Portuguese design conquers Riyadh at Index Saudi Arabia 2025

A national delegation of 13 companies stands out at Saudi Arabia’s leading interior design event, reinforcing ‘Made in Portugal’ as a benchmark for innovation, sophistication and sustainability.

Portuguese design conquers Riyadh at Index Saudi Arabia 2025

From 9 to 11 September, Portuguese design, furniture and interior design once again shone in the Middle East. Portugal was present at INDEX Saudi Arabia 2025, in Riyadh, with a delegation of 13 companies, which reinforced the notoriety and competitiveness of the national wood and furniture sector in one of today’s most dynamic and demanding markets.
Saudi Arabia has been consolidating its position as a strategic destination for Portuguese furniture. In 2024 alone, national exports amounted to 19.8 million euros, a 62.2% increase compared to 2023, making this market the main destination in the Gulf and the 16th globally. These figures reflect the growing demand for the distinctive, functional and highly aesthetic solutions offered by ‘Made in Portugal’.
The national delegation, organised by AIMMP – Associação das Indústrias de Madeira e Mobiliário de Portugal (Portuguese Wood and Furniture Industry Association), included the brands and companies A.LEAL, APACHECO, COLUNEX, IBTW PORTUGAL, LUMBER, MS – Designed to Last, MURANTI, PORTILAME, QUINZE E MEIO, TEMAHOME, VIKY & PIPPA, X8 Solutions Group and ZIYA Concept. Located in Hall 2 – Stands 2D101 and 2D111, the Portuguese representation attracted the attention of property developers, architects, interior designers, hotel representatives and importers, reinforcing Portugal’s position as a partner of excellence for major projects in the Middle East.

For Vítor Poças, President of AIMMP, “INDEX Saudi Arabia has proven to be a strategic showcase for consolidating the recognition of Portuguese design in this expanding market. Our companies have been able to demonstrate the unique combination of tradition, innovation and industrial quality that distinguishes Portugal, further projecting the country’s image as a global player.”

ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY AND MOMENTS OF INTERNATIONAL DEBATE
The Portuguese participation was further enriched by a series of highly prestigious initiatives that reinforced the national presence beyond the exhibition space.
• Institutional visit: on 9 September, during the opening of The Hotel & Hospitality Expo Saudi Arabia, the Portuguese delegation received a visit from His Excellency the Ambassador of Portugal to Saudi Arabia, Dr Nuno Vaultier Mathias, accompanied by the AICEP – Portugal Global delegation, who met with national companies, emphasising institutional support for the internationalisation of the sector.
• B2B Meeting “From Roots to Results – Excellence in the Portuguese Wood and Furniture Industry”: held on 7 September at the Portuguese Embassy in Riyadh, in collaboration with AICEP and AIMMP, it brought together Portuguese companies, institutional guests and local agents to discuss innovation, sustainability and the future of the sector.
• WOOD (design) TALK “Portuguese Wood Talent – Design Dialogue at INDEX Saudi”: on 9 September, the auditorium of the Portuguese stand (2D111) hosted a debate on innovation, identity and sustainability in design, with the participation of Filipe Nogueira (Viky & Pippa), Rita Pacheco (APacheco), Teresa Poças (TemaHome) and Tiago Sousa (NAUU Design), moderated by Carla Borges.
• DESIGN TALKS “From Heritage to High-End – Scaling Saudi & Global Furniture Design Businesses”: on 11 September, in Hall 4 of the fair, Rita Pacheco (APacheco) and Teresa Poças (TemaHome) participated in an international panel that explored the paths of tradition, innovation and scalability in the furniture sector, alongside other Saudi and international leaders.
The Portuguese presence at INDEX Saudi Arabia 2025 reaffirmed the strength of design, creativity and innovation capacity of the national industry. In a context of profound urban and tourist transformation in Saudi Arabia, driven by Vision 2030, Portugal showed that it is prepared to respond to the demands of this market with sophisticated, sustainable and high added-value solutions.

AIMMP INTERNATIONALISATION PLAN – INTER WOOD & FURNITURE
Within the scope of Inter Wood & Furniture, AIMMP’s Internationalisation Plan provides for the implementation of international expansion and diversification strategies for high-potential markets through a structured intervention programme. Among other initiatives, and for 2025, the programme has a plan for international trade fairs, which can be consulted on the AIMMP website.
Over the years, this programme has supported more than 400 companies through 195 actions in more than 30 markets, with incentives of up to 50%, contributing to the growth of exports in the sector, which have doubled since 2010.
The operation ‘INTER WOOD&FURNITURE 2024-2025 – SUSTAINED INTERNATIONALISATION OF COMPANIES IN THE WOOD AND FURNITURE SECTOR’ is supported by the ‘COMPETE 2030 Operational Programme’