Dubai Multi Commodities Centre

The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre is a free zone authority for the JLT Free Zone. It was established in 2002 as a strategic initiative of the government of Dubai with a mandate to provide the physical, market and financial infrastructure required to set up a commodity market place in Dubai. As of June 2013, it had over 6,800 registered members including both commodities and other businesses.

Quick facts: Type , Industry, ...
DMCC comprises modern infrastructure, free-hold property and trade networking platforms as well as industry including secure vaults and purpose-built storage facilities. The Centre attracts key players throughout the entire value chain of a wide range of commodities sectors, together with relevant support industries such as finance, logistics and insurance. Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman of DMCC.

Jumeirah Lakes Towers Free Zone
JLT Free Zone is one of the largest free zone developments in Dubai. The 200-hectare mixed-use free zone, comprises both freehold and leasing options. The development is grouped into clusters each comprising three tower blocks around four large lakes which are filled with sea water pumped from the Gulf.

The JLT Free Zone is situated in the heart of new Dubai and is 1 hours and 15 minutes away from Abu Dhabi. Located in Dubai’s logistics Corridor and on the main arterial Sheikh Zayed Road, it is also served by two Metro stations; JLT Free Zone and Dubai Marina. Both Dubai International Airport and the New Maktoum International Airport can be reached within 30 minutes.[1]

The JLT Free Zone fulfills DMCC’s mandate to increase the flow of trade and around the Emirate by providing the physical infrastructure for businesses covering a wide range of commercial activities. It has been designed as a free zone, freehold community and offers all related services to its growing population.

As of March 2013, 65 towers were fully operational. The development currently encompass approximately 180,000 sq/m of commercial, residential and retail space. There are currently over 65,000 people living and working in JLT Free Zone.[2]

JLT Free Zone Services
JLT Free Zone is one of the fastest growing free zones in the UAE.[3] It is seeing strong demand from companies and registered a record 2,033 companies in 2012; a rise of 50% over 2011.[4] In the first half of 2013, DMCC registered 1,270 new member companies, 30% more than the same period the previous year.[5] DMCC has made significant changes to the process for registration and licensing including a simplified e-application process, availability of longer-term licenses and improved client relationship management.

Commodity Services

Aerial View of JLT Free Zone
DMCC is the only international commodity centre in the region. It supports commodity trading across certain commodity groups through purpose-built infrastructure including the Diamond and Pearl Exchanges, innovative products and value-added services such as DMCC Tradeflow and the Dubai Good Delivery Standard for Gold.

The four main commodity groups are:

Gold: historically, Dubai has played a significant role in the global gold market and is now a bullion centre of international significance. DMCC has integrated the refining, manufacturing and trading of gold and precious metals through a variety of products and services in Dubai. These include the Dubai Good Delivery, DMCC Vault, the Visions of Dubai commemorative gold coin, the UAE gold bullion coins and Dubai Gold Advisory Group.[6][7]

Diamonds: the Dubai Diamond Exchange(DDE) was established in 2004 to facilitate the development of the diamond and colored gems market, to establish logistical efficiencies and provide a secure trading environment. DDE allows manufacturers, traders, and other key entities in the diamond value chain to effectively operate from a transparent, secure and sophisticated platform. During 2010, the volume of diamonds traded reached a record 286.7 million carats, up 50 per cent on 2009.[5] In November 2011, the DDE reported a record total trading of 206.1 million carats in first half 2011 in Dubai, a 35% increase on the 131 million carats traded in H1 2010; with values increasing to $25.3 billion from $16.3 billion.[8]

Pearls: the Dubai Pearl Exchange (DPE) provides facilities for traders in pearls; and services include sales rooms, customs duty facilitation, gem analysis centre, vaults, market information and dedicated events like the World Pearl Forum. Early 2011, DPE held the first pearl auctions outside of the Far East.[9]

Tea: the Dubai Tea Trading Centre (DTTC) is a 24,000 sq/m facility located close to the Dubai Ports (JAFZA). It offers a business centre, temperature controlled storage, blending solutions, packaging, professional advisory and tea tasting services for international tea producers and buyers.[10]

Financial Services
DMCC offers investors sophisticated financial products and has formed various strategic joint ventures to achieve this. These include: Dubai Commodity Asset Management (DCAM): Established to develop and seed commodity-linked investment products for distribution in the UAE and other markets.

Dubai Shariah Asset Management (DSAM): A joint venture between DCAM and Shariah Capital Inc. (‘Shariah Capital’), a US-based Shariah-compliant financial adviser and consultant. The DSAM Kauthar Commodity Fund comprises four single strategy commodity–based funds that invest exclusively in Shariah-compliant long/short equity hedge funds. The four strategies are: The DSAM Kauthar Gold Fund; the DSAM Kauthar Energy Fund; the DSAM Kauthar Natural Resources Fund and; the DSAM Kauthar Global Resources & Mining Fund.

