Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized two brainstorming sessions at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah, involving the Chamber’s top management and staff. The sessions, organized in collaboration with Cardiff Management Consultants, aimed to support the Chamber’s efforts to initiate a new strategy focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation, with the goal of boosting the Chamber’s performance and services.

The first session saw the participation of top management and higher staff at the Chamber, including His Excellency Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry; as well as members of the board of directors; HE Khaled bin Butti Al Hajri, Director General of SCCI, Mohammed Ahmed Amin, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Business, Mariam Saif Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for Logistics, and Abdulaziz Shattaf, Assistant Director General for SCCI’s members. The session was moderated by Dr. Sameh Al Namki from Cardiff Management Consultants.

The session comes in line with the Chamber's efforts to initiate a new strategic plan, in response to current and near-future challenges. The new strategic plan focuses on sustainable development, in line with the UAE Vision 2021, and the Sharjah Strategy. The new plans also come in response to the directives graciously extended by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, aiming at transforming the Emirate into a hub for economic activity, investment, tourism, and culture, while maintaining its unique characteristics and genuine values.

The session focused on motivating innovative ideas that respond to future challenges, and support sustainable development, with the target of placing the UAE among the world’s top nations by its 50th anniversary.

Pioneering position for the UAE on the global stage

During the session, HE Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI, said: “There is no room left in the UAE for institutions that fail to adopt innovation, creative thinking, institutional excellence, and strategic planning. Our goal is to achieve global competitiveness, and the new strategy we are developing shall focus on this target”.

Al Owais called upon the Chamber's top managerial staff to work collaboratively and follow a unified vision, in order to develop an ambitious and comprehensive strategy. Al Owais also stressed that the goal of these efforts shall always be to elevate the Chamber’s performance, and help the private sector in the Emirate to achieve its true potential.

The Chairman also stressed the need to base the new strategy on initiatives and programs that support vast economic development in Sharjah, via propelling development, enhancing productivity, and achieving high competitive levels for local products. This must go in line with adopting best practices in strategic planning, and setting out an achievable plan with measurable outcomes.

Innovative services for the business community

For his part, HE Khaled bin Butti Al Hajri, Director- General of SCCI, said: “The brainstorming sessions organized by the Chamber reflect the management’s commitment to developing a modern and comprehensive strategy for the coming years, with the goal of enhancing our role in supporting the business community via performance improvement and offering innovative solutions, as well as focusing on human resources development.”

“The Chamber aspires to initiate a strategy that responds to current and future challenges, while raising the bar in knowledge-based industry, that will place the Emirate among the top economic, touristic, and cultural destinations worldwide.”

The new strategy, Bin Butti added, “shall focus on innovation and knowledge, as well as support for small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurship”.

Human Resources Development

For her part, Mariam Ahmad Al Ali, Senior Executive of Institutional Excellence at the Chamber, highlighted that the session focused on the pivotal role of HR development, via training and development programs, as well as leadership programs that reflect the Chamber’s plans to achieve highest standards in performance. This, AL Ali added, “will help place the Emirate among top global destinations, and enhance collaboration with various regional and institutional institutions”.

The Office for Institutional Excellence and Strategy, in collaboration with Cardiff Management Consultants, organized a second brainstorming session for the various staff members at the Chamber, moderated by Dr. Amal Al- Ali. The session focused on competency building in management and leadership, and discussing vision, values, and strategy for 2017. Attendees worked in smaller action groups to discuss various aspects and draft recommendations and initiative that aim to serve Sharjah in the near and far futures