The Middle East SME Forum is a shared information platform about industry trends and top business practices with a specific focus on Small and Medium Enterprises. 2013 will be the event's 4th year running and it is to be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions centre from 1st – 2nd of October.
Servcorp, the world leader in Serviced Office and Business Package solutions and IT services, joined this year's forum as one of its sponsors. The purpose of this event was to exchange ideas on how entrepreneurship can boost economic growth and how to develop entrepreneurial spirit across the region. Gathering over 200 entrepreneurs, financial experts, banking professionals and governmental officials discussed the new opportunities for SMEs and their role in financial growth in the region. According to recent estimates conducted by Dun & Bradstreet, 58% of SMEs in the UAE anticipate overseas expansion during this year.
This, coupled with its overall diversity has led to the UAE economy being the spotlight of the Middle Eastern business sphere this decade. The 2 day forum included a number of knowledge-sharing sessions, lively panel discussions and networking opportunities allowing the attendees to interact, learn and collect business intelligence and strategic insight thus boosting the SME industry. The Forum also emphasized effective entrepreneurial business models and development, SME fundraising, and the importance of innovation.
Laudy Lahdo, Servcorp's General Manager in the Middle East, commented, “Today, there are over 230,000 SMEs in the UAE which add to more than 40% of the country's GDP and employ in excess of 42% of its workforce. Servcorp's benchmark facilities and services can be tailored to any SME's needs providing them with the infrastructure of a multinational corporation without the overhead costs involved. Servcorp has 15 locations in the Middle East including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Kuwait, making it easier than ever before for businesses to expand into the Middle East region.”
