World Strategy Summit concludes in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, 18th November 2015 (WAM) - Participants at the World Strategy Summit, which was held under the theme of ‘Strategic Leadership for the Future’, emphasized the importance of establishing an international platform for strategy, leadership, and innovation. This platform would contribute to building governmental and business sector leadership and would be based on a comprehensive vision to understand the nature of future opportunities and challenges. The platform could then be used to create measurable scientifically-based strategies that are flexible enough to tackle emerging changes to ensure sustainability. They also noted that the summit that was organized under the patronage of Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, provided an opportunity for the world’s leading authorities to come together with senior businessmen and to discuss topics regarding strategy, leadership, and innovation. It also provided an unprecedented opportunity for governments and private companies to interact through the learning and exchange of ideas. This enables various competent parties to build strategic competencies to ensure a better future and to contribute to developing performance and enhancing their competitive edge. They also praised the interest of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its efforts in…

Trudeau Cabinet reflects more diversity in new House

Trudeau Cabinet reflects more diversity in new House By CHRISTOPHER GULY | Published: Monday, 11/16/2015 12:00 am EST While women represent half of the 30-member Cabinet, they only account for 27 per cent of the Liberal caucus, or 50 of the record 88 female MPs elected from all five parties in this year’s election.   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet might not perfectly reflect Canadian society, but it’s a better representation of the country’s diversity than the composition of the last Parliament, according to political economist and self-described “knowledge junkie” Kai Chan, an expatriate Canadian currently based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While he said that the share of female, minority, and French-speaking ministers in the new Liberal Cabinet, excluding Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) are essentially in line with their share in national demographics (at half, a quarter, and a quarter, respectively), there are no members from East Asian, black, Southeast Asian or Latin American communities, despite the fact those groups together account for 13 per cent of the Canadian population (and half of the minority population) with East Asians—the single largest ethnic minority group—representing 5.3 per cent. “There are also no Southeast Asians in the Liberal caucus, but…

A cabinet that reflects Canada

Letter to the Toronto Star Published November 7, 2015 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to be lauded for his commitment to a diverse cabinet, but gender is only one dimension of diversity. Although the minority share of cabinet posts (23 per cent) closely mirrors their share of Canada’s population (26 per cent), the cabinet counts no members from the East Asian, black, southeast Asian or Latin American communities even though East Asians are the single largest ethnic minority group in the country (5.3 per cent), and the aforementioned groups collectively form 13 per cent of Canada’s population. Kai L. Chan, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Letter as it appeared in the Toronto Star. © Copyright Toronto Star 1996-2015

The six workforce challenges you must tackle now

The six workforce challenges you must tackle now Author: Mark Townsend Something is stirring in the GCC. The flatlining oil price and the newfound maturity of many local economies are forcing organisations to think afresh about their business models, and to call time on the era of short-term, expat-reliant workforces in search of something more sustainable. But what does that mean for HR professionals and business leaders planning for the future? People Management speaks to a range of experts to build a comprehensive picture of the challenges organisations face in a reset GCC economy – and the innovative ways they are finding to flourish. 1 Find and develop talented nationals The GCC workforce faces profound challenges if it is to match the productivity levels of G20 economies: local businesses must be at the forefront of a drive to work both smarter and harder. But if their endeavours are to result in the widest possible and most sustainable prosperity, they must harness local talent at a time when the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and others are desperately trying to rebalance their economies away from oil and an over-reliance on the public sector. Dr Kai Chan, distinguished fellow at INSEAD’s Innovation and Policy…

Expats’ right to vote

Letter to the Globe & Mail Published August 1, 2015 Many of those who left Canada did so for professional reasons in a labour market that is increasingly globalized. They still hold deep ties to Canada; indeed, each expat is an unofficial diplomat for the country in their (temporarily) adopted land. Allowing those of us living beyond the political borders of Canada – but with attachments to the country – to have a political voice helps to shape a country with a more informed international policy (among other things), which is highly relevant in a society where trade and the cross-border movement of people are significant. The Canadian identity is not defined by residency, but by a set of values, and by the belief in promoting these positive ideals around the world through our churning number of a million-plus “diplomats.” Kai L. Chan, Dubai Letter as it appeared in the G&M © Copyright 2015 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.  All Rights Reserved.