CDP Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, with the auspices of the Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with ITA, Dubai International Chamber, Italiacamp and the founder and CEO Fabrizio Sammarco, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai SME, SIMEST Spa, ANIE Federazione, Confindustria, SACE and Artigiani Imprenditori d’Italia, organizes the presentation event of the Business Matching platform to the UAE market.
The event explores key trends in the Emirati market and opportunities for collaboration between Italian and local companies in the main areas of interchange, with a focus on the energy sector. The main financial instruments supporting businesses in the two countries were presented.
The event that connects Italian and Emirati companies. Below are the Italian and Emirati experts and institutional and business representatives who spoke:
– The Opening Institutional Remarks:
- E. Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy to the United Arab Emirates
- Pasquale Salzano, Director of European and International Affairs, CDP and President, Simest SpA
- E. Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME at Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
-The UAE-Italy Business Relations:
- Franciosi Laurent, Head of International Markets Development, CDP
- Valerio Soldani, Director of the Italian Trade Agency in Dubai
-The CDP Business Matching: An Innovative Tool to Foster Italy – UAE Trade Relations:
- Riccardo Honorati Bianchi, Head of Country System Initiatives Support and Business Matching Platform Manager, CDP
-The Roundtable: Business Opportunities in Italy – UAE Trade Relations:
- Leo Cisotta, General Manager, Italiacamp EMEA – Dubai Hub for Made in Italy
- Stefano Antonelli, Chief Representative – Italy, Global Markets Sector, Dubai
Chambers - Rafat Wahbeh, Director, Enterprise Development Department, Dubai SME
- Francesca Alicata Head of External Relations
- Ciro Aquino Regional Manager Middle East, Head of Dubai office SACE
-FOCUS PANEL: UAE and Italy Joint Opportunities in the Energy Sector
- Ludovica Zigon, Coordinator Internationalization Committee ANIE (Italian
Electrical Engineering and Electronic Federation) - Moneef Barakat, Chief Executive Officer, Solarabic
- Nicola Radice, Branch General Manager, Proger Saudi Arabia
This has been followed by online B2B meeting sessions between participating companies.
The event was addressed to Italian and Emirati companies, operators, and stakeholders.
The event was physically hosted at the Italiacamp Hub avatars theytaly in Dubai and streamed live on CDP Business Matching.
The participating companies remotely experienced the event in 3D in CDP Business Matching’s Digital Expo Center where with their own digital avatars they followed the live streaming, created a booth, explored the showcase of registered companies and schedule B2B meetings.
CDP Business Matching: The tool is aimed at supporting the export and internationalization of Italian companies, particularly SMEs, facilitating their access to international markets.
The Platform is an innovative tool developed by CDP in partnership with SIMEST and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed to strengthen trade relations between Italian and foreign companies, facilitating the start of new business relationships.
The tool allows companies to meet, share business intentions and have B2B meetings within a safe, easy and smart environment.
Focus countries: two years after its launch, the tool is already active in 14 countries and its operation will be progressively rolled out to other priority geographical areas for the export and internationalization of the Italian economic system.
Features of CDP Business Matching:
- Smart tool, easy, intuitive, accessible via an app, multilingual system, active all year round, free of charge;
- Networking: access to a network of selected high-quality companies through a network of institutional partners;
- Efficiency: Reduced travel costs associated with establishing business relationships and participating in digital events and fairs abroad;
- Enterprise data security: European data storage, protected with the most advanced IT security systems;
- Scalable system and open to new evolutions (Marketplace, 3D, AI).
The tool is intended as a reference channel for the promotion of commercial relations, consistent with CDP’s strategic priorities and in line with the Steering Committee for Internationalization:
- Strengthening international relations: among Italian and Emirati business communities through thematic events focused on specific industrial and economic sectors of common interest;
- Promotional thematic events: New thematic events will be organised, with relevant Partners in UAE, to promote and facilitate trade relations between Italian and Emirati businesses, also during fairs, events and business fora;
- Development of the tool: Continuous optimization of the tool increasing solutions to facilitate the use of the Platform by Emirati and Italian SMEs, such as Marketplace and with the introduction of 3D Digital Expo Center and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
They have built bridges with ITA expanding Made in Italy business horizons in the UAE, in fact 2023 overall trade showed consistent growth:
- Double digit growth after COVID
- Steady trade surplus for Italy
- Increased +10.4% in 2023
- Exports to MENA+GCC countries grew +2.83% in 2023
- Italy exported EUR 49+ billion to the MENA+GCC region, UAE is the 2nd
Instead during the first quarter of 2024 it showed a further rebound:
- Increased +24,6% Italian exports Q1 performance:
- +18% Furniture
- +18% Jewellery
- +53% Fashion
- +27,5% Industrial Tech
- 9 bln Italian exports value in euro.
What about the future?
- +1 mln people within 2028
- +10% population increase
- +10% GDP per capita increase
- +900 mln EUR retail sales within 2028
- >4.200 mln EUR retail
- market value in 2028
- Top 3 companies get 35% of the market
- 2B EUR volume forecast in 2028
- +18.5B EUR increase from 2023
- +10.9% CAGR online sales!
- 777 B USD value in the UAE only
- 6% of all the projects in GCC driven by infrastructures, logistics, real estate
- +5 bin euros within 2028
- Over 20.5 bln euros market size apparel, footwear top drivers.
ITA is a great toolkit to develop your business:
- They partner with top retailers in the UAE to bring their products to shelves
- Find customers, distributors, suppliers, b2b players with our tailor-made services
- Hundreds of buyers are invited to sponsored trips and visit programs to Italian trade fairs and industrial districts
- They organized 18 fairs involving 600+ Italian companies.
Companies present at Italiacamp interacted with the virtual environment thanks to the on-site setup of a dedicated Tech Corner.
Online B2B meetings between companies from the two countries will take place in the following weeks: a team of specialists from CDP and Italiacamp will provide assistance in organizing the meetings. Companies will be able to request simultaneous interpreting services during the meetings.
