Dubai to host World Space Risk Forum

Leaders in the global space industry will return to Dubai for the World Space Risk Forum 2014 from 12 to 14 May. Hosted at Raffles Dubai, the biennial event brings together leading professionals representing all aspects of the space industry. The predominant focus of the event is on understanding and mitigating risk so as to further promote business development and exploration in space.
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According to the organisers, attendees will include CEOs, CFOs and CTOs of satellite operators, satellite manufacturers, launch service providers and space agencies, in addition to all the major global insurance brokers and underwriters.
The forum will also serve as a platform of opportunity for those not in the space industry, who wish to involve themselves more through resourceful investment and innovative ideas.
Delegates will be encouraged to attend panelist sessions and participate in workshops where the three key topics for the World Space Risk Forum 2014 - “New Capital. New Threats. New Markets” will be debated and discussed around the following themes:

  • Attracting Capital: What makes space investment unique?
  • Starting a space venture: a stakeholder standpoint
  • Who takes the risk and how can it be mitigated?
  • Space hardware: Can there be reliability in an era of change?
  • New space missions, what is next?
  • Where is the growth and what are the opportunities?
  • When problems arise, on earth or beyond
  • Space business: A look to the future
  • Liabilities in space and their consequences on earth.

Chris Kunstadter (pictured right) of XL Insurance and Chairman of the World Space Risk Forum 2014, said “It will be my privilege to welcome leaders from the global space industry to Raffles Dubai to experience this unique forum to discuss risk issues of importance to them, exchange ideas and develop risk management and space insurance solutions of mutual interest.
“Space has become an integral part of the lives of everyone on Earth and the industry has continued to innovate and develop solutions that make space a safer place to reach, to do business, to visit and to explore. We look forward to welcoming attendees to join the conversation in Dubai, and help develop the strategies that will transform the world.”
The World Space Risk Forum is the main space risk forum in the world. Global satellite industry revenues are increasing yearly and are expected to be in excess of $200bn for 2014 according to the Satellite Industry Association.
Growth in the Middle-East region, Asia and Africa is expected to hit more than 10% a year over the next 10 years. The region is a significant investor in high technology which makes it a major player in the future of space development.
The space risk industry facilitates this development through the provision of insurance solutions for clients that protect their assets, revenues and liabilities to third parties.
Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General of EIAST and local strategic partner for the World Space Risk Forum 2014 (pictured below)  emphasised the importance of the event. “This is undoubtedly one of the biggest events on the aerospace calendar and one which offers an ideal platform for EIAST to showcase the strategic and technical specifications of DubaiSat-2 as well as our efforts in raising the bar on technical excellence and comprehensive scientific development in the UAE.
“The World Space Risk Forum provides us with an ideal opportunity to reach leaders in the global space industry and reinforce the leading position of the UAE in the regional space sector. We remain steadfast in our commitment to leverage the latest technologies and advanced science on par with the leadership’s development vision and to continue with our efforts to develop UAE Nationals so that Dubai is transformed into a leading satellite manufacturer and provider of innovative solutions.” All sectors of aerospace, communications, earth observation, and other space-related industries, as well as representatives of government agencies, science organisations, academia, and many others, will be present at the three-day event in Dubai.
Further information on the World Space Risk Forum 2014, including registration details and the latest programme agenda can be viewed at http://www.worldspaceriskforum.com