Maciej Białko – Executive Director, Partner
Infinity Media Middle East FZ LLC
Maciej Białko has been living and working in the United Arab Emirates for 7 years. Previously he worked in the Republic of Ireland in banking administration (Bank of Scotland, Barclaycard International and Bank of Ireland). During his first four years in the Emirates he was an economic expert in the Embassy of Poland in Abu Dhabi. For the next three years he ran his own business and was the Official Representative of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency in the United Arab Emirates. He carried out numerous trade and investment missions for Polish institutions supporting business development, and also directly for businesses. He was recommended by Deputy Minister of Economy Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik to become the managing director of the Trade Office in Dubai (which in the end was not established). He is a co-founder and managing director of Infinity Media Middle East FZ LLC, a company registered in the United Arab Emirates, whose mission is to facilitate the entry of Polish companies into the UAE and Gulf markets.
Maciej Białko is a person with years of experience on the UAE market, not only in cooperation with government institutions but also with the world of business. His biggest achievements include organizing Donald Tusk's visit in April 2012 (while working for the Embassy of Poland in Abu Dhabi) and creating a program for leading Polish companies during the official visit of President Bronisław Komorowski to the UAE in December 2013. As a result of many B2B meetings he organized, many Polish companies began selling their products in the UAE.
Currently Infinity Middle East FZ LLC acts as a proxy of companies in many sectors, representing them locally. Maciej Białko manages a team of experts, who are prepared to assist Polish companies working in different business sectors.
Below is a list of projects carried out by Maciej Białko, with reference letters confirming his participation in the projects:
Maciej Białko, an Economic Expert in the Economic Department at the Embassy of Poland in Abu Dhabi, 2009-2012:
- Analysis of the local market and bilateral economic relations, formulating the appropriate substantive conclusions
- Discovering new possibilities of economic cooperation
- Maintaining business correspondence between importers and exporters in the UAE
- Assistance to Polish entrepreneurs during trade fairs in the UAE
- Managing a data base of foreign business contacts and foreign promotion
- Handling current contacts with representatives of local businesses
- Participation in promotional and informative activity in economic and trade relations in relation to the interested individuals, institutions and mass media in the UAE
- Preparation and distribution of economic promotional materials
- Participating in preparation of economic trips to and from Poland
- Preparation and coordination of several visits of high-ranking civil servants (various ministers, including Donald Tusk's visits to the UAE in April 2012)
- Establishing preliminary contacts with local businesses, promoting Polish economic interests
- Participation in promotion, organization and realization of conferences, seminars and trade shows
- Providing necessary assistance in the UAE for the Polish Business Group, representatives of Polish companies and local economic organizations
- Constant mass media monitoring (including the Internet) in the field of economic publications, their analysis and creating information for national institutions
- Participation in maintaining contacts with representatives of economic media and preparation of economic study tours
- Participation in establishing bilateral relations in cultural, scientific and technical areas of the Embassy and the Embassy's activities in these fields
- Providing help to Polish accredited journalists or those just arriving to the country
Visits, missions and other events in which Maciej Białko was involved (organization, co-hosting and coordination) during his work in the Embassy of Poland:
- 1st March 2009, a visit to Abu Dhabi of Polish Minister of Sport and Tourism, Mirosław Drzewiecki, vice president of Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency and representatives of PL 2012 and the City of Warsaw responsible for the preparation of EURO 2012;
- 15th-16th March 2009, a visit of Minister of Treasury A. Grad with CEOs of PKN Orlen, Nafta Polska, Polska Grupa Energetyczna and PLL LOT. Minister Grad met with the Speaker of the House of the Federal National Council Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair, Minister of Economy Sultan Al-Mansouri and representatives of major companies and investment funds in Abu Dhabi and Dubai;
- 5th - 8th May 2009, a visit to the UAE of Polish journalists (Rzeczpospolita, Gazeta Wyborcza, Newsweek Polska, Polska Times);
- 28th - 30th October 2009, a visit of an economic mission led by the Chairman of The United Arab Emirates Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Saleh Al Shamsi, on the request of the Polish Chamber of Commerce. Chairmen and general secretaries of the seven emirates participated in the mission. At the Polish Chambers of Commerce, the delegation attended the Business Forum Poland – UAE, with participation of Polish entrepreneurs. The delegation was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Waldemar Pawlak, by Minister of Sports and Tourism, Adam Giersz, Minister of Treasury, Aleksander Grad and chairman of PL2012 R. Kapler. Arendarski and S. Shamsi signed the Memorandum of Understanding;
- 12th January 2010, participation of Undersecretary of State Jacek Najder in the meeting of special representatives of 40 countries in Abu Dhabi, regarding Afghanistan and Pakistan;
- 12th January 2010, a meeting of Director of Warsaw Chopin Airport Michał Marzec in Dubai at the Emirates Airlines;
- 17th - 18th January 2010, participation of Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy Marcin Korolec in the meeting of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi(Poland is a founding member); the Undersecretary also met with Minister of Economy Sultan Al-Mansouri and Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikh Lubna bint Khalid Al-Qasimi;
- 25th - 28th 2010, Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansouri visited Poland. He was invited by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy, Mr. Waldemar Pawlak. The delegation included the representatives of 10 Emirate national businesses, whose main goal was to learn about the possibilities of investment in Poland. The delegation visited and met with representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Treasury, Ministry of Sport and Tourism, Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency and also met with Polish entrepreneurs. Minister Mansouri was given the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Polish Republic for special contribution in establishing Polish-Emirate relations;
In the framework of the bilateral program, Minister B. Zdrojewski met with Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan;
- 1st April 2012, a visit to the UAE of a delegation of experts from the Ministry of Treasury together with K. Walenczak, main economist of the Ministry of Treasury;
- 14th June 2010, a working visit to the UAE of Minister of Treasury A. Grad; meetings with Minister of Economy Sultan Al Mansouri, Chairman of ADIA Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and meetings at TAQA and MUBADALA;
- 22th - 24th October 2010, a visit to Abu Dhabi and Dubai of Undersecretary of State of the Polish Ministry of Treasury Krzysztof Walenczak;
- 26th February 2011-3th March 2011, a visit of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Marek Sawicki, with a delegation from the Ministry and a group of Polish companies participating in Gulfood 2011 in the UAE;
- 8th - 12th May 2011, a visit to UAE of Vice President of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency Bożena Czaja together with a delegation of entrepreneurs participating in the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai;
- 20th April 2011, a visit of Undersecretary of State Jacek Najder to the UAE. The purpose of the visit was participation in the meeting between EU and GCC in Abu Dhabi.
