Building Fruitful Partnerships

The UAE conglomerate Galadari Brothers is planning to make its first foray into Israel’s booming economy, as bilateral trade between the two countries continues to grow a year after the signing of the Abraham Accords. As both nations are exploring ways to boost cooperation in the trade, industrial, technological, educational, medical, agricultural and tourism sectors, Galadari Brothers see business opportunities in the new geopolitical realignments. This comes at a time when the UAE group — which operates in diverse verticals — has been expanding its footprint across many nations, including Australia, the UK, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, India and Pakistan. Galadari Brothers has helped businesses establish roots and grow in the region for more than 50 years. With presence across a wide range of industries, it delivers a variety of products and services.

The group already had a headstart soon after the Abraham Accords were signed as various Israel-based media and public relations companies approached its flagship newspaper, Khaleej Times, for a working relationship. A business conference jointly held by Khaleej Times and The Jerusalem Post Group in June this year was a runaway success. The conference, Global Investment Forum 2021, held at the Armani Hotel in Dubai, focused on developing investment opportunities and deepening global collaborations.

The initiative represented a new dawn in the multifaceted economic relationship between the two countries and brought together top government officials, business leaders, and industry experts from the public and private sectors from the UAE, Israel, Bahrain, Morocco, India and the US, including healthcare, hospitality, defence, security, trade and technology.

The UAE-Israel negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) are progressing as scheduled. It is expected to be signed within the nine-month timeframe set by the foreign ministers of the two countries in June this year.

Non-oil trade between the UAE and Israel has reached more than $675 million since the historic pact was inked. Several partnerships — including six major deals — were also sealed in various sectors, from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to food and water security, energy, tourism, environment and healthcare. Many more are expected to be announced soon.

The tourist exchanges between the two nations have also witnessed significant momentum, with around 250,000 Israelis visiting the UAE over the recent period.

Here's a look at the businesses and expertise of the Galadari Brothers group:

Out of its many businesses, the group’s Galadari Heavy Equipment Division (HED) supports leading world-class brands in heavy earthmoving, construction, power systems, and materials handling equipment. The company is the exclusive and sole distributor of brands such as Komatsu, Bomag, JCB, Linkbelt, and Dieci. With the company’s leading market share in the UAE, these brands have served many customers in building world-class projects.

The Galadari Food and Beverage Division has been a Baskin-Robbins licensee for over 40 years and operates close to 900 ice-cream stores across the Middle East, along with Dunkin’ Donuts in Qatar.

Having achieved great success for the Mazda Motor Corporation in the UAE for over 45 years, Galadari Automobiles Co (GAL) has become a leader in the sector. It operates showrooms in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah. With more than 500 employees and 14 facilities, the company has been providing world-class service and automotive products, ensuring after-sales support and the best customer experience.

The Galadari Industrial Division has been at the forefront of the UAE’s industrial and construction sectors, offering services through Galadari Engineering Works Ltd Co. LLC; Galadari Engineering Works India; Tech International FZC; and Arab Emirates Bandac Co. LLC.

With the distinction of being the UAE’s first English daily, the Galadari Group’s Khaleej Times is the country’s most trusted and popular source of news, views and entertainment. Beyond breaking news, the KT news platform is renowned for its persuasive analyses and opinions and compelling multimedia content. Published by Galadari Printing and Publishing (GPP), the newspaper is distributed in the UAE and throughout the Gulf region.

The Galadari Hotel Colombo — situated in the heart of the Sri Lankan capital — tells a splendid tale of world-class hospitality that spans over 34 years. Its spacious, luxurious rooms that showcase a stunning view of the ocean, along with superb amenities and top-class service, have always met and exceeded guests’ expectations.

The Galadari Real Estate (GRE) Company was established in 1978. The company holds the leasing and management of self-owned property; buying and selling of real estate; and organising exhibitions in its portfolio. It has grown alongside its sister subsidiaries, providing them with solutions for their expanding real estate requirements while catering to the needs of external customers.

Investments

Since the rise of the modern emirate, Dubai has earned itself a reputation as a regional and international hub for businesses and entrepreneurship, attracting investors from around the world. Galadari Investments International helps clients build a solid sustainable portfolio of investments, locally and internationally, across several sectors including real estate, companies and services.

Quote

Suhail Galadari

We see a huge potential in diversifying investments between the UAE and Israel by exploring opportunities in various economic sectors. Having expanded our footprint in varied businesses across the region and beyond, Galadari Brothers will be a good choice for industry leaders in Israel to partner with.

The Abraham Accords are a signpost to a major realignment of trading alliances in the region. The UAE businesses are compelled to innovate to complement the country’s larger vision to be a global gateway. Galadari Brothers is ready to travel the extra mile to bring benefits of the new partnership to both, the nation and the group. The company is carefully planning its future expansion as it picks the right talent pool within the region and from global business hubs.

The group has ambitious growth plans. To take this forward, there is a need to build on a long-term sustainable business strategy that can make the group more resilient, boosting its appetite to take the risk and unlock the potential in business segments offered by the UAE-Israel partnership.