Olympic athletes,world inspiring thinkers and authors lined up for HR Summit

DUBAI-  Six of the world’s best in-class thinkers and inspirational speakers have been lined up to address audiences in Dubai at an international conference next month.

Former Olympic swimmer and world champion Mark Foster will be joined by Danish football coach and best-selling author Rasmus Ankersen and silver medal winning British Paralympic triathlon champion Karen Darke at the HR Summit and Expo 2014, running from 20-22 October at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Completing the line-up of motivational gurus are three of the most respected international HR and leadership experts: Marshal Goldsmith, the world’s number one leadership thinker; Dave Ulrich, the most influential person in the HR globally; and Liz Wiseman, author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller ‘Multipliers: how the best leaders make everyone smarter’.

“The HR Summit is a marvelous opportunity to share insights and engage in conversation about new ideas,” said Dave Ulrich, Professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in the USA.  “I enjoy learning from thoughtful colleagues in the Gulf region who are committed to helping their organisations succeed through talent, leadership, and culture.”

With a resume filled with accolades and achievements in changing the behaviour and thought processes of staff and talent, Ulrich was listed as one of the world’s top five business coaches by Forbes magazine and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Training and Development in 2007.

The 11^th edition of the three-day HR Summit and Expo will this year feature inspirational presentations by sport stars who have overcome major obstacles in life to achieve world renowned success. 

Karen Darke, who took home a silver medal in the triathlon event of the Paralympic Games in London 2012, will discuss her personal approach to embracing change and achieving the ‘unachievable’.

“Luckily I’ve got an adventurous gene, as life in a wheelchair is full of unexpected adventure,” says Darke.  “I was a keen runner, climber and all-round outdoor addict, and then at the age of 21, I fell off a cliff and became paralysed from the chest down. 

“Little did I know what lay ahead.  I found fortune in my misfortune, inspiration from people in similar and more challenging situations all around me, and began pursuing alternative ways to access the outdoors.  Not being able to move or feel anything below my chest level has of course been a challenge, but I’ve come to learn that nothing is impossible if we set our mind and our efforts to it.”

Speaking alongside the six business gurus and sports personalities, heads of HR and business leaders from across the Middle East and the world join the international speaker list, addressing audiences on topics including talent management, HR for start-ups and SMEs, compensation and performance and professional development.

“The HR Summit and Expo has expanded rapidly over the last decade, and the exhibition has become firmly established as the Middle East’s ‘must attend’ event for HR professionals in the GCC and beyond,” said Ramy Bayyour, Show Director of the HR Summit and Expo.

Running alongside the conference and exhibition is the Middle East HR Excellence Awards which will showcase the best HR talent in the Middle East and honour professionals in the public and private sectors.  Winners will be celebrated across nine separate categories at a gala dinner on Tuesday 21 October.