Nipendo explores new business opportunities in the United Arab Emirates

 

Nipendo Explores Business Activities in UAE

The co-Founder and CEO of Nipendo, Eyal Rosenberg, and I just returned from a week-long visit to Dubai, UAE.  The short visit, which is part of the company's New Market Exploration strategy, followed several weeks of research and networking and included both business meetings and tourist activities, through which we were able to absorb the local culture and atmosphere and to develop some important insights.

Nipendo's technology addresses the complexities and cost associated with supplier interactions around procure-to-pay activities, significantly simplifying them through intelligent automation and bringing about major cost-savings and improved efficiencies.  UAE is home to an abondance of companies that could benefit from Nipendo's platform, but our assumption was that establishing a fruitful connection with them would require having some form of local presence.

 

 During our visit we met with several businesspeople – both Emirati and expats – who acknowledged our strategy and offered different models for cooperation.  They were open and direct, welcoming and warm and were more than happy to have second and third meetings with us, some of which in less formal settings.  Through them we learned that having a local presence is critical and having the right connections could be the difference between success and failure in this market.  We also learned that most of those who operate in the UAE see it as a steppingstone to other parts of the Middle East and Africa and a central point of operation to these regions.

Dubai is a beautiful city where the architecture of each building is more staggering than the other, and where each car is more luxurious than the one it just passed.  The cleanliness and order are notable, as are the kindness and openness of people.  One can enjoy a stroll through the Old City and markets (Souks), visit landmarks like Burj Kalifa, Dubai Mall or Dubai Frame, or choose from multiple cuisines at the beautiful restaurants in Palm Jumeirah (or pretty much anywhere else in town).  There are also a variety of activities in the adjacent desert – jeep rides that include dinner and local entertainment, skydiving, camel riding, hot air balloons and much more.

 

 

Ilan Friedman