International Conferences and Exhibitions moves headquarters from the UK to Dubai

International Conferences and Exhibitions Ltd (IC&E) one of the most active exhibition organizers in the Middle East, announced its decision to relocate its headquarters from London to Dubai in a strategic move aimed at serving the growing markets of the Middle East.

"The decision to relocate our headquarters to Dubai, the heart of the exhibition industry in the Middle East, is a significant one for International Conferences & Exhibitions and heralds promising new advancements in this area," said David Domoney, Managing Director, IC&E. "Having played a key role in the development of the exhibition industry in the region for over 20 years, we feel that the time is right to consolidate our position by establishing our actual presence here. By moving the head offices to Dubai, we aim to maintain a closer proximity with our target markets and enhance the value of our offering," he added.

"The Middle East is a region that offers tremendous growth prospects and has a resilience to the recessionary trends witnessed in other parts of the world. In addition, it is acquiring crucial importance in the global business scenario because it is the window to a very large and fast growing market, comprising a customer base with high disposal incomes. Dubai's strategic location in particular makes it the ideal location from which to target the emerging markets of Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. It, therefore, made sense for IC&E to move closer to the theatre of operations in order to service our clients better," said Domoney.

Domoney said the relocation would further enhance IC&E's ability to create events tailored to the region's requirements, while at the same time enable it to leverage the accumulated local expertise to add value to existing events as  well as create new trade shows.

"Every exhibition in our portfolio attracts the participation of mainstream international exporters as well as national pavilions coordinated by leading government and trade associations," said Domoney. "Our exhibition progamme is endorsed at the highest level. Each event enjoys the patronage  or support of key ministries in the UAE Federal Government as well as the Dubai Government. Backed by such credentials, International Conferences and Exhibitions renews its commitment to the UAE and the region as a whole to raise the levels of service and play a more proactive role in the economic development of the region."

"When International Conferences and Exhibitions was founded in the mid-70s, the only exhibition venue was the tented structures alongside the creek," recalled Domoney. "Over the years, Dubai's stature as the hub of the  exhibition industry has grown considerably and the facilities it offers exhibition organizers today are on par with the best in the world. IC&E now holds its exhibitions at the state-of-the-art Dubai International Exhibition Centre of the Dubai World Trade Centre and Airport Expo Dubai."

"IC&E's biggest strength is its core of dedicated professionals steeped in the business of event management and fully conversant with the international and  local business scenario," said Domoney, emphasizing that the relocation would continue to ensure that the usual high standards associated with IC&E are maintained and upgraded, in tune with its motto "Exhibitions That Bring Results."

IC&E has been the name behind some highly successful premium exhibitions held in Dubai for several years. A number of other niche exhibitions are in the pipeline and a new addition to the existing portfolio will be the launch of the Student Show 2003. As a result of the relocation, IC&E is geared to bring more  sophistication and refinements in its existing exhibitions, including Arab Lab and Instrumentation, Middle East Instrumentation & Automation, Global Entertainment & Media Exhibition (GEMEX), World of Education, Gulf Education and Training Exhibition, Human Resources Middle East and the Arab Oil and Gas Show.