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A Report on
Dubai Global Convention
LEADERSHIP FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION
The Institute of Directors, India organized the Dubai Global Convention
2015 including the 25th World Congress on Leadership of Business
Excellence and Innovation during, 20 22 April, 2015. On this occasion, a
special session on Make in India: Ease of Doing Business in India was also
organized in collaboration with the Indian Consulate in Dubai. The prestigious
Golden Peacock Awards were presented to outstanding companies for their
performance in the areas on training, quality, business excellence and
innovative product and services. The theme of the Convention was Leading
21st

Century

Organization

through

ICE

(Innovation,

Creativity

and

Excellence). The Convention attracted over 200 participants from 25

different countries, from different parts of the globe; and was supported by
leading institutions and businesses.
The Chief Guests Address and Golden Peacock Awards, Distinguished
Fellowship and Leadership Awards were presented by His Highness Sheikh
Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan on 20 th April, 2015.

The Convention was

opened by His Excellency Mr. T.P. Seetharam, IFS, Ambassador of India in

UAE.
The Convention deliberated on important issues relating to leadership,
business excellence board room practices and innovation.
Day-1 (April 20, 2015)
Opening Session
Mr. Ashok Kapur, IAS (Retd.), Director General, IOD, India delivered
opening remarks and warmly welcomed participants and dignitaries. Dr.
Yousef Al Akraf, Chairman, Dubai Quality Group & Executive Vice President
Business Support, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) also expressed
his words of welcome. Lt Gen J S Ahluwalia, PVSM (Retd), President, IOD,
India welcomed the participants and presented highlights of the theme of the
convention and importance of discussion on Make in India programme. He
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also presented a glimpse of IOD Indias contribution during the last 25 years,
since its inception.
H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General, Dubai Customs, UAE
spoke on How Social Innovation and Excellence has helped in creating a
World Class Institution-Dubai Customs. He also added that lot of efforts had
to be put for changing the mindset of its officers and staff, towards
innovation

and

to

support

eco,

compliance

and

strategy.

Dr.

R.

Seetharaman, Group Chief Executive Officer, Doha Bank, highlighted how the
financial economy has re-defined the definitions of economic growth. Future
generations should aim at better future as the global growth rates are
expected to be 3-3.5%, whereas in the developed world the growth rate
would be 2.0 to 2.5%. The present currency war is expected to take shape of
commodity war in future. Sovereign funds between India and GCC will play
important role.

Mr. Ranjan Dhawan, MD & CEO, Bank of Baroda spoke on

Role of Banks in Financial Stability & Excellence. He said that India has
attained stability in banking system and innovation has been introduced in
remittances in real time. Risk management is basically a balancing act
between risk and management. The biggest threat to economy is inflation,
which has to be controlled. Justice (Dr.) Arijit Pasayat, Co-Chairman, IOD and
Former Judge Supreme Court of India emphasized that IOD is extremely
focused on innovation, and is really emerging as an Institute of Visionaries.
Innovation comes only from commitment and this commitment has to be
inculcated and nurtured amongst various players. Quest for innovative ideas
is based on knowledge and the emerging information has to be converted
into knowledge to promote innovation.

H.E. T. P. Seetharam, IFS,

Ambassador of India to United Arab Emirates delivered the Opening Address

and appreciated efforts of IOD in bringing closer understanding between
business communities from India and UAE, and promoting business and
trade. India is looking forward to UAE as a possible investment destination
and UAE is expected to re-look at India as its investment destination. IODs
effort certainly provides an opportunity for improving cooperation and will
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help to transform the goodwill to a new higher level. He expressed hope that
like earlier conventions this will also bring benefit to the two countries. H.E.
Mohammed Sharaf, Group Chief Executive Officer, DP World released the
Convention Souvenir.

Inaugural Session & Golden Peacock Awards Presentation

Lt. Gen. J.S. Ahluwalia, PVSM (Retd), President IOD welcomed the Chief
Guest and presented an overview of the Golden Peacock Awards and
expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest, for his august blessings and
presence.
The Chief Guest, His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan,
Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Government of UAE,
delivered the Inaugural Address. In his address H.H. appreciated that Golden
Peacock Awards recognize and promote excellence in business and always
supports continuation of efforts of the youth, which is the backbone for
foundation on which the future of nations depend. The youth needs
teachers/mentors to guide; and IOD is a visionary institution, which is
focusing on growth of youth. It is heartening to note that the Prime Minister
of India is making all efforts to overcome all hindrances and improving ease
of doing business in India. India and UAE have an opportunity to grow in
cooperation and economic and social sectors.

