Abu Dhabi to host sporting leaders
Sport Business Summit in January will coincide with business end of AFC Asian Cup
The UAE capital will be hosting the world-renowned Leaders Sport Business Summit next year. One of the biggest events on the sport business calendar will be looking to gather more than 500 participants from the sporting world to share their experience and knowledge with an aim to shape the future of sport.
The summit will be held on January 29 and 30 and will coincide with the Asian Cup football tournament. It will be an ideal platform for the participating teams and the clubs to join in the discussions. The Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s General Secretary Aref Al Awani signed an agreement with Simon Lau, Chief Commercial Officer, Leaders Sport Business Summit.
“The schedule is between the AFC Asian Cup semi-final and final, and as such we will be already having a big audience in the country,” Al Awani said.
“The summit is a global event and it will benefit us and help us in our development march of the sports industry. So obviously it will create a lot of media attention including the social media.”
Al Awani said the decision to host the summit came after a review of its success in various countries over the years. “We have followed the three major summits in London, New York and Beijing before we signed an agreement between the Leaders and ADSC to have it staged in Abu Dhabi for the next three years.”
Lau, speaking about the partnership, said: “We are aware of Abu Dhabi’s transformation as an international sporting hub for the last 10 years. Why we chose Abu Dhabi is for a combination of several reasons. There are major events like the Formula 1, the AFC Asian Cup and UAE Cycling Tour during this time next year.
“We feel the infrastructure and, in terms of transport, the venues and their capabilities in organising international events, all this make Abu Dhabi as one of the best hosts for a summit of this stature.”