Why owners choose us
We are a small, depth-led firm that opens companies in the UAE for business owners from the UK, Ireland and Australia — whether you are moving a business you already run or building a new one. You deal with Gareth from the first call onwards. We speak to the bank directly about the company before we set it up, so the activity, the structure and the documents line up with what they need, and we stay with you year after year. If the UAE is not the right move for your business, we will say so.
Speak to us about your situationWhat actually makes the difference
Plenty of firms will sell you a licence. The difference shows up later — at the bank, at renewal, when something needs fixing.
- You deal with Gareth directly — the same person from the first call onwards, not handed between departments.
- Long experience — Gareth has worked in this industry since 2009 and in the UAE since 2013, and the team came from inside the large UAE free zones, where the licences are issued.
- We speak to the bank directly about the company. Before we decide how to set it up, they tell us if they see any issues and what they’d need in place to open the account.
- We deal with the banks directly — with the people who decide on new accounts, including at Mashreq and Emirates NBD.
- One firm for the whole job — the company, the bank account, the visas, and the accounts and tax each year.
- We stay small on purpose, and we are honest about fit. If the UAE is not right for you, we will tell you.
Who you are actually dealing with
Gareth has been opening companies since 2009 and has worked in the UAE since 2013, and started Start Business Services in 2021 to bring the whole job under one roof. Everyone on the team worked inside the large UAE free zones before joining. They used to be the people issuing the licences. They have seen the process from the other side, so they know what a free zone or a bank looks for before anything is sent in. Most of the time, you are dealing with Gareth himself.
We build the company around the bank
The bank account is the part of moving to the UAE where most people come unstuck. The way the company is set up decides which banks will work with you, so that is where we start. Before we set anything up, we talk to the bank's compliance team — the people who decide on new accounts — and make sure the business makes sense to them. Then we build the company to suit. We have spent years working with banks including Mashreq and Emirates NBD, so we know what each bank will and will not accept.
One firm for the whole job
We handle everything you and the company will need, and we do not disappear once the licence is issued. The company, the bank account, the visas and Emirates identity cards — and then the bookkeeping, the yearly accounts and the tax. We take you, your staff and your family to the appointments. For tax back home, we work alongside qualified tax advisers in the UK, the UAE and Australia, or with your own adviser if you have one — and we keep in touch with them directly, so you are not left holding the two sides together. Most of the real work comes in the first year, and that is where we stay involved.
Who we work with
Owners with a real business, moving to the UAE as part of a longer-term plan — whether the business is well established or just starting out. People who have already decided the UAE is right and just want it done properly. They come from the UK, Ireland, Australia, Europe, South Africa and Asia. We know the UK well, but we are not limited to UK owners.
Who we turn away — and why we say so
We are straight about who the UAE does not suit. We turn away two kinds of enquiry: people whose only reason for coming is to lower a tax bill, and anyone who is not really going to run a business — a company on paper and nothing more. A new business or a startup is fine; what matters is that there is a genuine business behind it. A setup built only around tax tends to fall apart later, at the bank and at renewal, so we would rather say so at the start.
"Working with Gareth and the team was the best experience I could have asked for. I really value simplicity and efficiency, and the team delivered both."
"The bank account opening process was simple — Gareth helped me with some of the questions at the application stage I would have got wrong. The entire service was worth the money and, more importantly, caused me no stress whatsoever."
"My wife and I decided to close our business in Australia and relocate to Dubai to reopen it — on very short notice. We couldn't have managed everything without Gareth and his team. We've since started a second business with them too."
Questions owners ask
How experienced are you?
Gareth has been opening companies since 2009 and has worked in the UAE since 2013, and everyone on the team came from inside the large UAE free zones before joining. You are dealing with people who have run this process from both sides.
Do you only work with British owners?
No. We work with owners from the UK, Ireland, Australia, Europe, South Africa and Asia. The UAE side runs the same way wherever you are moving from.
Do you handle the tax side back home?
We are not your tax adviser at home, but we work closely with qualified tax advisers in the UK, the UAE and Australia, and with your own adviser if you have one. We handle the UAE side and keep the two joined up.
Can I speak to people you have worked with?
Yes. A number of our clients are happy to speak with someone in a similar position. Ask when we first talk and we will connect you.
Thinking about moving your business to the UAE?
A short, no-cost conversation: tell us what the business does and where it is heading, and we will tell you whether we are the right firm — and how we would do it.
Speak to us about your situation