ABU DHABI // Danish investors have come to learn from members of the FNC on development, enterprise and immigration.
The delegation from the Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO) visited the FNC yesterday for a question-and-answer session with members Afra Al Basti, Faisal Al Teneiji and Ahmed Al Mansouri.
The 62 members of the delegation, from its Danish chapter, said they were particularly impressed by the UAE’s openness to foreigners and quick development.
“The main goal was to meet government and private entities, to understand more of the UAE as a whole,” said Soren Fritzen, director and senior partner with McKinsey.
Erik Holm, managing partner of an investment company, said: “You manage to have so many cultures around you and then lead together with harmony, given that more than 200 nationalities are living in your country.”
The YPO is a business community for high-ranking chief executives and chairmen. It consists of 22,000 members, 125 countries and represents a turnover of US$6 trillion (Dh22.03tn).
Mr Holm said he would like to take home the lesson of how to create an atmosphere that welcomed everyone, no matter what their cultural background.
“I think that the UAE could be the role model for a lot of other countries in the region because I think it has been able to handle an extremely strong development in a good way,” he said.
“Our political system is too focused on details and sometimes forgets about the bigger picture.
“The good thing here is to stay focused on the vision that you have for your country to develop the infrastructure and education system.”
During the session, a delegate asked how the UAE handled its 85 per cent immigrant workforce, compared with Denmark, where it was no more than 5 per cent.
“What is interesting, in Denmark on immigration issues you have a totally different view,” said Maria Kahler, from the Engineering Society.
“We have only 5 per cent yet we spent a tremendous amount of time discussing it and we can learn from you.”
Mr Al Mansouri told the delegates that the secret to the UAE’s success was gradual development.
“When we talk about the development of the country it was across all cultures,” he said. “In the past 44 years it was all based on progressive development.”
Mr Al Mansouri said that the country was open to providing equal opportunities to all nationalities who could contribute to its development.
Wider aspects of the UAE’s society were also applauded.
“There is a focus that the politicians are aware of women’s rights, and pollution and environmental aspects. It is great to hear that,” said Thomas Kahler, managing director of Rockwool Scandinavia.
Delegates asked what some of the UAE’s critical issues were.
Mr Al Mansouri said that most critical issues were regional, and said “our destiny is linked with the change in the world”.
“But we are always prepared to change the challenges to solutions,” he said.
“Other countries have more resources than the UAE, but with our humble experience we managed to work in the interest of the UAE.”
hdajani@thenational.ae
