DET, P&G’s sign partnership to contribute towards Dubai’s economic growth

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has signed a partnership with multinational consumer goods corporation The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G).

“This will see the entities work together to contribute towards Dubai’s economic growth in areas including SME development in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, Emirati talent training programmes, vocational learning, and sustainability,” Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said in a press release.

It said the aim is to forge closer ties with the private sector to take part in Dubai’s economic growth enablement journey, among others.

“This strategic partnership, capitalising on the unique strengths and knowledge of each partner, will serve as a model for public-private catalyst initiatives, not only fostering economic growth and innovation in key sectors but also exemplifying Dubai’s approach to collaborations between government and private sectors.”

The partnership was formalised in a ceremony at the P&G Innovation Centre in Dubai, attended by Omar Channawi, CEO of P&G Middle East, Pakistan, and Global Entrepreneurial Markets, and Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), along with other esteemed dignitaries.

Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), said: “In alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), this partnership builds on the vision of our leadership and our proven development strategy to engage with leading private sector entities to deepen sector expertise and spearhead economic growth.

“The agreement with P&G will not only give Dubai’s vast ecosystem of small and medium-sized enterprises access to industry leading knowledge, technical expertise and mentorship opportunities but also enable the wider talent ecosystem through targeted skills development initiatives and vocational training curriculum.

“With Dubai’s FMCG space poised for vibrant expansion and the city’s active promotion of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, there are abundant opportunities for home grown businesses and talent to contribute to the sustainable development of the fast-growing FMCG sector. This industry alliance represents a commitment to shared success, harnessing our unique strengths to create a brighter and more impactful future for all stakeholders involved.”

Omar Channawi, CEO of Procter & Gamble Middle East, Pakistan, and Global Entrepreneurial Markets, said: “P&G brands serve five billion people around the world, through a focused portfolio of products in 10 categories.

“It is our mission to strengthen our contribution to local economies through collaboration with regulators & retailers. We are honoured to take our partnership with DET forward to maintain dialogue and further emphasize our commitment to drive innovation in the UAE and better serve our customers and consumers. We look forward to advancing our efforts with our ecosystem partners to pool resources, new technologies, reach and knowledge enabling our growing future in the Middle East region.”

The following are examples of some of the areas covered by the strategic collaboration between DET and P&G:

Stimulating Dubai-based SMEs and enabling innovation in FMCG value chain

The agreement will see both entities come together to enable capacity building programmes to aid Dubai’s small and medium-sized enterprises across the FMCG value chain including technical toolkits focusing on operational excellence, digital and supply chain transformation, and leadership development. The programmes will leverage P&G’s extensive global innovation-based resources, incorporating real-world business use-cases, mentorship sessions and workshops with global and regional industry experts to accelerate the industry growth.

Talent training programmes

DET and P&G will develop talent training programmes aimed at enhancing technical skills of Emiratis employed in, or aspiring for, careers in manufacturing operations, supply chain management and data analytics, contributing to a skilled and competitive workforce.

Vocational learning curriculum

Collaborating with Dubai-based educational institutions, the partners will establish a vocational learning curriculum designed to equip talents for careers in the private sector, primarily within FMCG businesses.

Circular economy and sustainability

The partners will also jointly promote Dubai’s circular economy and sustainability initiatives within the FMCG sector, as part of a wider strategic collaborative efforts on an industry level, to align with the UAE’s and P&G’s global environmental goals. P&G is committed to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 across its operations and supply chain, spanning from raw material to retail. The company has implemented a comprehensive Climate Transition Action Plan that addresses lifecycle emissions of its products and packaging across supply chain, operations, consumer use of products and product end of life.