Irish digital companies looking to establish roots in UAE

Ireland’s export market is looking for alternatives following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union in the summer – a move which threatens some Irish exporters.

Charlie Flanagan, the Irish minister for foreign affairs and trade was accompanied by 37 Irish companies on a trip to the region. Vidhyaa for The National

Irish technology companies descended on the capital on Monday as part of a trade mission led by the country’s foreign affairs and trade minister.

The first Ireland-UAE Digital Media Showcase brought together government representatives, media agencies and visiting entrepreneurs from Ireland.

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs attended the event which was held at Abu Dhabi’s media hub, twofour54.

“Ireland and the UAE have enjoyed a strong relationship over many years and we are delighted to host our Irish friends here at twofour54 to exchange ideas on how we can work together in the digital media space,” she said. “The Middle East is a huge market when it comes to content creation and media consumption with the sector expected to grow annually by 7 per cent in the next few years, and be worth $21.5 billion in 2019,” Ms Al Kaabi said.

The minister added that Abu Dhabi was an ideal base for companies to reach and serve the broader region.

Among the digital technology companies on the mission were Dublin-based NewsWhip which uses social media signal to show users what content and stories matter in their professional area at any time.

Charlie Flanagan, the Irish minister for foreign affairs and trade accompanied 37 Irish companies on a trip to the region which was jointly organized by Enterprise Ireland.

It was part of a broader drive to boost Ireland’s export market penetration following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union in the summer – a move which threatens some Irish exporters.

“The focus on developing the digital media industry is a strategic policy for both countries,” said Mr Flanagan. “The UAE has emerged as a hub for the Middle East’s media and marketing industry. Media companies from all over the Arab region and the world have come here to expand on the UAE’s vibrant digital ecosystem.”

Follow The National's Business section on Twitter