DMCC Tradeflow: An electronic system that brings together all parties involved in inventory based financing. Through the platform, owners of goods stored in rated warehouses in the UAE can request warehouse keepers to issue “Tradeflow Warrants” which represent the ownership of their goods. These warrants can be used by the owners to pledge beneficial ownership or transfer title of the stored goods to financiers as collateral in return for working capital.[11]

DMCC also offers the Dubai Gold Securities product. This provides investors with secure, low-cost access to owning gold bullion without the additional costs normally associated with insuring, storing and transacting in physical gold.

The Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX), a DMCC joint venture initiative set up in November 2005, is a major commodity and currency derivatives exchange in the Middle East, with electronic trading accessible from anywhere in the world. It has adopted the DGR system for effecting the physical settlements of gold and silver against a futures contract position.

JLT Property Services
Almas Tower, the headquarters of DMCC Free Zone, was completed in mid-2008 and is the tallest commercial tower in the Middle East with 63 floors. Almas Tower was purpose-built to support commodities trade. It houses DMCC’s corporate offices, the Dubai Diamond Exchange, Jumeirah Lakes Towers Free Zone and Dubai Pearl Exchange in addition to gold and diamond vaults and the Almas Conference Centre.

In July 2013, Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the Executive Chairman of DMCC, announced plans to construct the tallest commercial tower in the world as part of its expansion plans. Currently in the concept design phase, the DMCC Business Park and the world's tallest commercial tower will cater to large corporations and multinationals that require significant floor space to buy or rent. The business park will comprise 107,000 square metres of premium commercial and retail space.

In November 2010, DMCC launched a Commercial Sales and Leasing Consultancy as well as a website (property.dmcc.ae) dedicated to assisting customers find freehold or leasehold commercial and retail space within JLT Free Zone. The new online portal, which is the UAE's first Free Zone online commercial property portal, provides existing and potential member companies a fast and convenient way to find the most suitable space for their businesses. The DMCC Commercial Property Sales and Leasing division is also available to provide further help by offering property consultancy services to both sub-developers and to individual clients and investors, offering them advice on the wide choice of available property to lease or buy in JLT Free Zone.[12][13]

Dubai Media City

History and profile
The Dubai Media City was established in 2000.[1] It was built by the Dubai government to boost UAE's media foothold, and has become a regional hub for media organizations including news agencies, publishing, online media, advertising, production, and broadcast facilities. The groundwork for infrastructure (such as fiber optic cables) was already laid for firms to set up easily and its visa and operational procedures are relaxed for firms operating within DMC.

Dubai Media City is the hub for the media industry in the GCC and Middle East, with more than 1,300 companies registered under the Free Zone, from where they serve the entire region. It also houses the International Cricket Council, the governing body of the game of Cricket in the world. Earlier, before 2005, it was situated in London.

Censorship
On 16 November 2007, the Dubai Government ordered Tecom (implemented by Du Samacom, by disabling their SDI & ASI streams) to shut down the Pakistani independent and private channels Geo News TV and ARY One World on the demand of the military regime of Pakistan led by General and President Pervez Musharraf. Later policy makers in Dubai permitted these channels to air their entertainment programs, but news, current affairs and political analysis were forbidden to be aired. However later the conditions were removed but marked difference has been observed in the coverage of Geo TV and ARY OneWorld.

On 13 April 2008, du EITC - the second telecommunications operator in the UAE- announced that all of its traffic would be routed via the UAE's censorship proxy which blocks access to any content deemed 'inappropriate'. While Dubai Internet City sells itself as a business-friendly environment with excellent connectivity, the reality is it is heavily censored. On January 30, 2008 an incident revealed the size of problem, when fibre optic cables between Palermo, Italy, and Alexandria, Egypt were said to have been damaged. There was a significant slowdown of communications. The UAE telecommunications company and DMC’s internet service provider du EITC was one of the worst hit. Since du EITC has a monopoly in the Free Zones, customers had no alternative connectivity during the outage. On 19 December 2008 the three submarine cables between Italy and Egypt were damaged again, disrupting Internet and telephone communications between UAE and Europe, as reported by Bloomberg.

List of companies/organisations
The list below is incomplete.

