Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED), has signed a deal with Visa to offer benefits to the top 100 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the payments market when they use their Visa business card.

The benefits to be offered include discounts and savings on business expenses to SMEs at selective merchants worldwide and attendance in workshops and seminars on effectively managing working capital through Visa Business Card solution.

The Dubai government unit entrusted with the SMEs development said these benefits will be valid for two years in line with the tenure of the ranking. 

Abdul Basit Al Janahi, chief executive officer of Dubai SME, termed the partnership a major milestone in creating value for the ‘Dubai SME 100’ initiative launched by Dubai SME earlier this year to rank the 100 top-performing SMEs in Dubai and groom them.

The Dubai SME 100 ranking will act as a platform and catalyst to nurture promising the smalll businesses into bigger, better and sustainable enterprises with the aim of eventually graduating them to large, globally-oriented companies.

“SMEs require advice on how to develop financial management skills and Visa’s offer to transmit knowledge to SME 100 companies in this area is highly commendable.  The SME 100 companies will especially benefit from the Visa’s educational workshops,” Al Janahi said.  

Kamran Siddiqi, general manager Visa Middle East said, “We are delighted to be working with Dubai SME to offer the top 100 SMEs the opportunity to enjoy the many benefits associated with Visa Business Card solution."

"The partnership provides a unique opportunity for us to work with SMEs, and to share global best practices which will help them to better manage and control their business expenses,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service