Eng. Meshary Al Soairy, Chairman – MAS Technologies;
Dr Tom Kelly, Enterprise Ireland.
The regional arm of the Irish government organisation, Enterprise Ireland Middle East, which is responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets, has hosted 25 Ireland-based technology companies during a visit to the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Last night, Patrick Hennessy, Irish Ambassador to the UAE, welcomed the group to a reception at the Irish Embassy in Abu Dhabi. “Ireland is renowned as a global hub for technology and the industry employs over 100,000 people across a range of sectors. A growing number of major Irish technology companies are looking at opportunities to expand their presence in the Middle East where there is a strong appetite for being at the forefront of technology. Already we are seeing several of the big names securing contracts in the Gulf with government organisations, finance, telecoms and aviation leaders,’’ said Ambassador Hennessy.
Earlier this week, Enterprise Ireland Middle East, together with the Embassy of Ireland in Saudi Arabia, held a one-day technology forum in Riyadh to bring the Irish and Saudi business communities together and demonstrate why Ireland is a world leader in IT. The one-day event showcased not only the country’s strength in IT, but also addressed some of the major areas of opportunity in Saudi Arabia’s software and ICT sector through presentations from high level representatives from Saudi Arabia’s governmental organisations and private sector firms.
The top three global enterprise software companies are headquartered in Ireland, as well as four out of the top five IT services companies, nine out of the top 10 global software companies and the top three global security software companies.
Sean Davis, Regional Director, Enterprise Ireland MENA, said, “Irish companies have always enjoyed a close business relationship with firms in this region and there are still many opportunities to work more closely together; visits like this are an important part of fostering cooperation. The Middle East region offers a dynamic market for Irish companies seeking to expand and source new partners to develop their business.”