Sports
International Cricket Council Headquarters
News Agencies
APTN
Reuters
TV Stations
Arab Business TV
Arabian Travel TV
ARY Digital Network
BBC World News
Bloomberg Television
City 7 TV
CNBC Arabiya
CNN International
Decision Makers TV
Dubai Media Incorporated News Center
General Entertainment and Music Group (GEM)
Geo TV
Infinity TV
Middle East Broadcasting Center
National Geographic Farsi
Orbit Showtime
Persian Music Channel
TEN Sports
Turner Broadcasting System
Zee Aflam
Radio stations
Radio Sawa (formerly Voice of America)
Arabian Radio Network
Websites
Moheet
Kipp Report
AMEinfo.com
Kalam TV
Edarabia
Eurosport Arabia
Arabic Information Technology News Portal
Newspapers
The Financial Times
The Economist Group (MENA Region Headquarters)
The Times (UAE edition)
The Sunday Times (UAE edition)
Awraq newspaper
Magazines
MEED
Lavish Magazine
Rolling Stone (Middle East edition)
Esquire (Middle East edition)
Sayidaty
MONEYworks
Gulf Marketing Review
L'Officiel (Middle East edition)
EveningZ Magazine
Tharawat Magazine
The Business Year
Advertising Agencies
Spoton media services and events
Best Focus (UAE/Dubai/Abu Dhabi/GULF advertising agency)
Pan Arabian Network (MENA region's headquarters - www.panarabiannetwork.com)
Leo Burnett (MENA region's headquarters)
Starcom Mediavest Group (MENA region's headquarters)
Flip Media (Flip headquarters)
DoLeeP Studios
Grafdom
North55
ICS Dubai
DDB Worldwide (MENA region's headquarters)
Denstu (MENA region's headquarters)
Aegis Group (MENA region's headquarters)
Lowe (MENA region's headquarters)
Channel 7 Media Dubai
Event Management Agencies
MPremiere FZ LLC
Spoton Media Services and Events
BrikCom India Consultancy and Event Management Pvt. Ltd.
Vibe Middle East
Relay Experiential Marketing
Euro Media FZ LLC]
Channel 7 Media
Others
Dubai's Finest News, Gossip & Entertainment Website
Epic (Middle East headquarters)
Economist Corporate Network (MENA Region Headquarters)
EMAP (MENA region headquarter)
Arthur D. Little
Oliver Wyman
Capgemini
Sony Corporation
Visa Inc. (Middle East headquarters)
Abortion India
Icflix
Towers
There will be over 84 towers in the Dubai Media City.

Mövenpick Dubai Pearl
Dubai Pearl Hotel Tower 1
Dubai Pearl Hotel Tower 2
Omnix North Tower
Omnix South Tower
Dubai Pearl Dana Tower
Dubai Pearl Lulwa Tower
Dubai Pearl Mahara Tower
Jumana Tower Dubai Pearl
Al Kazim Tower 1
Al Kazim Tower 2
The One Tower
Al Salam Tecom Tower
Al Attar Skyspiral
AAM Tower
Sidra Tower
ARY Digital Tower
Media 1 Tower
Dubai Jewel Tower
Shatha Tower
Al Yassat Tower
Dalma Tower
Concord Tower
I-Rise
Al Sufouh Tower 1
Al Sufouh Tower 2
Shaiba Tower 1
Shaiba Tower 2
Ahmed Ali Abdullah Al Abdullah Tower
Al Thuraya Tower 2
Emirates Airlines Staff Accommodation
Ahmad Ali Abdulla Al Abdulla Building
Al Thuraya Tower 1
Executive Heights
Grosvenor Business Tower
Madison Residency
Telal's Tower
Smart Heights
Media Rotana Hotel Tower 1
Media Rotana Hotel Tower 2
Millennium Towers Hotel
Rashid Mohammed Al Mazroui Tower
Millennium Towers Residence
Red Tower
Ayad Hassan Bin Habshi Building
Mr. Mohammad Bin Hassan Al Muhana Building
Adel Al Hussaini Building
Tebyan Clarity Tower
Mohammed Ahmed Dadabhai Building
Al Shahd Tower
Oasis Residence
Al Abdullah Tower
Al Noor Tower
Abdul Jaleel Mahdy Al Esmawy Building
Khalid Salem Ahmed Basuliman Building
Mazoon Hotel Apartments
Al Hoton Building
Cayan Business Center
The Icon
Abdulrahman Mohamed Taher Mohamed Wali Tower
Leader Tower
Saleh Bin Lahej Building
Ramee Guestline Hotel Apartments
Business Central Towers

Dubai Knowledge Village

Dubai Knowledge Village is a human resources management, professional learning and educational free trade zone campus in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that provides facilities for corporate training and learning institutions to operate with 100% foreign ownership. There are over 400 companies and institutions operating within it, which include occupational assessment and testing providers, universities, computer training providers, professional centers, executive development providers and HR consultancy companies.[1] It is owned by Dubai Holding's subsidiary TECOM Investments.[citation needed]

In 2007, TECOM Investments launched a separate facility, Dubai International Academic City, where all institutions of higher education from Dubai Knowledge Village will be moved to.

