Yorkshire businesses eye UAE opportunities

A group of businesses from West and North Yorkshire are heading to the UAE to strengthen trade ties and explore new opportunities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Led by the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, the trade mission runs from February 9 to 14 and includes high-profile networking events, economic briefings and site visits. 

Dubai, the third most visited city on the planet and with a GDP exceeding $170 billion, presents vast opportunities in real estate, finance and commerce. 

Engagements include a Great Yorkshire Show Garden Party at the British Embassy, an economic update at HSBC Tower, a day in Abu Dhabi visiting several Abu Dhabi Chamber members, and a visit to a Free Zone in central Dubai.

James Mason, chief executive of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The appetite for forging new business connections globally remains high in Yorkshire and, when we consulted with our network, the UAE was a clear stand out choice for a trade mission following on from highly successful visits to the USA, Pakistan, Kenya and Sri Lanka in 2024.

“We will be taking our members to the key institutions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and anticipate a raft of transactions off of the back of what we are about to convene.”

Sponsored by Schofield Sweeney, the University of Bradford and data management specialist firm Data Stream, the delegation features leading regional businesses across multiple sectors. 

Professor Sherif El-Khamisy, pro-vice chancellor for research and innovation at the University of Bradford, added: “We will benefit from exposure to the opportunities that Dubai can offer start-ups that are coming through the pipelines here.

“We also have the opportunity to show off our campus in Dubai.” 

The Chamber, whose international trade programme supports businesses looking to expand overseas, is aiming to replicate the success of its 2024 New York trade visit, which resulted in new commercial partnerships between the United States and Yorkshire businesses.

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