UAE Scaling Secrets: How Top Founders Succeed

Join our exclusive webinar designed to empower UAE-based and global businesses with actionable insights from Creative Zone’s expert business setup advisors, alongside key representatives from Emerald Technology.

What you’ll learn:

Why the UAE is a leading global scaling hub and how its ecosystem supports business growth
Real-world founder success stories from the UAE
Key investor and government trends shaping opportunities in the region
Strategic guidance on entity timing and business setup
Talent acquisition pathways for founders
How to access and attract top global talent

Whether you’re seeking expert guidance on setting up a business in the UAE or exploring pathways to secure world-class talent, this session will provide practical knowledge and insights you can confidently put into action.

Speakers

Peter Hacker - Moderator

Head of Employer of Record, Emerald Technology

Peter Hacker has spent the last five years supporting international companies and founders entering and expanding in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Based in Dubai, he works closely with leadership teams on market entry, local hiring, and scaling operations across the Gulf.

Thabo Maphosa

Senior Business Setup Advisor, Creative Zone

Thabo Maphosa is a seasoned Senior Business Consultant at Creative Zone in Dubai, where he leverages his extensive expertise in market entry strategy and execution. With a strong background in various sectors, he brings a unique perspective to his role. At Creative Zone, Thabo specialises in guiding clients through the complexities of business setup and growth in the UAE. His focus on strategic market entry, fiscal efficiency, and corporate structuring that ensures businesses not only thrive but also adapt to the ever-evolving landscape.

Mike Jones

Founder & CEO of Emerald Technology

Mike Jones is the Founder and CEO of Emerald Technology and a trusted scaling partner to founders building teams across borders. With more than 25 years of experience, Mike has worked closely with VC-backed startups and scale-ups as they expand into new markets, hire globally, and navigate the realities of international growth. Under his leadership, Emerald Technology has supported 300+ technology companies past $100M in revenue and delivered 6,000+ hires across 160 countries.

Adel Hamwi

Growth and Engagement Lead

Adel Hamwi is the Growth and Engagement Lead at Dubai Founders HQ (DFHQ), where he works closely with founders, investors, and ecosystem partners to support early-stage companies launching and scaling from Dubai. Prior to DFHQ, Adel was an investor and venture architect across multiple venture studios, working hands-on with founders on idea validation, market entry, and growth. He is also a former Founder and CEO of PalletPal, where he built and scaled a logistics-focused startup.

Maaz Shaffi

Founder and Venture Builder of Petverse

Maaz Shaffi is the founder and Venture Builder of Petverse, a UAE pet care booking platform making life easier for pet parents and businesses across the region. Previously, as VP Commercial EMEA at Fresha (a unicorn startup he joined from Seed to Series C), Maaz built regional teams, launched new markets like KSA, and drove triple-digit growth in SaaS and Payments. Now scaling Petverse in the UAE, he's navigating the same challenges he'll share today: making early hires, testing assumptions before committing, deciding when to incorporate, and the hard lessons he'd apply differently next time. Maaz brings a builder's perspective—real stories from taking ideas to traction in the GCC.

Michael Maylahn

3x Founder & Investor

Michael Maylahn is a 3x founder and investor. He previously scaled a medical technology company across three continents as Founder and CEO. He currently serves as a Director for Plug and Play, building innovation programs that connect global startups with regional partners and invests in early-stage companies developing scalable, high-impact technologies

	Peter Hacker - Moderator Head of Employer of Record, Emerald Technology Peter Hacker has spent the last five years supporting international companies and founders entering and expanding in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Based in Dubai, he works closely with leadership teams on market entry, local hiring, and scaling operations across the Gulf.
	Thabo Maphosa Senior Business Setup Advisor, Creative Zone Thabo Maphosa is a seasoned Senior Business Consultant at Creative Zone in Dubai, where he leverages his extensive expertise in market entry strategy and execution. With a strong background in various sectors, he brings a unique perspective to his role. At Creative Zone, Thabo specialises in guiding clients through the complexities of business setup and growth in the UAE. His focus on strategic market entry, fiscal efficiency, and corporate structuring that ensures businesses not only thrive but also adapt to the ever-evolving landscape.
	Mike Jones Founder & CEO of Emerald Technology Mike Jones is the Founder and CEO of Emerald Technology and a trusted scaling partner to founders building teams across borders. With more than 25 years of experience, Mike has worked closely with VC-backed startups and scale-ups as they expand into new markets, hire globally, and navigate the realities of international growth. Under his leadership, Emerald Technology has supported 300+ technology companies past $100M in revenue and delivered 6,000+ hires across 160 countries.
	Adel Hamwi Growth and Engagement Lead Adel Hamwi is the Growth and Engagement Lead at Dubai Founders HQ (DFHQ), where he works closely with founders, investors, and ecosystem partners to support early-stage companies launching and scaling from Dubai. Prior to DFHQ, Adel was an investor and venture architect across multiple venture studios, working hands-on with founders on idea validation, market entry, and growth. He is also a former Founder and CEO of PalletPal, where he built and scaled a logistics-focused startup.
	Maaz Shaffi Founder and Venture Builder of Petverse Maaz Shaffi is the founder and Venture Builder of Petverse, a UAE pet care booking platform making life easier for pet parents and businesses across the region. Previously, as VP Commercial EMEA at Fresha (a unicorn startup he joined from Seed to Series C), Maaz built regional teams, launched new markets like KSA, and drove triple-digit growth in SaaS and Payments. Now scaling Petverse in the UAE, he's navigating the same challenges he'll share today: making early hires, testing assumptions before committing, deciding when to incorporate, and the hard lessons he'd apply differently next time. Maaz brings a builder's perspective—real stories from taking ideas to traction in the GCC.
	Michael Maylahn 3x Founder & Investor Michael Maylahn is a 3x founder and investor. He previously scaled a medical technology company across three continents as Founder and CEO. He currently serves as a Director for Plug and Play, building innovation programs that connect global startups with regional partners and invests in early-stage companies developing scalable, high-impact technologies

UAE Scaling Secrets: How Top Founders Succeed