In the week preceding International Trade Week, Tech Week Humber 2021 and Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (HEY LEP) welcomed headline partners Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) to Hull.
As an active partner of Tech Week Humber, HEY LEP convened a roundtable in order to facilitate discussions around potential collaboration between the UAE and the wider Hull and East Yorkshire region.
Regional partners in attendance included representatives from the Department for International Trade (DIT), Hull City Council, ABP Hull, Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, plus several local companies with UAE business interests. Mr. Ahmed Bin Sulayem – Executive Chairman & CEO of DMCC addressed the roundtable delegates, virtually, from Dubai.
Discussions focused on a range of potential collaborative areas, with synergies being identified across key sectors, including energy (offshore, logistics and clean growth), agriculture and tech/digital. Other areas where there might be future opportunities include trade development, knowledge collaboration and commercial partnerships, health and digital solutions, freeport infrastructure, decarbonisation infrastructure, city centre real estate investment, business parks and speculative units and major infrastructure projects.
DMCC is a government entity established in 2002 to enhance commodity trade flows through Dubai, performing a range of roles which continue to position Dubai as the preferred destination for global commodities trade and DMCC as the world’s No.1 Free Zone.
Business Development Manager, Phil Glover, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the HEY LEP said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to speak with Mr. Ahmed Bin Sulayem and understand how Hull and the East Riding could work more closely with the DMCC in Dubai by exploring collaborative approaches to increasing trade and investment between the two nations.”
DMCC could potentially act as a bridge for UAE companies seeking to explore opportunities across the Humber and vice versa for UK companies looking to use Dubai as a stepping-stone and wishing to scale-up. HEY LEP will also look to facilitate further discussions with interested parties, identifying any future trade
missions to Dubai/UK, such as a possible DIT-led Digital trade mission which could take place during the current Dubai Expo and facilitating any inward visits to the region by UAE companies.
Antonio Tombanane – Founder of Tech Week Humber, added: “I am delighted to have worked with HEY LEP and host the UAE delegation from DMCC at the Guildhall in Hull. We have identified many opportunities to work directly with DMCC to promote trade and investments. Our aim at Tech Week Humber is to continue attracting international partners and promoting global trade.”