Plowden & Smith is expanding to the Middle East.
Plowden & Smith has appointed John Labib to be its Business Development Manager and Conservation Specialist to the Middle East. The newly created role is based in Dubai.
A graduate of Lincoln University, John has worked extensively in the Middle East over the past eight years. Previous positions in the United Arab Emirates include Projects Coordinator for Mleiha Archaeological Centre and Sites; Acquisitions and Loan Coordinator for the Sharjah Art Foundation; and Projects Controller for Shaboury & Associates DMCC, a multinational company that helps heritage organisations engage audiences through their cultural assets. John’s teaching credits include the Institute of Monuments Restoration in Alexandria, Egypt.
The appointment of a Dubai-based Business Development Manager and Conservation Specialist reflects the significant amount of conservation and exhibitions work the company currently undertakes in the region, whilst firmly positioning the Middle East at the heart of Plowden & Smith’s future development plans.
“In the past decade – a time when UK museums have had significant cuts to public funding– the Middle East, in particular the United Arab Emirates, has witnessed an unprecedented level of investment in their cultural institutions. The recent acquisition by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Salvadore Mundi (for a record-breaking £335 million) for the newly opened Louvre Abu Dhabi highlights the opportunities out there for world-class museum service providers, like Plowden & Smith, to contribute to this dynamic heritage scene.
Plowden & Smith is fortunate in that it has long enjoyed excellent links to the Middle East. In the past few decades we have having undertaken major work across the whole region. Past projects include the I.M. Pei designed Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar, the monumental sculpture collection in Jeddah, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Saudi Arabia, the National Charter Monument Museum in Bahrain, and the Kuwait Oil and Gas Company.
The appointment of a dedicated specialist based in Dubai reflects the value we place on our relationship with the Middle East, and our desire to strengthen it.
John brings to Plowden & Smith a wealth of experience, gained across a diverse career forged specifically in the Middle Eastern heritage sector. He is currently working as part of a small Plowden & Smith team on the Shindagha Museum, located in the historic district of Dubai and we have already felt the positive contribution he is bringing to this project. As this year continues, I have no doubt we will continue to benefit from having him as part of the Plowden & Smith team.”
– Camilla Hughes-Hunt, Managing Director
