Dubai Chambers forges strategic partnership with Italy’s Assolombarda to strengthen bilateral trade
A significant Memorandum of Understanding between Dubai Chambers and Assolombarda, representing 7,000 Italian companies, establishes a framework for enhanced commercial cooperation across priority sectors and emerging technologies.
Dubai Chambers has established a strategic partnership with Assolombarda, Italy’s preeminent regional business association, in a move designed to deepen commercial ties and investment flows between the Emirates and one of Europe’s most dynamic industrial regions.
The Memorandum of Understanding, formalised at Dubai Chambers headquarters, brings together an organisation representing approximately 7,000 companies across Milan, Lodi, Monza, Brianza and Pavia with Dubai’s thriving business ecosystem. The agreement encompasses Milan’s manufacturing excellence, technological innovation, and entrepreneurial dynamism within a framework aimed at fostering mutual prosperity.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and Chief Executive of Dubai Chambers, underscored the institution’s commitment to nurturing international partnerships that catalyse growth. “We remain committed to deepening ties between companies in Dubai and Italy and opening new avenues for cooperation, investment, and shared growth,” he remarked, emphasising the focus on priority sectors and sustainable commercial expansion.
The partnership encompasses several transformative initiatives. A dedicated Annual Business Roundtable will provide structured engagement between business leaders, whilst targeted support for business delegation visits and collaborative events will facilitate knowledge exchange. Significantly, the agreement establishes coordinated mechanisms between the Dubai Centre for Family Businesses and Assolombarda’s Family Business Network, recognising the importance of these enterprises within both economies.
Assolombarda’s President, Alvise Biffi, highlighted the strategic significance of Dubai as a gateway for Italian enterprise in the Gulf region. The organisation has committed to establishing an operational office in Dubai, symbolising the depth of institutional commitment to this partnership.
Trade data underscores the momentum of this relationship. Bilateral non-oil commerce reached AED 51.1 billion in 2025, reflecting an 18 per cent increase year-on-year. The registry of active Italian companies within Dubai’s chamber of commerce has expanded dramatically, surpassing 1,700 members by the end of 2025—representing growth exceeding 400 per cent over five years. During the first half of 2026 alone, 160 additional Italian enterprises joined the chamber.
The business seminar convened 80 representatives from both jurisdictions, with 33 prominent Italian companies participating as part of the Assolombarda delegation. Discussions encompassed Dubai’s competitive positioning, including its advanced business environment, strategic geography, world-class infrastructure, and dynamic opportunities within the digital economy and emerging technological domains.
Participants examined the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and agentic systems in reshaping commercial models and operational performance. The dialogue also addressed the imperative of institutional collaboration, start-up ecosystems, and investment frameworks in accelerating innovation and facilitating expertise transfer across borders.
Source: WAM