Prime Highlights
- Dubai Chambers held an open dialogue in London with the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry to promote Dubai as a global business hub.
- The event focused on investment opportunities, business expansion support, and benefits of the GCC–UK free trade agreement.
Key Facts
- 10,334 British companies are now active members of Dubai Chamber of Commerce as of March 2026.
- Non-oil trade between Dubai and the UK reached 42.6 billion dirhams in 2025, up from 23.1 billion in 2021.
Background
Dubai Chambers brought its case directly to British investors in London this week, hosting an open dialogue in partnership with the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry to highlight Dubai’s standing as a destination for international business expansion.
His Excellency Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Chambers, led the discussions alongside UK business leaders.
The session covered investment opportunities across multiple sectors, the support Dubai Chambers provides to help British companies set up and grow in Dubai, and how the recently signed free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council opens new doors for British businesses using Dubai as a regional base.
Lootah said Dubai has become a natural first choice for British companies looking to move into Middle Eastern and global markets. He said they are focused on helping UK businesses benefit from Dubai’s strengths across different sectors, which in turn will further strengthen economic and investment relations between Dubai and the UK.
The numbers behind the dialogue tell a compelling story. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, 562 new British companies joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce, bringing the total number of active British member companies to 10,334 by the end of March. That figure represents growth of more than 330 percent compared to the 2,402 British member companies on record at the end of 2020.
Trade between the two markets has followed a similar upward path. Non-oil trade between Dubai and the UK rose to 42.6 billion dirhams in 2025, up from 23.1 billion in 2021. The UK ranked 17th among Dubai’s largest international trading partners last year.
The London event reflects a broader push by Dubai Chambers to deepen economic ties with British businesses at a time when the bilateral relationship is gaining clear commercial momentum.