I am sure the Awards will

motivate the winners to continue to innovate and improve the environment

for innovation. Innovative economy will always depend on empowering the
youth. I congratulate IOD for taking the right step through Golden Peacock
Awards.
The Chief Guest then presented Golden Peacock Awards for training,
quality, business excellence and innovative product and service.
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Dr. Graham Wilson, Leadership & Organization Development, OXFORD,

UK presented the citations of Award Winners and presented an overview of
the awards. He said that Golden Peacock Awards, globally recognized,
transparently assessed awards are based on self-assessment reports and its
careful examination by assessors and jury. These Awards were launched with
the intention to assess the performance of the companies on new processes
and outcomes and to educate them on following the emerging processes and
techniques in the competitive global markets. After 25 years of its existence,
the Golden Peacock Awards Secretariat can look back with a sense of pride
that many of the companies that have gone through the process of preparing
award application, have moved up the competition ladder, whether they won
the award or not. 43 of outstanding companies (or their units) received the
prestigious Golden Peacock Awards on the basis of their outstanding
performance.
The Chief Guest presented the IOD Distinguished Fellowship Award to
HE Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer and the IOD Leadership Awards to Mr. Vasu
Shroff and Mr G R Mehta.
Plenary Session- III: Boardroom Leadership Challenges for Inclusive
Growth.
The topics covered in this session, included Enterprise Governance:
Restoring Boardroom Leadership; Boundary spanning leadership: Building a
resilient business for uncertain times; Making board an effective instrument
for corporate transformation and innovation; and Diversity in the boardrooma business imperative to counter groupthink.
The session was chaired by Mr. Andrew Ratcliffe, Deputy President,
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), UK.
He focused on shared belief and supplementary course that define
framework on what should the companies be responsible for.

Companies

achieve success when they behave in a social centric manner, and also fulfill
all legal requirements.

They are also supposed to provide information on

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how they are meeting those requirements. Diversity of the Boards enhance
performance, and can help social acceptability and strengthen business
operations. The overarching principles of corporate governance will remain
leadership, capability, accountability and sustainability.

The speakers

included H.E. Mr Mirza Al-Sayegh, Chairman, Al-Maktoum College of Higher

Education, and Chairman-Audit Committee Board Member, ENOC, UAE, who
emphasized that education, should be coupled with charity activities.
Children abroad are educated in skills and ability, to live in harmony with big
factories next door. Those in need are to be assisted. These are mainly the
women and children.

A little known fact is that UAE has 10% women

parliamentarians, and is one of the top five countries in the world, giving
highest representation to women. Mr. Ashwini Mehra, Dy. Managing Director
& CDO, State Bank of India emphasized that Boardroom should focus on
strategy and leadership, so as to take India on the path to US$ 20 trillion
economy. Board has to play the most effective role in this transformation.
Board Leadership can only create right kind of architecture for development.
CEO has to play the role model and lead the top management team. Mr.
Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer, du Telecom, UAE said that Boards
consider change as disruptive. They have to bring around the transformation
within, so as to deal with unshared certainty uncertainties to share
certainties. The Boards need to sit around the table and discuss how new
uncertainties are creating new business models, and how best their
companies can adopt to those models. New pattern of education will have to
evolve, so as to access the knowledge for the uplift of all.
Plenary Session IV:

Business Excellence: Creating World Class

Organization.
The topics covered in this session included Leadership for Business
Excellence and Sustainability; Design of Business Excellence framework and
initiatives;

Success

and

mapping

Business

Excellence

through

Good

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governance, and Assurance & Assessment Process; Driving Business

