12th Annual Oil Barons Charity Ball Brings the Stars to Dubai this Weekend

Region’s Largest Gala Dinner for Oil and Gas Industry Attracts Top-Level Professionals

“Time Spent in Hospital with Cancer Patients was the Most Humbling Experience in My Life,” says Oil Baron

ABU DHABI, UAE – 4 March 2015 – The Oil Barons Charity Ball is once again gearing up for record-breaking success this weekend, with more than 2,000 guests set to attend the region’s largest gala dinner for the oil and gas industry.

The 12th edition of the prestigious event, which is held under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth, and Social Development, will be bringing the five-star experience to Dubai at The Meydan Hotel this Friday, 6 March.  World-class performances by award-winning lead singer of M People, Heather Small, soul singer Jae Franklin, and Dubai’s reputed party band, The Maplejacks, will be headlining the entertainment.

With a three-course silver service dinner, an exciting line-up of live and silent charity auctions, and Dubai One’s Tom Urquhart as Master of Ceremonies for the evening, this year’s edition of the Oil Barons Charity Ball is sure to both dazzle and impress guests.

However, the black-tie event is meant to raise funds for an important cause – the support and treatment for cancer sufferers. All proceeds from the event will go to the UAE-based charity, Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP).

As the emirate gears up for the star-studded evening, Oil Baron and committed humanitarian, Dave Jackson, reminds the community not to underestimate the power of a single donation.

“My year as Oil Baron was the most humbling experience in my life – visiting cancer patients, many of them children, in hospitals and witnessing their resilience and ability to carry on with smiles on their faces despite the challenges life has presented them with,” said Jackson, who is also Regional Director - MEA, Caspian, SE Asia at the international safety and protection company, Scott Safety.

“Sometimes it is easy to get carried away with the daily rituals of work and life, especially in such a fast-paced environment, but we need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, at the important value of giving back.”

“Through the efforts of dmg events, by organizing the Oil Barons Charity Ball, and the kindness of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, I believe we can truly generate that kind of support and awareness,” Jackson added.

The glamourous event recognizes the Oil Baron who has been an inspirational leader and an innovator of the industry, demonstrating a genuine commitment to corporate social responsibility, and making a real difference in the region. The Oil Baron is judged by an independent panel consisting of senior peers in the industry, and accepting the crown is a lifetime achievement for professionals.

An initiative backed by the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), the Oil Barons Charity Ball has raised more than USD 2.1 million raised for FoCP over its past editions.

“This event not only enables prominent figures from the oil and gas industry to network in a five-star setting, but do to so for a noble cause, and we are truly heartened by the level of support we have received so far for this initiative,” said Christopher Hudson, Vice President, Energy at dmg events.

“As a community, it is our duty to offer aid to those who need it. Donations raised through this event can improve a patient’s quality of life, give him or her a better chance of survival through access to treatment, or even save a patient through increased awareness, early diagnosis, and prevention,” Hudson added.

FoCP provides financial, medical, and moral support to cancer patients and their families. This includes covering treatment expenses, psychological consultations, and helping to send patients abroad for specialized treatment. FoCP also promotes early diagnosis and prevention through a variety of awareness raising initiatives.

“The only way to garner support is to touch people’s hearts, and that is what I believe events like the Oil Barons Charity Ball can achieve,” Jackson said.