Dubai Business Forum – USA participants praise its New York edition

Company officials participating in the Dubai Business Forum – USA in New York said the event provides an important platform to enhance trade and investment relations between companies operating from the UAE and their counterparts in the United States.

They noted that the forum, held as part of the largest overseas business delegation led by Dubai Chambers, reflects the private sector’s commitment to expanding international partnerships and exploring new areas of cooperation.

Shehab Gargash, Managing Director and Group CEO of Gargash Group, said the opening of a Dubai Chambers representative office in New York underlines the importance of the US market for Dubai and strengthens the emirate’s global economic network. He told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the new office supports UAE companies and opens wider opportunities for cooperation with major US institutions, contributing to Dubai’s position as a global centre for trade and business.

Gargash said that the events held alongside Dubai Business Forum – USA offer a direct platform for engagement with major companies, helping expand commercial relations and future cooperation. He added that the group’s upcoming plans focus on digital transformation and developments in artificial intelligence.

Matar Almehairi, CEO and Founder of Meerana Information Technology, said partnerships supported by Dubai Chambers with global markets, especially the United States, create broad prospects for developing the technology and artificial intelligence sector in the UAE. He said the US market, with its digital capabilities and scientific expertise, provides strong opportunities to attract skilled talent to support the UAE’s digital ecosystem. He noted that Mirana operates under a clear vision aligned with the UAE Government’s direction to build an advanced digital economy.

Almehairi affirmed that Emirati talent is now capable of competing globally and that the company aims to empower these talents to become part of the UAE’s artificial intelligence ecosystem. He added that the country’s digital orientation represents a major economic opportunity in the coming years.

Mohamed Jassim Al Rais, Chairman and CEO of Al Rais Investment Group, said the events organised by Dubai Chambers offer valuable opportunities to connect with commercial partners worldwide. He said the meetings held in New York enabled engagement with leading investors and companies in logistics and shipping, supporting the growth of non-oil trade between the UAE and the United States.

He said the company held several meetings with institutions specialising in artificial intelligence to explore cooperation opportunities in advanced technology. He added that tourism remains a key focus area, with the US market among the most important for Dubai.

Al Rais said investment in artificial intelligence is a core pillar of the group’s future direction, noting that the company recently entered into a partnership with a major global artificial intelligence firm to support the sectors in which it operates.

May Youssef, Senior Director Leading Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability at Talabat, said the company’s headquarters in Dubai gives it direct access to global talent, advanced logistics networks and a regulatory environment that enables rapid adoption of new technologies. She said the company’s grocery and retail delivery business, launched in 2019, now represents a substantial part of operations and is growing by 40 percent according to the latest third-quarter financial report.

Youssef said this growth provides global suppliers with opportunities to enter the UAE market through digital platforms such as Talabat. She noted that the company is now in discussions with US and international suppliers to meet the needs of Dubai’s diverse customer base. She said Talabat’s digital model enables easier international cooperation and market entry than before, allowing companies to reach UAE consumers without the need for physical stores.

She added that the UAE’s innovation-driven ecosystem has played a major role in Talabat’s expansion. She said the company’s listing on the Dubai Financial Market at the end of 2024 marked a significant milestone as one of the region’s most successful technology listings and the largest global technology offering of the year, valued at around US$10 billion. She said this reflects Talabat’s growth and long-term commitment to the UAE as a global hub for digital trade.