Global Tech Webinar – UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC+11)

Tickets (A$30) here.

The AIIA and Austrade are delivering a series of webinars in 2022 and 2023. This webinar is focused on UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar

Gulf Cooperation Council Countries:

Tech opportunities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar

Learn more about these growing markets

Austrade and AIIA co-host the Global Tech Webinar series to help Australian tech company discover export opportunities in emerging markets. In February, we shine a spotlight on United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

The Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCCC) are pivoting to become an emerging tech superpower. UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar are global leaders in digital adoption:

• ICT spending continues to grow:
• Saudi Arabia’s ICT spending reached $33 billion in 2022 (source: ArabNews)
• UAE would reach $23 billion by 2023 (source: Zawya)
• Qatar was projected to total $9 billion by 2024 (source: Zawya)
• The UAE ranks first by total number of FinTech startups in MENA
• 46% start-up funds in the MENA region were based in the UAE
• The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region recorded 39% compounded annual growth rate of investment from 2012-2017
• Dubai’s foreign direct investment (FDI) reached more than AUD$12.5 billion in the first half of 2018; There was an impressive 40% increase in FDI projects in Dubai

The UAE’s strategic location allows Australian tech companies to use it as a launching pad and go global. Australian tech companies can tap into scale-up opportunities and benefits including:

• Favourable business Environment: open trade policies, neutral political diplomacy, and Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership create great operating environment
• Generous funding for entrepreneurs and tech innovations. You can access to capital/funding and financial expertise
• Vibrant tech ecosystems where incubators, enterprise development funds, accelerators and innovation hubs are supporting the creation and growth of local entrepreneurs in the technology sector in the UAE
• Ease of doing business: The UAE created a modern investment environment and set policies that facilitate and speed up the establishment of companies through electronic platforms and promoted its attractiveness by issuing amendments to the Companies Law. These efforts resulted in maintaining an advanced position in the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ index, ranking 16th out of 190 countries in 2019.

In this webinar, you’ll

• Understand the opportunities and challenges in digital trade in the Middle East
• Learn how to formulate your strategy for entering the GCCC markets
• Gain insights to scale your business, form commercial partnerships, and reap successful outcomes
• Learn more about our upcoming events for a potential visit

Meet our Speakers

Latifa Bin Haider is a social entrepreneur, Co-Founder of Mental Health AE, Founder of Baytuki and of Baytuki Academy.

Latifa is passionate and motivated about putting her skills to use for the enhancement, betterment, and service of her community. That is what pushed her to create her startups Mental Health AE, Baytuki, and Baytuki Academy.”

She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The American University of Sharjah, where she majored in Business Management and minored in Finance.

Ali’s primary teaching areas are in Business Information Systems, Fundamentals of Management, and Operations Management. As a passionate educator he mentors’ startups.

He is passionate about entrepreneurship, startup incubation, technology, blockchain, IoT, digital marketing, mobile app development, etc. Some of the certifications he holds are with ICF, CryptoCurrency Certification Consortium, IBM, Microsoft, Google, Hupspot, etc. Over the years has also done several courses with London Business School, Princeton, and Stanford.

Anuscha has over 14 years of experience in investment banking and alternative asset management. She is currently CEO of Spotii, the MENA regions leading Shop Now Pay Later platform.

Prior to co-founding Spotii, Anuscha served as a Managing Director at The Abraaj Group where she oversaw the Investment Office function at the firm. Anuscha joined Abraaj in 2007 as a member of the investment team and was responsible for evaluating investment opportunities across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region covering a broad spectrum of industries.

Prior to joining Abraaj, Anuscha worked with Dresdner Kleinwort in New York as an Analyst in the media group, working on mergers and acquisitions and film financing projects.

Kokila is a Corporate/Commercial and Technology lawyer with over 17 years of experience in the Middle East.

She has worked with major corporations, government and semi government bodies, high net worth individuals and start-ups over the years. Owing to her core strength as an ardent corporate commercial lawyer with a strong financial service and technology background, her strong entrepreneurial skills and her formidable experience in the region as both a lawyer and an entrepreneur, she established KARM Legal as a boutique legal firm.

KARM provides legal advice on Fintech Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Data Protection, AI, Robo-advisory and open banking.

Kokila has been nominated in various awards and named among the Asian Legal Business Super 50 Lawyers in MENA 2022.

Mounir leads Austrade’s Technology sector in the Middle East Africa. Mounir has 14 years’ experience in the region, in Government and the private sectors. Prior to joining Austrade, Mounir was the head of international business for an infrastructure technology consultancy; and worked in the legal sector in the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

Mounir is passionate about supporting Australian companies achieve outcomes in the region. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons.) from Macquarie University and Bachelor of Economics / Business Management in International Trade & Finance from the University of Queensland.

Thank you to our event partner – Austrade

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