Based in Dubai, Paul joined PACP in 2019 and is a successful commercial and communication director with experience across Australia, the UK and the MENA region. He is facilitating fund-raising activity, deal flows and trade between the UK and Dubai.

Originally an award-winning news journalist, he first joined the corporate world in Australia. While he directed group-wide sales and marketing for the construction equipment subsidiaries of Australia’s Westrac CAT, revenues almost doubled – from $107m $210m.

In the UK, when he joined the Board of General All-Purpose Plastics, its 42 home improvement trade depots had been left behind in the race to dominate the UK’s fast-moving DIY market. When he left five years later the group had 108 branches and 30,000 customers generating over £100m in revenues

In Dubai, he Co-Founded the MySecondHome luxury dog resort. Today, its two facilities have 4,000 Members and cater for the boarding, daycare, grooming and training needs of 250 dogs each day.

Dubai

With its ideal strategic location between Asia, Europe and Africa, the seven Emirates of the UAE ranks first among the countries most attractive to foreign direct investment in the Middle East and Africa region.

Its popularity with UK SMEs and funders stems from the strong capital flows attracted by its liberal trade regimes, its focus on economic diversification in trade, logistics, banking, tourism, real estate and manufacturing, and its well-established infrastructure, strong banking system and stable political system.

Although there are some restrictions on company ownership by non-GCC nationals, the UAE also provides free trade zones that can allow 100% foreign ownership, a nil taxation regime, and access to a high number of expatriate workers at all levels of the economy. The absence of exchange control restrictions means it is possible to have unrestricted repatriation of income and capital.