting the continued growth and development of our organization and allowing us to enhance our member services. The staff and I are looking forward to welcoming you at our new office. Look for our official moving announcement to arrive soon. Warmest regards,

Cassandra Gaudin Executive Director 9

EXPERIENCE

WASHINGTON, D.C.

From Abu Dhabi to Washington, Daily

TAWASAL | MESSAGES

MEET THE EXECUTIVE TEAM JENNIFER CORK, Membership Director Jennifer Cork is a human resource and finance professional with a background serving nonprofit and academic organizations for more than a decade. Jennifer believes a successful, lasting and comprehensive organization is built upon client relationships and has maintained service and facility operations in excess of 6.1M USD and 140,000 asf. Jennifer recently relocated with her family to Abu Dhabi from Columbus, Ohio where she served as the Assistant Director of Operations for the Health Sciences Library at Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University; she directed service points, communications & marketing, budgeting, strategic planning and facility design, operations and construction. Her degree is in Fashion and Retail Studies, The Ohio State University.

CHRISTINA VILLALUZ, Accounts and Human Resources Manager Christina has been with AmCham Abu Dhabi since February 2009. She manages AmCham finances to ensure that AmCham can support its objectives and fulfill its mission. She received her bachelor degree in Accountancy at De La Salle University – Dasmariñas (Philippines). Christina is marred to Mark and has two wonderful daughters named Kaycee and Khleyn.

NOOR BARGHOUTI, Events Manager Working for AmCham Abu Dhabi since January 2011, Nour Barghouti manages all the Business, Social and Community events for the organization. Prior to AmCham Abu Dhabi, Noor worked at Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Noor Barghouti graduated from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, majoring in Marketing.

MUHAMMED ALI, Office Administrator Ali is from India and has been working with the staff and the Board of Directors at AmCham Abu Dhabi since 2000. Ali has studied at P.J.H.S Putiyangadi; Board of Higher Secondary Education in Kerala, India. He has two wonderful children, daughter Naja aged six, and son Nihal aged three.

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TAWASAL | FEATURES

AMCHAM ABU DHABI INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AmCham Abu Dhabi continues Internship Program with NYU Abu Dhabi for Spring 2013 In 2013, AmCham Abu Dhabi enhanced its partnership with New York University Abu Dhabi by inaugurating an innovative internship program. After the success of the first batch of student interns – most of whom managed projects ranging from events planning to the redesign of our newsletter – AmCham Abu Dhabi hired four new interns in February 2013. Along with one intern who has carried over from the previous group, these interns will be working at AmCham Abu Dhabi until the end of May, managing tasks such as the creation of our Tawasal newsletter and management of the member services directory. This internship program has proven to be a great benefit to both AmCham Abu Dhabi and the interns thanks to the open exchange of ideas and projects for the benefit of strengthening academic and economic ties between the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

CRAIG BRECKENRIDGE

is an American sophomore at NYU Abu Dhabi studying history. He is the captain of the dragon boating team and interested in history, international relations, and sports. He started working at AmCham in September 2012 to gain valuable work experience and learn more about the workings of the business community in Abu Dhabi.

NORINA MISZORI

is a Hungarian sophomore studying Political Science at NYU Abu Dhabi. Having lived in and experienced multiple settings – the U.S., Hungary and Spain – her interests include international relations and policy-making. Norina leads NYU Abu Dhabi’s Debate Team, as her passion is competitive debating. Norina joined AmCham Abu Dhabi as she hopes to gain more experience in journalism and business management.

MATTHEW FRENCH

is an American sophomore at NYU Abu Dhabi studying Social Research and Public Policy. Growing up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts certainly did not help him prepare for the big move to Abu Dhabi two years ago, but he hopes that his internship with AmCham Abu Dhabi will provide him with an engaging work experience in a familiar American setting. Matthew’s interests include policy-making, law, and Latin American studies.

ELISA YI

is an American junior studying abroad for the 2013 spring semester at NYU Abu Dhabi. She is studying International Relations and New Media at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study in NYU New York. Her interests include development communications and international politics. She hopes her internship with AmCham Abu Dhabi will help her gain insight working abroad, as well as exposure to U.S.-UAE relations.