Excellence through co-creation strategies with customers.
The session was chaired by Mr. T. Suvarna Raju, Chairman & Managing
Director, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. He explained that HAL is the leading
Public Sector Undertaking working as force multiplier and backbone of Indian
Aero Industry. Over the number of years, it has responded to various needs
of the aero industry, and has launched initiatives to meet Indias growing
defence needs. It is already playing an important role under the new Make
in India initiative, and is geared up to manufacture of fighter planes and
trainer planes on a large scale. The other speakers then followed. Mr. C. P.
Gurnani, CEO & Managing Director, Tech Mahindra, India, emphasized that
the talent is the real challenge for any company; and in his 100,000
manpower company maintaining the two way communication is still a bigger
challenge. We have to stretch our goals; explore alternate thinking, and
improve the DNA of excellence. Business excellence can only be achieved
through people excellence. Dr Robin Mann, Head, Centre for Organizational
Excellence Research, Massey University, New Zealand, explained that
business excellence models have been introduced as a framework. It is
extremely necessary to assist people to understand the framework fully and
effectively. Business excellence frameworks are the ultimate productivity
tool. Mr. Deep Sen, MD & Head, International Business, IL&FS Transportation
Networks, India, presented a case of his companys forays into road sector
the challenges and the opportunities.
Plenary Session V: Installing a Governance, Risk and Compliance
Framework for Business Sustainability
The topics covered in this session included Meeting the boards
entrepreneur conformance roles; Corporate governance as a game changer
for business sustainability; Principle-based corporate governance- emerging
dimensions; Embedding Sustainability into business strategy, for covering
value chain. The session was chaired by Prof Colin Coulson-Thomas, Director
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General UK & Europe Operation, IOD India. He said Rules, regulations and
norms may be required for effective and fair interaction. Codes and
guidelines can also provide helpful advice. However, there are potential
downsides. Prescription can inhibit free expression. Too much order can stifle
creativity, hinder innovation and discourage exploration. Norms can also lead
to intolerance, exclusion and hostility towards outsiders.
speakers then followed.

The other

Mr. Atul H Mehta, President, The Institute of

Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) emphasized that the Government of

India has enacted stricter Companies Act 2013, to bring in better financial
and business discipline in the corporate world. Mr. Dinesh Deo, CEO, BNY
Mellon International Operations (India) Pvt Ltd explained the contribution of
its global and India operations with regard to investment banking. Dr. Ashraf
Gamal El Din, CEO, Hawkamah The Institute for Corporate Governance,
Dubai, said strategy and proper decision making for corporate governance
suits companies that follow rules.

One person should be responsible for

ensuring compliance and internal control as per corporate governance

practices.
Plenary Session VI: Leading Corporate Transformation through
Fostering Innovation and Ideas Management.
The topics covered in this session included Fostering creativity & innovation A strategic imperative; Development of sustainable infrastructure, led by
cost and constraints driven innovation strategy; Stakeholder paradigm:
stakeholder activeness, issues and opportunities; Turning breakthrough
discoveries and valuable ideas, into commercial reality. The session was
chaired by H.E. Juma Al Kait, Assistant Undersecretary, Ministry of Foreign
Trade, UAE who explained that 2015 has been declared as the Year of
Innovation in UAE. Various agencies have brought under its focus the topics
of renewable energy, education, water, sanitation and transportation. Public
private participation is also being promoted. Hon Angad Paul, Group Chief
Executive Officer, Caparo Group Plc UK, explained how innovation has helped
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his company establish sustainable business in UK and in other places. Mr.

Ajay Poddar, Chairman & MD, Synergy Environics Ltd, explained the impact
of emissions from mobile phones and how the same can be controlled by
microchip developed by his company.

Mr. Varun Sood, Director & Head

Strategy & Innovation, BoardMaps Russia, gave an overview of the activities

undertaken by his company.
Plenary Session VII: Social Innovation - A driver of Economic
Growth.
The

topics

covered

in

this

session

included

Strategy

formulation,

performance monitoring and risk management; Vision, objectives and

strategy Bedrocks for managing innovation and change; Critical issues to
address:

globalization,

technologies,

innovation,

diversity

and

ethics;

Winning through innovation and managing contradictions. The session was

chaired by H.E. Mr. Almnr Md Bin Huraiz, Community Development Authority,
Government of Dubai, who explained that his department issues all licenses
for social development activities. The other speakers then followed. Mr. Atul
Temurnikar, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Global Schools Foundation,
Singapore, explained how the social innovation being undertaken in the
education system for developing future generations. He also explained how
these innovations are making their impact, and are being accepted by the
society.

