Peter Kenyon, the former chief executive of English soccer clubs Chelsea and Manchester United, which have between them won the last five Premier League titles, London 2012 vice chairman Sir Keith Mills and Giles Morgan, the global head of sponsorship for HSBC have been announced as the first three speakers at the inaugural Arabian Sponsorship Forum in December.

Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Forum is being sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and its Sport Care Programme.

With sponsorship in the Middle East estimated at US$2 billion the Forum will look to further raise the profile of the sector in the Middle East. The event, hosted by four-time Olympic gold-medal winning rower and BBC presenter Sir Matthew Pinsent, will feature the keynote sessions as well as a series of debates on sponsorship with key figures from the local industry.
 
His Excellency Mohammad Al Mahmoud, secretary general of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: "This is an important initiative for sport in Abu Dhabi as it can help to educate the local sports and business communities on how to use sponsorship for mutual benefit. The organisers have put together some excellent speakers and sessions for the inaugural Forum and we are particularly excited about Peter Kenyon's decision to speak as he is undoubtedly one of the leading executives in global football. There will be further announcements about other world class speakers in the coming weeks."

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Speaking on his involvement, Kenyon said: "The Middle East has established itself through the likes of Etihad Airways, Emirates and Dubai Duty Free as understanding the potential to use sport, arts and entertainment to build brands and businesses. This Forum will further widen that knowledge and it is particularly appropriate that is being held in Abu Dhabi, which has firmly established itself in 2009 as a global sports capital by hosting such high profile events as the F1 Etihad Airways Grand Prix and the Fifa Club World Cup in December."
 
Jamie Cunningham, founder and group managing director of Professional Sports Group, organisers of the Forum, commented: "Sponsorship is not new in the Arabic world, but the Arabian Sponsorship Forum will be a must-attend event for anyone involved in the industry in the region. We hope that it will also attract many local Arabic companies to consider the potential for their brand and develop their business using sponsorship of sport, the arts and entertainment.

"We would like to thank His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan for his patronage and all our partners including the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Emirates Palace for making this inaugural event possible."