April 8-12, 2013

TAWASAL | FEATURES

AMCHAM ADVOCACY WEEK 2013

For over a decade, AmCham Abu Dhabi has been advancing its membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interests in Washington, DC through focused advocacy efforts and collaboration with influential strategic partners. Each year, a volunteer delegation from our U.S. Public Affairs Committee takes a week to travel to Washington, DC to meet with Members of Congress and their staff, Administration officials, nongovernmental organizations, and business leaders and explain how certain U.S. tax and banking policies make American workers less competitive overseas and hinder American companies from sending their best talent abroad. We also have the opportunity to highlight the strong commercial ties between the U.S. and the U.A.E. Our 2013 AmCham Advocacy Week events featured a Kick-off Meeting with government affairs executives and strategic alliance partners; a luncheon in honor of the AmCham Abu Dhabi delegation hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce featuring Dan Mullaney, Assistant USTR for Europe and the Middle East; and an Export Promotion Reception with the US - UAE Business Council featuring Fred Hochberg, Chairman, Ex-Im Bank, and Jose Fernandez, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.

SPONSORED BY

TAWASAL | FEATURES

April 8-12, 2013

The AmCham Abu Dhabi/ AmCham MENA Delegation Gregory J. Golden Partner in Charge, Abu Dhabi Baker Botts L.L.P. Tracy Lavin Director - Community Relations New York University Abu Dhabi John Habib Managing Partner Qasimi Law Partners MENA Cassandra Gaudin Executive Director AmCham Abu Dhabi Ronald Jazzar General Manager FTR International, Inc. Nick Mercado Corporate Strategy and Development LeasePlan Emirates Jay Heidbrink Associate, Baker Botts L.L.P. Kent Huntington Senior Counsel MENA Bridge Advisors John Gilliland Founder, Gilliland Consulting 15

TAWASAL | FEATURES

NAME OUR NEWSLETTER CONTEST WINNER

TAWASAL ( v. to connect

AmCham Abu Dhabi announces the winner of the “Name Our Newsletter” Contest Saeed Ghanim, AmCham Abu Dhabi Platinum member and Business Development Manager of Middle East General Enterprises, is the winner of AmCham Abu Dhabi’s “Name Our Newsletter” competition. His submission, Tawasal, was selected from more than one hundred entries that were submitted over a fifty-day period. The grand prize for the contest was a helicopter tour of Abu Dhabi for Saeed and his guest in a state-of-the-art Bell 429, courtesy of AmCham Abu Dhabi Platinum member Bell Helicopter. He was joined for the tour by AmCham Abu Dhabi board member Lina El Labban Lampkin and Chairman Greg Golden. Prior to take off, in a light-hearted conversation with Bell Helicopter’s Managing Director for the Middle East & Africa, Stephen Suttles, Saeed commented, “For one word, you have given me a helicopter ride. I wonder what you would have given me for a whole sentence!”

TAWASAL | FEATURES

FOUNDING MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

ELIAS SAYAH BY MATTHEW FRENCH

AmCham Abu Dhabi Founding Board of Directors Member Elias Boutros Sayah is one of the few people who can say that they have been in the United Arab Emirates since before it was even a nation. Mr. Sayah, now the CEO and President of three successful self-founded businesses (Sayah Engineering, Gefco and Liwa), came to what is now the UAE in the late 1960s with his father. Mr. Sayah’s father Boutros was an advisor to His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late President of the UAE, on key construction projects, including the construction of the first desalination power plant in Abu Dhabi. Mr. Sayah was one of only a few hundred students at the Jaber bin Hayyan Secondary School when he first met Sheikh Zayed at a school function in 1972. Mr. Sayah was an avid coin collector at that time, and the display of his collection of historical Emirati coins caught the eye of the passing Sheikh Zayed. Mr. Sayah was so gracious for his interest that he gifted Sheikh Zayed the entire collection of coins. Little did Mr. Sayah know that this small gift would later be greatly reciprocated. Upon his graduation from Jaber bin Hayyan in 1976, his father brought him to a meeting with Sheikh Zayed. After some brief conversations, Sheikh Zayed, who never had access to higher education himself but valued it immensely, instructed his private office to award Mr. Sayah a full scholarship to study at San Diego State University in California, U.S.A. After graduating from San Diego State University with both a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science in Civil Engineering, Mr. Sayah began working for an American company in the construction of the Riyadh International Airport. Even though Mr. Sayah obtained U.S. citizenship through his employer’s sponsorship, and his father admired his son’s enthusiasm for working in the U.S.A., he convinced his son to come 18

