Magzoid Magazine - A Luxury Magazine in the Creative Space | July 2021

LEADERSHIP TALKS
The competition is growing, but
there are opportunities all around
us. We are always trying to help and
support each industry. Whenever
we have an opportunity, we always
share it with the people and whenever
they need help, our door is always
open. I’m very happy about the team
and our development. The more
we encourage them, the more they
grow. This is our contribution to the
economies of Ajman and the UAE.
I strongly believe that Ajman is now
growing, and, while we are facing
expansion challenges, we will strive
to come up with the best solutions.
AFZ has seen amazing growth in
the number of new companies,
which is a great thing to exemplify
that UAE is back. But we would like
to know about the lockdown times
at AFZ. What measures did you
take and how did you overcome it?
For me, I would say it was both a
FIRSTLY, WE WANTED
TO INTRODUCE AJMAN
FREE ZONE AND THE
OPPORTUNITIES.
SECONDLY, WE WANTED
TO TAKE ADVICE FROM
THEIR EXPERIENCES
AND WHAT THEY WOULD
LOVE TO SEE FOR AJMAN
FREE ZONE. THERE IS A
DRIVE AND OBJECTIVE
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT SO
WE HAVE DEVELOPED
CERTAIN STRATEGIES FOR
THAT AS AN INITIATIVE.
challenge and an opportunity. AFZ
was equipped with the technology
to handle the situation, but it wasn’t
feasible for all. We tried to see how
we could use these measures for
business continuity. We had so many
challenges with payment and health
measures. But our leadership in Ajman
has continuously been supportive
of the business sector. Many online
companies have been able to expand
despite trying market conditions.
Across the free zone, amid difficult
circumstances, 1,717 new companies
from more than 150 countries had setup
their operations in our community
in 2020 – which represented a 23
per cent increase from the previous
period. Furthermore, 40 new retail
stores opened in the Chinese Market
in Ajman, registering a four per cent
growth. Out of all the companies
across sectors, the segment of
education providers, including training,
educational consulting and liberal
professions, was the most active
last year with a 26 per cent growth
rate compared to 2019. Investments
and other activities in the technology
sector rose 20 per cent.
We also registered an uptick
during the first quarter of 2021. We
experienced a 33 per cent surge
in the number of newly registered
companies engaged in vital sectors
during the first three months of
this year compared to Q1 2020.
The percentage is equivalent to
492 new business organizations.
By sector, education, including
training academies, counselling and
freelancing, witnessed a 39 per cent
increase; technology, 23 per cent; and
health, 34 per cent.
However difficult the situations
may be, we don’t need to panic; we
need to remain calm and see how we
can contribute to the business. The
pandemic has fast-tracked technology
development and evolution. We must
train ourselves to be our best and
make use of these technologies. If we
don’t think ahead, someone else will.
What are the new initiatives and
opportunities coming from AFZ
to boost the incoming wave of
entrepreneurship?
In every business, we look at its
challenges and see how we can
launch the initiative to explore relevant
opportunities. In some of the initiatives
that we launched, we’ve noticed the
local community’s involvement. Firstly,
we wanted to introduce Ajman Free
Zone and its offered opportunities.
Secondly, we wanted to take advice
from their experiences and what
they would love to see in AFZ. There
is a drive and objective towards
sustainable development so we have
developed certain strategies related to
that as part of our initiatives. We want
to set the trend for people as well as
take available opportunities and bring
them here for our partners.
What challenges do you feel is the
current SME segment facing and
how is AFZ committed towards
facilitating them?
At AFZ, 56 per cent of AFZ’s total
purchases during the first quarter of
this year went to the needs of the SME
sector (31%) and other enterprises
licensed in the zone (25%). The figures
indicate our commitment to help in
their expansion coupled with our
mission to attract more investments to
Ajman and advance the diversification
of the national economy.
Please take note, however, that
we treat all businesses in AFZ as
our partners, and we love to take
active participation in the same. Out
of the other challenges that we have
come across from different genres of
businesses, the one that we found
16 July 2021
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