- Set to be launched on Thursday with the participation of over 150 speakers and to attract more than 13,000 visitors over three days.
- Brings together digital commerce leaders to shape the future of the digital economy regionally and globally.
Dubai, UAE, 10 February 2026: Dubai CommerCity, the region’s first and leading free zone dedicated exclusively to digital commerce and a joint venture between DIEZ and Wasl Properties, has unveiled the agenda and speakers list for the upcoming WORLDEF Dubai 2026 forum, the global forum specialized in digital trade.
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), the forum will commence on Thursday 12 February.
Organized by Dubai CommerCity from 12 to 14 February 2026 in collaboration with WORLDEF, the international platform dedicated to empowering companies, entrepreneurs, and investors operating in cross-border e-commerce and digital trade, the forum will commence with an opening session featuring a keynote address by His Excellency Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade. The keynote address will be followed by addresses from His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, and Omar Nart, Chief Executive Officer of WORLDEF.
The forum will host over 150 speakers and welcome more than 13,000 visitors from 80 countries, representing a mix of government entities, institutions, and local and international businesses from the digital trade sector.
The accompanying exhibition will feature more than 160 exhibitors and brands, including leading global and regional companies across digital commerce, logistics, payment and technology sectors, such as Temu, Zajel, Landmark Group, VTEX, Omniful, DHL, eBay, and Amazon Seller Society, alongside official participation from Dubai Customs and Emirates NBD, in addition to many other leading companies.
On the sidelines of the forum, activities under the Dune Initiative are scheduled to take place. This initiative is organized by Oraseya Capital, the investment arm of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ). The initiative brings together leading investors and innovators from across the DIEZ ecosystem to exchange ideas and explore future opportunities, alongside specialized workshops covering a range of investor focused topics, as well as a startup competition that received more than 260 applications competing for a grant of AED 100,000 to the winning startup.
Following the success of its inaugural edition which attracted more than 5,000 visitors from over 40 countries, WORLDEF 2026 reaffirms the forum’s role as a leading global platform for digital trade.The doubling in participant numbers in this edition reflects the growing momentum and rising international confidence in Dubai’s digital trade ecosystem, in line with the objectives of Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33.
This year, WORLDEF is distinguished by its growing focus on supporting the startup ecosystem through a dedicated Startup Zone hosting more than 50 startups, and establishes a direct bridge between innovators, investors, and leading global stakeholders
Forum Activities
The first day of the forum will feature specialized panel discussions addressing digital trade policies and the architecture of the new trade system, the integration of e-commerce within logistics and global trade, and the evolution of digital marketplace models spanning products, services, and experiences. Discussions will also cover the modernization of the retail sector in Gulf countries and highlight investment opportunities in digital startups across the Middle East and North Africa region.
The first day will also examine the quick commerce economy, cross-border trade in the digital landscape, the future of e-commerce in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, digital payment solutions in terms of security and speed, building global brands through e-commerce platforms, the outlook for e-commerce through 2030, and the role of entrepreneurs in shaping future brands.
The second day of the forum will spotlight sustainability and its role in driving digital trade growth, automation, artificial intelligence, and data in supply and delivery operations, as well as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital trust, the future of cashless payments, and cross-border digital trade over the coming decade.
It will also explore futuristic topics such as conversational commerce embedded within ChatGPT, digital transformation in fashion retail, smart stores and the hybrid shopping experience, ethics and accuracy of artificial intelligence in commerce, the attention economy and digital marketing, the integration of commerce across digital and traditional channels, and the role of human resources and talent development in the digital economy.
The third day of the forum will be dedicated to the public and participants, offering opportunities to explore exhibition pavilions, engage with exhibitors, and discover the latest innovations, thereby enhancing networking and commercial partnership opportunities.
Forum sessions will feature a distinguished group of global business leaders and digital trade specialists, including Nilhan Onal Gokcetekin, Chief Executive Officer of Hepsiburada, Alistair Croker, Chief Executive Officer of Tradeling, Bremar Pauw, Chief Commercial Officer of DHL, Narendra Yadav, Chief Business Officer of Paytm India as well as Otto Abasi Williams, Senior Vice President for the Middle East and Africa at PayPal, and Anna Germanos, Group Director of FMCG, Luxury, Retail & E-commerce at Meta.
Participants also include Fadi Ghandour, Executive Chairman of Wamda Capital, Rahul Swaminathan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Desertcart, Eddy Farhat, Vice President at e& Capital and Vivek Rajukumar, Chief Executive Officer of 6thStreet, alongside a broad roster of speakers from e-commerce platforms, retail companies, and advanced technology firms.
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