Post by German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce (AHK)

Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting the inaugural AHK CEO Luncheon, this time in partnership with PwC Middle East. The event brought together more than 20 CEOs and senior executives from leading German companies for an open and candid discussion on the opportunities and challenges currently shaping the business landscape. The session was opened by Dr. Martin Henkelmann and Khaled Bin Braik. We kicked off with an economic outlook before turning to some of the key issues businesses are facing today. A major topic of discussion was the growing pressure on global supply chains, including rising transport, insurance and raw material costs, and the impact these developments are having on companies across sectors. One takeaway was that the current economic and geopolitical environment is affecting industries very differently. While sectors such as retail, tourism and hospitality are facing increased pressure and uncertainty, infrastructure-related projects continue to benefit from strong investment activity and ongoing government-led development initiatives. Participants also highlighted the important role of targeted government support in helping particularly affected sectors remain competitive and resilient. What made the discussion especially valuable was the openness around the table. Participants shared experiences, challenges and perspectives in a highly constructive exchange. A sincere thank you to PwC Middle East for partnering with us on this first edition and to all participating CEOs for their valuable contributions. The AHK CEO Luncheon will take place on a quarterly basis and remain an invitation-only platform for executive-level dialogue. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and strengthening the exchange within the German business community. Daniela Calligaro Nadine Arenja-Ziegler Gan Mei, CPA