Ahmed Bin Sulayem Executive Chairman DMCC

DMCC, the authority on trade, enterprise and commodities in Dubai, hosted the second edition of its two-day annual Middle East Gems & Jewellery Forum (‘MEGJF’) 2015 recently at Almas Conference Centre in Jumeirah Lakes Towers.

MEGJF which is designed to give industry participants a 360 degree view of the future of the Gems and Jewellery trade in the Middle East – brought everyone in the industry together, from artisans and designers to traders and industry experts from all across the globe.

Commenting on the event and the future of Dubai as a global gems & jewellery hub, Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, DMCC, said: “Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade during the first half of 2015 reached AED 652 billion; the UAE jewellery industry is one of the top 5 contributors to the UAE economy; the UAE is perfectly positioned at the centre of the world for trade between India and China, the largest markets on earth for gems and jewellery - all key factors that will enable the region to sustain and grow its prominence as a global hub for the gems and jewellery trade.

“Looking to the future, this year’s MEGJF themes focus on how new technologies are revolutionising the industry - themes designed to spark debate and unlock opportunities in the Middle East marketplace.”

The Middle East region plays a complimentary role to the largest gems and jewellery markets in China and India, where the growth of the jewellery sector is encouraging companies to develop cross-trade relationships to satisfy an ever growing population of sophisticated consumers. Jewellery traders and fabricators in Dubai are also seeking to serve new markets coming out of Africa.

Anan Fakhreddin, CEO, Damas and MEGJF title sponsor, said: “The Middle East has rapidly positioned itself as a vital meeting point for the gems and jewellery industry due to its unrivalled connectivity, consumer demand and appetite for future growth. We are proud sponsors of MEGJF and look forward to contributing to the knowledge exchange with our peers and industry experts that this forum facilitates.”

MEGJF will also see panel discussions and presentations by government officials, industry experts, jewellers and designers on the topics of access to finance, responsible sourcing and quality control; the importance of brand strategies and the Middle East jewellery retail sector, the global gold market outlook, developments in patents and copyrights, and the export of jewellery manufactured in Dubai.

Corrado Facco Managing Director of Fiera di Vicenza & Vice President of DV Global Link (VICENZAORO DUBAI), said: “Events like these create new opportunities among international manufacturers, local importers and new markets through Dubai which has rapidly grown to become one of the world’s leading gems and jewellery hubs. We are proud exhibition partners here at the MEGJF for the second year running and look forward to once more host the VICENZAORO DUBAI in April 2016 to connect industry participants in the coming year as well.”

The MEGJF 2015 sponsors and partners include: Title sponsor Damas, Malabar Gold, Dhamani, Brinks and VICENZAORO DUBAI 2016. Media partners are: The New Jeweller, Capital Business, Executive Woman, Glitz & Glamour, Al Bayan, Bedaya and Arab Economy. For further information visit www.megjf.ae