Prince Andrew Shell Connections: Abu Dhabi

Fifty of the most influential business people in Abu Dhabi converged on London to attend the Euromoney Conference instigated by HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and HRH Prince Andrew, the UK’s Duke of York.

The conference was held in March and was attended by around three hundred delegates and supported by Shell. The aim of this unprecedented event was to explore the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision, its role as a leader in the region and its distinctive economic identity.

On behalf of the Government, Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Planning and Economy Department, invited the delegates to take a closer look at Abu Dhabi, describing its unique economic and social position.

Malcolm Brinded, Shell’s Executive Director Exploration and Production, speaking at the conference highlighted the vital importance of Abu Dhabi to the world as an energy producer and emphasised Abu Dhabi’s long record as a strong force for stability in the region and beyond: “The foundations of today’s dynamism were laid by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, whose wisdom and record of development were truly remarkable.

The transformation that has taken place in the Emirates is evident to all who visit there.” He referred to the massive growth in life expectancy stating: “It would be hard to find a clearer rebuttal of the notion of ‘the curse of oil’ than how oil revenues have been used to benefit the people of the UAE.”

He talked about the long-standing and flourishing relationship between Shell and ADNOC as well as Shell’s new strategic alliance with Mubadala. He concluded his speech by describing Abu Dhabi as “a fast moving society that shows a tremendous dynamism and receptivity to new ideas.”

A series of panel discussions followed, looking at specific aspects of Abu Dhabi’s future development, with the first of these examining Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision through the eyes of some of the most prominent figures in the Emirate including HH Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun.

The second panel focused on energy and energy-based industries and was made up of a panel of industry experts including Raoul Restucci, Executive Vice President, Shell Exploration & Production for the Middle East and the CIS and HE Yousef Omair Bin Yousef, CEO of ADNOC.

HRH Prince Andrew closed the event remarking that there has never been a better time to invest in Abu Dhabi and reflecting on the prominent and vital role that companies like Shell have played in the economic expansion of the UAE.

http://www.shelldubai.com/almahara/jun2006/coverstory.htm