Dubai: The World CEO Forum kicked off in Dubai on Monday morning aboard the Queen Elizabeth II, featuring an array of speakers from a range of industries.

Opening the event was a keynote from the UK’s Trade Commissioner for the Middle East Simon Penney, who spoke about the opportunities surrounding Expo 2020 Dubai, the UK’s involvement in the Gulf, and other issues facing regional chief executives.

The first day of the event, which lasts until Tuesday, also featured speakers including Heather Mills, founder of vegan food company VBites, and Saud Salim Al Mazroui, Director of Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone), a special economic area in Sharjah.

On the agenda was cybersecurity, the Middle East’s economy, health care, and leadership, among other issues.

The event will also play host to Young Arab Leaders (YAL), the mentorship programme launched under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The YAL programme will introduce some of their top leaders who have achieved commendable success since joining the initiative. YAL members will lead the panel discussion titled “Bringing the Middle East to the International Marketplace.”