Dubai FDI Mission Goes Virtual in Deepening Ties with Lone Star State

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His Excellency Fahad Al Gergawi, CEO of Dubai FDI (pictured above on left), and other prominent U.A.E. officials and business leaders shared the secrets of “the Dubai advantage” during a virtual trade mission to the U.A.E. for Houston-area healthcare and logistics companies.

On July 14th, U.A.E. Consul General in Houston His Excellency Eng. Saeed Almheiri (pictured above on right) kicked off the first session of this virtual mission, which was co-hosted by the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and Seyfarth Shaw LLP, by highlighting the strong ties the U.A.E. enjoys with the state of Texas. Over the last four years Texas has exported about $10.9 billion worth of goods and services to the U.A.E. At the same time, the U.A.E. has built even closer relations with several U.S. healthcare institutions such as Houston Methodist, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. The U.A.E. also came to Houston’s assistance in helping rebuild the city in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

After these welcome remarks, H.E. Al Gergawi offered keynote remarks in which he framed Dubai as a ripe destination for foreign direct investment. H.E. Saeed Al Awadi, CEO of Dubai Exports, then provided a snapshot of the U.S.-U.A.E. trade relationship and the enormous export opportunities for U.S. companies in Dubai.

From there, the conversation turned to healthcare, specifically the investment benefits Dubai offers to U.S. and multinational investors in the healthcare sector. After an overview of the healthcare sector by the U.S. Commercial Service, the Dubai Health Authority spoke about how Dubai welcomes innovative healthcare solutions, highlighting its pioneering work in the field of 3D printing of prosthetics.

H.E. Marwan Abdulaziz, Managing Director of Dubai Science Park (DSP), and Jamal Abdulsalam, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), highlighted what makes their respective free zones so unique. Mr. Abdulsalam commented not just on the 100 global names that operate in Dubai Healthcare City at present, but also DHCC’s expansion plans and the latest developments within Al Jalila Children’s Hospital and the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Meanwhile, H.E. Marwan reviewed how DSP serves the entire value chain of the science sector, as it is dedicated to supporting scientific entrepreneurs, SMEs, and multinational enterprises alike.

Logistics took center stage during the second session, which took place on July 22nd. Mr. Mohsen Ahmad, CEO for Logistics at Dubai South, Mr. Faisal Jassem, Senior Manager at JAFZA, and Jamal Marghoob, Director at DAFZA highlighting the opportunities in their respective free zones. Mr. Jassem discussed how JAFZA, which is the flagship free zone of DP World, has leveraged its proximity to Jebel Ali Port, the busiest harbor in the Middle East, to become home to thousands of business from over 100 countries, sustaining more than 135,000 jobs and contributing to 23.8% of Dubai’s GDP by facilitating over $93 billion in annual trade. Meanwhile, Mr. Ahmad spoke about how Dubai South can offer unrivaled speed, connectivity, and flexibility to logistics companies given its connection to Jebel Ali as well as its strategic location next to Al Maktoum International Airport. Similarly, Mr. Marghoob remarked how the 1,600 registered companies and 15,000 professionals at DAFZA benefit from direct access to Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest international airport.

This second session also featured a presentation from Mr. Jens Engelbrechtsen, freighter commercial manager for the Americas at Emirates SkyCargo. With a fleet of over 270 wide-bodied aircraft, including 13 dedicated freighters, Emirates SkyCargo flies to no less than 155 destinations in over 85 countries across 6 continents.

The webinar was attended by 75 companies within the healthcare and logistics industries, who engaged in a lively question and answer session with the speakers after the conclusion of remarks and presentations.

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council has long been a proud supporter and participant in Dubai FDI missions to the United States, whether Denver, Ohio, Houston, or Los Angeles. Moreover, it looks forward to supporting upcoming in-person visits by Dubai FDI to cities across the United States in the near future.

To learn more about Dubai FDI and the Dubai advantage, please visit their website.