back to the UAE and work for the country that had done so much for him and his family. Mr. Sayah returned to Abu Dhabi in 1989 and, along with his father, founded Sayah Engineering Consulting Bureau (SECB), now called Sayah Engineering MENA. Sayah Engineering MENA, which now has around 200 employees under visa, had humble beginnings. When Mr. Sayah returned to the UAE to establish the company in 1989, resources were limited. Mr. Sayah and his father began projects in construction, infrastructure and other forms of development, adherent to Sheikh Zayed’s vision for the distribution of wealth in his country. Since then, Sayah Engineering MENA has always tried to help the development of the UAE, taking on projects such as the construction of waste disinfecting units in Abu Dhabi and Ras al-Khaimah. Mr. Sayah recognizes that the future for the UAE now consists of plans for the development of the city as a cultural, touristic, and educational hotspot in the Middle East, an endeavor that Sayah Engineering MENA fully supports. The company contributes by introducing new technologies and inspiring new standards, building codes, and engineering techniques. Sayah Engineering MENA is an environmentally aware company as well, attaining the highest sustainability certification in the UAE provided by Estidama.

TAWASAL | FEATURES

Mr. Sayah attributes a large amount of his business’ success to AmCham Abu Dhabi, of which he is a founding member. Thanks to the influence of his American education, upon his return to the Emirates Mr. Sayah saw the value in establishing a council of young business people for the discussion of trade, culture, and ideas between the U.S.A and the UAE for the economic development of both nations. In the late 1980s, Mr. Sayah helped organize 25 dedicated leaders from the U.S. business community to form the American Business Group of Abu Dhabi (later renamed AmCham Abu Dhabi), under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and in 1996 the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce granted the group an official trade license. This trade association was the first of its kind in the UAE, and began with little money and resources. With a pledge of 25,000 AED from each of the founding members, including Mr. Sayah, AmCham Abu Dhabi was able to grow to the great organization that it is today. With the continual support of Mr. Sayah, who served as a Vice President on AmCham Abu Dhabi’s Board of Directors from 1996 to 2011, AmCham Abu Dhabi began to make vital connections throughout the UAE. AmCham’s impressive business networking efforts led to more functions, prominent speakers, a growing number of attendees per event, and more members. Mr. Sayah is proud that AmCham Abu Dhabi has since shown itself to be an outstanding non-profit organization, not only for its service to members, but also for its giving back to the local community through charity events supporting groups such as Red Crescent and Future Centre. He believes that AmCham Abu Dhabi is successful because it facilitates the free flow of ideas, technologies, business, and trade. Using his words, “AmCham Abu Dhabi doesn’t get you business, but if you have a question, it has the answer that will help you to get business.” Mr. Sayah himself has benefitted from his affiliation with AmCham, as AmCham Abu Dhabi provides Sayah Engineering MENA with a platform for interacting with best-in-class companies both in the UAE and based in the U.S. that are seeking joint ventures and alliances with well-experienced Abu Dhabi-based companies. One of the greatest benefits of AmCham Abu Dhabi, says Mr. Sayah, is its promotion of the adoption in the UAE of prevailing American quality standards in key fields such as education and construction. Through AmCham Abu Dhabi’s contacts and educational exchange initiatives, SECB is able to achieve Mr. Sayah’s personal goal of “not selling,

but transferring the technology of the U.S.A. within the UAE.” Mr. Sayah currently serves as President of the UAE Chapters of the American Concrete Institute and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Mr. Sayah has also worked as a visiting professor at the American University of Sharjah, as well as acted as a guest speaker about engineering education and helped to enhance engineering programs existing in six universities across the UAE. Mr. Sayah is most proud of his work with the U.S. Embassy to establish “American Corners” at various Emirati universities, which provide access to current information about life in the United States through books, magazines, DVDs and on-line databases. The Al Ain University American Corner, fully sponsored by Mr. Sayah and his family with an initial pledge of 7,000 USD, found a heavy influx of support and now boasts a 1.1 million USD library and technology center. Despite all of his great successes, Mr. Sayah has not forgotten his modest beginnings. After the late Sheikh Zayed gave him the gift of education in 1976, Mr. Sayah did not meet with him again until 2001. Mr. Sayah recalls that although decades had passed by, the UAE’s founding father still held in his face the power and determination that had inspired his great vision to build an entire country from the ground up. Upon seeing him, Mr. Sayah was overcome by gratitude and approached him, taking his hands and saying “this hand has signed to send me to the U.S.A.,” thanking Sheikh Zayed for the incredible opportunity. Sheikh Zayed, reinvigorated by this humble act of Mr. Sayah, stood and thanked him in return, telling him “if you didn’t deserve this, we wouldn’t have given it to you.” Sheikh Zayed then declared that Mr. Sayah be given any help or support he may need in the future. “I have everything,” Mr. Sayah responded humbly, and referring to his younger years, told him “you have given me the key and the path to education.” 19

