Sharjah has taken an unconventional approach to business networking by hosting international investors and business leaders on a padel court, using sport as a platform to strengthen commercial ties and promote the emirate as an investment destination.
The event, organized by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in collaboration with several government entities, brought together senior representatives from the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB), the Portuguese Business Council and the Consulate-General of Japan in Dubai.
The initiative reflects Sharjah’s broader strategy of combining business engagement with social interaction, offering participants an informal setting to build relationships that could lead to future investment opportunities.
Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations and the Higher Committee for Economic Integration in Sharjah, said the event was designed to demonstrate that investment decisions are influenced by more than financial considerations alone.
He said investors also evaluate quality of life and the wider business environment when deciding where to establish or expand their operations. According to Al Qasimi, informal gatherings such as sporting events encourage open conversations that may not occur during traditional meetings.
He noted that discussions held on the sidelines of the games often provide an opportunity for business leaders to raise challenges or propose ideas that could shape future government policies or support investment initiatives.
Sharjah has steadily expanded its international business partnerships in recent years. Officials said the emirate is currently home to approximately 193 Brazilian companies and 267 Portuguese businesses operating across the mainland and its free zones. Brazil remains one of the UAE’s largest trading partners in Latin America, with exports to the UAE reaching about $3.78 billion in 2025.
Mohammed Juma’a Al Musharrakh, Chief Executive Officer of Invest in Sharjah, said many Brazilian and Portuguese companies in the emirate operate in infrastructure and logistics, sectors that continue to play a key role in Sharjah’s economic development.
He said the investment office previously organized a similar networking event with the American Chamber of Commerce earlier this year, helping strengthen business links between Sharjah and American companies based in the UAE. Officials hope the latest event will produce similar results by encouraging new partnerships with Portuguese and Brazilian firms.
Rafael Solimeo, Director and Head of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, described Sharjah as an attractive destination for Brazilian businesses, particularly those involved in technology, innovation and construction.
He said the chamber, which has worked for more than seven decades to strengthen relations between Arab countries and Brazil, sees growing opportunities for companies seeking to expand into the UAE market.
Solimeo added that combining business networking with sport resonates well with Brazilian entrepreneurs, describing it as an effective form of soft diplomacy that encourages stronger personal connections while supporting commercial cooperation.
The event highlights Sharjah’s efforts to diversify the ways it engages with international investors as competition to attract foreign investment continues to grow across the region.