Partner and member institutions at Dubai Knowledge Village
American College of the Emirates
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani - Dubai (shifted to DIAC)
British University in Dubai
City & Guilds MESA
CEB SHL Middle East
Edexcel International
Eton Educational Institute
European University College Brussels
Hay Group
Heriot-Watt University Dubai
Reed Personal Services MEA
Islamic Azad University
Mahatma Gandhi University
Manipal University Dubai
Michigan State University [2]
Middlesex University, Dubai
Saint-Petersburg State University of Engineering and Economics
University of New Brunswick in Dubai
University of Wollongong in Dubai
University of Bradford in Dubai

Dubai Internet City

Dubai Internet City (DIC) (Arabic: مدينة دبي للإنترنت‎) is an information technology park created by the government of Dubai as a free economic zone and a strategic base for companies targeting regional emerging markets. The economic rules of DIC allow companies to avail themselves of a number of ownership, taxation and custom related benefits which are guaranteed by law for a period of 50 years[citation needed]. One model of operation includes 100% foreign ownership, similar to those prevailing in other designated economic zones in the United Arab Emirates[citation needed]. These freedoms have led many global information technology firms, such as Microsoft, IBM, Oracle Corporation, Infor Global Solutions, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, HP, Nokia, Seidor Mena, Cognizant and Siemens, as well as UAE based companies such as i-mate, Acette, to move their regional base to the DIC. DIC is located adjacent to other industrial clusters such as Dubai Media City and Dubai Knowledge Village.

Quick facts: Type , Founded, ...

The Microsoft sign at the entrance of the Dubai Microsoft campus, Dubai Internet City.
DIC presently has over one and half million square feet of prime commercial office space, in which over 850 companies with over 10,000 workers are based[citation needed]. There are 25 low, mid, and high-rise office structures in the area.[1]

Connectivity
On 13 April 2008, du (EITC) announced that all of its traffic would be routed via the UAE's censorship proxy which blocks access to any content deemed 'inappropriate'. du had been previously blocking VOIP services.[2]

While Dubai Internet City sells itself as a business-friendly environment with excellent low cost connectivity, the reality is one of a heavily censored internet with prices that are 5-10 times the price of connectivity in Europe or the USA. In addition to webpage censorship, it is speculated that a variety of popular social networking services are blocked. Cheap calls to the UAE are not possible due to a termination charge of around 17p UK, (around 30 US cents) per minute imposed by the UAE phone networks. Internet connectivity in Dubai is expensive; a 0.5Mbit/s home connection costs around 200 AED per month (about 45 USD). The minimum internet connectivity package available for businesses at DIC is a 2Mbit/s connection with a 6GB monthly limit for around 800 AED (180 USD). Bandwidth beyond the 6GB limit is charged at a higher pro-rata rate than the first 6GB.[citation needed]

The UAE proxy can be bypassed by various methods including by setting up a VPN to connect securely to a server in another country to reduce the amount of Internet censorship, with the advantage that UAE authorities cannot 'snoop' on the traffic.[citation needed] While the UAE may block access to the web sites companies providing VPN services, it is possible[citation needed] to arrange overseas accounts. Such options significantly reduce costs as VOIP systems can be used; for companies who require access to services or content that is blocked, VPNs are a necessity.

Around 11.15 AM on January 30, 2008, a ship's anchor apparently severed fibre optic cables between Palermo, Italy, and Alexandria, Egypt. Providers across the Middle East and as far as India and Pakistan were heavily affected with a significant slowdown of communications reported. The UAE telecommunications company and Dubai Internet City's internet service provider du was one of the worst hit, having been completely inoperational for several hours. Since du has a monopoly in the Free Zones, customers had no alternative connectivity during the outage[citation needed].

History
Dubai Internet City, a member of Dubai Holding subsidiary TECOM Investments, was founded in October 1999, and it opened its doors in October 2000.

Dubai Internet City (DIC) provides a knowledge economy ecosystem designed to facilitate the business development of Internet and Communications Technology (ICT) companies. It is the Middle East's biggest ICT infrastructure, built inside a free trade zone.

The global ICT giants like Microsoft, Oracle Corporation, HP, IBM, Dell, Siemens, Canon, Logica, Sony Ericsson, Schlumberger[citation needed] and Cisco, as well as many small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurial ventures are based in DIC. The ICT cluster in Dubai Internet City comprises companies from sectors like software development, business services, e-commerce, consultancy and sales and marketing. Local bred technology companies like Ducont FZ LLC which was one of the earliest startups at DIC have showed that innovation is possible in the region and quite successful at that.

The cluster environment of DIC provides most elements of the value chain for an ICT business. In addition, it has developed programmes that can be leveraged by the ICT community to explore and expand channel and business development opportunities.

