Dubai International Chamber attracts growing number of SMEs

Supplied

A growing number of SMEs representing diverse nationalities and international markets are setting up shop in Dubai.

The Dubai International Chamber successfully attracted 104 SMEs to the emirate in 2023, achieving a year-over-year (YoY) growth rate of 550 per cent.

Businesses from the Middle East and Eurasia accounted for 32 per cent of SMEs attracted by the chamber in 2023, with Asia and Australia following close behind at 29 per cent.

Seventeen per cent of these SMEs operate within the trade and logistics sector, while 13 per cent operate in the IT sector, specialising in areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, robotics and software.

The food and agricultural sector ranked third, accounting for 10 per cent of the total. Healthcare and pharmaceuticals followed with 9 per cent, while the public services sector represent 7 per cent of the SMEs attracted.

The financial services sector, which includes banking, asset and wealth management, fintech, insurance, and consulting firms, ranked sixth at 6 per cent.

Real estate companies ranked seventh in terms of SMEs attracted, representing 4 per cent of the total, while the retail, fashion, travel, hospitality and tourism sectors accounted for 4 per cent.

"Our network of international representative offices in key global markets has effectively promoted Dubai’s business community and highlighted the emirate’s value for companies seeking global expansion," said Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers.

The total number of global representative offices operated by the Dubai International Chamber currently stands at 31 following the launch of 16 new ones in 2023.

This growing network comes as part of the ‘Dubai Global’ initiative, which seeks to establish 50 representative offices worldwide by 2030 to support efforts to attract international investments and companies to the emirate.

 

More from Business News

  • Nasdaq set to confirm bear market as Trump tariffs trigger recession fears

    The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index was set to confirm it was in a bear market on Friday, down more than 20 per cent from a recent record high, as investors fled riskier assets on fears that tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump could spark a trade war and tip the global economy into recession.

  • Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum exceed 500M boe in Khor Mor field

    UAE-based Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, alongside their partners in the Pearl Petroleum consortium, have said the cumulative production from their Khor Mor project, the largest non-associated gas field in Iraq, has exceeded 500 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe).

  • China to impose tariffs of 34% on all US goods

    China has announced a slew of additional tariffs and restrictions against US goods as a countermeasure to sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. The Finance Ministry said it would impose additional tariffs of 34 per cent on all US goods from April 10.

  • Shares bruised, dollar crumbles as Trump tariffs stir recession fears

    Stocks limped to the end of the week on Friday, the dollar was set for its worst week in a month while gold flirted with a record peak as investors feared US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs would tip the global economy into a recession.

Blogs