Full Name
Diego Cortese
Job Title
Vice President - Venue Commercial
Company
Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC)
Speaker Bio
Diego Cortese is a senior management member of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the largest Exhibition and Convention Center in the Middle East, with 23+ years of experience in management. He presently serves as the Vice President - Venue Commercial.
Mr. Cortese joined DWTC in February 2013 and served as Vice President Corporate Strategy until December 2018, where he led the strategy formulation, corporate planning & performance management activities, as well as the management and delivery of various independent strategic projects.
Since joining the Venue Services Management senior team, Mr. Cortese is responsible for all commercial related activities in the Venues, overseeing a wide portfolio of 2,000+ events yearly, ranging from trade (exhibitions, conferences, corporate meetings, etc.) to consumer (entertainment, awards, weddings, etc.) events. In his capacity, he also oversees a portfolio of events held across the UAE (Airshow, Formula 1, corporate and private catering, etc.).
Additionally, Mr. Cortese serves as a member of:
• DWTC Management Committee (since 2013)
• Representative of DWTCA within the Dubai Free Zones Council (2016-19)
• Member of the Board of Directors of DV Global Link (2014-19), a joint-venture company between DWTC and the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) incorporated in the U.A.E. organizer of two trade fairs in Dubai (Dubai International Jewelry Week and VisionX Optical Show)
Prior to joining DWTC, Mr. Cortese was a Strategy Consultant with Accenture (2001-2007) based in Paris, France; and Boston Consulting Group (2007-2013) based in Hamburg, Germany and Dubai, UAE. He left BCG as a Principal, where he was responsible for projects ranging across industrial sectors for Government-led and private sector organizations in Europe, Middle East and Asia.
Bringing expertise in real estate-driven trade growth, large-scale venue management, and investment attraction, Mr. Cortese will share insights on how trade hubs can leverage commercial real estate to enhance global connectivity, drive economic impact, and integrate sustainable infrastructure for long-term success.
Mr. Cortese joined DWTC in February 2013 and served as Vice President Corporate Strategy until December 2018, where he led the strategy formulation, corporate planning & performance management activities, as well as the management and delivery of various independent strategic projects.
Since joining the Venue Services Management senior team, Mr. Cortese is responsible for all commercial related activities in the Venues, overseeing a wide portfolio of 2,000+ events yearly, ranging from trade (exhibitions, conferences, corporate meetings, etc.) to consumer (entertainment, awards, weddings, etc.) events. In his capacity, he also oversees a portfolio of events held across the UAE (Airshow, Formula 1, corporate and private catering, etc.).
Additionally, Mr. Cortese serves as a member of:
• DWTC Management Committee (since 2013)
• Representative of DWTCA within the Dubai Free Zones Council (2016-19)
• Member of the Board of Directors of DV Global Link (2014-19), a joint-venture company between DWTC and the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) incorporated in the U.A.E. organizer of two trade fairs in Dubai (Dubai International Jewelry Week and VisionX Optical Show)
Prior to joining DWTC, Mr. Cortese was a Strategy Consultant with Accenture (2001-2007) based in Paris, France; and Boston Consulting Group (2007-2013) based in Hamburg, Germany and Dubai, UAE. He left BCG as a Principal, where he was responsible for projects ranging across industrial sectors for Government-led and private sector organizations in Europe, Middle East and Asia.
Bringing expertise in real estate-driven trade growth, large-scale venue management, and investment attraction, Mr. Cortese will share insights on how trade hubs can leverage commercial real estate to enhance global connectivity, drive economic impact, and integrate sustainable infrastructure for long-term success.
Speaking At
