The Culture Counter The Arts Club Dubai

You have probably put an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot to the test recently. Perhaps you asked it to write prose from the perspective of a 300-year-old time-traveler from Mars. And why wouldn’t you satiate your curiosity? It has been populating headlines for months after all. 
But what really is generative AI? How does it work? What are the legal implications, if any? Is my job endangered or that of my children? Will I need my own AI? These are some of the questions Dr. Noah Raford, renowned futurist and co-founder of LazyBrain AI, endeavors to answer with a very special guest expert. 

Hamed Ali sits at the helm of two of Dubai’s most powerful financial organizations - Dubai Financial Market and NASDAQ Dubai. Under his leadership, UAE witnessed DEWA’s historic IPO listing, becoming the biggest IPO in UAE financial market’s history and the second-largest IPO in the Middle East historically. Hamed played a significant role in the launch of Nasdaq Dubai’s equity derivatives on UAE stocks in 2016 and on Saudi stocks in 2019, making it one of the largest exchanges in the world for Sukuk listings. 
In his role as the CEO of DFM and NASDAQ Dubai, Hamed is dedicated to developing and implementing the expansion of existing markets and activities across both exchanges and is creating new areas of growth, building on the synergies between DFM and Nasdaq Dubai. Today, Hamed Ali is focused on attracting IPOs from private and family businesses, while facilitating the growth of a healthy, accessible and robust financial ecosystem.

Butheina Kazim decided to work in cinema 15 years ago and planted the seeds that led to the founding of Cinema Akil in 2014 when she started showcasing independent films as nomadic cinematic interventions in various spaces around Dubai. At the time she was targeting a very small community of film afficionados. By 2018 Cinema Akil was a permanent venue and film sanctuary in Dubai, making it the GCC’s first ever arthouse cinema. Today, it is one of the best known, must-visit destination for film lovers across the region.
But where did it all start? Whether it be from their parents’ garage, from having had a life-changing conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like hers. Listen to this fireside chat with one of the trailblazing founders of our region as she shares her extraordinary journey.

Moderator: Micallar Walker | CEO/Founder - Dark Matter

From graphic design to automotive design, Ralph Debbas’ journey led him to launch W Motors, the first ever developer and manufacturer of high-performance luxury sports cars in the Middle East at age 25. In 2013, he built one of the world’s most expensive cars – the $3.4m Lykan Hypersport, successfully diversified the Company’s portfolio and is building the first fully-fledged automotive factory in the Middle East. Today, his company is offering complete mobility solutions for the region.
 But where did it all start? Whether it be from their parents’ garage, from having had a life-changing conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like his. Join us for an intimate fireside chat with one of the most innovative founders of our region as he shares his extraordinary journey.

Wokeness is a buzzword which found prominence in the mid-2010s in the form of a mass campaign to raise awareness for significant social issues. Soon thereafter it was used and arguably abused by mainstream media for marketing campaigns designed to appeal to millennials. It wasn’t long until it revived a corporate framework first introduced in 2004 called ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance. ESG is a set of investment standards that look at how a company safeguards the Environment, how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and how a company deals with leadership, executive pay, audits and internal controls.
 This year ESG was on everyone’s lips at the World Economic Forum’s meeting in Davos and was highly criticised for being too broad and too naïve in times of economic unrest. 
 Can the corporate world ignore the powerful push from customers, employees, and investors for organizations to stand for more than just financial targets? Can we achieve capitalism and sincere social conscientiousness at the same time? Discussions about climate change, inequality and ethical business relationships aren’t going away, so what is in store for 2023? 

We welcome artist Daniel Crews-Chubb for an intimate fireside chat on the occasion of his exhibition of five of his totemic paintings at The Arts Club Dubai.

Looking back on his career as a renowned painter with a deeply expressive painting style, Daniel discusses his process, Greek mythology, and the personal experiences that have informed his work.

Moderated by: Pernilla Holmes - Wedel Art (Director)