The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) has named Yasser Saeed Hareb as chairman and Jamal Al-Shehhi as chief executive officer for the newly launched Dubai International Children Book’s Fair.

Yasser Hareb is currently vice president – culture sector at MBRF while Jamal Al-Shehhi is director of culture at the Foundation.

The Dubai International Children Book’s Fair is the latest among a series of initiatives launched by the Foundation since its establishment in May 2007 as part of its drive to promote knowledge-based societies across the Arab world.

“Yasser Hareb and Jamal Al-Shehhi have both demonstrated remarkable leadership competencies in their current mandates at the Foundation. Their extensive management expertise and well-informed knowledge of the local and regional cultural landscape will serve as assets to foster one of the Foundation’s major initiatives, which aims to raise cultural awareness among Arab children,' stated Mohammad AlGergawi, chairman, MBRF.

Yasser Hareb and Jamal Al Shehi have to date spearheaded key strategies under the Foundation’s Culture sector, including the Tarjem programme that aims to translate 1,000 bestseller books into Arabic within three years.

In their newly assumed roles, Yasser Hareb and Jamal Al-Shehi will additionally work towards hosting a round-the-year cultural agenda under the Dubai International Children’s Book Fair banner. As part of its calendar, the first edition of the children’s book fair will be held in Dubai towards the end of 2009.-TradeArabia News Service