TAWASAL | FEATURES

MEMBER FOCUS

INTERVIEW WITH

MORTEN MAURITZEN Lead Country Manager ExxonMobil Affiliates in the UAE

Q: Tell us a bit about ExxonMobil’s business in the UAE. A:

ExxonMobil has some 130 years of history, going all the way back to John D. Rockefeller and his Standard Oil group of companies, and is the largest publically traded energy company in the world. ExxonMobil’s history in the UAE begins in 1939 when a group of international oil companies signed an agreement with the ruler of Abu Dhabi – the late Sheikh Shakhbut – giving us rights to explore for oil in Abu Dhabi’s land area and part of its offshore region. The first discovery of commercial oil was made 1960, and in 1963 the first oil was exported from the Jebel Dhanna oil terminal on an ExxonMobil tanker headed for our refinery in Wales. Thereafter, oil was found in several other fields. In total, these fields today produce about 1.5 million barrels of oil per day. To illustrate the gross value of this, with today’s oil price of about 100 dollars per barrel, this represents annual sale revenues of over 50 billion dollars to Abu Dhabi. In total, ExxonMobil has some 80 employees in Abu Dhabi, split between those who work at our headquarters and technology center in the Sheikh Khalifa Energy Complex, and employees within the ZADCO and ADCO joint ventures. In addition to our Abu Dhabi based activities, we have also offices in Dubai that look after other upstream and downstream businesses in the region, such as lubricants and chemical specialty products.

Q: What are the core values at ExxonMobil? A:

ExxonMobil is an industry leader in essentially all metrics, such as our safety record, financial strength, and portfolio of opportunities. We have an unwavering commitment to high ethical standards, operations integrity, and flawless execution. We have a uniquely strong dedication to investment in technology. We are active in supporting the communities where we operate. Overall, we strive to positively impact the society by providing energy that helps underpin growing economies and improve living standards around the world.

TAWASAL | FEATURES

Q: What is your advice for someone looking to get in to the oil and gas industry? A:

Our success as a company in a global economy depends on the quality and ingenuity of our work force, and we need to ensure that the next generation of employees possesses the skills to solve the problems of the future. This is the reason for which ExxonMobil provides extensive support to educational activities around the world. Thus, people who join our company will have to be able to work with exceptional teams of industry experts and leaders, which will in turn provide them fantastic opportunities to realize their maximum potential through challenging work assignments and high levels of responsibility.

Q: What leadership lessons do you consider to be the most important? A: Listen, learn and take advice from others. Set challenging targets for the organization. Engage

team members to ensure everyone understands what we are trying to accomplish and what the end objectives need to be.

Q: Have you worked anywhere other than ExxonMobil? A:

I started with ExxonMobil in Norway over 30 years ago, after I graduated with a Masters in Marine Engineering from the Norwegian Technical University. So I have only had one employer in my whole career. Simply put, ExxonMobil has provided me with numerous great opportunities over the years, where I have had a chance to learn new skills within essentially all aspects of oil and gas engineering and management.

Q: What do you do to relax? A:

I own a boat together with some friends, and a great way to relax is to spend a weekend day on one of the islands off of Abu Dhabi. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Norwegian Bayâ&#x20AC;? on Bahraini Island (aka Al Maya Island) is our favorite spot.

Q: What is your favorite aspect about being a member of AmCham Abu Dhabi? A: The UAE and the U.S. have enjoyed strong long-lasting relationships in essentially all aspects of society, from politics at high levels to a broad range of businesses. I am proud to have an opportunity, representing an American company like ExxonMobil, to contribute to further enhancing our relationships and promoting new business opportunities between the two nations. And more on a personal level, since we came to Abu Dhabi in 2009, both my wife and I have found the AmCham Abu Dhabi networking activities a fantastic way to meet new friends and make our stay here a wonderful experience.

