AME250617-KSA-UAE Overseas Market Workshop: Exploring Smart Cities, Digital Ecosystems and Consumer Market Opportunities
AME250617
Overview
This Overseas Market Workshop (OMW) helps Singapore companies understand how to navigate and capture opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two complementary gateways in the Gulf’s transformation story.
1.Why These Markets
- Saudi Arabia is undergoing a once in a generation transformation under Vision 2030, driving major investments in smart infrastructure, digital commerce and diversified consumer markets.
- The United Arab Emirates, led by Dubai’s D33 Agenda, offers a mature, open and connected business ecosystem with strong capabilities in digital trade, innovation and regional market access.Together, they provide Singapore firms with both scale and speed – Saudi Arabia for national projects and Dubai as a regional launchpad.
2. How the Programme is Designed
The OMW is structured to walk participants step by step through the market entry journey:
- Policy Anchors: Engage government agencies such as MISA, SDAIA and Dubai DET to understand national strategies, regulations and incentives.
- Ecosystem Enablers: Meet corporates like Ajlan Digital, Future Solutions Alytic and e& Enterprise that implement national agendas and collaborate with international partners.
- Technology Integrators: Learn from firms such as BMTC and AlMoammar Information Systems on how smart solutions are deployed in real projects.
- Market Access Partners: Interact with leading FMCG Distributors to explore distribution models, localisation strategies and regional trade route.
3.What Participants Will Gain
- Clear understanding of policy frameworks, investment incentives and entry regulations.
- Connections with key players shaping smart city, digital and consumer ecosystems
- Practical exposure to implementation models and business partnerships
- Continued support through the new SBF Dubai Office, which will serve as a regional hub for follow up engagement and localisation
4. Who Should Join
- Companies in urban solutions, smart infrastructure, AI, IoT, digital commerce, FMCG and logistics
- Firms seeking market entry pathways, partnership models or distribution networks in the Gulf
- Businesses exploring regional expansion through a structured, guided mission across two complementary markets
5. Strategic Outcome
By connecting policy insights, ecosystem understanding and partner networks, this mission helps Singapore companies chart a realistic and confident entry pathway into two of the Middle East’s most dynamic economies.
Participants will gain the knowledge, relationships and on-ground support needed to engage, adapt and expand in the region’s smart, digital and consumer markets.
Event Detail
| Date / Day | Agenda | Programme Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 16th Nov | SIN to RUH via DXB | EK 315: Depart at 10.30 AM from SIN to DXB EK 817: Depart at 5.45 PM from DXB to RUH (Secretariat Flights – Airport Transfer to be provided for delegates traveling the same flight) |
| Day 1 | ||
| Monday, 17th Nov | Unpacking Vision 2030 with Ministry of Investment Saudi Arabia (MISA) | Begin the journey with a deep-dive into Saudi Arabia’s national transformation. Understand how Vision 2030 is reshaping opportunities across smart infrastructure, |
| Designing Smart Cities with SDAIA | Discover how the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority is driving the Kingdom’s digital backbone. This session offers insights into AI governance, urban data systems, and national smart city projects, helping delegates assess where data-driven solutions can plug in. | |
| Cracking the Consumer Market: Lessons from Saudi’s FMCG Giant | Through engagement with Abudawood, delegates will understand distribution networks, localisation requirements, and market access barriers, gaining practical insights into how to build scale in a consumer-driven economy. | |
| From Vision to Execution: Smart Integration with Al Moammar Systems | A behind-the-scenes view of how smart solutions are deployed on the ground. Delegates will see how IoT, automation, and digital infrastructure come together in real projects, revealing execution realities and partnership models for solution providers. | |
| B2B Roundtable with Saudi Partners | A curated session for business matching and collaboration, bringing together Singapore and Saudi firms to explore partnerships in urban tech, digital commerce, and consumer markets. | |
