SME Success Series Presented by
Business networking evening <<<
That’s capital!
Nilanjan Ray, Sr. Vice President Head, SME Banking, ADCB, welcomes attendees
our most recent business networkING evening proved a bigger hit than the last. presented by adcb, in conjuction with our EXCLUSIVE telecom partner, du, the event brought together an exclusive list of business owners, AND top management. we bring you the highlights.
(L-R) Mike Byrne, Assistant Editor, SME Advisor Middle East, Ketaki Banga, Group Editor, CPI Business and Richard Judd, Managing Director, CPI Business and Technology
Following the success of our last networking evening in February of this year, we decided that it was time to plan another. The guest list top management and business owners were invited to the Capital Club, an exclusive, members only, venue based in DIFC, Dubai. Special thanks must go to one of our Strategic Partners, Cynthia Trench, from Trench & Associates, who set the ball rolling with her excellent suggestion to hold the event at this venue – it proved every bit as popular with our guests as it does with its members! For weeks leading up to the networking evening our
Exclusive Telecom Partner
call centre was inundated with inquiries with an overwhelming demand for places right up until the day of the event. There were even walk-ins from members of the Capital Club who popped into the venue after seeing droves of people heading for the room downstairs! The evening was intended to provide a relaxing environment for some of the region’s top business decisionmakers to meet and greet and hopefully take away with them some business leads. After the positive feedback we received regarding the oneto-one consultations at our previous networking evening, we thought it best to offer the same opportunity to attendees
Publisher
Strategic Partners
Event Partners
60
SME ADVISOR MIDDLE EAST
again. Subject matter experts ranging from legal and human resources, to banking and SME mobility and technical solutions, were present to offer customised private and confidential advice. Perhaps the most surprising element to the night was the readiness of so many attendees to give a sixty second pitch about who they were and what their respective companies were all about. Unlike our previous networking evening by the beach, no encouragement for shy attendees was needed and an informal queue started to form at the front! We have more events
AUGUST 2011
planned for the second half of 2011, with the SME Stars of Business Awards and Summit on the 28th November. For further information and to nominate your business visit www.smeadvisor.com/awards2011. For coverage of all our previous events and information for our up-coming events visit www.smeadvisor.com/events.
Supported By
Business Community Partner
Knowledge Partner
SME Success Series Presented by
Exclusive Telecom Partner
Publisher
Strategic Partners
Event Partners
Supported By
Knowledge Partner
Business Community Partner
AUGUST 2011
SME ADVISOR MIDDLE EAST
61
SME Success Series Presented by
One-on-one consultants ADCB
Mohammed Samiuddin Unit Manager, SME Abu Dhabi ADCB
There were four experts available for discussion from Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB). Their areas of expertise range from international trade finance, derivatives and commodities working capital trade solutions, to foreign exchange and risk management solutions. Rajesh S. Jangla Head, Treasury Sales Dubai, NE & Oman Treasury & Investments Group ADCB
A Treasury, derivatives and commodities specialist, Rajesh has over 17 years of treasury and financial markets expertise with various FIs in the Middle East. He has been with ADCBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Treasury and Investments Group for over five years providing vanilla and exotic risk managements solutions in foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity derivatives to ADCBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clients.
Mohammed Samiuddin has 12 years of diverse banking experience in different departments in retail banking, commercial banking and risk management, during which he has handled varied portfolios. Currently as Unit Manager, his focus is on growth of existing SME portfolio with reliance on assets build-up and to maintain the existing portfolio of varied SME clients. Mohammed has a Masters Degree in Business Administration with Finance as Major.
du There was an expert from du available to discuss SME mobility and technical solutions as well as general marketing techniques within the SME segment.
Neil Armitage Head of Trade Sales ADCB
Neil has over 30 years of banking experience, with the last 15 years in trade finance. Over the past two years Neil has been responsible for building a successful trade sales team at ADCB to take advantage of the many opportunities in the MENA region.
Ehtesham Riaz Team Leader, Medium Segment, Dubai Business Banking Group, SME ADCB
Ehtesham manages a team that provides custom made working capital and trade related solutions to cater to the business requirements of medium segment companies in any industry operating in the emirate of Dubai. His expertise includes over draft facilities, short or medium and long term loans, invoice discounting, post dated cheque discounting, LC, finance against trust receipts, letter of guarantees and more.
Exclusive Telecom Partner
Publisher
SME ADVISOR MIDDLE EAST
Raghav has over eight years experience in the telecom domain having previously led teams in the functions of marketing, sales and technology. At present he is the leader of operational teams, project manager and product manager for new and existing products at du.
Strategic Partners
Event Partners
62
Raghav Mimani Marketing Manager, Enterprise SME Segment, du
AUGUST 2011
Supported By
Business Community Partner
Knowledge Partner
SME Success Series Presented by
Trench & Associates The legal consultants for the evening were on hand to give advice regarding estate planning and wills, offshore companies and general corporate queries.
Nicola Houlton HR Consultant Real HR
Nicola is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Licentiate Status (2011), and is at present working across various accounts at Real HR, assisting with processes and practices including recruitment, selection, reward, induction, performance managements, training, succession management and discipline.
Cynthia Trench Principal Lawyer Trench & Associates
Cynthia specialises in corporate and property law as well as private client. Her expertise is in respect of enabling clients to be established in the Middle East expeditiously in a cost effective way. Furthermore, she has handled many mergers and acquisitions. In recent years, she has assisted clients in restructuring developersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; contracts or sales and purchases but also in disputes resolutions in property, construction and rental matters as well as (L-R): Eilis Leng and Cynthia Trench estate planning and give tips to one attendee. drawing up Wills.
Virtuzone Virtuzone were present at the event and had a consultant advising on how to set up a virtual freezone office and the benefits of doing so. (left of picture) Ulrika Christoffersen Head of Sales Virtuzone
Eilis Leng Associate Lawyer, Trench & Associates
Ulrika been with Virtuzone for the past 18 months, heading the sales division but has extensive work in UAE for over 13 years, having also worked in free zones in RAK and DMCC.
Eilis completed an LLB Hons degree in 2007 and qualified as a Solicitor in England in 2009. Prior to joining Trench & Associates Eilis worked for a law firm in the DIFC where she gained corporate, commercial and arbitration experience. Eilis is now part of the Corporate Department at Trench & Associates.
Real HR Our HR experts for the event specialise in minimum HR requirements for SMEs, Labour law and new visa options, restrictive covenants and how to structure an effective HR function.
Zawya Zawya had an expert at the event to discuss ways to invest and to do business in the MENA region. Ned S. Jaroudi, Business Innovation Executive / Head of Marketing and Channels Zawya
Nuria Gonzalez-Martin HR Director Real HR
Ned has over 20 years experience advising fast-growing small and medium (SME) Middle East ventures in the technology, media, telecom, construction, retail, healthcare, education, and sports/entertainment sectors, with key clients such as du and Mubadala.
Nuria holds a BA in European Business Studies and a Masters in Human Resource Management and has been working in HR for over ten years helping to plan, organise, manage and develop HR functions for a range of local and international companies.
Exclusive Telecom Partner
Publisher
Strategic Partners
Event Partners
Supported By
Knowledge Partner
Business Community Partner
AUGUST 2011
SME ADVISOR MIDDLE EAST
63