Regus opens new centre in Abu Dhabi

Business growth and new ways of working are stimulating demand for Regus flexible workspace in the United Arab Emirates. In response, global workspace provider Regus has opened its fourth business centre in Abu Dhabi, in the flagship Al Arjan building.

The positive business picture in the UAE is revealed in the latest edition of the Regus Business Confidence Index, based on a survey of over 17,000 firms worldwide. The figures show a high degree of business confidence, with almost half the companies surveyed (48%) reporting a rise in revenues, and just over a third (34%) reporting a rise in profits.

But businesses are tempering their optimism with a hard-headed determination to control property costs – even as they plan to increase budgets for departments like sales and marketing and product development. More than 80% of UAE businesses say they intend to cut or freeze the amount they spend on property in the next 12 months.

A shift towards flexible working patterns is also fuelling demand for Regus workspace in the UAE. Four fifths of companies in the UAE now offer their staff flexibility over where and when they work. The shift away from employees working fixed hours at fixed locations is steering employers towards more flexible workspace arrangements.

Commenting on these trends, Joanne Bushell, Vice President, Africa and Middle East for Regus, said: “The combination of strong business growth, rigorous cost controls and the shift towards flexible working is creating strong demand for Regus workspace in Abu Dhabi. Firms realise the best way to navigate economic recovery is to use flexible, scaleable workspace, rather than tie themselves into long-term property arrangements that may not fit their needs or their budgets in six months’ or two years’ time.”

“The opening of this new centre in the UAE will allow businesses of all sizes to explore the growth opportunities in the Middle East from one of the best business addresses in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, they pay for space only when they need it. It’s a first-rate solution for today’s new business environment.”

The opening of the business centre at Al Arjan means customers can now choose from four Regus locations in Abu Dhabi, as well as five centres in Dubai, and one in Sharjah. Regus’s network in the Middle East now spans Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the UAE.

According to Joanne Bushell, “We will continue to invest in our network in the Middle East, and to look for opportunities to help our customers do business and earn new revenues there.”