Economics
Dubai Internet City, like the whole of Dubai, has seen rapid growth, with the Emirate's GDP rising at double digit rates. However, since 2003 inflation has climbed rapidly too, making real GDP growth significantly lower. The latest official government figures (2006) state inflation of 9.6%. By spring 2008, the level is somewhere over 10%, and approaching 20% according to the estimates of some international banks.[citation needed]

The government has implemented price controls on rent rises as well as fuel and basic commodities such as rice, but these cannot be viewed as effective long term anti-inflation measures in a market economy. The UAE has continued to reiterate the commitment to pegging its currency to a continually weakening dollar, which rules out significant interest rate rises - the accepted inflation-fighting tool in developed countries. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts of 1.25% in January 2008 have been mirrored by the UAE Central Bank, which is certain to fuel inflation further and weaken the currency.

In March 2008, DIC announced a rental increase to 180 AED per square foot - a 25% rise (the government's rent cap on private landlords is 5% for 2008). The DIC statement accompanying the release said "operating costs have shot up recently due to economic growth in the region". It made no mention of the decision by the UAE government in November 2007 to hike federal government employees salaries by 70%.[citation needed]. In late 2008, Dubai property prices began to crash heavily, falling by up to 50% over the next six months. Rents across the emirate fell heavily and many jobs were lost, particularly in real estate. Despite this, DIC rents have not been reduced as of December 2009. The present rent of 160 AED(Juli '11) including service charge(electricity) is roughly double the present rents available in the areas immediately outside DIC. From January 15, 2013 the RTA began charging workers and visitors to DIC, as well as Dubai Media City and Knowledge Village for parking, which had previously been provided free. In addition to charging fees for parking in car parks and designated parking areas, the authorities began activating parking meters on the streets, and in off-street areas. The move caused widespread concern among workers in DIC and the other TECOM areas.[3]

Location
Dubai Internet City is about 25 kilometers south of downtown Dubai city, on Sheikh Zayed Road between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is located adjacent to Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence and the well-known Palm Jumeirah, areas which are rapidly becoming three of the most exclusive (and expensive) residential areas of Dubai. DIC is less than 1 km from the sea coast and is near several five star hotels.

Companies
Google UAE[4]
IBM Middle East and Africa[5]

Dubai International Financial Centre

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is a federal financial free zone situated in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The DIFC was established pursuant to UAE Federal Decree No. 35 of 2004, UAE Federal Law No. 8 of 2004 and Dubai Law No. 12 of 2004. The DIFC occupies a physical territory of approximately 110 acres. It has its own legal system and courts distinct from those of the wider UAE, with jurisdiction over corporate, commercial, civil, employment, trusts and securities law matters.

Quick facts: Industry, Founded, ...
The DIFC aims to provide a platform for business and financial institutions to reach into and out of the emerging markets of the region. It was established to create an environment for growth, progress and economic development in the UAE and the wider region by providing the needed legal and business as well as physical infrastructure benchmarked against international standards.

Independent jurisdiction
The DIFC is an independent jurisdiction under the UAE Constitution, with its own civil and commercial laws distinct from those of the wider UAE. DIFC laws and regulations are written in English and default to English law in the event of an ambiguity. The DIFC also has its own courts, with judges taken from leading common law jurisdictions including England, Singapore and Hong Kong. The DIFC’s independent jurisdiction extends to a range of areas including corporate, commercial, civil, employment, trusts, and securities law matters. Other laws of the UAE or the Emirate of Dubai, such as criminal law and immigration regulations, continue to apply within the DIFC.

The DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre is an independent centre of international arbitration that uses rules modelled on the London Court of International Arbitration.

The principal governing body of the DIFC is the DIFC Authority. The financial services regulator is the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), which regulates the conduct of financial services in and from the DIFC. The DFSA is distinct from the UAE’s federal Securities and Commodities Authority, whose jurisdiction covers the wider UAE outside the boundaries of the DIFC.

Role as an international financial centre
Licence applications are considered from financial institutions in the sectors. Each of these units offer benefits such as zero tax rate on income and profits, 100 per cent foreign ownership, no restrictions on foreign exchange or capital/profit repatriation, operational support and business continuity facilities.

One of the key elements of the centre is a privately held financial exchange that opened in September 2005 as Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX) but was rebranded to NASDAQ Dubai in the year 2008.

