IAAPA Expands Presence in Middle East With New Office and Ahmed Zakaria as Director of Operations

IAAPA has announced that Ahmed Zakaria was selected as the Director of Operations for the Middle East and will be establishing a local office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

What’s Happening:

  • IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, announced today that Ahmed Zakaria has been selected as the Director of Operations for the Middle East and will be establishing a local office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • Ahmed arrives with more than 20 years of experience in the exhibitions and event management industry across the MENA region.
  • Prior to joining IAAPA, Ahmed was the General Manager for MICE World, a Dubai-based exhibitions and conferences company specialized in events for the public sector and semi-governmental entities.
  • Ahmed also previously held the role of General Manager for Informa PLC where he successfully established and managed business portfolios for exhibitions, conferences, and training activities in the Saudi Arabian market.
  • With expertise and proficiency in establishing and leading vertical and horizontal businesses, Ahmed will play a key role within the IAAPA EMEA team, focusing on consolidating and developing our membership reach in the Middle East region.
  • His addition will allow the association to enhance services to members and industry connections in the Middle East and provide an efficient way to expand IAAPA trade events in the future.
  • Ahmed holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Cairo University, Egypt and is a member of the Rotary Club of Dubai and the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE).

What They’re Saying:

  • “I am excited to have Ahmed join the IAAPA team and look forward to exploring new opportunities in the Middle East by having a local office available to interact with members and industry partners.,” said IAAPA EMEA Executive Director and Vice President Peter van der Schans. “Our education and trade events have grown significantly in recent years, and this is evident as we close the 2024 Middle East Trade Summit in Abu Dhabi with 45 exhibitors and 400 attendees.”

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Tricia Kennedy
As a huge Disney fan Tricia enjoys having Walt Disney World basically in her backyard. When she's not at the theme parks she is either playing drums or with her dog Yoda. She is a lifelong Star Wars fan and has ridden Star Tours over 270 times.