• Home
• News Article

Dubai Exports holds seminar to boost UAE Exports

Her Highness Shaikha Hind Al Qassimi talks about women's role in exporting sector
The Dubai Exports, an agency of the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) and SME Advisor Middle East, a magazine aimed at small and medium enterprises in the region, have organised a hugely successful seminar entitled "Success Through Exports".

The seminar aimed to make SMEs, who account for 98.5% of the businesses in the country, to consider exporting as a natural extension of their business. As such the seminar was a partnership between Dubai Exports and the private sector organisations such as Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank ( ADCB ) in pursuit of supporting small and medium sized enterprises in Dubai.

"Dubai Exports continually seeks to identify new and innovative ways by which to increase the level of exports from the country as well as the number of exporters. This seminar is just one example of how we are seeking to increase the knowledge base of our companies so that they are competitive in global markets," said Engineer Saed Al Awadi, CEO, Dubai Exports. He further commented that exporting allows SMEs to grow their business yet benefit from geographical diversification.

Her Highness Shaikha Hind Al Qassimi, Chairwoman, UAE Businesswomen's Council, presented the keynote speech whereby she stated that, "Despite the obstacles and difficulties women face, they succeed in overcoming them through creating and finding business opportunities under the umbrella of free trade pursued by the Government of the UAE."

Shaikha Hind also pointed out that, "Over the past 39 years, women in the UAE were able to take important steps in the field of investment and entrepreneurship. They form around 4.5% of the total number of investors and are managing approximately AED 12.5 billion which has been invested in the trade, banking, real estate, tourism, industrial, contracting, construction and services sectors. They also invested AED 2.1 billion in the manufacturing sector." The UAE Businesswomen's Council currently represents over 11,000 members and covers 30% of the SMEs with savings of AED 27 billion.

The event highlighted how SMEs can take their products and services to international markets. The UAE, like most countries, has only a small proportion of SMEs that actually earn revenue from exporting activities. In Dubai, less than 10% of SMEs carry out any form of export activity and consequently earn any form of overseas revenues. Most export sales by SMEs are modest in terms of scale, with 68% of goods exporters generating less than AED 1 million worth of exports per annum per firm.

Collectively, these firms account for less than 1% of total exports. Such a low level of export activity by SMEs leads to the natural question as to why they are not exporting. The importance of this question is underpinned by the fact that exports allow firms to enhance their competitiveness, provide opportunities for growth and innovation as well as technology transfer, diversify their revenue base, benefit from economies of scale and of course increase profits.

According to research carried out by Dubai Exports, there are two main reasons why SMEs do not tend to export - namely, internal and external barriers - though these barriers themselves are not sufficient to impede any overseas activity. Various studies have shown that the real export barriers are the psychological or behavioural attitudes of the owner or manager. "Psychological inertia towards exporting is something that these seminars are intended to break," commented Ketaki Banga, Senior Editor, SME Advisor Middle East.

Nilanjan Ray, Sr. Vice President, Head - SME Banking at ADCB reiterated the need for supporting SMEs and stated that; "The SME segment is an area of strategic growth for the bank in view of the huge potential that exists in the country. Already, the UAE is the third largest re-exporter in the world and a major exporter in the region. As a result of this we have launched several products focussed on this segment of clients operating in the SME space and will continue to do so." Ray further pointed out that, "We hope that the development of products aimed at the SME market will help bring necessary attention to the potential of this segment and will assisting in addressing relevant issues as far as exports are concerned."

The seminar covered a number of topics some of which included: web based strategies by Jean March Paufique the General Manager at Zawya; internet technology and export business, by Imtiaz Ali, Director - Global Sales, Tijari; Franchising, agents and distributors as a foreign entry route, by Gautam Sen Gupta, Market Vision; and Protecting your intellectual property rights, by Faisal Daudpota, Head of Data Privacy & Information Security, Al Tamimi & Company. Other topics included Global logistics: Innovation in supply chain management, by Damien Sheehan, Commercial Manager, DHL Express, UAE; Export risk mitigation techniques, by Alexis de Beauregard, Chief Officer - Marketing and Retail Product Offering, Axa Insurance; Trade finance: Innovative solutions for SMEs, by Murali Subramanian, Head Transaction Banking, ADCB ; and Export Credit Insurance by Schyler D'Souza, COO, Export Credit Insurance Company of the Emirates (ECIE).

"SMEs need to expand overseas if they are to grow their business and form new alliances and partnerships" said Ketaki Banga. She further pointed out that, "SME Advisor Middle East hopes to conduct further seminars with Dubai Exports that deal with the relevant issues of today." John Lincoln, Vice President, Enterprise Marketing, du, commented that "if you are conducting business in international markets, the world is your oyster. However, be warned of the pitfalls and intricacies. Managing international customers is an art and a science. This and the many other pertinent issues covered during this event will, hopefully, help SMEs with a few of the challenges they face."

-Ends-

About Dubai Exports:
The Dubai Export Development Corporation (EDC), now Dubai Exports, an agency of the Dubai Department of Economic Development, Government of Dubai, commenced operations in 2007.

As part of the Economic Development Department of Dubai, its mandate is to facilitate trade from Dubai and establish itself as a world-class export development and promotion body by creating an enabling environment for Dubai's exporters.

Dubai Exports has developed a range of value-added trade support services to UAE based firms exporting through Dubai, for accelerated and profitable expansion of their businesses in foreign markets.

For more information, please contact: Rose Manaog; Action UAE; rose.m@actionprgroup.com; +971 4 3693496.

About SME Advisor Middle East:
SME Advisor Middle East, published by CPI, is aimed at business owners and senior executives across the GCC. Armed with practical advice, it has been highlighting key business issues for the small and medium enterprise segment since its launch in 2005. The magazine addresses real issues faced by business decision makers, without resorting to jargon. For more information, visit www.smeadvisor.com.

© Press Release 2011