Many small- to medium-sized businesses owned and operated by Dutch nationals are flourishing in the UAE. In 2011, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry figures showed 283 business partnerships between UAE nationals and Dutch citizens.
Stereotypically known for being practical and pragmatic, the Dutch also have had to sharpen their business acumen and flexibility, for setting up in the UAE is not always easy.
The biggest issue for most is to identify the setting-up procedure and correct government ministries to go through. Desert River, owned and managed by Claudia van der Werf and Michiel J. Schroeder, had a few challenges initially. “There was so much information to go through and it was never consistent, so we had to do a lot of homework to find out which company structure was best for us,” says Van der Werf.
In 2004 the company was among the first to introduce contemporary European interior design products to the market. “Not everybody was used to the concept at the time. The taste here was still very conservative, so we really had to focus our marketing efforts on that,” she adds.
“It is a trial-and-error process, but I have generally found the government helpful in correcting mistakes if you don’t get it all right the first time,” says Osca Blom, owner of Sofa Studio offering art, home furnishings and accessories with a European twist. Under her umbrella and complementing her business are three independent small businesses owned by Dutch women. Agathe Brand-Kuipers, Karin Lugard and Sylvia van der Tol-Zeineddine operate Create!, Alieke Couturier runs Color In the Street, and Karlijn Henquet owns Life According to Vita.
While it took some time for Wise&Miller, an executive recruitment company, to set up in the UAE five years ago, founders Erwin de Wijs and Marc Mulder believe it is “all part of the process”. De Wijs says, “Patience is needed to become successful here in the region.”
Other considerations
More issues faced included cutting ties with previous employers, recruiting and funding, and once established, collecting payment.
Berend Lens van Rijn, CEO and founder of Belevari Marine, which specialises in yacht operations and charters, had to find creative ways to operate, approaching friends and hotels to keep costs down. “When you are working with minimum capital you are restricted but still required to operate with a trade licence and office set -up,” he says. “With no sponsor or investor, the process of setting up is at a snail’s pace.”
But when the break comes, the opportunities available in the UAE surpass all previous anguish. As Blom says, “The UAE is a developing market and you can still make a difference and build a reputation for your company quickly, which is more difficult in a mature market such as the Netherlands.”
At the same time, she had to adapt to the market, for most people in the UAE rent their homes and approach interior design differently to those in Europe. Here, they are “much more focussed on value-for-money options and speed than on quality of design and really creating a dream house”, she says. Popular products she offers clients include Eijffinger wallpaper from The Netherlands and European fabric brands including Jane Churchill, Boussac — Pierre Frey and Romo.
Based at the Sofa Studio showroom, Couturier of Color In The Street not only stocks some products of the Dutch brand Kitsch Kitchen, but also creates a few of her own.
“I make storage bags, table tops, children’s chairs, picnic blankets and cushions from sheets of oilcloth I buy in Europe,” she says. “People like them as they are different and very practical, particularly good for outdoor use or for children with sticky fingers — you can just wipe them clean.”
She also stocks the Dutch Design Chair, made of certified sustainable cardboard. “It makes a versatile present as it could be a table, a chair or a stool; it folds up conveniently flat, is very strong and recyclable.”
Henquet’s Life According to Vita offers colourful Iranian poufs, gold-plated dirham bracelets, and vintage gold lockets handcrafted by Lisanne Janssen in the Netherlands.
Funky eyewear from Holland and elsewhere have long been available on 2nd December Street. Anneke Verkaik is an optometrist and eyewear stylist who established Anna by Top Vision Optics in 1991. At the time, she says, she found good business opportunities in the UAE, but felt the market was small, population-wise. “You really have to study the market and try to find the right niche,” she says. She adds that while many franchises or brands from overseas are brought here, “In Holland you might have more restrictions — environment or otherwise.”
Since opening her shop, she says, the business climate has markedly changed with a lot more competition, higher overhead costs and ever-changing regulations.
Business has been successful, helping Verkaik to carry out a complete makeover of her store. “We have gone from a high-end optical store to a funky and quality-conscious modern eyewear boutique,” she says. “We’re ready for the future with expansion plans, when the right location and situation presents itself,” she adds.
Recent developments
That business opportunities have improved in recent times is something Blom agrees with. “The outlook is definitely more positive in the last year, as clearly growth is accelerating in the UAE,” she says.
Sometimes, tapping into sectors with limited competition helps. Many of Wise&Miller’s clients are multinationals that have their Middle East and Africa headquarters in Dubai. De Wijs says, “In Holland there is much more competition; if you deliver what you promise you can make a real difference here. The UAE is a great place to be right now.”
Yet Lens van Rijn finds there is more competition in the UAE when it comes to marine services. “The industry is definitely growing, so the challenge is diversifying as we now have to make sure we retain our market share. We have to be creative in our services and approaches with what we are offering our clients.”
He finds that being Dutch “adds to our merit” and “operators are relieved to work with partners that are detail-oriented and deliver beyond expectations”, a fact that helps most in the business landscape.
De Wijs puts it in a nutshell. “The Dutch are open, honest and direct; we deliver what we promise.”