The trading hours of NASDAQ Dubai are from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (06:00 am to 10:00 am GMT) from Sunday to Thursday.[3]

Companies listed on NASDAQ Dubai include ordinary shares listed by DP World along with DEPA. DP World's initial public offering was the largest ever in the Middle East and raised $4.96 billion;[4] it was 15 times oversubscribed, and is one of the most valued companies in the Middle East Region.[5]

NASDAQ Dubai is regulated by Dubai Financial Services Authority.[6]

Hotels
The Dubai International Financial Centre complex has one hotel, the Ritz Carlton DIFC.[7] The hotel was announced and construction was started in 2006.[8][9] Paris-based construction firm Bouygues[8] built the hotel for developers Union Properties.[8] The hotel was scheduled to open 2008,[10] but began operations in January 2011.[11]

The 5 star[12] property is located adjacent to the Gate Precinct within the Gate Boulevard district near the Gate Building. It is 14 stories tall and consists of 341 rooms plus 124 serviced apartments, 3 restaurants 2 lounges and a 1400 square meter ballroom.[13] The hotel covers an area of 2000 square meters.[9]

The developers of the hotel, Union Properties, sold it in November 2010 for AED 1.1 Billion in order to reduce debt.[9]

The hotel has a 4.5/5 rating on TripAdvisor.[12]

Art galleries
Dubai International Financial Centre is also home to art galleries which showcase both local and international art:[14][15]

The galleries showcase works by Middle Eastern and international artists, and frequently host events to present new works from different artists. Some of the above galleries also act as auction houses.

Restaurants and cafés
There is a variety of 42 cafes and restaurants located in this area featuring local and international chains; the selection of eateries includes everything from fast food outlets to dining options. A wide variety of cuisines can be found here:[16][17]

Shopping
Within the DIFC complex are located a variety of retail shops and convenience stores along with business services outlets:[18]

Dubai Industrial City

Dubai Industrial City is the dedicated industrial city in Dubai, covering an area of 560 million Sq ft. It will be city within a city. When completed the development will include food and beverage zones, base-metal and transportation zones, warehouses and an extensive conservation area. These areas are further complemented with logistics, educational and mixed use developments. It will be located near Jebel Ali International Airport along Emirates Road. The city is expected to accommodate around 500,000 people when it is completed by 2015.

Dubai Industrial city upon completion will encompass 6 zones:

Zone 1 Food and Beverage
Zone 2 Transport Equipment and Parts
Zone 3 Machinery and Equipment
Zone 4 Mineral Products
Zone 5 Base Metal
Zone 6 Chemicals
Recent developments
As of March 2009 the construction of Dubai industrial city's warehouses has been completed, and the whole project is expected to be completed by 2015.

Dubai Healthcare City

Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) (Arabic: مدينة دبي الصحية‎) is a healthcare free economic zone situated in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. DHCC was launched in 2002[1] by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. DHCC was mandated by the government[2] to meet the demand for high-quality, patient-centered healthcare, and the main aim is to attract tourists to Dubai for medical services and treatments.

Quick facts: Type , Founded, ...
Dubai Healthcare City
Type
Free Economic Zone
Founded 2002
Headquarters Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Close
Through strategic partnerships, DHCC provides a wide range of services in healthcare, medical education and research, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, wellness and allied support.[3]

DHCC comprises two phases.[4] Phase 1 of DHCC is dedicated to healthcare and medical education and covers 4.1 million square feet.[5] Phase 2, which is under development, is dedicated to wellness, and will cover 19 million square feet.[6]

Divisions
DHCC, overseen by the Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA),[7] operates through four divisions: Healthcare, Education and Research, Investment and Regulatory.

1. Healthcare: DHCC is home to 120 medical facilities including hospitals – Mediclinic City Hospital[8] and Dr Sulaiman Al-Habib Hospital[9] – more than 120 outpatient medical centers and diagnostic laboratories with more than 4,000 licensed professionals.[10]
2. Education and Research: Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center (MBR-AMC) is the education and research arm of DHCC. The dedicated academic complex comprises an integrated academic and clinical environment for healthcare, education and research and houses a number of facilities to support educational programmes and research.[11] The facilities include: Al Maktoum Medical Library,[12] Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Center, Ahmed Seddiqi Conference Center and Easa Saleh Al-Gurg Case Method Hall.[13]
3. Investment DHCC offers medical and healthcare providers with a ‘one-stop shop’ solution to set up operations and avail of free zone[14] benefits. The investment product portfolio has clinical, commercial, retail, business centre and free-hold land.[15]
4. Regulatory: Under DHCA, the Centre for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ) is an independent regulatory body responsible for licensing healthcare providers and professionals, and setting and maintaining international best practice in healthcare delivery and patient care within DHCC.[16]

Notable personnel
Marwan Abedin, Chief Executive Officer of DHCC,[17] serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, the legislative body of the free zone. Is also a Member of the Board of Directors of Emaar Properties PJSC and of Al Jalila Foundation, a not-for-profit organization under Royal Decree.

Dubai Gold and Diamond Park

Dubai Gold and Diamond Park is located in Dubai, UAE. It was established in May 2001. Spreading 511,343 Sq.feet (Phase 1), it is located 20 km from Dubai International Airport. The park is an extension of the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

Dubai International Academic City

Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), was built near Al Ruwayyah along the Dubai-Al Ain Road in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. DIAC is located within Dubai Academic City, which spreads over an area of 129,000,000 square feet (12,000,000 m2), and the development is scheduled to be completed by 2012. The project was launched in May 2006 as an area where educational institutions from within Dubai Knowledge Village will move to. The purpose of DIAC is to be a base for schools, colleges and universities. More than 12,000 students study in 13 international higher education institutes in DIAC. By 2015, Dubai Academic City expects to have 40,000 students.

