Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a policy dinner on the margins of the International Defense Conference and Exhibition (IDEX 2013) in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The event featured keynote remarks by Homaid Al Shemmari, Executive Director of Mubadala Aerospace, and was attended by a large contingent of senior defense stakeholders including corporate executives, government officials, and military representatives from the United States and United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.).

Following an introduction from Danny Sebright, president of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and the host of the event, the Honorable Michael H. Corbin, U.S. Ambassador the U.A.E., addressed the audience to highlight the significance of the aerospace and commercial defense sectors to the overall U.S.-U.A.E. relationship. In his remarks, Corbin applauded the work Mubadala Aerospace and other Emirati companies have done to build the infrastructure necessary to begin supporting some of the U.A.E.’s defense needs. He also pointed to IDEX 2013 as a key opportunity for U.S. and U.A.E. defense firms to discuss building potential corporate partnerships to support the growth of the industry in the U.A.E., and broader Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.

Following Corbin’s opening remarks, Al Shemmari took the stage to provide the audience with a snapshot of Abu Dhabi’s commercial aerospace and defense industry. In his comments, Al Shemmari detailed Mubadala Aerospace’s strategy to develop an aerospace industry in Abu Dhabi by investing in world-class infrastructure, partnerships and training programs over the next few decades. Al Shemmari also outlined the work of Mubadala’s various portfolio companies in this sector as enumerated below.

A majority of the senior-level audience members as well as thousands of defense and security representatives from around the globe are in Abu Dhabi this week to attend IDEX 2013.

For more information about the conference, visit: www.idexuae.ae.

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About Mubadala Aerospace:

Mubadala Aerospace, a business unit of Mubadala Development Company, is a global network of aerospace businesses that demonstrates world-class performance, and delivers value-added services and products to its customers with the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency. Mubadala Aerospace intelligently invests in a network of international businesses developing mutually-beneficial partnerships, and capitalizing on market opportunities to ensure sustainable value to its stakeholders, nurture the local Emirati talent, and drive innovative solutions for the aerospace industry.

Mubadala Aerospace has forged collaborative agreements with world-class aerospace and aviation companies leveraging global expertise for advanced, end-to-end technologies, and manufacturing bases that offer state-of-the-art facilities as well as a global customer base. Creating and sustaining value for its businesses, Mubadala Aerospace has developed strategic partnerships with leading organizations such as EADS/Airbus, Finmeccanica/Alenia Aeronautica, GE, Sikorsky Aerospace Services, and Lockheed Martin Corporation to build and maintain a globally competitive advantage.

The portfolio of businesses include: Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT), Advanced Military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Center (AMMROC), SR Technics, Sanad Aero Solutions, Strata Manufacturing, Horizon International Flight Academy, and Piaggio Aero.  Each of these companies has proven expertise in its field and performs with a mutual endeavor to be best-in-class.

To learn more about Mubadala Aerospace or the Mubadala Development Company log onto: www.mubadala.ae.

About the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council:

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council is a progressive business advocacy organization solely committed to the advancement of the trade and commercial relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council provides its diverse membership unparalleled access to senior decision makers in business and government in the U.A.E. and in the U.S. The Business Council actively works to ensure that the U.S. and U.A.E. remain attractive destinations for foreign direct investment by conducting effective policy advocacy, undertaking various trade promotion initiatives, providing ongoing updates on the business climate in both countries, and helping develop strategic relationships between U.S. and U.A.E. business and government officials.

For more information, visit: www.usuaebusiness.org.