In early 2025, Liz Willingham DL (ex-Dorset Chamber Past President, British Chambers of Commerce Non-Executive Director) Leila Willingham (Associate Director) from Liz Lean PR (LLPR) embarked on a trade mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to explore new markets and potential to broaden the agency’s international reach.
Liz said: “As we head into our 27th year of Liz Lean PR, it’s important to me that we very much nurture our heartland but remain open-minded to new opportunities too. We’re regularly looking at ways to spread risk and future-proof the business, and our trade mission in the UAE enabled us to scope new opportunities as well as embrace the opportunity to build valuable relationships. These included the international Chambers of Commerce network, industry peers, new business connections, and friends. We also learned more about the economic and cultural landscape of the region and understanding the potential for revenue diversification.”
LLPR’s trade mission was made possible with support from the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT), which provided market and territory research and insights. A UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) grant helped to fund the mission and enabled the Dorset-based agency to confidently embark on this research project.
Leila said: “Arriving in Dubai, the strength of this country’s ambition was immediately apparent. The principles set out by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum convey a sense of purpose, direction, and collaboration. It hosts economic strength due to the many large organisations in its geography and we were impressed by the strength of the Chamber brand and concept across the whole UAE; for example, when registering a business in Abu Dhabi, it is mandatory to join the Abu Dhabi Chamber. It became clear to us early on that while the UAE offers an abundance of optimism, understanding the cultural nuances and being honest as to what would work for us and our business would be key to making meaningful inroads.”
The UAE is a region where innovation, infrastructure, and business growth move at an astonishing pace, driven by a unified vision. A result of this progress is the enthusiastic optimism that runs through the business community. Talented and ambitious professionals are welcomed wholly and are encouraged to maximise the opportunity presented by this country. With a potential reach to 4 billion people within a 4-hour flight radius, it has a lot to offer as a central business hub.
Liz added: “In the UAE, relationships and face-to-face interactions reign supreme, making physical presence important to establishing credibility and trust. Being there in person definitely helped to demonstrate our interest in the market and in the people we were so pleased to meet. We learnt from Dubai Chambers that the Dubai Government is keen for UK businesses to see the country as a lucrative market for expansion. There’s a desire for business leaders to want to grow their business in Dubai, without fearing they’ll need to move the entire operation abroad.”
The depth of support available to UK businesses looking to enter the UAE market is significant. The British Chambers of Commerce is well established in the UAE with strong teams leading its Dubai and Abu Dhabi outposts. Both organisations facilitate networking events and provide invaluable access to business leaders and local contacts. Similarly, Dubai Chambers is also investing time and resource into connecting with UK-based SMEs.
The business ecosystem in the UAE is led largely by government-owned entities, followed by influential family-owned conglomerates. These two forces shape much of the economy, meaning that understanding how to navigate these structures is crucial. There are also clear seasonal rhythms to business activity; at certain times of the year, such as during the hot summer, things naturally slow down.
Leila concluded: “The question now is how best to build on the momentum of this trip. The most immediate opportunity lies in strengthening the relationships we have established and continuing conversations with the connections we made. Our strong track record providing comms strategies for family-owned firms and our understanding of 100 plus year-old businesses is experience we learnt is valued in the Dubai market. We’re looking at ways to introduce our contacts in Dubai to the Chamber network, our community of family-owned firms, and more businesses like ours. We are also looking forward to using our knowledge of the territory to expand the global support we can offer to LLPR clients, enabling them to access new audiences in this region.”
According to LLPR, UAE offers a wealth of opportunity, but success will depend on taking the time to build trust, forge meaningful partnerships, and truly understand the cultural and business landscape.