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ABU DHABI—Tyra Banks today announced her Los-Angeles based premium ice cream brand, SMiZE Cream, is set to open its first international location outside of the United States in Abu Dhabi in the fourth quarter of 2022. This milestone was achieved in collaboration with Access Abu Dhabi, a programme powered by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), designed to engage, enable and empower women and minority-led companies from the United States to fast track their global reach by expanding to the Middle East via Abu Dhabi.
Ms. Banks made the announcement to an audience of business community members, business students and changemakers during the inaugural session of the Access Granted discussion series at Saadiyat Rotana. She was speaking to Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Acting Director General of ADIO, as part of a panel session on her journey and future as an entrepreneur, as well as opportunities for women in business in Abu Dhabi.
H.E. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), the government entity overseeing ADIO’s activities, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Tyra Banks and SMiZE Cream to the Access Abu Dhabi programme and are delighted she has chosen the UAE capital for her first international location. The emirate’s growing opportunities are underscored by enabling regulations and 360-degree support that empower global businesses to use Abu Dhabi as a launchpad for growth. ADIO is committed to supporting entrepreneurs in making their dreams for international expansion come to life.”
Tyra successfully launched SMiZE Cream in 2021 as an ice cream brand that delights customers with its unique product range and eye-popping design, incorporates augmented reality into its packaging and champions mentorship. As SMiZE Cream’s first location outside of the US, Abu Dhabi offers a gateway to new markets that will fast-track the brand’s global expansion. SMiZE Cream is also exploring new distribution channels in the region with airlines and theme parks.
Ms. Banks said: “It’s exciting to see the SMiZE Cream dream come to life in Abu Dhabi. SMiZE is about reaching for dreams, and Abu Dhabi is the perfect location to showcase this message as a city built on inspiration and innovation.”
She added, “The cherry on top has been achieving this life-long goal in collaboration with an organisation founded by another African American woman who specifically champions international expansion for entrepreneurs like me. I am grateful to Sarah Omolewu and the Abu Dhabi Investment Offic for the doors they’ve helped open for me to get to this milestone.”
The Access Granted discussion series also featured the Women of Web3 (WoW3), an all-female delegation of leaders in cryptocurrency, blockchain and other Web3 technology who are in Abu Dhabi to explore expansion opportunities as part of Access Abu Dhabi. Panelists Sandy Carter, SVP and Channel Chief at Unstoppable Domains; Olayinka Odeniran, Founder and Chairwoman of Black Women Blockchain Council; Cathy Wu, Director of Investor Relations at Multicoin Capital; Genevieve Bos, Cofounder and Chief Revenue Officer at Poplar; Lisa Mayer, Founder of Boss Beauties; and Janice Taylor, Founder and CEO of EQ Exchange spoke candidly about the challenges, opportunities and future of this space, in which 5% to 7% of all cryptocurrency users are women and just 12% work in blockchain technology.
Access Abu Dhabi is a programme powered by Abu Dhabi government entity ADIO, which recently opened US offices in New York and San Francisco, emphasising its commitment to supporting the expansion of US-based businesses into the Middle East.
The Access Abu Dhabi programme was founded by Sarah Omolewu, an American expatriate who, in just over 10 years living in the UAE, has become a pioneer in entertainment marketing in the Middle East. She now paves the way for others like her to thrive in the region through Access Abu Dhabi, which launched in November 2021 with a mission to support women and minority-led companies seeking expansion to the Middle East via the emirate.
Sarah Omolewu, Managing Partner of Maven Global Access and Founder of Access Abu Dhabi, said: “I first spoke with Tyra about SMiZE Cream nearly a year ago and was immediately captivated by the brand and her vision. The fit with Abu Dhabi was undeniable, so we coordinated several visits for her to the emirate and facilitated introductions with key Abu Dhabi stakeholders. Building bridges between East and West in lockstep with the amazing team at ADIO has been personally rewarding. Tyra’s marketing genius and successes have inspired my work, so collaborating with her to bring this moment to life has truly been an honour.”
Access Abu Dhabi is open to all US businesses. Interested companies can apply to the programme here: www.accessabudhabi.com.
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About Access Abu Dhabi
Access Abu Dhabi was designed to engage, enable and empower companies, particularly women and minority entities, to fast track their global reach with expansion to Abu Dhabi. Maven Global Access Managing Partner Sarah Omolewu founded the initiative to pay it forward to entrepreneurs like her who could benefit from her relationships and experience in the region. Powered by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, the programme serves as a conduit for companies entering the capital of UAE’s burgeoning business and innovation ecosystem.
About Maven Global Access
Maven Global Access is an entity under the umbrella of award-winning entertainment marketing firm Maven Marketing & Events that marries its strategic marketing know-how and expertise in dynamic global business markets. Through its marquee programme Access Abu Dhabi, the Maven team is harnessing solid connections and deep knowledge of operations in the region to support women and minority businesses looking to expand beyond U.S. borders. From basic business setup to meetings with potential partners and investors, Maven’s turnkey services provide 360-degree solutions.
About the Abu Dhabi Investment Office
As the central government hub supporting private sector investment in Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) fosters opportunities for innovative investors and businesses of all sizes, forging connections with relevant stakeholders from Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem. ADIO provides a comprehensive range of tailored services and incentives to promote, attract, and facilitate investment in Abu Dhabi and help businesses achieve long-term, sustainable success in the market and across the region
