
Sharjah Chamber highlights Sectoral Business Groups' role as key partners in driving private sector growth
The initiative is part of the Sharjah Chamber's strategy to stimulate private sector growth, enhance its contribution to sustainable development, and elevate the competitive performance of businesses operating in their respective industries, both within Sharjah and beyond.
This announcement was made during a meeting held by the Sharjah Chamber with heads of Sectoral Business Groups. These groups represent key economic sectors, including manufacturing, real estate, serviced apartments, and used car trade, retail centers, hospitality, food trade and industry, and legal services.
Chaired by H.E Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI, the meeting was attended by Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Business Sector at SCCI; Dr. Fatema Khalifa Al Muqarrab, Director of International Relations at SCCI; and Amjad Awad al Karim, Head of the Sectoral Business Groups Department.
The meeting highlighted the key elements of the upcoming action plan to elevate the performance of SCCI's Sectoral Business Groups. Discussions covered proposed initiatives for 2025, including forming new sectoral groups, hosting a brainstorming session for the groups in collaboration with the Chamber's Business Councils Department, and supporting engagement in domestic and international events.
The plan also encompasses hosting awareness workshops on economic laws and regulations, along with maintaining periodic meetings to enhance engagement with key economic sectors. The objective is to assess sector-specific needs and relay them to decision-makers, paving the way for tailored initiatives and incentives that foster business growth and operational advancement.
In his remarks, H.E Abdallah Sultan Al Owais underscored the strategic role of sector-specific working groups as core partners to the Sharjah Chamber in advancing private sector development and supporting the emirate's broader economic objectives.
He noted that the Sharjah Chamber's initiative to establish new sectoral business groups reflects its vision to adapt to global economic shifts by broadening the representation of emerging industries. These efforts aim to strengthen Sharjah's investment climate, expand local and international business partnerships, reinforce public-private sector collaboration, and unlock opportunities that enhance the emirate's overall economic competitiveness.
During the meeting, heads of Sectoral Business Groups presented the key achievements and milestones achieved during the current year and introduced their forward-looking strategies.
Saeed Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Head of the Real Estate Sector Business Group, highlighted a series of initiatives designed to drive real estate investment and broaden development project portfolios in response to Sharjah's urban and demographic growth. He also addressed preparations underway for the upcoming edition of the Sharjah Real Estate Exhibition "ACRES 2026".
Meanwhile, Lalu Samuel, Head of the Industries Sector Business Group, pointed to the ongoing efforts to launch strategic programs that position local industries for stronger global competitiveness and sustainable growth.
For his part, Khaled Omar Mohammed Batarfi, Head of the Used Car Trade Sector Business Group, outlined initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructure at Sharjah's Souq Al Haraj and expediting digital upgrades in vehicle licensing processes.
Abdullah Al Blooshi, Head of the Shopping Centers Sector Business Group, pointed to the sector's success in attracting new investments and increasing footfall, underscoring its commercial appeal and contribution to economic growth.
Fadi Musharafieh, Head of the Hotels Sector Business Group, outlined the group's upcoming work plan, which includes increasing hotel occupancy rates, promoting cultural, educational, and historical tourism, and encouraging sustainability across the hospitality sector.
Meanwhile, Rabih Abou Mourad, Deputy Chairman of the Hotel Apartments Sector Business Group, affirmed the group's commitment to increasing the number of serviced apartments and attracting a broader international clientele, with targeted summer promotions aimed at stimulating inbound and domestic tourism.
For further information, please contact:
- Ali Elgendy
Misbar Communications
ali@misbar-me.com
Ahmad Aldwairi
Misbar Communications
ahmad.aldwairi@misbar-me.com
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
6 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
'Scared to believe': UAE-based Bangladeshi tailor on winning Dh20 million in Big Ticket
The Dubai-based Bangladeshi tailor who won the Dh20-million jackpot in Big Ticket's latest draw on his first try said that his heart told him to buy a ticket. A UAE resident for over 18 years, Sabuj Miah Amir Hossain Dewan was in Abu Dhabi with a client when he decided to buy the ticket. 'I had gone for a work-related purpose with a client to Abu Dhabi when the thought popped into my head that I should buy a Big Ticket,' he told Khaleej Times. 'For many years, people I know have been buying, and they have often asked me to pitch in, but I always refused. This time, my heart just told me to buy a ticket.' One of the longest-running raffle draws in the region, Big Ticket, had announced several prizes for the summer. In July, another Bangladeshi, an electrician called Mohammed Naser Balal, won the Dh25 million grand prize. He was the one who picked the winning ticket entry this month. 'My heart was confident' After his work in Abu Dhabi, Sabuj asked a taxi driver how to buy a ticket. 'He pointed me in the direction of the store,' he said. 'Once I reached there, they said it would cost me Dh500. I hesitated and wondered if I should spend that much money on a raffle ticket. I could do so many other things with that money, but my heart was just adamant. It just kept telling me that I should buy.' After buying it on July 29, Sabuj said that every day he kept thinking of the ticket. 'I would be going about my day when suddenly I would remember the ticket and my heart would tell me that I would win,' he said. 'I kept telling myself that there was no chance I would win it the first time I bought it, but my heart was confident.' Five days later, his name was picked during the monthly Big Ticket raffle draw. First thing to do Even though he has received the official call, Sabuj still finds it difficult to believe that he has won. 'I will believe it when I get the cash in my hands,' he said. 'I have been getting a lot of calls from Bangladeshi media as well, but I have refused everything because somewhere, I am still a little scared to believe it.' He added that the first thing he wants to do is go to Makkah for the Islamic pilgrimage of Umrah. 'I had intended to do Umrah in January,' he said. 'Even when I was buying the ticket, I thought that even if I win, the first thing I want to do is perform a pilgrimage. Then I will decide what to do with the money.' Sabuj said his family, including his wife, two sons aged 10 and 3, mother and sister heard of the win through local Bangladeshi news channels and asked him about it. 'I told them that I took the ticket, but I am not sure if I won or not,' he said. 'If and when I get the money, I am sure God will show me the best way to spend it. I am entrusting all to the will of God.'