Institutions at DIAC

Al Ghurair University

American University in Dubai

American University in the Emirates

Azad University

Amity University Dubai

Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani - Dubai

British University in Dubai

Dubai English Speaking College

Emirates Aviation University

French Fashion University Dubai

French School Dubai, secondary school

German School Dubai, primary school

Hamdan eTQM University

Heriot-Watt University Dubai

Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Men's College campus

Hult International Business School Dubai

Indian Institute of Management Indore Dubai Campus

Institute of Management Technology Dubai

JSS Academy Dubai

Mahatma Gandhi University Dubai

Manipal University Dubai

Murdoch University Dubai

National Institute for Vocational Education Dubai

Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai

St Joseph University Dubai

S P Jain Center of Management Dubai

SZABIST Dubai

UAE Academy of Hospitality

Universal Empire Institute of Medical Sciences

Universal Empire Institute of Technology

University of Waterloo Dubai

Zayed University Academic City

Institutions expected to establish in or move to DIAC

Colleges and universities currently based at DKV (Dubai Knowledge Village)

American University in Dubai (currently near Hard Rock Cafe)

Dubai Aviation College (currently near Garhood Bridge)

Dubai Police Officers' Academy, (currently between Burj Al Arab and Sheikh Zayed Road)

University of Dubai

Institute of Management Technology, Dubai

International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture

St Petersburg State University of Engineering and Economics

UAE Academy of Hospitality

Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone

List of Free Zones in UAE

Free Trade Zones Free Zones in Dubai and the UAE are isolated lands or setting, with a special tax, customs and imports regime and governed by their own framework of regulations (with the exception of UAE Criminal Law). The UAE has several free zones across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al Khaimah and Um Al Qwain. Free Zones may also be broadly categorized as sea port free zones, air port free zones, and mainland free zones. 

Benefits of Free Zones / Free Trade Zones are:  

100% foreign ownership of the enterprise

100% import and export tax exemptions

100% repatriation of capital and profits

Corporate tax exemptions for up to 50 years

No personal income taxes

Assistance with labor recruitment, and additional support services, such as sponsorship and housing.

Each Free Zone is designed around one or more business industry categories and only offers licenses to companies within those categories. An independent Free Zone Authority (FZA) governs each free zone, and is the agency responsible for issuing FTZ operating licenses and assisting companies with establishing their business in the FTZ.

Investors can either register a new company in the form of a Free Zone Establishment (FZE) or simply establish a branch or representative office of their existing or parent company based within the UAE or abroad. An FZE is a limited liability company governed by the rules and regulations of the Free Zone in which it is established. Except for acquiring nationality in the UAE, the provisions of the Commercial Companies Law (CCL) do not apply to FZEs, provided that the Free Zones have special provisions regulating such companies.

Free Zones

The Microsoft sign at the entrance of the Dubai Microsoft campus, Dubai Internet City.

Main Square at Dubai Knowledge Village.

Main Buildings at Dubai Media City

Dubai Studio City, Dubai Under construction in June, 2007

Dubai Maritime City, Dubai Under Construction in 2008

There are more than 38 Free Zones operating in UAE.

Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ)

ADPC - Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ)

Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQFTZ)

Ajman Free Zone (AFZ)

Dubai Academic City

Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ)

Dubai Biotechnology & Research Park (DuBiotech)

Dubai Car and Automotive City Free Zone (DUCAMZ)

Dubai Gold and Diamond Park

Dubai Healthcare City

Dubai Industrial City (DIC)

Dubai International Academic City

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)

Dubai Internet City

Dubai Knowledge Village

Dubai Logistics City

Dubai Media City

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC Free Zone)

Dubai Outsource Zone

Dubai Silicon Oasis

Dubai Studio City

Dubai Techno Park

Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone

Economic Zones World

Fujairah Creative City

Fujairah Free Zone

Hamriyah Free Zone

Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones

Industrial City of Abu Dhabi

International Media Production Zone

Jebel Ali Free Zone

Jumeirah Lakes Towers Free Zone

RAK Investment Authority Free Zone

Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone

Ras Al Khaimah Media Free Zone

Sharjah Airport International Free Zone

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U.S.A. Regional Trade Center (USARTC) Free Zone

Free Zones Under Construction

Dubai Maritime City

Dubai Carpet Free Zone

Dubai Auto Parts City

Heavy Equipment and Trucks Zone

Mohammad Bin Rashid Technology Park

Dubai Flower Center

Dubai Textile Village

International Humanitarian City

Dubai International Arbitration Center

Types of Businesses

In the UAE, business are done broadly under 3 categories:

1. Establishment,

2. Limited Liability Company, and

3. Special Economic Zones (popularly know as Free Zones in UAE)

1. Establishment:

An Establishment, is nothing but a Sole Proprietary Firm Established by a UAE National in any Emirates / State in the UAE. A national opens a firm for if requested by an expatriate and charges him a fixed fee periodically (Monthly OR Yearly, as mutually agreed). The Firm/ Company is registered under the desired business activity. 

