DACH Networking Event 2026 in Abu Dhabi

The DACH Networking Event in Abu Dhabi is a Thursday evening for anyone connected to the German, Austrian or Swiss business world in the UAE capital. AHK, the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce, is teaming up with the Austrian and Swiss Business Councils to host it on 12 November 2026 at Vertigo at West Bay, inside the Radisson Blu Hotel, between 6:30pm and 9pm.

The invitation goes out to AHK members and their friends, and non-members can book a place too. Space is limited, so the organisers advise signing up early.

Why a DACH Networking Event in Abu Dhabi

DACH is shorthand for the three German-speaking markets of Germany (D), Austria (A) and Switzerland (CH), taken from their international country codes. Bringing all three business communities into one room makes sense: they share a language, many companies operate across all three markets, and in a city the size of Abu Dhabi each community on its own is relatively small. An evening like this lets people meet across national lines rather than sticking to their own chamber’s calendar.

For members, it is a way to catch up with familiar faces in an informal setting. For people who have recently moved to Abu Dhabi for work, it is a ready-made introduction to a well-connected professional network that already knows how business works in the emirate.

AHK and the Austrian and Swiss Business Councils

AHK UAE is the official German chamber of commerce abroad for the Emirates, with offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Alongside trade services for companies, it runs a steady programme of member events, from newcomer evenings for expats arriving in the country to joint networking nights with other national business councils. One recent AHK newcomer evening in Dubai welcomed more than 100 expats, a sign of how many German-speaking professionals arrive in the Emirates each year and how much demand there is for evenings like this one.

The DACH evening is a long-standing format. AHK has run D-A-CH networking evenings in the capital with the Austrian Business Council UAE and the Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi for years, including an earlier edition at Burj Mohammed bin Rashid in the World Trade Center, and the chamber also held a DACH Networking Event in Dubai in January 2026. Sister chambers in places such as Hong Kong and Egypt run similar D-A-CH cocktails, which shows how common it is for the three communities to pool their networks abroad.

How the Evening at Vertigo Runs

Conversation rather than presentations

No speakers or formal programme have been announced, so this is an evening built around conversation. Expect to spend your time meeting people, catching up with contacts and exchanging details, moving between small groups over two and a half hours.

A welcome drink on arrival

Every registered member and guest receives a welcome drink on arrival, which makes a handy icebreaker while you get your bearings and look for someone to talk to.

A mixed crowd

The evening is aimed at people from German, Austrian and Swiss companies, as well as UAE businesses that trade with those markets. That blend makes it useful whether you are looking for partners, clients, advice on operating in the region or simply friendly faces from home. In a multinational room, a short line on who you are, where your company is from and what you hope to find helps people place you quickly.

Vertigo at West Bay, Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi Corniche

The venue is Vertigo Bar & Lounge, part of the West Bay complex at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi Corniche. The lounge overlooks the hotel’s wave pool and the Arabian Gulf, and serves fusion cuisine in a relaxed, cosy setting, which suits an evening of conversation better than a formal function room. When booking a taxi, search for the Radisson Blu on the Corniche and ask staff to direct you to Vertigo when you arrive.

Who Should Register

The evening will suit professionals from Germany, Austria and Switzerland living in Abu Dhabi, companies trading with the DACH region, and anyone hoping to build links with that community. If you have recently relocated to the capital, it is a sensible early stop for widening your network. German speakers will feel at home, though the official event page is written in English and the crowd is international.

Registration routes differ. AHK members register by email with the AHK international events team, whose contact details are on the official event page, while non-members book through the registration button on the same page, linked from this listing.

For more evenings like this, browse our business and networking events. If you want to make a weekend of it, Hans Zimmer Live at Etihad Arena plays the following night, and our guides to things to do in Abu Dhabi and things to do in November cover the rest of the month.