ICA: Dubai 2011
June 15, 2011 There is no way to know definitively how many cotton and textile professionals would have made the trip to the United Arab Emirates for the International Cotton Association’s Dubai 2011 event because it sold out all of the 600 available slots almost a month before it started.
What is safe to say, however, is that the overwhelming majority of those who went were glad they did, with 91.5% of attendees responding to a poll saying they had benefitted by attending. The ICA itself learned a thing or two as well, and that knowledge will be invaluable as it gears up for this year’s annual trade dinner and event in October and also for 2012.
“Liverpool will this year welcome members and guests for the 2011 Dinner, which will combine the customary dinner in the city’s prestigious St. George’s Hall, the conference and, in a new departure in the Association’s procedures, the Annual General Meeting for members,” says Ray Butler, ICA President. “Regularly attracting over 500 attendees in recent years, 2011 will mark an opportunity, once again, to experience the tradition of the Liverpool event, to see old friends and make new ones, and to visit the ICA’s home city. A range of high-profile speakers will address topics of vital and current interest to those who engage in international trade in raw cotton.”
In 2012, the ICA will combine its annual dinner with the March conference it has held in Singapore and Dubai these last two years, further expanding the international nature of the association’s focus. “Next year we have chosen to hold a single event in Hong Kong, which promises to combine the tradition of Liverpool with the successes of Singapore and Dubai,” Butler adds. “The ICA’s international credentials are well-evidenced in the make-up of our board (17 countries represented), in the well-attended Complete Cotton course held annually in Liverpool, which this year has attracted 39 delegates from 13 countries, and in the success of our overseas events during the past three years, from Geneva to Singapore and this year in Dubai.”
Prior to the Dubai event, Cotton International polled some of its readers about what they hoped to achieve, then checked in again afterwards to get their thoughts.
“There was a terrific turnout and many opportunities to meet old and new customers and friends,” says Ernie Schroeder, Jr., president and CEO of Jess Smith & Sons. “I left the event with a lot of new information about the current volatile environment we are operating in, as well as how our customers are responding to the new challenges they face. I expected to hear concern about cotton prices, but mills were focusing on trying to receive their cotton in a timely manner. We did discuss risk management strategies with mills in this volatile environment.”
Junaid Vaid, director of A.E. Mohamedy & Co., adds, “I got a good idea of the prospects and concerns of various industry representatives in the current challenging and volatile business conditions. Furthermore, the presence of so many representatives from different sectors of the value chain has helped me better understand each sector’s challenges and risks.”
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