A business location is a must for any such Establishment and Rent/Tenancy Agreement is mandatory to be able to proceed any further. A virtual office for this kind of Firm / Company is generally unheard of. Based on the requirements, employment visas for the Establishment are approved from the Labour Ministry. A 'Managers' visa is issued to the investor. As the case may be a local national may or may not agree to open a bank account for such companies - to be operated by the investor. Expatriates generally use their personal bank accounts to carry on day to day business activities, or deal in cash.

This sort of firm is good for a small shops, though we have examples for extremely large enterprises functioning under this business setup.

2. Limited Liability Company:

A Limited Liability Company, (LLC) is the most common form business in UAE. A Limited Liability Company can be formed by a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 50 shareholders whose liability is limited to their shares in the businesses capital.

Most companies with foreign partners have opted for the Limited Liability Company, due to the fact that this is the only option that’ll give maximum legal ownership i.e. 49% to the expatriates for a local business. As it is mandatory to have a UAE national as a partner in the LLC (51% shareholding) prospective investor has the option to choose the one UAE national (sponsor) as a partner in the company.

LLC is flexible and differential profit sharing arrangements also possible. This permits the foreign investor a great edge as 51% legal equity is with local partner.

The licensing Authorities

• Dubai: Department of Economic Development
• Sharjah: Economic Development Department
• Abu Dhabi: Department of Economic Development
• Other Emirates: Municipality/ Chamber of Commerce

What are the benefits of UAE LLC?

• While foreign equity in the company does not exceed 49%, profit and losses can be shared at a ratio different from the share capital
• The most popular method of establishing a commercial company in UAE
• UAE LLC offers unrivalled access to the wider UAE economy
• No specific minimum capital requirements
• The investor becomes the partner in the company
• The investor gets the investor visa under which he/her enjoys the investor’s status in the Emirates along with his/her family
• The investor has the option to commence branches
• The investor can manage the business without the day-to-day interference from the local partner
• The assets and capital created will be in the name of the company and not in the name of the local national partner
• Few activities are restricted
• Easy to open global /local corporate bank accounts and avail credit facilities

Company incorporation which require special approvals and licenses

• Tourism activities
• Health Care activities
• Architectural and engineering consultancy
• Shipping , freight forwarding and logistics activities
• Companies in Dubai World Communities (Trakhees)
• Educational services

LLC incorporation services

HLB Hamt’s Consultants closely interact with clients to handle their LLC incorporation from starting point to finish line and assist with strategic ideas, work with their business plan;

• Getting approvals and clearances from various departments,
• Drafting Memorandum of Association and other necessary agreements
• Help to bring local equity
• Finding local partners
• Helping to open bank accounts
• Assisting to find proper office location
• Handle other documentation formalities.

The span of time to form a Limited Liability company will be approximately 1-2 weeks from the date of receipt of all required documents.

3. Free Zones are special economic zones set up with the objective of offering tax free, and free customs duty benefits to expatriate investors. Free Zones in Dubai and the UAE are governed pursuant to a special framework of rules and regulations applicable to concerned free zone. Free zones in Dubai are managed and operated by free zone authority. For instance, the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority in Dubai is responsible to manage, operate and supervise the functioning of the Jebel Ali Free Zone, one of the largest sea port free zones in Dubai. A Free Zone Authority offers business licenses to foreign-owned businesses. Each Free Zone is designed around one or more business industry categories and only offers licenses (e.g. for a Free Zone Enterprise (FZE)), to companies within those categories. Most of the free zones in Dubai broadly offer trading, service, industrial, national industrial, and branch licenses to investors looking to set up their businesses.

A company set up in a Free Zone offers benefits to owners:

• 100% ownership( A single individual is required for setting up (no sponsor required))
• Tax exemption
• Owning properties is allowed (25 years lease options, warehouse facilities, availability of areas for production and assembling etc.)
• Fair renewal fees
• Confidentiality of your business is maintained
• Allowed to open bank account in Dubai
• No restriction for doing more than one activity
• Can wind up at your discretion

There are more than 20 Free Zones operating in Dubai.

Intro

In this blog you will find numerous ways & options on how to setup a company in Dubai. Primarily, I will be enumerating most of the popular forms in which business can be setup in UAE (United Arab Emirates). The end result, as the title suggests will be to “Be Able to setup up a Business in Dubai”.