Thinking Big

2/1/2019

Last night I attended the grand opening reception for the ACI Middle East Regional Office in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. You may have seen the ACI press release about this event on January 6, 2019, which noted that this is the first time ACI has had a physical presence outside the United States. We long have recognized our international mission, the great contributions of our international members, and the strong leadership of international Past Presidents. The new office is a tangible sign of our commitment to the global community.

In preparing my remarks for the reception, I became aware of the history of the building used for our new ACI office. The building is called the Dubai World Trade Center, and it was built in 1978 to fulfill a vision by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, then Ruler of Dubai, to create an architectural expression of Dubai’s future as a leading economic center in the Middle East. The 39-story building is 149 m (489 ft) tall, and it was the tallest building in the Arab world until the completion of the Burj Al Arab some 20 years later.

Dubai World Trade Center in 1978 (photo courtesy Gulf News Archive)

When the Dubai World Trade Center was completed, it was an isolated monument in the starkness of surrounding desert. Almost no other buildings were around it. An article printed in The National in 2012 quoted Guy Guillemard, the center's first employee, as saying: "In those days it was felt to be in the middle of nowhere, and that people would be unlikely to move their offices there because it was too far from Deira and Bur Dubai, where the real action was. But we proved them wrong." Early tenants were BP, Ernst & Young, IBM, and Amro. Today, the building is home to the Dubai Financial Market, Federal Express, General Motors, Sony, and now ACI. The Dubai World Trade Center inspires us to "Think Big." The vision was that Dubai could rise as a center of commerce, attract partners from around the world, and cultivate a business-friendly location dedicated to new opportunities. ACI strategic planning efforts over recent years have embraced action words that inspire us: Bold, Nimble, and Innovative. These same words characterize the spirit of the Dubai World Trade Center.

A relatively small nonprofit like ACI became part of the Dubai vision through the work of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Hassan Al Hashemi, Vice President, International Relations, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, provided welcoming remarks at our reception. In my conversation with Mr. Al Hashemi, I learned that the Chamber's initiative to support nonprofit organizations has now attracted over 60 organizations to Dubai, attracted by shared space and resources provided by the Chamber.

New ACI employee Ahmad Mhanna will serve as ACI Middle East Regional Director based in Dubai. Ahmad will foster relationships with the countries there and encourage certification, training, seminars, and even new ACI chapters. In my few days in Dubai, our ACI team met with municipality representatives in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah, as well as industry representatives. Bernie Pekor, ACI International Development Director, is working with Mhanna to ensure that ACI’s investment reinforces ACI's mission and vision.

ACI may be over 100 years old, but on our best days, we can be bold, nimble, and innovative as expressed by our strategic planning. Our shared commitment to the international community inspired decisive action, and the ACI Middle East Office moved from concept to reality in less than a year. Surely the best is yet to come.

David A. Lange

Dubai skyline today (photo courtesy The First Group)