ABU DHABI: The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), recently organised a workshop for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) to showcase innovative trade channels that e-commerce businesses can adopt to enhance their competitive advantage locally and internationally.
The workshop brought together over 100 business owners, traders and B2B commerce leaders from across the UAE. Entitled, ‘Introducing your business to the world of business-to-business, B2B, e-commerce’, the workshop provided business owners with new ideas on how B2B e-commerce can contribute to growing their businesses, facilitate their trade and reduce their supply chain costs.
Dr Belaid Rettab, senior director for Economic Research and Sustainable Business Development Sector at Dubai Chamber, said that as B2B online commerce remains underdeveloped in the region, Dubai Chamber, in line with its mission to support the emirate’s business community, is dedicated to providing members with a good understanding of the needs and functions of e-commerce, particularly the growth potential of B2B commerce, which corresponds to Dubai’s Smart City and Dubai Plan 2021 initiatives. “We call upon Dubai businesses to develop their strategies for this growing market in order to increase their profits and take advantage of rising export opportunities,” said Dr Rettab.
Mahdi Kilani, head of ADIB Business, said “e-commerce is changing the way businesses are trading in the UAE and around the world.” “It is now imperative for businesses to have some sort of online presence either to trade or to market their products. This workshop is one of a series of forums that we organise for our customers to share best practice and latest financial products and services that ADIB can offer to facilitate and amplify their trade and business activities.” “At ADIB, we continuously invest in the latest technologies and platforms to offer our customers the best solutions that match their local and international business activities,” Kilani added.
The workshop included speakers from ADIB and Dubai Chamber. In their discussion, Dubai Chamber introduced a new digital B2B platform called Mega Sourcing 2020, exclusively built for Middle East and North Africa (Mena) traders to foster trust and long-term relationships with overseas partners, and to connect pre-screened buyers and suppliers sourcing for items. Haytham Al Maayergi, global head of Transaction Banking at ADIB, shed light on the importance of trading through electronic channels in the emerging digital era, and the UAE’s significant leadership position in e-commerce across the region.
