SHARJAH, 8th October, 2026 (WAM) — Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, will deliver the keynote address at the ninth Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF 2026), with Emaar Properties Founder and Director Mohamed Alabbar among more than 80 speakers examining the policies, partnerships and infrastructure that help economies stay resilient.
Held on 14 – 15 October under the theme “Building Adaptive Economies,” the forum’s programme is structured around the factors that determine how well an economy responds to change. These include policies that balance agility with stability, trade partnerships that expand market access, supply chains with multiple routes to market, technologies that strengthen services and operations, and destinations that people, businesses and capital choose.
Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), said: “As the global economy changes, businesses are reconsidering where to grow and whom to grow with. This year’s speakers bring perspectives shaped by markets around the world. When those perspectives come together at SIF, they can reveal where emerging global needs meet the emirate’s strengths and spark partnerships and projects that begin here, in Sharjah.”
Mohamed Al Abbar, Founder and Director of Emaar Properties and Noon.com; Chairman of Eagle Hills and Americana Group, will join radio host and entrepreneur Kris Fade for the fireside chat, “The CEO’s Playbook: Leading Through Constant Change,” on identifying opportunities, allocating capital and scaling businesses amid economic and technological change.
Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment, and H Fahad Al Gergawi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade;, will discuss adapting investment, trade and industrial policy to emerging technologies and shifting capital flows.
International trade and supply chain resilience
Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations and the Higher Committee for Economic Integration in the Emirate of Sharjah, will be joined by H.E. Francisco José Chacón Hernández, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the United Arab Emirates and other ambassadors from countries that have signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with the UAE to discuss their impact on market access and commercial opportunities.
Omar Alsebeyi, CEO of Etihad Rail Freight, and Ritesh Ramakrishnan, Managing Director, Transworld, will discuss trade routes, multimodal connectivity and supply chain resilience.
As part of the programme, Farid Belbouab, Group CEO of Gulftainer, will highlight the strategic role of Khorfakkan Port in strengthening Sharjah’s position as a regional hub for trade and logistics, exploring the port’s capabilities, strategic location, and its potential to facilitate trade flows and connect regional and global markets.
Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO and Vice Chairman of BEEAH Group will examine how manufacturers can adopt AI, automation and advanced technologies at scale, and the financing, infrastructure and workforce skills needed to support industrial growth.
Sharjah’s approach to integrated development will be examined by Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, CEO of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq); H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; and Stephan Schupbach, President and Group CEO of Chedi Hospitality. Their discussion will cover integrated developments, tourism destinations and sustainable communities.
The panel “Real Estate as an Economic Engine” will bring together Obaid Abdul Rahman Al-Mazloum, Director of the Real Estate Projects Organisation Department at the Real Estate Registration Department, Yousif Al Mutawa, Chief Real Estate Officer at Shurooq, and Eng. Raymond Khouzami, Vice Chairman, Al Thuriah Properties, to deliberate investment demand, regulation and market transparency, and sustainable development.
The programme will also feature a presentation on smart cities by Matthias Hollwich, founder of HWKN Architecture.
Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Layth Ibrahim Dwairi, CEO of Tathmeer Agri Tech Centre, and Sky Kurtz, Founder and CEO of Pure Harvest Smart Farms, will take part in “Growing a Sustainable Future: Where Agriculture Meets Sustainability,” on food security, sustainable agriculture and AgriTech.
Ali Sajwani, the Managing Director of DAMAC Group, and Rima Semaan, Chief Solutions Officer at Microsoft UAE, will explore agentic AI in government and business, including its applications in services and decision-making. Meanwhile, Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim, will examine how AI, demographic change and digital lifestyles are reshaping personalisation, sustainability and customer experience.
Looking ahead to the consumer of 2035, Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim, will examine how AI, demographic change and digital lifestyles are reshaping the way people live, shop and engage with brands, and what these shifts mean for where future demand and business growth will emerge.
Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, Mohamed Hilal, Board Member the the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mariam Rashid Bin Al-Sheikh, Director of Sharjah Business Women Council, , and Dr Sulaiman Tareq Al Abduljader, Vice Chairman and CEO of SANAM Group, will discuss infrastructure, institutional support and conditions for business growth. In a separate session on global capital flows, Saqr Eriqat, Secretary General at the Dubai Digital Asset Association, Jigar Sagar, founder of Triliv Holdings Limited, Amer Al Ahbabi, Chairman of Vertix Holdings, and Khuloud Al Omian, CEO & Editor-in-Chief at Forbes Middle East, will address investor preferences, financing for high-growth companies and cross-border expansion.
British entrepreneur and investor Simon Squibb will lead a session titled “Thriving in an Era of Constant Disruption,” while Indian entrepreneur and AI developer Varun Mayya will deliver a keynote titled “Beyond Today: Investing in the Economy of the Future.”
Organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Investment, SIF 2026 will take place on 14–15 October at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre. It is expected to attract more than 10,000 participants from over 60 countries, with more than 80 speakers and 140 activities. Dedicated business meetings will connect investors, companies and decision-makers to explore opportunities for partnership, expansion and investment.
Source: Emirates News Agency