Event Details

We are delighted to invite you to join the EICN Annual Conference in Dubai on 19 November, sponsored by the University of Manchester Middle East Centre.


Our keynote speaker will be HE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Minister in Charge of Talent Attraction and Retention, and Chairman of the Emirates Drug Establishment.


As governments of leading economies expand the use of trade defence instruments and other protectionist measures, other countries are following suit—ultimately at the expense of the efficiency of global trade. This chain reaction mirrors global events during Donald Trump's first term as US president (2017‑21), driven primarily by concerns that goods blocked by one country will become surplus products re‑directed to alternative markets.


Many emerging markets are highly sensitive to a potential influx of Chinese goods, given their ambition to develop homegrown manufacturing sectors. Brazil and Indonesia have also imposed measures to protect their industries against Chinese exporters.


Current trade policy developments point to an increasingly vicious cycle. And there are significant risks that retaliatory actions could escalate. Ultimately, the new supply chains that develop as a result of protectionist industrial policy are likely to be less efficient, resulting in more expensive global production and thus inflationary pressure.


One of the lessons of Mr Trump's first stint in the White House is that he can cause great damage with the stroke of a pen, and that the damage is not easily reversed. Most of his tariffs are still on the books. The WTO remains neutered. The America-first ethos that he preached, once a fringe preference, is now a force in the global political mainstream.


Join us, the minister, our special guest speaker Alex Holmes, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Asia Director, and influential business leaders to explore the enduring primary and secondary consequences on global trade of a second Trump presidency (which is now our central forecast).

Please note that this event is limited to senior-level executives and per invitation only. If you are not an existing member of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network, but would like to learn how you can attend our events, please contact us.

Speakers

  • HE Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi (Minister of State for Foreign Trade at UAE Government Media Office)

    HE Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi

    Minister of State for Foreign Trade at UAE Government Media Office

    HE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi was appointed the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, following the new UAE Government structure in July 2020, and has been assigned a file to attract the best talents and competencies to serve the strategic direction of the UAE. HE also oversees the development of non-oil foreign trade sectors and the expansion of global partnerships, in addition to enhancing the investment climate in the country, in order to cement its position as a major business destination at the regional and global levels.

    He had held the position of Minister of Climate Change and Environment previously, during which he supervised the implementation of the UAE's strategies locally, advancing environment and climate actions. He also led the country’s efforts in limiting and adapting to the repercussions of climate change at the global level, while also focussing on the preservation of the UAE’s biodiversity through the development and implementation of a set of effective policies and measures.

    Prior to assuming his ministerial position, HE Al Zeyoudi served as the permanent representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and Director of the Department of Energy Affairs and Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

    He began his career as a petroleum engineer at the Abu Dhabi Marine Area Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO) before moving to the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), where he worked on the development of renewable energy technologies and solutions. He has played a major role in the UAE’s successful diplomatic campaign in 2009 to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in the capital, Abu Dhabi.

    HE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi holds a Bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tulsa; a Master's degree in Business Administration from the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT); a Master's degree in Project Management from the British University in Dubai; and a PhD in Strategy, Program and Project Management from SKEMA Business School in France.

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  • Robert Willock (Global Editorial Director of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network)

    Robert Willock

    Global Editorial Director of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

    Robert is a trusted advisor to C-suite executives of multinational and large regional companies operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and beyond. He helps to inform business leaders’ strategies through political, economic and operational analysis and to connect them with their peers.

    He is also the Global Editorial Director of the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network and leads its teams and programmes in Johannesburg, Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, China, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

    Robert is a business commentator, editor and publisher with three decades of experience in Europe and the Middle East covering a wide variety of sectors, including construction, energy, healthcare, hospitality, retail and transport.

    He is an accomplished event chairman, moderator and speaker, and is regularly invited by blue-chip organisations to address senior audiences at large conferences or more intimate roundtables with macroeconomic and geopolitical insights from Economist Intelligence and his regional network.

    Robert completed an MBA at the University of Leicester School of Business in 2012.

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