Mr. Aziz Mohamed, Director Corporate Affairs, Middle East,

Mediterranean and Africa (MEMA), The Hewlett Packard Company, explained

as to how his company considers focus on social innovation profitable for the
business.

Its learnings included making social innovation in business;

creating eco-system for innovation, and engaging employees in the whole

process of development.
The Convention Banquet was organized at 7 PM on the Dhow Cruise, at
Bur Dubai Creek. It included local culture and magic shows also.
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Day-2 (April 21, 2015)

Make in India Business Meet
The second day of the Convention focused on Global Business Meet
Make in India which included a projection on business opportunities for
global business leaders in partnering with India for mutual growth and
development. This business meet brought the policy makers from India and
the leading businessmen from all over the world to have a better
understanding on Indias openness, regulatory framework, governance, and
incentives to ensure ease of doing business in India.
manufacturing,
infrastructure

skill

development

development,

smart

and
city

It discussed about

technology
development

transfer;
and

trade;
financial

investments flowing either way. The Make in India Business Meet not only
highlighted the efforts of Government of India, but also identified how the
partnerships can be mutually beneficial and can be strengthened for a long
time association.
Plenary Session IX: Indo UAE Business Meet.
Mr. Pradeep Chaturvedi, Vice President, Institute of Directors, India, in
his opening remarks welcomed the participants and guests and defined that
the Make in India initiative has three major aims: increase GDP growth and
tax revenue; ensure high quality standards in production, while minimizing
the impact on the environment, i.e. zero defect in production and zero effect
on environment; and, attract capital and technological investments in India.
Make in India Initiative has to be considered by our partner country, UAE as
a win-win situation to benefit both partners equally. India places high priority
on partnership with UAE.

Mr. Kulwant Singh, President, Indian Business &

Professional Council, Dubai, in his welcome address expressed the hope that
the meet will lead to extensive business cooperation between UAE and India.
Under the Make in India initiative tourism should be recognized for its
contribution to employment and economic growth is of considerably high
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order.

Small glitches can be overcome through proper understanding. Lt.

Gen. J.S. Ahluwalia, PVSM (Retd.) President, IOD, in his address said the
traditionally close and friendly UAE-India relationship has evolved into a
significant partnership in the economic and commercial spheres, with both
countries achieving the status of two large partners in terms of two-way
trade reaching nearly US$ 45 billion. Top business houses of both countries
planned to double this trade by 2020. About 80% of the trade with UAE is
with Dubai alone.
Indian government is ambitious and the comprehensive Make in India
programme will unlock Indias economic potential, accelerate growth and
increase investment opportunities. Justice (Dr.) Arijit Pasayat, Co-Chairman,
IOD and Former Judge Supreme Court of India emphasized that Make in India
Initiative is expected to lead India to broader partnerships, and the
expectation from the Convention is to help support such partnerships on a
large scale.
H.E Anurag Bhushan, IFS, Consul General of India in Dubai, the Guest
of Honour, appreciated the cooperation of IOD in organizing Indo-UAE
Business Meet with a focus on Make in India Initiative, involving leading
business enterprises both from public and private sectors from both the
countries.

He described that the Prime Minister of India is forcefully

promoting this initiatives to enhance and enlarge investments in India

through cooperation of governments and business houses in different
countries. Involvement and support of important institution like the IOD has
created an architecture, under which conducive environment has been
created among the entrepreneurs of the two countries. Whereas I wish to
place on record my appreciation for the present efforts, I will also like that
such partnership programmes must be a continuous effort by way of
delegations from both the countries having more periodic exchange to
ensure better understanding and convergence of ideas for two way
promotion of business. I assure full involvement of my office for such
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activities. Mr. Ranjan Dhawan, MD & CEO, Bank of Baroda, referred to his
Bank as Indias International Bank and assured that the Bank of Baroda will
provide all possible banking solutions to support the Make in India Initiative
for promotion of two way business growth. Mr. Nadimatla Sridhar, IAS,
Chairman & Managing Director, The Singareni Collieries Company Ltd also
assured that being major coal producing company, it has common interest in
the energy sector and his company will be fully involved in future
programmes of Make in India Initiative between the two countries. Graham
Wilson, Leadership and Organization Development, Oxford UK coordinated
the Plenary Session.

