NFIA launches awareness campaign in Dubai about business opportunities for regional companies

Dubai, UAE; November 27, 2016: The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) has seen a strong interest from UAE companies wanting to explore opportunities in Holland. So far, over 40 UAE companies have set up base in the Netherlands. These companies have 48 establishments in the Netherlands, employing 1,295 people in total.*

Cees Kieft, Executive Director – Middle East, North Africa & Turkey, NFIA, says, “We are seeing a growing interest from UAE companies to explore business opportunities in the Netherlands. There are several unique selling points which makes us a perfect choice for business expansion plans of UAE based companies. The Netherlands is centrally located, with 170 million consumers within 500 km. Holland acts as a springboard into the European market with access to 95% of Europe’s most lucrative consumer markets within 24 hours of Amsterdam or Rotterdam. The country also offers businesses a supportive corporate tax structure, access to highly skilled multilingual workforce, and superior logistics and technology infrastructure.”

Among the UAE based companies that have used the NFIA’s support services to expand into the Netherlands are Aramex, DP World, UAE Exchange, TAQA, Sunimpex, Lamnalco, and International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).

To leverage this growing interest from UAE companies to explore opportunities in the Netherlands, the NFIA has launched a campaign with Dubai Metro Taxis to generate further interest. This is the first time that the NFIA has embarked on a public awareness campaign in Dubai. Around 50 Dubai Metro taxis will be used for the campaign, “Invest in Holland”.

“Dubai is also a perfect location to reach out to businesses from the rest of the region, as a high number of executives from other MENA countries visit Dubai regularly, and therefore our campaign will reach out to them too,” added Kieft.

One of the key success stories from the region for the NFIA is SABIC, Saudi-Arabia’s top petrochemical company, active in 40 countries. SABIC took its first step into the European market in 2002, taking over DSM Petrochemicals and making a mark in the Dutch petrochemical industry. The NFIA was involved with SABIC on this move closely from the beginning.

Other companies from the region that have used the NFIA’s assistance includes Saudi Aramco, Kuwait Petroleum International (Q8), Muntajat and Petrogas.

The NFIA is very active in the region and recently participated in the Holland Innovation House during GITEX Technology Week. The initiative was designed to give Dutch companies the chance to showcase their innovations during the technology event​.

Over the past few years, the NFIA has also participated in several trade events and exhibitions like ADIPEC, GITEX, Gulfood, GPCA and many others to showcase opportunities in the Netherlands to regional companies.

* Source: NFIA database, November 2016

For further information, please contact: Lisa George, Wafa Yahya Iris Public Relations, Dubai, UAE. TEL: +971 4 434 1207. FAX: +971 4 434 1163. E-mail: lisa@irispr.net  / wafa@irispr.net , Website: www.irispr.net  

About The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency
The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) is an operational unit of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. It assists foreign companies wishing to establish their business in the Netherlands and to take advantage of the Dutch business environment as a strategic base to cover Europe.

For further information, please visit http://www.investinholland.com/

© Press Release 2016