SME World 2019, the sixth edition of the premier entrepreneurship summit in the Middle East & North Africa region, will be held on the 14^th of March 2019 at The Ritz Carlton, DIFC, Dubai. Organised by Dubai SME – the agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai mandated to develop the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector – and SPI Greatsands Group, the summit is a celebration of success and aims to engage SMEs and help them emerge as leaders in their respective fields.

Held under the theme ‘Accelerating Growth,’ the event has attracted more than 1,000 entrepreneurs, business magnates, investors, heads of government departments and C-Suite executives.

The summit boasts of a powerful & relevant agenda focusing on strengthening key aspects of business. The agenda includes powerful keynotes from international speakers, engaging panel discussions & strategic workshops. The speakers and presenters are some of the best thought leaders who will inspire the delegates with honest, intriguing and insightful stories of their own success, and most importantly, the transition from challenges to success.

Abdul Baset Al Janahi commented: “Comprehensive SME development ecosystems and idea exchange on competitiveness are critical to translating the growing emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation into successful and sustainable enterprise. The SME World 2019 is a remarkable opportunity to explore how SMEs can keep growing while accelerating overall growth. Dubai SME is pleased to be partners in hosting the annual summit as part of sharing our experience with larger stakeholder groups and achieving our goal of improved SME competitiveness, entrepreneurial activity and SME integration with high-growth economic opportunities as set in our SME2021 Plan.”

From the award-winning international financial centre, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Dhaher Bin Dhaher Al Mheiri, CEO of the Registration Authority, commented “As a leading international financial centre, ADGM is committed to promoting the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region. As such, our partnership with SME World 2019 is in line with our efforts to enable and empower local businesses as they develop in the UAE. We are excited to be part of this year’s event and anticipate another successful conference. ADGM provides SMEs and start-ups with the tools and facilities they need to grow and scale in a globally recognised international operating platform. ADGM’s initiatives such as the Tech Start-up Licence and Entrepreneurship Support Programme aim to help entrepreneurs enhance their business skills and build the investability and scalability of their ventures.”

Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, said: “I always find it very exciting to gather entrepreneurs under one roof. Their drive and passion for their business ideas are truly inspirational and this is the kind of energy we want to cultivate in and outside of RAKEZ. We are truly happy to continue our partnership with SME World 2019, which is a perfect knowledge-sharing platform that empowers SMEs. Over the years, RAKEZ has shown great support to this segment and have become an integral part in launching SMEs in the UAE. This event is surely just one of the many events and initiatives that we plan to take part in to continue promoting the entrepreneurial spirit in the country.”

Vikas Thapar, Head of Business Banking, First Abu Dhabi Bank, added, “SME World Summit has been viewed as one of the premier entrepreneurship events in the UAE for the past five years and we anticipate the sixth edition will continue to be as valuable to the sector. As the leading bank in the region, we see ourselves as having a big role to play in helping small businesses to succeed and grow beyond the UAE and this event provides a platform for us to connect and support such entrepreneurs as they grow.”

SME World 2019 is a must attend event for investors, service providers and business enablers from the MENA region. It provides some of the best opportunities for business growth and brings together leading entrepreneurs and businesses under one roof.