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29 March 2024

European, Japanese MNCs eye Dafz presence

Amna Lootah, Senior Executive Director of Finance and Commercial division, at Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (Supplied)

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By Staff

A number of large companies from Germany, Japan and Spain have shown keen interest to set up offices in Dubai Airport Free Zone (Dafz) which held roadshows there to showcase investment opportunities in the free zone.

As part of Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority’s (Dafza) ongoing global marketing campaign, the host countries were informed on Dubai’s key regional economic and commercial trends and its long-term development agenda, in addition to the exceptional infrastructure, services and business incentives offered by Dafza.

Amna Lootah, Senior Executive Director of Finance and Commercial division, Dafza, said: “Many multinational companies expressed their intent in establishing offices in Dafza as a result of our efforts. Due to the very positive response to our seminars, we are already planning similar initiatives for engaging the global business community in productive and proactive dialogue.”

The Dafza tour first started in Germany, the European nation that considers the UAE as its largest trade partner in the GCC region. Germany’s trade with the UAE stood at Euro 10.7 billion in 2013 which is around AED 50 billion, with more than 1,000 German companies currently contributing to the UAE’s economic growth. Dafza is host to some of the biggest corporate names in Germany, such as Audi VW, Bauer International, Giesecke & Devrient, Man Truck, and Bus Schenker.

The tour’s next stop was Japan, where Dafza seminars in Tokyo and Osaka highlighted Dubai’s key position as a gateway to the Middle East and Dafza’s role in facilitating the local and regional growth of Japanese enterprises. Toyota Motor Corp, the automotive subsidiary of Toyota Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world, discussed its successful partnership with Dafza during the seminars. Japanese companies including Sumitomo, Toshiba and Kawasaki, currently account for 39 per cent of all Far East businesses at Dafza.

The final destination was Spain, where over 200 business executives representing diverse sectors ranging from electrical materials and luxury products to freight forwarding and food attended the seminars in Seville, Basque and Madrid. The Dafza delegates conducted direct meetings with Spanish companies interested in exploring investment opportunities in Dubai and setting up operations in the free zone. This visit reflects the strong relation between the two countries, as Spanish exports to the UAE increased by 33 per cent in 2013, with total bilateral trade reaching Dh12.19 billion this year.

A number of key Dafza projects were showcased including the mixed-use Dafza Square to be opened in 2015 and the ongoing construction of modern and environmentally-friendly Light Industrial Units.

Dafza said it will continue to organize seminars, workshops and meetings and join leading regional and international exhibitions as part of its ongoing marketing campaign targeting the European, American, Japanese, Korean and Australian markets.