UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue to Open at Guildhall Following Landmark Trade Deal

The Business Year’s UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue will be held at Guildhall in London on October 20, 2026. Now only weeks away, the event will bring together senior government officials, sovereign investors and corporate leaders from the UK and Gulf, five months after the successful conclusion of negotiations on the UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement in May.

The conclusion of the agreement comes at a significant moment for UK-GCC economic relations, as both regions continue to widen their international partnerships. The Dialogue will provide a platform for government representatives, sovereign investors and corporate leaders from both sides to examine how the agreement’s framework can support trade, investment and commercial partnerships, alongside the broader opportunities emerging across the UK-GCC relationship.

The Business Year has confirmed the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the State of Qatar as its latest Institutional Partner for the Dialogue. The Ministry joins the initiative’s other strategic partners, including UK Export Finance; the City of London Corporation; the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority; TheCityUK; and TechUK, with the Dialogue held under the high patronage of the GCC Secretariat.

The speaker line-up spans government, sovereign investment, finance and technology across the UK and the Gulf. Participants include HE Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC; Dame Susan Langley, Lady Mayor of the City of London; Martin Gilbert, Chairman of Revolut; Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Faisal Al-Thani, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ); HE Deemah AlYahya, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization; Nasser Al Kindi, CEO of Invest Oman; Haitham Al Salmi, CEO of Muscat Stock Exchange; Ali Khalil, CEO of Markaz; and Nicola Watkinson of TheCityUK, alongside senior figures from across Gulf economic authorities, free zones, financial institutions and the technology sector.

“The conclusion of the UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement has opened a new chapter in one of the world’s most consequential economic relationships,” said Carlos Martínez, CEO of The Business Year. “This Dialogue brings together the governments, sovereign investors and companies that will shape what comes next, creating an opportunity to turn the agreement’s framework into practical commercial opportunities.”

He added: “What makes October 20 significant is timing. This is the first forum of its scale to convene since the agreement was concluded, giving UK and Gulf leaders an opportunity to engage on how the new framework can support trade, investment and partnerships.”

The UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue will bring together government representatives, sovereign investors and corporate leaders from the UK and across the Gulf for a day of discussions around bilateral investment ties, economic cooperation and high-level networking.

The initiative is also supported by a broad group of leading organizations from across the Gulf and the UK. The Kuwait Banking Association joins as Platinum Sponsor; Invest Oman, Zain Group, Markaz, and Qatar Insurance Company as Gold Sponsors; Muscat Stock Exchange and Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK) as Silver Sponsors; EDAA Qatar and KNET as Bronze Sponsors; Oman’s Public Authority for Special Economic Zones (OPAZ) as Strategic Partner; and Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group (YFLG) joins as Legal Partner.

For more information about the event, visit the event page here or contact events@thebusinessyear.com