Q: What led you to become Chairman of the Roundtables Committee? A: After having participated in the Roundtable Summit in 2010 and 2011, I got several ideas of how the

Summit could be made even better, particularly how to get the recommendations from the debates out to key decision makers. So I volunteered to lead the efforts for our 2012 and 2013 Summits, and I think we were quite successful in achieving these objectives.

TAWASAL | FEATURES

MEMBER DISCOUNTS These companies offer AmCham Abu Dhabi members exclusive discounts upon presentation of your membership card. To view the complete list of member discounts, click here.

TAWASAL | FEATURES

ROUNDTABLE SUMMIT 2013 Continued from page 5 On Tuesday, March 26, 2013, over 150 leading business executives, entrepreneurs, academics and government officials gathered at NYU Abu Dhabi for AmCham Abu Dhabi’s 5th Annual Roundtable Summit and the landmark signing of the Charter of the Abu Dhabi – United States Economic Council. AmCham Abu Dhabi Platinum members Lockheed Martin Global Inc., Booz Allen Hamilton, Gulf Diagnostic Center Hospital, and BPG Group generously sponsored the 2013 Roundtable Summit. The morning kicked off with special guest speaker, H.E. Ali Rashed Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council. Mr. Al Ketbi explained Tawteen’s role, and how the council facilitates the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 goals related to Emiratization with the launch of “e-Gate,” a comprehensive online registration portal to link UAE national jobseekers and employers. By mid-morning, eight roundtable discussions covering various sectors met for over two hours to discuss the challenges to trade and investment in Abu Dhabi, propose potential solutions, and identify the key stakeholders necessary to implement them. After lunch, the facilitators for each sector reported the findings to all participants. In his remarks at the ceremony, H.E. Mohammed Omar Abdullah, Undersecretary of the DED, said that the UAEU.S. relations are now closer than ever, with strategic depth in many areas, particularly economic cooperation and investment. He noted that the establishment of the Abu Dhabi - United States Economic Council will provide an opportunity for private sector companies in Abu Dhabi to benefit from the knowledge and long standing experience of American companies, especially

those operating in the Emirate, in order to raise their competitiveness and best integrate into the world market. Greg Golden, Chairman of AmCham Abu Dhabi, remarked, “We are honored to join our long-standing strategic partners at the DED, U.S. Embassy, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber to form this new Economic Council. The Council will provide a forum for continued dialogue and provide a mechanism for the parties to jointly address specific business practices, laws, and government policies that can realistically be improved in order to increase foreign direct investment in the UAE, enhance Abu Dhabi - U.S. commercial relations, and ultimately assist the Emirate in achieving the vision set forth in Plan Abu Dhabi 2030.”

Morten Mauritzen, Chair John Simmons Lina El Labban-Lampkin Bob Lunday Natasha Kohne Clark Williams Tracy Lavin Guy Mehula Saeed Ghanim Yahya Dajani Greg Golden Cassandra Gaudin Jennifer Cork

TAWASAL | FEATURES

ROUNDTABLE SUMMIT 2013 FACILITATORS Don Pressley Senior Vice President Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. Sana Bagersh CEO, BrandMoxie Roy Panzarella, PhD Vice President Middle East & Africa Lockheed Martin Global, Inc. Kathleen Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill, PhD Assistant Professor College of Business, Zayed University Mona Salem MENA Vice President RW Armstrong Dr. Kassem Alom Managing Director Al Noor Hospital Group

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Moritz Klein General Manager Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara John Lesniewski KAM Program and Sales Snior Manager Etihad Rail

Jennifer Cork Membership Director AmCham Abu Dhabi Mark Soliman QA/QC Manager RW Armstrong Dr. Sami Alom Chief Strategy Officer Al Noor Hospital Group

SCRIBES Michael Vellucci Associate Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. Sylvia Stoycheva Account Manager BrandMoxie

Clare Patterson Lifestyle & Fitness Manager Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara Ibrahim Kassaby General Manager DHL Express

Philomena Perera Senior Executive Assistant Lockheed Martin Global, Inc.

