Padel is often overlooked as a leisurely event, but today’s meeting embodied the truest form of business as leading business figures from Sharjah, Portugal, and Brazil gathered for a day of padel.
In FY26, business leaders, investors and economic institutions from the UAE, Portugal, and Brazil are finding new ways to formalise deepening ties in key sectors. Today’s event, designed for the new era of unconventional business, affirms the depth of bilateral ties.
The event comes as the UAE deepens investment flows with Portugal and the broader LATAM, specifically Brazil.
Opportunities for Sharjah
Sharjah, one of the UAE’s six emirates, is eyeing up business opportunities at the emirate level following the Iran war.
Speaking with Finance Middle East at The Briefing, H.E. Mohammed Al-Musharrakh, CEO, Sharjah Invest discussed the logistics opportunities between Sharjah and Oman following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Sheikh Fahim, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations, highlighted Sharjah’s position as a strategic investment destination within the UAE and beyond. Sharjah, which is the third biggest emirate in the UAE, commands an economy valued at around AED 145B accounting for about 10% of the UAE’s economy, Sheikh Fahim said.Â
Sharjah Eyes FDI Inflows
Yet Sharjah is also aligning with Abu Dhabi’s broader strategy with the LATAM and Portuguese speaking world.
Sharjah is home to 193 Brazilian and 267 Portuguese companies within its free zones and mainland, confirming its status as a preferred hub for businesses seeking growth in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Yet Brazil stands as the UAE’s largest trading partner in Latin America, with exports to the UAE estimated at US $3.78B in FY25.
Sharjah Government
The event attracted the participation of leading officials including Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations (DGR) and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Economic Integration in Sharjah; Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council; H.E. Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, CEO of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq); H.E. Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of Invest in Sharjah; Rafael Solimeo, Secretary General of the Brazilian Business Council and Director and Head of International Offices at the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce; Mohamad Mourad Orra, Vice-President of International Relations at the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce; H.E. Jun Imanishi, the Consul-General of Japan in Dubai and Lurdes Eusebio, Chairperson of the Portuguese Business Council in Sharjah.
Representatives from Sharjah Asset Management, AIM Congress, du (EITC), the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD), the Brazilian Business Council UAE, and leading private-sector companies also attended.
Informal is the New Formal
In his opening remarks, H.E. Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer underscored the significance of informal settings for fostering valuable business discussions.
As Sharjah opens the door to new partnerships, emerging emirates and the UAE’s leading partners are conducting business in new and trustworthy ways.
With the war behind the Gulf, it seems true to say that as one door closes, another opens.
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