LoginMeet the team
Meet the international talent behind the planning and execution of exceptional business events in Dubai.
MENA
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Steen Jakobsen
Assistant Vice President, Business Events & City Operations, DubaiI oversee and manage all daily operations, including strategic planning, budgeting and marketing communication. I’m also responsible for maintaining and developing local and global partnerships. I speak English and Danish.
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Karina Soraya Lance
Senior Manager, Congress Development and Convention Services, DubaiI oversee and implement Dubai Business Events' international sales strategy and all operations across our international offices. I'm also responsible for submission of bids and proposals. I speak English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.
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Hajer Sulaiman Al Saidi
Associate, Convention Services, DubaiI provide convention service to incentive groups and corporate meetings, supporting clients in planning and executing their events in Dubai. I work closely with international clients, local hosts, PCOs, DMCs, government entities, hoteliers, and attractions to showcase Dubai. I speak Arabic and English.
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Hind Mohammed Al Balooshi
Senior Executive, Follow-up & Coordination, DubaiMy core responsibilities are to manage all departmental financials for Dubai Business Events and City Operations. My role also includes coordinating key administrative tasks related to specific projects, such as study missions, trade shows, sales missions, site inspections, and marketing activities. I speak Arabic and English.
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Maha Abdulla
Executive, Congress Development & Convention Services, DubaiMy responsibility is to manage our trade show participation and our global roadshows, including relations with industry stakeholders. I also handle administrative tasks related to sales and marketing. I speak Arabic and English.
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Michelle Pinheiro
Associate, Corporate Meetings & Incentives, DubaiMy role involves participating in sales missions and trade shows, and developing strong relationships with planners to influence them to choose Dubai. I also facilitate connections between international meeting planners and local industry partners, including hotels, venues, DMCs and PCOs. I speak English and Hindi.
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Shamsah Al Ali
Assistant Manager, Corporate Meetings & Incentives, DubaiMy role involves participating in sales missions and trade shows and developing relationships with planners to influence them to choose Dubai. I also facilitate connections between international meeting planners and local industry partners, including hotels, venues, DMCs and PCOs. I speak Arabic and English.
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Sheikha Abe Bangit
Senior Associate, Association Conferences, DubaiI manage a portfolio of international association congresses and design and execute individual bidding strategies in partnership with local stakeholders. I also develop and maintain relationships with government entities and industry partners for bid support. I speak English and Tagalog.
Europe
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Hamish Reid
Senior European Manager, EuropeI manage sales activities across key markets in Europe including the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. I work closely with stakeholders to ensure activities undertaken are the best-in-market and offer both buyers and suppliers the ideal opportunity to discover Dubai. I speak English.
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Paul Sikic
Account Executive, Trade & MICE, NordicsMy core responsibility is to build strategic partnerships with stakeholders in Nordic countries and to raise awareness about what makes Dubai the ideal business events destination. I also manage sales activities across the market, as well as presentations and training. I speak Swedish, English and Croatian.
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Larisa Veshnyakova
Account Manager, RussiaMy core responsibility is to build strategic partnerships with key accounts in Russia and the CIS countries to raise awareness about what makes Dubai the ideal business events destination. I also manage sales activities across the market, as well as presentations and training. I speak Russian and English.
Asia
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Addison Chan
City Manager, Hong Kong, ChinaMy core responsibility is to build strategic partnerships with key accounts in Hong Kong and to raise awareness about what makes Dubai the ideal business events destination. I also manage sales activities across the market, as well as presentations and training. I speak Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
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Serena Liu
Business Development Manager, ChinaMy core responsibility is to build strategic partnerships with key accounts in East China and to raise awareness about what makes Dubai the ideal business events destination. I also manage sales activities across the market, as well as presentations and training. I speak Mandarin and English.
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Akiko Okabe
Business Events Manager, JapanMy priority is to increase the awareness of Dubai as an attractive business events destination for the Japanese market. I'm regularly in touch with major travel agencies as well as incentive organisers to promote the destination. I speak Japanese and English.
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Charlene Eng
Director, Singapore & MalaysiaI focus on developing and implementing creative marketing, travel trade and business event initiatives and activities across my markets. My responsibilities include lead generation and establishing productive relationships with key contacts in the travel trade and business events industry. I speak English and Chinese.
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Christian Sidharta
Trade Marketing & MICE Manager, IndonesiaMy core responsibility is to build strategic partnerships with key accounts in Indonesia and to raise awareness about what makes Dubai the ideal business events destination. I also manage sales activities across the market, as well as presentations and training. I speak English and Indonesian.
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Jesminder Kaur
Trade Marketing Manager, MalaysiaIn addition to developing and implementing travel trade marketing and business events initiatives and activities, I support planners across Malaysia, regularly engaging with them and delivering destination knowledge training programmes to elevate Dubai’s position in the market. I speak English, Malay and Hindi.
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Rayson Ng
Trade Marketing Manager, SingaporeMy core responsibility is to build strategic partnerships with key accounts in Singapore and to raise awareness about what makes Dubai the ideal business events destination. I also manage sales activities across the market, as well as presentations and training. I speak English and Chinese.
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Rachel (Jeong Hee) Kim
Account Manager, KoreaI am responsible for promoting Dubai and supporting the business events groups that are interested in coming to the city. I am engaged in various sales activities such as training workshops and sales missions, which can provide a better insight to the meeting planner. I speak Korean and English.
Americas
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Austria Dauber
Account Director, North AmericaOne of my main goals is to educate and coordinate outreach initiatives in North America for associations and corporations. Attending trade shows and industry events is among the ways I develop relationships with key buyers and identify new opportunities to position Dubai as a leading destination. I speak English, Spanish, French and Italian.
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Stephanie Cheung
Account Director, North AmericaI oversee marketing and business development in North America and my core mission is to position Dubai as the leading destination to associations, corporations, and intermediaries. I also generate brand awareness, collaborate with stakeholders, and pursue strategic relationships with key accounts. I speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
The Al Safeer Programme exists to both help build Dubai as a business event destination and provide industry leaders a platform to promote their industry internationally.
