Julie Sinnamon, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Ged Nash, Minister for Business and Employment, Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster MLA, Alastair Hamilton CEO of Invest Northern Ireland and Patrick Hennessy, Ireland Ambassador to the UAE.
Over 20 Irish healthcare companies travelled to the United Arab Emirates for a four-day Enterprise Ireland trade mission led by Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash.
The mission was organised to coincide with healthcare conference and trade show Arab Health, which is attended by healthcare industry representatives from the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the US.
Arab Health 2015 took place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from January 26-29. A delegation of 20 Irish medical technology companies participated, 12 of those companies as part of the Enterprise Ireland national stand. Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash TD visited Arab Health as part of a series of official and private sector meetings that week.
Among the specialty sectors represented by Irish companies at Arab Health were: infection control, vaccination, precision engineering, patient welfare management, acute care, probiotics, diagnostics, data management, skin care and medical consumables.
The Enterprise Ireland team worked closely with regional healthcare executives to develop robust meeting itineraries for client companies. In addition they worked with the Dubai Irish Business Network to set up a networking breakfast, and had a number of invitations to the Belhoul Group Gala dinner on January 28th.
Minister Nash was joined on a visit to the Trade Show by Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster MLA. The week also included a networking reception which was jointly hosted by Ambassador Patrick Hennessy, Irish Ambassador to the UAE, Ambassador Philip Parham, UK Ambassador to the UAE, working with Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland and UK Trade and Investment.
Over the past 3 years there has been a significant increase in interest from Irish companies in Arab Health and 2015 was the largest delegation to participate so far. There were over 4000 exhibitors at this years show, with approximately 100,000 delegates. Arab Health is by far the largest healthcare show in the region and one of the biggest in the world, attracting a truly international audience.
William Johnson (L) and Helen Johnson (R) of client company Amray with Minister Ged Nash and Julie Sinnamon, CEO of Enterprise Ireland.