Khaleej Times
6 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Fertiglobe's revenue grows 14% to $566m in the second quarter
Fertiglobe, the world's largest seaborne exporter of urea and ammonia combined and the largest nitrogen fertiliser producer in the Middle East and North Africa region and Adnoc's low carbon ammonia platform, on Monday announced a revenue of $566 million, reflecting a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in the second quarter. Adjusted Ebitda grew 26 per cent to $176 million, with adjusted net profit attributable to shareholders stood at $12 million, representing a 68 per cent increase compared to Q2 2024. In the first half of 2025, Fertiglobe reported revenue of $1.26 billion, reflecting a 20 per cent increase year-on-year increase. Adjusted Ebitda for the period stood at $437 million, up 36 per cent year-on-year, while adjusted net profit attributable to shareholders stood at $85 million, representing an 18 per cent decline compared to the prior year, driven by a one-off forex gain in H1 2024. Ahmed El-Hoshy, CEO of Fertiglobe, commented: 'This quarter demonstrated Fertiglobe's growing operational resilience, with an adjusted Ebitda increase of 26 per cent Y-o-Y. Fertiglobe remains strategically placed to deliver robust performance and maintain operational continuity amid challenging conditions. We capitalised on the downtime in Egypt to perform critical maintenance activities, successfully extending the turnaround cycle, with maintenance capex expected towards the lower end of our previous guidance at $145 million. Notably, excluding external factors and turnarounds, our own-produced sales volumes for the second quarter of 2025 would have been up 4 per cent Y-o-Y, while H1 2025 own-produced sales volumes would have increased 7 per cent Y-o-Y. With the continued support of Adnoc, we remain confident in our strategic path to become a globally integrated nitrogen champion and creating long-term value for shareholders, while continuing to innovate and differentiate our solutions that support global food security and enable the energy transition.' The company proposed H1 2025 dividends of at least $100 million (4.4 fils per share), subject to board approval in September with payment in October. Including the $31 million worth of shares bought back in Q2 2025, Fertiglobe provides one of the highest total return metrics in the industry at the combined $131 million cash returns to shareholders for H1 2025. Additionally, Fertiglobe continues to execute on its announced 2.5 per cent share buyback programme, aimed at opportunistically capitalising on the stock's attractive valuation. As of 1 August 2025, Fertiglobe repurchased 55 million shares, representing 0.66 per cent of total outstanding shares. While Fertiglobe remains dedicated to advancing its low-carbon project portfolio, the Company recognises that the global low-carbon ammonia market remains in the early stages of development, with regulatory frameworks and demand signals continuing to evolve. As such, and in line with Fertiglobe's disciplined approach to capital deployment across its low-carbon ammonia project pipeline, Fertiglobe has taken the decision to rephase Project Rabdan1F, a 1 mtpa low-carbon ammonia project and associated auto-thermal reformer. This decision reflects the Company's prudent investment strategy and commitment to timing capital allocation effectively and is consistent with the broader objectives of the Grow 2030 Strategy, particularly its focus on disciplined low-carbon growth. In addition, Fertiglobe expects its recently announced proposed acquisition of the distribution assets of Wengfu Australia to play a key role in strengthening its downstream presence in high-netback markets, in line with its strategic focus on customer proximity. Wengfu Australia's distribution assets are also projected to enhance supply chain resilience and unlock long-term distribution synergies. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is anticipated to close in H2 2025. As of 30 June 2025, Fertiglobe reported a net debt position of $909 million, implying a consolidated net debt to LTM adjusted Ebitda ratio of 1.0x. This strong financial position enables the Company to effectively balance growth investments and shareholder distributions, supported by robust free cash flow generation and a solid balance sheet. Fertiglobe is also set to realise $10 million of annual run rate interest savings in 2025, following credit rating upgrades by S&P, Fitch, and Moody's and driven by Adnoc's acquisition of a majority stake in Fertiglobe. These savings are further underpinned by the refinancing of our $300 million loan through the internal Adnoc bank and the recent repricing of a $1.1 billion term loan, supporting lower financing costs and contributing to earnings accretion in the quarter


Khaleej Times
6 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai to get beachfront homes, 40 private pool villas surrounded by Arabian Gulf
Dubai is set to welcome a new private island escape with a maison featuring 30 suites and 40 private pool villas. Dubai-based investment firm Shamal Holding announced the new project in partnership with Cheval Blanc, marking the hospitality brand's debut maison in the region. UAE residents will also get the chance to own a limited number of branded beachfront residences, with seamless access to the full suite of Cheval Blanc services. Opening in 2029, the project will be set within a preserved coastal landscape and surrounded by the Arabian Gulf. The retreat will offer personalised wellness rituals and elevated dining journeys. The spaces will honour the island's natural setting while elevating the experience of modern luxury. This development forms part of Cheval Blanc's selective international expansion strategy with the ambition to create distinctive destinations. It also marks a step forward for Shamal as it continues to curate and develop exciting firsts for the region.