Multi-million dollar deals mark first GolfEx Dubai
GolfEx Dubai will be back bigger and
better next year after the innovative two-day event surpassed all
expectations, according to organisers Driving Force.
Potential business worth a minimum of
US$10 million was generated at the inaugural staging of a conference
and exhibition which brought together the business of the world
of golf at one venue as well as providing a platform for industry
heavyweights to network, share knowledge and broker deals.
Some of the biggest names in the sport
attended GolfEx Dubai, including Tiger Woods' manager Mark Steinberg,
former European Tour chief Ken Schofield, former Open champion Peter
Thomson and Asian Tour chief executive Louis Martin.
And more than 500 visitors also took
the chance to check out the displays of 28 exhibitors from 20 countries
which showcased the latest products on the golfing market.
Neil Hamp-Adams, the managing partner
of Driving Force, said: 'We've created something unique which we
think will go from strength to strength. The big thing for us is
to learn from this event and to make sure that we come back next
year ten times better.
'On the conference side, I could not have imagined or asked for
a better line-up of guest speakers. Without doubt, their support
has been a major factor in the success of the event. And the venue
of the Jumeirah Conference Centre has been a spectacular success
for this event.'
Hamp-Adams believes the fledgling event
has already established itself as a key part of what is now being
termed the 'Desert Swing' - early season European Tour events in
Abu Dhabi, Qatar and the Dubai Desert Classic which gets underway
on Thursday.
He said: 'Hopefully we're already entrenched
on the world golfing calendar. We are now looking forward to cementing
relationships at all levels and taking big steps forward next year.'
IMG's Steinberg gave day two of GolfEx
Dubai a high-powered start with a compelling insight into what is
required to manage the careers of golfers such as Woods and female
number one Annika Sorenstam. And Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler, the managing
director of ISM whose roster of clients includes Ernie Els, Darren
Clarke and Lee Westwood, then spoke about sponsorship along with
Schofield and Guy Kinnings, of IMG.
A Tiger from another era, Peter Thomson,
was another popular speaker on the second day of the event. The
75-year-old, known as the Melbourne Tiger at the peak of his career
in the 1950s and 1960s, has gone into the history books for winning
the British Open five times. He spoke about the burgeoning popularity
of golf and the challenges facing the professional game in Australia.
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