Mazen Batterjee (center), JCCI president; Chazi Al Abbasi (2nd right), Secretary General of the Saudi Council of Engineers; Elie Rizk (1st right) MICE CEO; Egyptian CG Adel El Alfy (2nd left); and Turkish CG Fikret Ozer (left).
Samar Yahya
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – INDEX KSA, Saudi Arabia’s largest interior design fair, was inaugurated on Tuesday by Mazen Battierjee, President of Albeir Society, and Dr. Ghazi bin Saeed Al Abbasi, Secretary General of the Saudi Council of Engineers. The opening, held under the patronage of Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel and organized by M.I.C.E Arabia Exhibitions and Conferences Co. in association with dmg events, the second edition of the show will run until today (Nov. 14), at the Jeddah Centre for Forum and Events.
Batterjee said: “INDEX KSA is a trade fair that gives foreign companies an opportunity to explore the Saudi Arabian market and encourages business in the region. We are pleased to endorse an initiative of this kind as it will benefit our country and support our economic growth”.
Elie Rizk, CEO of M.I.C.E. Arabia Group, expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the exhibition, led by the Emirate of Makkah, and to the main supporters of the show the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Saudi Council of Engineers and their staff members as well as all ministries and government bodies, in particular Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Commerce, the Saudi Organization for Investment, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and special thanks to all exhibitors, participants, media partners and sponsors.
“We are honored to have Sheikh Mazen Battierjee and and Dr. Ghazi bin Saeed Al Abbasi here today to inaugurate the second edition of INDEX KSA, it’s a demonstration of the support given to the show”, said Mike Allsopp, Senior Vice President of dmg events Middle East & Asia, who attended the official inauguration and accompanied a tour around the fair.
“We have introduced two new features to the show that will make visitors’ experience even more fulfilling. With these novelties, the regional interior design market growing and the appetite for this kind of event, we envision INDEX 2013 to replicate the success of the 2012 edition”, Allsopp added.
Hosting over 150 companies from 20 countries and covering different industry segments, INDEX KSA caters to the needs of the residential, commercial and hospitality interior sectors; the show provides exhibitors with a platform to access the Saudi Arabian market and industry’s professionals with a unique opportunity to network with potential new suppliers for their projects and a source of inspiration.
Spread over 4,400 net sqm of floor space, INDEX KSA 2013 will also feature for the first time a program of free-to-attend seminars and workshops for the Interior Design and Architect community, where industry’s hot topics will be analyzed and discussed.
A session on “Education and Training in Interior Design-A British Perspective” by Helen Keighley, Director of Education for the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID); while Amina Al-Failakawi, Visual Merchandising Manager at Abyat Megastore, will discuss ‘Interior Inspirations, Colors, Patterns and Styles’.
“The new Design Talks program it’s a great addition to the show; it brings to our market something that was needed and that will help nurturing and developing the Saudi Arabian industry professional community” commented Dr. Ghazi bin Saeed AL Abbasi, Secretary General of the Saudi Council of Engineers.
“The council is committed to supporting such activities that enhance awareness amongst architects and decision makers alike,” he noted.
Another new feature of the INDEX KSA show is the Trend Tour, a self-guided tour that helps visitors navigate the show at their leisure and spot the most interesting pieces on display at the fair. Among the thousands of items showcased at INDEX, a team of industry experts have selected the 25 most innovative and trendiest from international and regional exhibiting brands such as Aqua Designs Group, Champs Elysees, Edition Bougainville, Faya, FEDE, Legrand, Roca, Vavex, and Solea. — SG
