Last Monday, the International Innovation Center in downtown Las Vegas hosted the launch of Vegas Meets Dubai (VMD), an initiative that aims to bridge the gap between two similar cities. The event was organized by VIP Minds, a local company that specializes in identifying and analyzing corporate excellence.
VMD is the first phase of a larger program that seeks to link Las Vegas with other major cities around the world, providing a gateway for businesses to expand their reach and explore new markets on both sides.
VIP Minds CEO Nora Abou Chakra summarized the event. “We are overwhelmed by the interest VMD sparked amongst investors and potential partners. Comments were unanimously positive and strengthen our conviction that Las Vegas is ready, even anxious, to go global.”
Dignitaries, business leaders, and representatives from academia attended the VMD inaugural ceremony. Members of staff from Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, Congresspersons Steven Horsford, Dina Titus, and Susie Lee represented them at the event. Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman, Chief of Staff to the Nevada Lieutenant Governor Rudy Pamintuan, Director Martin Herbst of the Nevada Office of the International Trade Administration, and Deputy Information Technology Director of the City of Las Vegas Chris Craig were also present.
During the event, VIP Minds, the Honorary Consulate of Lebanon in Nevada, and DM Global Consulting received Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition from Senator Jacky Rosen, Congressman Steven Horsford, Congresswoman Susie Lee, Congresswoman Dina Titus, and Nevada Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony. Additionally, they received a Certificate of Recognition from the City of Las Vegas Office Councilwoman Victoria Seaman.
“Vegas Meets Dubai wants to bring two worlds closer together and build a bridge between such dynamic and forward-looking cities. It is a crucial and major step towards an exchange of mutual understanding — and just as importantly, the promotion of tourism and business,” says Dijana Mitrovic of DM Global Consulting, who also presides the Strategic European American League and has been selected to be the leading strategic partner at VMD, where she led the proceedings during which VMD unveiled six new strategic partnerships with prominent businesswomen, including University of Nevada adjunct-professor Dr. Kate Zhong, Dr. Ati Hakimi MD, Mijung Lombardi (Vice-President of G Bank), Sandra Rentas of the Nevada Small Business Development Center, Isabelle Karamooz (founder French Quarter Magazine), and Anna Billings (of designer boutique Anne Fontaine).
The VMD initiative has received support from local business mogul Philippe Ziade, who has founded 64 companies since graduating from the University of Nevada with dual degrees in Mechanical and Civil Engineering. Ziade, also the Honorary Consul of Lebanon for the State of Nevada, is a patron of VMD.
Recently, Vegas Meets Dubai made its debut in the metaverse, a multi-million dollar project that offers visitors a full and immersive Vegas and Dubai experience in a futuristic and feature-rich environment.
In his opening remarks Ziade explained that Dubai was chosen as a first stop in the Vegas Meets-series, which includes Vegas Meets Milano, Beirut, Tulum, Beijing, Monaco, St Tropez, Tokyo, KSA, and Qatar, “because of the many similarities between the two cities — both arose out of the lifeless desert floor to become major centers of commerce, finance, and entertainment. Both also share the boomtown can-do attitude, boundless optimism, a forward-looking mindset, and a determination to succeed no matter what. We thought it was high time to introduce the two.”