| Day 2 | ||
| Tuesday, 18th Nov | Transforming Supply Chains with Future Solutions Alytic | Learn how local innovators like Future Solutions Alytic deploy AI and analytics to modernise infrastructure and logistics. Delegates gain visibility into implementation models, project partnerships, and opportunities to co-deliver digital transformation projects. |
| Inside Ajlan Digital: Powering Commerce and IoT under Vision 2030 | Engage with one of Saudi’s largest conglomerates as it builds digital commerce ecosystems and smart infrastructure platforms. This session helps delegates identify collaboration opportunities with corporate anchors shaping the future of urban living and connected cities. | |
| Travel to DXB via SV 552 | Saudi SV 552 Depart from RUH at 6:05 PM and reach DXB at 9:00 PM | |
| Day 3 | ||
| Wednesday, 19th Nov | Charting New Horizons: Launch of SBF Dubai Office | Celebrate the official opening of SBF’s regional office, a key milestone enabling in-market support and sustained engagement. Joined by Dubai DET, Dubai Chambers, and HSBC, the event anchors the UAE leg with ecosystem visibility and network access. |
| Driving Dubai’s Digital Economy: Insights from e& Enterprise | Explore how e& (Etisalat) is advancing D33’s digital transformation agenda through AI, IoT, and cloud solutions. Delegates will uncover partnership pathways in smart city solutions and digital commerce platforms. | |
| Scaling Smart Solutions: Learning from BMTC (Bahri & Mazroei Trading Co) | Discover how smart building systems, IoT networks, and automation technologies are implemented at scale. This session will also illustrate how solution providers can integrate into Dubai’s infrastructure ecosystem. | |
| Day 4 | ||
| Thursday, 20th Nov | Winning in Retail: Navigating FMCG Distribution with LuLu | Engage one of Dubai’s largest distributor to understand consumer access, retail procurement, and regional distribution networks. Perfect for companies exploring market entry, shelf space, or partnership distribution models. |
| Building the Smart City Backbone: Visit to Moro Hub | Step inside Digital DEWA’s innovation hub to see how green data centres and cloud ecosystems support Dubai’s smart and sustainable infrastructure. Ideal for firms in energy tech, data solutions, and digital utilities. | |
| Innovating in the Sandbox: DSO Showcase with Derq and QuikBot | Visit Dubai Silicon Oasis, where innovation meets application. Meet startups like Derq (AI for mobility) and QuikBot (robotics for delivery) and learn how Dubai’s sandbox ecosystem supports piloting, scaling, and regionalisation for foreign firms. | |
| Return to SG | EK 314: Depart at 9.00 PM from DXB to SIN | |
Please note: Hotel accommodation and land transportation are included in the programme. Flights are not included.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This mission is open to C-suite leaders, business owners, decision-makers, and senior executives from Singapore-based companies seeking to explore market entry, partnerships, or regional expansion in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The programme is designed for companies with offerings aligned to national transformation priorities under Saudi Vision 2030 and Dubai’s D33 Digital Economy Agenda, with focus on the following sectors:
- Smart Solutions & Infratech – including water, power, utilities, smart city technologies, sustainable infrastructure
- Digital Economy & ICT – spanning AI, cloud, cybersecurity, IoT, automation, and digital commerce platforms.
- Consumer Goods & Distribution – covering FMCG, retail, food trading, and companies seeking market access or distribution partnerships across the GCC.
- Financial & Business Services – including firms facilitating cross-border trade, digital payments, fintech, business setup, and investment advisory.
- Participation from other industries with relevant offerings or solution synergies supporting these national agendas will be considered upon approval.
Contact Detail
Rusyaidi Radzi, Market Advisor for Africa and Middle East | E: rusyaidi.radzi @sbf.org.sg | HP: +659071 2817
Maryam Alawami, Senior Executive for Africa and Middle East | E: maryam.alawami@sbf.org.sg | HP: +65 9010 0554
Maryam Alawami, Senior Executive for Africa and Middle East | E: maryam.alawami@sbf.org.sg | HP: +65 9010 0554