- 4th - 5th April 2011, the first meeting of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) took place in Abu Dhabi. Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy Marcin Korolec and Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Krzysztof Stanowski participated in this session;
- 2nd - 3rd November 2011, Polish investment-economic mission visited Duabi and Abu Dhabi, led by Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Beata Stelmach. Undersecretary of Ministry of Treasury Krzysztof Walenczak also participated in the delegation;
- 14th - 15th January 2012, the second meeting of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) took place in Abu Dhabi. Poland was represented by Undersecretary of State from the Ministry of Economy Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik;
- 16th - 18th January 2012, a visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Waldemar Pawlak at the UAE World Future Energy Summit;
- 21st - 23rd April 2012, a visit of Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the UAE, together with a government delegation and entrepreneurs. The visit included meetings with Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates, emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Economic Forum Poland - the UAE took place in Dubai.
- 30th April - 3rd May 2012, a visit of Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economy Andrzej Dycha and Vice President of Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency Bożena Czaja together with a delegation of entrepreneurs in Annual Investment Meeting 2012 in Dubai. Minister Dycha met with Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikh Lubna bint Khalid Al-Qasimi and Undersecretary in the UAE Ministry of Economy Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehi.
During his cooperation with the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, Maciej Białko prepared and coordinated the following projects. The scope of his responsibilities included:
- Organization of trade and investment mission for the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency
- Matching entrepreneurs representing businesses from Poland and UAE
- Organizing and conducting B2B meetings for many sectors (food, hotel, furniture, yacht, aviation etc.)
- Organization of high level meetings (including for business representative inthe delegation accompanying President Bronisław Komorowski's official visit to the UAE in December 2013; preparing a program for Undersecretary of State in Ministry of Economy, who accompanied the Polish President during the visit to the UAE; meetings, missions, conferences for mayors and marshals of Polish cities in the UAE; organization of meetings for representatives of various sectors e.g. architects and town planners from the CIty of Rzeszów)
- Consultancy in regard to starting and maintaining business activity in the UAE
Support for entrepreneurs during trade shows (continuous cooperation with the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency during the organization of business meetings at the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai, SIAL ME in Abu Dhabi, WETEX in Dubai, BIG, INDEX in Dubai; matching entrepreneurs during the MENOPE organic food fairs for the City of Lublin )
- Organizing and cooperating in seminars and conferences attended by officials and high-ranking businesses (including seminars for the investment mission in Eastern Poland, November 2013)
A list of major events, in which Maciej Białko was involved while working for the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (organization and coordination of projects):
- Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai: organization of B2B meetings for 17 Polish companies (furniture, food, hotel, yacht and aviation companies); May 2013
- Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, investment mission, November 2013: organizing an investment seminar in Sharjah Chamber of Commerce, with participation of Shurooq fund, Hamriyah Free Zone, Sharjah Municipality; organizing meetings for the city authorities of Eastern Poland and entrepreneurs (Emirates Investment Authority, Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority, Sharjah Free Zone);
- Organization of B2B meetings for the City of Lublin (cooperation with Lublin Municipal Office) during the organic food fair MENOPE in Dubai; December 2013;
- Official visit of Polish President Bronisław Komorowski to the UAE; organizing meetings for major Polish companies accompanying the President during his visit to the UAE (meetings with Mubadala, Al Masaood Group, Masdar, Al Naboodah Group);
- Organizing meetings for Rzeszów town planners (assuring participation in a closed conference: the UAE Infrastructure in the context of Expo 2020; several meetings with leaders of major projects: Masdar, Yas Island Cultural District, where branch offices of Guggenheim and Louvre are being build, Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa);
- May-November 2014: 8-month contract for the organization of four study tours for 16 journalists and entrepreneurs from the UAE in the food, infrastructure, industrial design and automotive sectors. Co-organization of the participation by the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency in Automechanika Middle East, Index Exhibition, BIG 5 and SIAL Middle East fairs.
maciej.bialko@infinitymedia.ae