Routes to market in the Gulf: Choosing the right entry model

What you’ll learn

• Compare the main market entry options available across GCC markets

• Understand the commercial and operational implications of each route to market

• Learn how to select an entry model that fits your business goals and growth plans

Description

Selecting the right route to market is one of the most important decisions a business will make when entering the GCC.

This session will explore the main models available to UK exporters, including working through distributors or agents, partnering with local businesses, establishing a direct presence, or using free zone structures where appropriate. It will examine the advantages, limitations and commercial implications of each approach, helping businesses think through issues such as speed to market, control, local reach, regulatory requirements and long-term scalability.

The webinar will also look at how routes to market may differ across GCC countries and why local context matters when choosing a model. Designed to support practical decision-making, this session will help businesses avoid costly mistakes, ask the right questions before appointing partners, and build an entry strategy that aligns with both immediate objectives and future growth ambitions in the region.

Speakers

Jose Diego Manzanera
Founder & CEO, Gulf Business Consulting

Jose runs a business and investment advisory firm based in the UAE which provides professional advice for leading companies, governments, and institutions from all over the world into the Middle East.

In his almost 20 years of living and working in several countries in the GCC, Jose has advised ministers, diplomats, SME owners, and entrepreneurs from Europe, Latin America, the USA, and Canada.

Furthermore, he is a keynote speaker on successfully doing business in the Middle East, a teacher of cross-cultural intelligence and an author of articles about business and trade in the Middle East for national and international media.