With new Paris office, UAE's EDGE Group sees Europe as 'next large market': CEO

EDGE Group, the United Arab Emirates defense conglomerate, opened a new office in Paris as it pushes into Europe, which CEO Hamad Al Marar described as the company’s “next large market.” The inauguration of the EDGE Europe office follows the firm’s showing of munitions and systems at Eurosatory 2026 and comes amid heightened international interest after Iran’s attacks on the UAE, during which EDGE systems reportedly aided in defending Emirati territory by spoofing and jamming incoming drones.

“Europe is unique. Europe does not import. Usually they want European solutions. For European solutions, you need to be in Europe,” Al Marar said on the sidelines of Eurosatory.

EDGE has maintained a presence in Europe through previous defense deals and subsidiaries, including Estonia’s Milrem Robotics, and has worked with NATO customers. Al Marar framed the Paris office as a necessary step to convert interest into partnerships and sales: “We just needed a full-fledged presence in Europe.” He emphasized that the company selected Paris in large part because of France’s decades-long political relationship with the UAE and existing defense ties—pointing to platforms the UAE acquired from France, from fighter jets to main battle tanks. France also deployed fighter jets to the UAE to aid in defending French military installations amid the recent Iranian attacks.

Context and strategic positioning

The move to establish EDGE Europe in Paris signals a broader strategy to localize operations in markets that prefer domestic or regional solutions. Al Marar acknowledged that while Europe presents significant opportunities, it also poses unique challenges. He singled out Germany as “one of the difficult ones,” praising German industry capabilities: “They’re tough, and that’s in a good way. … They can build everything and they have capacities.” He also described the relationship with German industry as one of mutual respect and competitive learning: “We learn from German industry, and that we have a respectful competition.”

EDGE’s recent operational profile has driven interest from prospective customers worldwide. Al Marar said the company has seen “huge interest” in the wake of Iran’s attacks, and noted that conflict provided a real-world test of systems and readiness: “As they say, war is never good, but it showed a level of readiness that we had in the UAE armed forces and it showed how robust our industry is to really stand and support our troops. In such conflicts you get to be put to the test. … We did very well.”

Market focus and outlook

• Primary demand: Al Marar said most EDGE sales are currently going to Africa, followed by Latin America and Asia, with Europe a target for future growth.
• Regional priorities: He highlighted African interest not only in military equipment but also in systems relevant to homeland defense, border security and intelligence missions.
• Competitive approach: EDGE plans to leverage existing European partnerships and local presence to win business in markets that demand European solutions.

With a new Paris office and prior footholds such as Milrem Robotics, EDGE aims to convert post-conflict interest into long-term contracts across the continent, while acknowledging that cracking certain markets—especially Germany—will require sustained engagement and adaptation to European procurement preferences.