Image: Abu Dhabi Chamber
A year after the directive by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council to restructure the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (Abu Dhabi Chamber) board of directors, the organisation is reporting solid gains in private sector engagement, international outreach, and economic momentum.
The resolution, issued on July 28, 2024, was a key move to align the chamber’s mandate more closely with Abu Dhabi’s broader economic strategy.
Since then, the chamber has entered what it calls a “new phase of strategic delivery”, marked by stronger ties with the private sector and a clear push to position Abu Dhabi as a globally connected business hub.
In the past year, chamber membership grew 4.9 per cent, surpassing 158,000 registered companies.
Some of the fastest-growing sectors included agriculture, forestry, and fishing (21 per cent), arts and entertainment (13 per cent), and ICT and technical services (10 per cent).
Additional gains were seen in utilities, real estate, education, and transport, while core sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and finance maintained steady growth of around 3 per cent.
On the ground, business engagement was strong. More than 1,000 private sector representatives participated in 69 business events, including the flagship Abu Dhabi Business Week, as well as 10 legal and commercial workshops.
To support policy advocacy and reform, 15 working groups were established, while the chamber published 364 economic reports to inform decision-making across industries.
Abu Dhabi Chamber scales global engagement
The chamber also scaled up its global engagement. Over the past year, it hosted 70 inbound diplomatic and trade delegations, signed 25 global cooperation agreements, and led 11 outbound delegations to strengthen international market ties.
In a major milestone, it opened its first international office in Poland, signalling a new era of global outreach.
Its commitment to business excellence remained a focal point, with seven companies honoured with the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award for innovation and performance.
Operationally, the chamber processed over 18,900 enquiries and recorded a 90.23 per cent satisfaction rating on the government’s TAMM platform, underlining its focus on service efficiency.
“Our progress over the past period demonstrates the resilience and ambition of Abu Dhabi’s private sector. Through meaningful partnerships and a commitment to innovation and excellence, we continue to open new pathways for businesses to thrive locally and globally,” said Shamis Ali Al Dhaheri, second VC and MD of the chamber.
The chamber’s renewed mandate is now clearly in motion — building a more empowered private sector, backing it with data-driven insight, and pushing Abu Dhabi’s position as a forward-looking economic powerhouse.
