The Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers under the Dubai Chambers, has launched the printing & publishing business group to give a boost to the sector’s competitiveness and support its members to navigate through the rapidly evolving media landscape.
With a population of over 444 million people, the Arab world is witnessing a rapidly growing publishing industry, largely due to its digitally-connected, tech-savvy youth. According to the Sharjah Publishing City (SPC), the UAE’s publishing sector is expected to grow to $650 million by 2030.
Commenting on the new business initiative, Maha Al Gargawi, executive director of business advocacy at Dubai Chambers, says,” As the world transitions to a digital-first economy – particularly post-COVID-19 – people now consume information through digital channels. There is no doubt that the demand for print remains strong. It is however important for businesses within the printing and publishing sectors to collaborate in addressing the challenges faced by the industry. This business group will play an instrumental role in supporting and promoting the sector’s growth and is a key component of our business community as it contributes to advancing commercial and investment activity in the emirate.”
While founding member Lakshmanan Ganapathy, general manager at Al Ghurair Printing & Publishing, feels that such initiatives are very important to help gain more knowledge and insight to navigate the changing business landscape, fellow founding member Roger Nicodeme, general manager at Heidelberg Gulf Est. echoes similar sentiments. “The establishment of this business group comes at the right time. Although we now live in a digital-first era, demand for print publications and print for packaging still remains very strong, and as a sector we need to evolve to cater to the changing requirements of our customers. I am looking forward to having critical discussions with fellow members of the group to come up with ideas on how we can become, as a business sector, instrumental to the economic growth of Dubai and the UAE,” says Nicodeme.
The new printing & publishing group is part of the Chamber’s plans to increase the number of industry-wise business groups in Dubai to 100 by the first quarter of this year. The group not only acts as a representative and a reliable advocate for the printing and publishing industries, but also plays a crucial role in recommending policy changes to improve the sector’s competitiveness and attractiveness while promoting international best practices and supporting economic growth.
