Incona Conferences: «Opportunities for Russian Business in Dubai. Presentation of Dubai CommerCity» Moscow, 23 September 2025
On 23 September, the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Moscow) hosted a conference entitled ‘Opportunities for Russian Business in Dubai. Presentation of Dubai CommerCity,’ organised by Incona. The conference brought together more than 100 participants representing Russian companies operating in the fields of e-commerce, logistics, manufacturing, and others.
Sergey Gorkov, head of the Russian-Arab Business Council, emphasised the strategic importance of partnership with the United Arab Emirates in his opening remarks.
«Developing relations with the UAE, and in particular with Dubai as a special economic zone offering vast opportunities for the expansion of Russian business, is a priority for us. This is the first event held under the auspices of the Russian-Arab Business Council, and our future activities will be aimed at regularly organising similar meetings not only with Emirati partners, but also with other Arab partners, as well as providing comprehensive support to Russian businesses for the growth of trade and economic ties.»
Abdulrahman Shaheen, Senior Vice President of Dubai Commerce City, also gave a welcoming speech:
«Dubai Commerce City is the first specialised zone in the region created as a unified ecosystem for conducting digital commerce under one roof. Our mission is to provide Russian and international brands with the ideal conditions for entering one of the world’s most dynamic markets, which is forecast to reach $9.2 billion by 2026. Dubai’s strategic location, world-class infrastructure and ambitious government initiatives, such as the D33 programme, create unprecedented opportunities for growth. We offer not just a platform, but a complete support package so that companies can maximise their potential in the Middle East and beyond»
Alexey Busev, CEO of Incona, gave a presentation entitled ‘Current opportunities for Russian business in the UAE and the Persian Gulf countries.’
«The Gulf countries, and especially the UAE, are actively strengthening their sovereignty in the new multipolar reality, which opens up unprecedented opportunities for cooperation. The key message for companies is that Dubai should be viewed not as a limited domestic market, but as a strategic hub for entering the entire GCC and MENA region with its high purchasing power. The advantages are obvious: 100% business ownership, developed infrastructure, transparency and active harmonisation of standards. However, success requires a physical presence, thorough market research and consideration of cultural characteristics, where personal relationships and trust mean more than any deal»
Alexandra Miritinova, Head of Sales and Commercial Activities at Dubai CommerCity, gave a presentation on the opportunities offered by the SEZ:
«We don’t just offer preferential terms, such as no income tax and 100% capital repatriation, we create a complete environment for growth, combining a business cluster, social infrastructure and logistics facilities with a total area of 2.1 million square feet. Our key feature is our ecosystem approach: in addition to registration, we provide residents, which already number more than 500 companies, with support in developing online stores, entering marketplaces, insurance, accounting and fulfilment. The goal is to implement national strategies, cementing Dubai’s status as the global capital of digital commerce and providing companies with strategic access to a market of more than 3 billion consumers»
Following the presentations, a panel discussion commenced, focusing on entering the UAE market and utilising the country’s SEZs as a hub for operations across the MENA and GCC regions.
Evgeny Borisovsky, Director of Development at the Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF), presented an analysis of the readiness of Russian IT solutions for expansion and highlighted the most promising areas. «After a period of import substitution and stabilisation of the domestic market, Russian IT companies need to focus on global expansion. The GCC market, which is in a stage of rapid growth, is of particular interest. Our key competitive advantages lie in the field of complex logistics algorithms, fintech solutions (such as fast payments) and, most importantly, breakthrough technologies: artificial intelligence (LLM, neural search), agent systems and generative interfaces. However, success is impossible without a physical presence and a local partner to help adapt the product and establish contacts. Dubai is the ideal entry point into the region thanks to its efficient logistics and financial system.
Najibullah Jabari, representative of the Russian Export Centre (REC) in the UAE, emphasised the critical importance of synergy between government support measures and business initiatives. The REC provides comprehensive support to exporters, but in the highly competitive UAE market, the key to success is to make maximum use of all available tools – both from Russian development institutions and from our Emirati partners, such as the unique Dubai Commerce City ecosystem. At the same time, 80-90% of success comes down to the energy, potential and undeniable advantage of the product itself and the exporter’s team. The REC’s task is to create favourable conditions, but the main work of conquering the market must be done by the company itself, and Russian business has proven that it is capable of doing so.
Alexander Brexendorf, Managing Partner at MENA LEGAL, shared his practical insights on entering the UAE market. Dubai offers one of the most transparent and secure business environments in the world, which contrasts with the expectations of many entrepreneurs. However, the key challenge is not in registering a company, which is technically simple, but in proper strategic planning from the outset. It is important to clearly define your goals: whether you are working only with the UAE or using Dubai as a hub for exports to Europe, Africa or other countries in the region, as this determines the legal and tax structure. Experience shows that attempts to save on professional consulting at the start often lead to problems, for example, with opening a bank account. A successful entry requires not so much speed as a well-thought-out approach and reliable local partners.