Special thanks to NYU AD for hosting the 2013 Roundtable Summit and to BPG Group for preparing the final report

TAWASAL | FEATURES

WOMEN ACHIEVE

Supporting Women’s Advancement Women Achieve is an initiative by AmCham Abu Dhabi’s Women in Business Committee to support the advancement of women into positions of higher responsibility and leadership within companies and organizations. Participation is open to entities of all sizes. Signatories will be able to demonstrate their support through using the WOMEN ACHIEVE seal on their marketing collateral. They will also receive a certificate of acknowledgement from the AmCham Abu Dhabi Women in Business Committee.

AMIDEAST “I wish to thank AmCham Abu Dhabi for starting this initiative. As the head of an organization that currently employs mostly women, I understand the importance of ensuring the success of women in the workplace. I’m proud to be the first signer of Women Achieve.” Mary Corrado, AMIDEAST Country Director

Signatories

MUBADALA GE CAPITAL “Mubadala GE Capital is proud to support the ‘Women Achieve’ initiative of the AmCham Abu Dhabi Women in Business Committee. Developing the next generation of UAE business leaders is a priority for our firm, and this innovative program will make an important contribution to ensuring more women continue to advance their careers in UAE’s business community.” Ronald Herman, Chief Executive Officer, Mubadala GE Capital

For more information on Women in Business and Women Achieve, click here. 26

TAWASAL | FEATURES

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

The AmCham Abu Dhabi Women in Business Committee’s mission is to empower women to be leaders in their fields, and to promote their participation in business.

PARSONS CORPORATION “Although the engineering and construction profession is predominantly male, diversity is one of Parsons’ six core values and the corporation recognizes the significant contributions of women project managers, engineers, and architects to the industry and is proud to support WOMEN ACHIEVE.” Guy Mehula, Parsons President of the MENA+ region

The Women in Business committee (WIB) helps to facilitate leadership through knowledge sharing, committee initiatives and networking. WIB aims to provide an opportunity for women to develop and refine their skills, and to participate in a rich business network through which they can grow professionally. WIB serves the female members of AmCham Abu Dhabi, and also reaches out to external women business groups of Emirati and other nationalities. We welcome partnerships with other entities, and encourage women business groups to reach out to us, so that we may develop links among our members.

Committee Members Sana Bagersh, Chair Fay Gabriel Theresa Weber Jessica Ashooh Julie Lewis Lina El Labban Lampkin Ronald Herman Mary Corrado

OLGONIK GLOBAL SECURITY “On behalf of Olgoonik Global Security, we are honored to be apart of such a professional, positive program such as ‘Women Achieve’. We have about 50% women on our UAE team and I look forward to encouraging them to become leaders in our community. I have always been an advocate of creating a fair and supportive environment for all to grow and succeed.” Janice Phillips, General Manager, Olgoonik Global Security

Laurie Kelly Natasha Kohne Tracy Lavin Jennifer Oswald Renee Dugan Cassandra Gaudin Gregory Golden 27

TAWASAL | NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS

Platinum Members

OMAR BOULOS Managing Director

TONY KARAM Managing Director

STEPHEN SUTTLES Managing Director, ME/Africa

TIMOTHY RICHARDS Managing Director Govâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Affiars & Policy

MARC DAOUD Commercial Development Gulf

LEON SHIVAMBER VP & Managing Director

EDWARD LOCKWOOD VP & Managing Director, MENA

TAWASAL | NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS

JOANNE DICKOW Director, Gov’t Relations

EUGENE MORABITO Director, International Sales

Affiliate Platinum Members

STEVEN ADRAGNA Deputy Managing Director

AZZAM ALAMEDDIN Head, Gov’t Relations, MENA

HASHAM SADRUDDIN Regional Director

MARCELLO BARICORDI General Manager, UAE

Corporate Members

MARY CORRADO Country Director 29

TAWASAL | NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS Corporate Members

BEN CROMPTON Managing Partner

MURTAZA ALI KHAN Managing Director

STEPHEN GREEN Partner

DAN BRYANT Director, Sales & Marketing

BRUCE OLIVER CEO

JOHN HABIB Managing Partner

JOHN MCGOWANS Partner

TAWASAL | NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS Corporate Members

