The Programme - Global Travel & Tourism Summit

ProfilesSAEED AL MUNTAFIQExecutive ChairmanTatweerTatweer is one of the largest and fastest growing regional business conglomerates and,with over US$170 billion, the largest tourism, leisure and entertainment Arab investor.Launched in December 2005, Tatweer owns and manages a strategic group of companies that operate inthe fields of Healthcare, Energy, Industry, Real Estate and Leisure and Entertainment, with leading iconicprojects such as Bawadi or Dubailand in the world’s biggest tourism destinations.In March 2008 Saeed Al Muntafiq was named Executive Chairman of the Dubai Events ManagementCorporation, a corporate entity under the Government of Dubai mandated to enhance Dubai’s position as aninternational hub for sports and cultural events, conferences and exhibitions. The entity is the sole authorityresponsible for representing Dubai in signing sports agreements, except football or equestrian-related deals, aswell as for drawing up and setting policies, strategies and standards for sports activities and events.Mr Al Muntafiq is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Dubai Group, a leading financial conglomeratein the Arab region focusing on Investments, Banking and Insurance. He is also a Member of the Board of theJumeirah Group, a leading hospitality industry with a world class portfolio of hotels.INDUSTRYMarilyn Carlson NelsonChairman & Chief Executive OfficerCarlsonMarilyn Carlson Nelson is Chairman of Carlson, a global group of integrated companiesproviding travel, hotel, restaurant, cruise and marketing services. With headquarters inMinneapolis, Minnesota, USA, and operations in nearly 150 countries and territories, Carlson-owned andfranchised operations employ about 190,000 people.Forbes magazine has regularly selected Marilyn as one of ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’. Marilynis on the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council and in 2004 co-chaired the Forum’sannual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. She recently completed a presidential appointment as Chair of theNational Women’s Business Council, an advisory council to the President and Congress; and is currentlyVice Chair of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. In 2006 Marilyn was made a Chevalier in theFrench Légion d’Honneur. Marilyn was also named one of ‘America’s Best Leaders’ by US News and WorldReport.Marilyn was the first major player in the United States travel industry to take a stand in the fight against childsexual tourism by co-founding the World Childhood Foundation. In addition, Marilyn signed Carlson toECPAT in 2004, an international code of conduct aimed at ending child prostitution, child pornography andthe trafficking of children for sexual purposes.Marilyn is a past National Chair of the Travel Industry Association of America, has served as a delegate tothe White House Conference on Tourism, and was on the board of the US National Tourism Organization.She is currently a member of the Singapore Tourism Board.55