Taylor Wessing and Shibolet & Co. to host business delegation organised by the Israel Export Institute and Bank Hapoalim

On 18th of October 2021, Taylor Wessing and Israeli law firm Shibolet & Co. will host a business delegation organised by the Israel Export Institute and Bank Hapoalim for an evening event in Dubai.

Taylor Wessing is hosting the delegation for the second consecutive year, a reflection of the firm's commitment to supporting tech and innovation for start-ups and investors in the Middle East.

Approximately 250 Israeli businesspeople and entrepreneurs will travel to Abu Dhabi and Dubai as part of the delegation, on the back of the unprecedented success of the first Israeli business mission last year. Representing Israel's leading high tech, industry, infrastructure, commerce and retail industries, the delegates will meet with senior government officials and the world’s leading investment funds.

The delegation consists of senior officials from companies designated by the UAE as having the potential for cooperation in the area of high tech, as well as companies in the fields of construction, industry and smart transportation. Israel and the UAE have already signed off on over $600 million in bilateral trade for the first half of this year in areas such as food, agriculture, healthcare, aviation, water and energy, as well as dozens of MOUs (Memorandums of Understanding) that outline existing and future deals. The future looks bright with the UAE recently announcing that it is seeking one trillion dollars of economic activity with Israel over the next decade.

Taylor Wessing has been at the forefront of developments in the Gulf and wider Middle East region since the announcement of the Abraham Accords in 2020, having facilitated a number of joint ventures and collaborations between businesses in the UAE and Israel.

Taylor Wessing's UK managing partner Shane Gleghorn, Dubai managing partner Ronald Graham, Netherlands managing partner Mark van Gelder, France managing partner Gilles Amsallem, and co-head of the Israel group Nathan Krapivensky will attend the event together with Shibolet Managing Partner, Lior Aviram.

UK Managing Partner Shane Gleghorn said: “The swift pace of the strengthening of the relationship between Israel and the UAE speaks volumes about the opportunities for technology companies. There is a substantial amount of knowledge and resources to share and this event will promote and strengthen the ties between business leaders who are looking to accelerate their growth and innovation strategies.”

Co-head of the Israel group Nathan Krapivensky added: "Since the passing of the Abraham Accords, we have encouraged trade and collaboration between Israel and the UAE, particularly for the Middle East's start-ups and investors. Hosting the delegation will further enable the discussion and advancement of innovation opportunities between the countries."