JEFFREY KOZBIEL General Manager

KLAUS NIEFER General Manager

DEEKSHA TRIVEDI Director, Sales & Marketing

Affiiate Corporate Members

YASMIN MOTAMEDI Communications Manager

SAMER ABULTAIF Director, Sales & Marketing

STEVE LANDEENE Chief Spaceport Advisor

GEORGES ABI AAD General Manager

TAWASAL | NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS Individual Members

Abeer Sawwaf

Gulf Diagnostic Center Hospital

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

Amr El-Hoseni

Live Events

Assitant Resident Engineer

Andrew Milani

Knowledge Point

Educational Consultant

Brett Steele

Khalifa University

Associate Professor

Cathleen Wheatley

SEHA

Chief Nursing Officer

Chris Card

Abu Dhabi Golf Club

General Manager

David Muirhead

Morganti Group, Inc.

Project Director

Dawn Martin

The KonTerra Group

Senior Consultant

Jacqueline Spence

Women Entrepreneurs Exchange

Founder, CEO

James Ruiz

Ardent Advisory Accounting

Administrative Director

Jennifer Golden

John Lonsberg

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP

Partner in Charge

John Stacey

Providge

Regional Manager

Ibrahim AlKendy

Rational Move Company

Managing Director

Keith Phillips

U.S. Embassy

Air Attache

Kim Childs

U.S.A. Regional Trade Center

Vice President

Lina Yousef

Masdar

Assistant Professor

Luigi Romaniello

Rosewood Hotel

Managing Director

Michael Bugrhardt

Olgoonik

Advisor

Michael Burnett

U.S. Embassy

Commercial Attache

Michael Kirby

U.S. Embassy

Diplomat

Minh Lee

MBA Student

Mohamed Trabulsi

Abu Dhabi Ports Authority

Principal Engineering Manager

Peter Eident

Raytheon

Contracts Officer

Randa Jaafar

Norton Rose

Attorney

Riad Al Naboulsi

Al Shoumoukh Group

Projects Coordinator

Robert Gross

American Community School

Superintendent

Robert Seaborn

Hala Travel Management

General Manager

Sam â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mittsâ&#x20AC;? Nashagh

U.S. Embassy

MARCENT Liaison Officer to UAE

Shanna Burghardt

Olgoonik

Specialist

Stephen Peckham

Knowledge Point

Programs Director

TAWASAL | NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS Individual Members 32

Steven Greenbacker

U.S. Embassy

Assistant Attache

Thomas McNaull

SEHA

Director of Finance and Accounting

Todd Smith

ADIA

Tax Advisor, Legal Division

Vipin Sher

Praxair Gulf Industrial Gases

Managing Director

William Stewart

My Map Tag

President

Affiliate Individual Members 1

Charles Andreae

Andreae & Associates

President

Dawn Martin

The KonTerra Group

Senior Consultant

Eliza Ilyas

Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority

Consultant

Emma Golubeva

Accor Hotels

Director, Sales & Marketing

Jane Samson

True Evolution

Managing Partner

Jason Carmichael

UPS

Center Manager

Kamran Rashid Siddiqi

Visa Middle East FZ LLC

Group Country Manager

Kenneth Powel

Palazzo

Senior VP Sales, MEA

Maria Itzempatzaki

WS Atkins and Partners

Design Manager

Martin John Pierce

Deloitte & Touche

Managing Director

Nehmat Chakib El Brahdy

Visa Middle East EZ LLC

Regional Manager

Rawia El Masri

Sultan International Holding

Projects Coordinator

Richard Boehne

Merrick & Company

Senior Director

Shaun Parsons

Le Royal Meridien

General Manager

Tyron Farrell

Links Group

Business Development Consultant

Vicky Moss

Teachers First Educational Investment

Managing Director

Wael Kayali

Deloitte & Touche

Director

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

RECENT EVENTS

Lunch & Learn Series: Raising Breast Cancer Awareness

SNR Denton Mock Debates

Election Watch 2012

ADIPEC Kick-Off Breakfast

USAF Thanksgiving Initiative

Lunch & Learn Series: Your United States Airforce, A Briefing by Brigadier General McGillicuddy

International Business Forum

Excellence Awards

IDEX Kick-Off Breakfast

Jewels of Antarctica

AmCham Masters Golf Tournament

PricewaterhouseCoopers Tax Seminar

U.S. Marine Corps Ball

Etihad Airways D.C. Launch Dinner

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

October 9, 2012

RAISING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS Sponsors SILVER

PINK

The Shivamber Family On October 9, 2012, AmCham Abu Dhabi kicked off the 2012-13 Lunch & Learn Series with an event to raise breast cancer awareness and celebrate the strength and spirit of women. Proceeds from the event were used to benefit Jewels of Antarctica, the first team of breast cancer survivors from the UAE to venture to the South Pole. An informative and inspirational dialogue took place about preventative methods, how to deal with a cancer diagnosis proactively and powerfully, and what motivated this group of women to go to the ends of the earth.