Plenary Session X: Opportunities in Trade Manufacturing and

Technology Transfer.
Topics

covered

in

this

session

included

Innovative

Financing

Approaches to attract FDI; Ease of Doing Business; Technology options for

manufacturing and services through partnership or Direct Servicing.

Prof

Colin Coulson-Thomas, Director General UK & Europe Operations, IOD India

Chaired the Session and emphasized on creating framework so that
companies on both sides benefit equally and find such partnerships of
common interest. Mr. Nour Bouhassoun, Chairman & President, Michelin India
Tyres Pvt Ltd gave an overview of tyre production operations of his company
in India. Mr. Surender Singh Khandari, Chairman, Al Dobowl Tyres, Dubai, UAE
presented his overview of tyre manufacturing in China and the operations of
his company and how closer cooperation between UAE and India could be
attained.

He

emphasized

on

infrastructure;

investment;

and

cost

effectiveness to ensure investor confidence. Mr. Pravin Malhotra, Chairman &

MD, Nipan Fastener Industries Pvt Ltd India described that Make in India
Initiative is aiming at attracting large investments for which the models are
being evolved.

At the same time a number of State Governments like

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Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have also made their models and
are working actively.

It should be possible that combined efforts of

government and the corporates will have multiple effect on growth of

business and investment in India.

Mr. Sudipto Ghosh, Executive Director,

Services, Lenovo India Pvt Ltd, described his company as the most admired
company and presented his views through an analogy of a coach and players
in a football team.

He also described that his company focuses on the

strategy for market share rather than strategy for profit. The company also
realizes that beyond a focus on inside innovation it is also important to keep
a watch on innovations taking outside the company by various competitors.
Mr. Ajit Singh, Managing Director, Busch Vacuum India Pvt Ltd described the
operations of his company and specially the recent innovations undertaken.
Plenary Session XI: Smart Cities and Infrastructure.
The topics covered in this session included Smart City Development
including Planning, Urban Infrastructure; Energy Security and Climate
Change (Carbon Footprint); and Transport Airlines, Rail and Ports.

Mr.

Pradeep Chaturvedi, Vice President, IOD, India chaired the session. Mr. I.
Prabhakara Rao, CEO, Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd, presented a
description of challenges and the solutions they faced in making Delhi
Airports T-3 Terminal of international quality and within the specified timeframe.

Based on this performance, they are being sought for by a large

number of countries for building airports. Mr. Sreeram Ananthasayanam,

Associate Partner, Smarter Cities Middle East & Africa, IBM GBS Dubai, UAE
presented an overview of IT solutions related to smart cities. He described
that the smart city is basically a vision and his company is involved in
creating the intelligent solutions, for the successful fabric of smart cities.
They are trying to develop compelling business case for converting smart
city vision into reality. IBM has worked on 3000 smart city solutions in the
past 20 years. Mr. Sunil Bahri, CEO, Kaizensox Consulting FZE, Dubai, UAE,
presented a case of innovation, creativity and excellence in UAE through
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13

global competitiveness.

Ms Vandana Gandhi, CEO and Founder, British

Orchard Nurseries described how skills development plays an important role

in creating a necessary environment for development.
Vote of Thanks
Lt. Gen. J. S. Ahluwalia, PVSM (Retd), President, IOD, India presented a
formal vote of thanks and expressed his gratitude to the Consul General of
India in Dubai and to all the officials and dignitaries of the Government of
UAE for their help and support.

He also expressed his thanks to all the

partners especially IBPC, Masdar City Foundation, Dubai Quality Group,

Etisalat Academy and the Meydaan Hotel and the media partners Khaleej
Times and Times Now, for their help and support.

Day - 3 (April 22, 2015)

Study Tour to Masdar City in Abu Dhabi - a Carbon Neutral Eco City.
A technical visit to Masdar City was organized. Masdar is a project in
Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, Its core is a planned city, besides Abu Dhabi
International Airport, which is being built by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy
Company. Designed by the British architectural firm Foster and Partners, the
city relies entirely on solar energy and other renewable energy sources, with
a sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste ecology.

Compiled by Mr. Pradeep

Chaturvedi
VicePresident, IOD

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