Organizers of the U.S.-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum to be held in Atlanta May 23-25 have confirmed that the event is to take place despite the turbulence in the Middle East.
Omar A. Bahlaiwa, secretary general of the Council of Saudi Chambers’ Committee for International Trade, came to Atlanta in mid-February to begin organizing the forum that is to bring some of Saudi Arabia’s most senior officials here.
During a filmed interview with GlobalAtlanta at the time, he said that the forum would seek to develop business with Southeastern small- to medium-sized companies, hospitals and healthcare facilities and educators in a wide variety of fields.
“We will be highlighting trade and investment activity worth more than a trillion dollars to Atlanta, the Southeast and the U.S. business community as a whole,” he said in a news release confirming the forum, which was released on April 18.
The forum organizers include the Saudi Committee for International Trade, U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council and Saudi-U.S. Trade Group in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce & Industry and the U.S. Commercial Service.
Mr. Bahlaiwa said that the industry sectors the forum would address include education, finance and investment, health care, logistics and renewable energy.
He added that networking events and one-on-one matchmaking programs are to enable companies to connect on an individual level and initiative new business relationships.
Officials from Saudi Arabia invited to attend include H.E. Abdullah Alireza, minister of commerce and industry; H.E. Dr. Hashim Yamani, president of King Abdullah City of Atomic and Renewable Energy; H.R.H. Princess Loulwa Al-Faisal, vice chairman of Effat University and H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Al Saeed, adviser to the Royal Court.
Tom Bell, CEO of SecurAmerica LLC, an Atlanta-based provider of contract security services, and chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is to serve as chairman of the forum’s steering committee including representatives of federal, state and local economic development organizations.
A similar forum was held in Chicago in April 2010 with more than 1,100 attendees. The Atlanta forum seeks to attract as many if not more participants and is to feature panels as well as opportunities for personal meetings.
For more information regarding the program schedule, registration, participants and sponsor list, go here or call (703) 962-9300.
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