CENTERPIECE

October 17, 2012

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

SNR DENTON MOCK DEBATES

During the lead up to closely watched U.S. Presidential campaigns, AmCham Abu Dhabi and SNR Denton teamed up to host a mock debate at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr – a first-of-its-kind event in Abu Dhabi. The debate on October 17, 2012 featured two seasoned U.S. political experts: Mike McNamara, U.S. Managing Partner of SNR Denton, speaking on behalf of the incumbent, President Barack Obama, and Fred McClure, member of SNR Denton’s Public Policy and Regulation practice, speaking for the challenger, Governor Mitt Romney.

SPONSORED BY

November 7, 2012

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

ELECTION WATCH 2012 To celebrate the November 2012 U.S. Presidential election, AmCham Abu Dhabi teamed up with the U.S. Embassy to host â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Election Watch 2012â&#x20AC;&#x2122;, a breakfast reception at the Beach Rotana Hotel to view the elections in real time. Just after dawn on November 7, hundreds of people including Ambassador Michael Corbin, multiple VIPs and diplomatic personnel, American and Emirati businessmen and distinguished AmCham Abu Dhabi members, made their way down the red carpet towards the grand Al Thuraya Ballroom and enjoyed a breakfast buffet whilst awaiting the final election results.

November 11, 2012

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

ADIPEC KICK-OFF BREAKFAST

AmCham Abu Dhabi kicked off the 2012 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) with an early morning breakfast on November 11, 2012 at the Rocco Forte Abu Dhabi. Guest included industry executives, government officials, and a distinguished visiting delegation from the City of Houston, Texas, including Houston Mayor Annise Parker.

SPONSORED BY

March 6, 2013

November 30, 2012

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

U.S. MARINE CORPS BALL

The Marine Security Guard Detachment celebrated the 237th Birthday of the Marine Corps with a formal ball at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr on November 30th, 2012. U.S. Embassy and Military officials AmCham Abu Dhabi members and guests enjoyed the elegant evening, which included cocktails, dinner, and dancing. Guests speakers included The Honorable Michael H. Corbin, U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Thomas V. Draude, Brigadier General Retired, United States Marine Corps.

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

ETIHAD AIRWAYS DC LAUNCH DINNER

On March 28, AmCham Abu Dhabi and Etihad celebrated the launch of Etihad Airways newest U.S. destination: Washington, D.C. Over 120 AmCham Abu Dhabi members attended this exclusive event at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi. Long-time member Fay Gabriel won a free Etihad business class ticket to Washington D.C. and Dr. Abeer Sawwaf won a Easter brunch for two at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Canal.

SPONSORED BY

March 28, 2013

March 28 2013

TAWASAL | RECENT EVENTS

TAWASAL | UPCOMING EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS Save the Dates May 22

Meet the Candidates Strictly Social

May 28

AmCham Abu Dhabi and AWN Present

June 4 June 19 July 4 November 17

An Evening with H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak

Annual General Meeting Joint Business Council Wine & Cheese Event 4th of July Celebration Dubai Airshow Kick-Off Breakfast For more upcoming events, click here.

Sponsorship Opportunities GOLD SPONSOR AED 50,000

BRONZE SPONSOR AED 20,000

SILVER SPONSOR AED 30,000

RED SPONSOR AED 15,000

FIREWORKS SPONSOR AED 35,000

BLUE SPONSOR AED 10,000

PATRIOTIC SPONSOR AED 25,000

GOLD SPONSOR AED 50,000 SILVER SPONSOR AED 30,000 RED SPONSOR AED 15,000 For details, click here.

To promote commerce, investment and goodwill between the United States of America, the membership, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.

AmCham Abu Dhabi

Trademark of the American Business Group of Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 43710, Abu Dhabi UAE | T: +971 2 631 3604, F: +971 2 633 0489