| | SEPTEMBER 20238IN FOCUSThe UAE's non-oil foreign trade hit a record Dh1.24 trillion ($337.6 billion) in the first half of 2023, up 14.4 percent year on year, as the country's non-oil exports during the period exceeded the annual level recorded five years ago. The country's non-oil exports with its top 10 most important trading partners rose by 22 percent in the first six months of this year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai."Our non-oil foreign trade will exceed Dh2.5 trillion this year ... and we will achieve the target we announced of Dh4 trillion by 2031," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter."Intra-regional trade with Turkey, for example, grew 87 percent in just one year, indicating the effectiveness of our balanced, proactive, and positive foreign policies."Sheikh Mohammed said that 2023 will be the "best year in the country's history" in terms of the economy."The UAE will remain a major player in international trade, maintaining its position as a bridge linking the East with the West and the North with the South," he said.Overall, non-oil exports grew by 11.9 percent annually to Dh205 billion in the first six months of the year, which was more than the full-year levels recorded in 2017, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said in separately. The country's non-oil exports topped Dh200 billion for the first time in the half-year period, underscoring the competitiveness of its manufacturing and services sectors, he said. SureWerx, a well-known provider of tools, safety equipment, and personal protective equipment (PPE), is happy to announce the hiring of Steve Alden as its Chief Financial Officer. In this position, Steve will be in charge of the company's financial management in addition to promoting strategic expansion and operational excellence. Steve replaces departing Chief Financial Officer Kevin Karr, who will continue to serve as Senior Advisor, Corporate Development at SureWerx on a part-time basis.Steve offers to SureWerx extensive expertise in acquisition integration, system improvements, and value generation across distribution, manufacturing, and services sectors. He has a demonstrated history of financial leadership. Most recently, Steve worked at Culligan International as Vice President and CFO, Americas, where he oversaw finance and accounting while also accelerating and profitably growing the company through M&A and organic development initiatives. Steve worked at AAR Corp. for 7 years before joining Culligan, where he held a number of executive positions, including VP, Investor Relations and CFO, Repair & Engineering. Steve started off working for KPMG and Bain & Company."We are excited to welcome Steve to the SureWerx team. His proven expertise in leading successful financial operations across high-stake business environments in both developed and emerging markets will be an asset to the company," said Chris Baby, CEO at SureWerx. "Steve's appointment to the SureWerx executive team reinforces our commitment to offer growth, innovation and increased value to our customers. His experience in driving strategic growth, executing mergers and acquisitions, and optimizing operations will further enhance the financial strength of the business," he added."SureWerx has built an impressive global footprint and reputation as the leading provider of trusted and innovative safety and equipment solutions. I am thrilled to join this outstanding team and accelerate the company's growth trajectory," said Steve Alden. UAE'S NON-OIL FOREIGN TRADE AMOUNTS TO $ 338 BILLION IN FIRST HALFSUREWERX NAMES STEVE ALDEN AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
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