Sharjah FDI Forum 2017 to discuss direct impact of Fourth Industrial

The third Sharjah FDI Forum 2017, which will begin on Tuesday, 19th September, will examine the direct impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, on investment, knowledge economy, industries, innovation and local and regional development.

Panellists will also address the current dominant economic trends, sustainable economies, and the impact of technology on education, small enterprises, and the UAE’s future plans.

The event is being held under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Themed ‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution,’ the Sharjah FDI Forum 2017 is organised by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), in a strategic partnership with CNBC Arabia.

The two-day event will include nine panel discussions featuring an elite group of local and international experts who will share their opinions on a wide range of key topics.

According to the World Economic Forum, 4IR will be a sweeping digital revolution and the most rapid and radical change in modern history. It is characterised by three key factors that distinguish it from previous revolutions: speed, scale and the level of complexity. The key technological drivers of 4IR are artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, big data, virtual currencies, the internet of things, nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy storage, materials science and quantum computing.

The forum will provide an overall picture and comprehensive outlook on future prospects, potential opportunities, and the expected revolutionary changes. It will illustrate the best investment opportunities in various sectors, and the measures needed to enhance the competitiveness of the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular.

Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, said, "This event continues to raise the most pressing issues and trends that are so vital to the business world on a local, regional and global scale. The forum consistently highlights Sharjah as a secure and lucrative destination for foreign investment and underscores the emirate’s economic maturity as it welcomes and anticipates rapid changes with a vision towards long-term sustainability.

"Innovation has become a byword for Sharjah’s attitude to progress and each year the forum has expanded both its reach and its influence on international investors, helping to build new relationships and forge new partnerships among its expert delegates and speakers."

"With the rapid pace of development in the UAE and Sharjah, the third edition of the forum under the theme ‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution,’ reflects one of the most radical and rapid changes of our time. It is re-shaping the economic world as we know it and must be acknowledged as not just inevitable, but also as desirable, taking investment, economics and innovation to the next phase of growth," he added.

According to figures released by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, the value of Sharjah’s GDP stood at AED85.66 billion (US$23.6 billion) in 2015, while Standard & Poor’s forecasts an average growth rate of 2.4 percent in the period 2017-2020.

"Sharjah FDI 2017 will provide an unparalleled opportunity to examine investment prospects and highlight even more opportunities available in the emirate’s various economic sectors," Al Sarkal concluded.