INSEAD Day 4 - 728x90

BYD logs record EV sales in 2025

It sold 2.26m EVs vs Tesla's 1.22 by Sept end.

Google to invest $6.4bn

The investment is its biggest-ever in Germany.

Pfizer poised to buy Metsera

The pharma giant improved its offer to $10bn.

Ozempic maker lowers outlook

The company posted tepid Q3 results.

Kimberly-Clark to buy Kenvue

The deal is valued at $48.7 billion.

Battle of the Tech Hubs

The GCC is competing to build world-class technology hubs, investing heavily in AI, infrastructure, and sovereign capital to drive digital transformation, attract global partners, and position the region as a leading innovation powerhouse.

‘Innovation takes time—The Gulf’s economic transformation requires patience and persistence’

In an interview with TRENDS, Josh Lerner says Gulf economies pursuing diversification must recognize that transformation takes time, patience, and resilience through inevitable ups and downs.

UAE Innovation Month: Why 2026 is the year of the agentic enterprise

True differentiation in 2026 won't come from deploying the most AI. It will come from mastering relational intelligence at scale to understand not just what customers want now, but the full context of their needs and preferences over time.  This is where the Agentic Enterprise moves from theory to commercial advantage, writes Mohammed AlKhotani, Senior VP & GM for the Middle East at Salesforce.

The synergy between humans and AI agents is driving a ‘Great Redeployment’ where there is a structural shift in how organizations operate and how roles are defined. AI agents are built to solve problems end-to-end, they naturally cut across the functional silos that have long fragmented decision-making and customer experience, he adds.

A matchmaking made in Gulf Heaven

The Gulf combines an interrelated web of business habitats and tech infrastructure to create rapid, policy-driven media and knowledge hubs that attract talent and investment, writes Hadi Khatib.

Gaming, esports GCC’s new growth play

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the gaming surge with world-class ecosystems and youth-driven expansion. Across the region, governments increasingly recognize gaming and esports as key drivers of future economies.

How To Enhance Human Potential? The answer: Cognitive Cities, AI, and Leadership in MENA

Joseph Bradley, former CEO of Tonomus, shares with TRENDS his views on how AI and leadership can help MENA build...

Building the New Creative Engine of the Knowledge Economy: Mark Penn

Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, explains how AI and global tech partnerships are reshaping marketing and the GCC’s knowledge economy.

How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy 

By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an ecosystem form around them naturally

Embed AI in workflows so deep that it becomes invisible: Matt Cloke

Becoming AI-native starts with a shift in mindset. To harness its full potential, we need to see AI not as a product but as a partner. It’s less about which model you’re using and more about how you use it, writes Cloke, CTO Endava.

Professional events are becoming West Africa’s new innovation engine

Innovation doesn’t happen by decree. It happens when people collide, when ideas rub up against each other, when unlikely conversations spark new possibilities, writes Siriki Sangare in an interview with TRENDS.

Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age

In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape — it’s how we make sense of everything around us, says Andy Climan, CEO of Entertainment Media Ventures.

Battle of the Tech Hubs

The GCC is competing to build world-class technology hubs, investing heavily in AI, infrastructure, and sovereign capital to drive digital...

‘Innovation takes time—The Gulf’s economic transformation requires patience and persistence’

In an interview with TRENDS, Josh Lerner says Gulf economies pursuing diversification must recognize that transformation takes time, patience, and...

Latest News

Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land

Palestinian officials described the Israeli parliament's decision related to West Bank land as a “serious escalation,” while armed groups and...

Citizen-consumers are redefining the global reputation of multinationals: Ipsos study

The report, Impacts of Multinational Corporations: What Citizen-Consumers Want from Foreign Companies Doing Business in Their Country, draws on a...

Governments must put creativity at the center of economic strategy: Report

Titled Creative Futures: The Springboard for Sustained Economic Growth and Diversification, the report argues that cultural and creative industries —...

Iran’s Khamenei likens protests to ‘coup’, warns of regional war

Iran's supreme leader on Sunday likened recent anti-government protests to a "coup", warning that any US attack on the Islamic...

Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump’s Fed pick

Gold and silver prices dived Friday, European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street fell slightly with investors reassured...

INSEAD Day 1 -300x250
INSEAD Day 1 -300x250

UAE Innovation Month: Why 2026 is the year of the agentic enterprise

The synergy between humans and AI agents is driving a ‘Great Redeployment’ where there is a structural shift in how organizations operate and how roles are defined....

A matchmaking made in Gulf Heaven

The Gulf combines an interrelated web of business habitats and tech infrastructure to create rapid, policy-driven media and knowledge hubs...

EDITOR'S PICK

3 ways travel drives economic growth while enhancing global connections and sustainability

WTTC research shows that, having endured estimated losses of $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs...

EVs just the start, urban mobility needs a holistic approach

Cities must adopt EVs alongside shared transport, robust infrastructure, clean energy, and inclusivity, says Jamie...

Exclusive: Private military companies look at $366.8bn market as their demand, role in global conflicts rise

Rising security concerns, confrontational geopolitics, and chaotic global changes have fueled the demand for private...

TikTok under fire: Espionage claims, election influence campaigns and controversies

The platform faces accusations of espionage in the United States, while the European Union has...

Building the New Creative Engine of the Knowledge Economy: Mark Penn

Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, explains how AI and global tech partnerships are reshaping marketing and the GCC’s...

Latest News

Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump’s Fed pick

Gold and silver prices dived Friday, European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street fell slightly with investors reassured...

Hamas tells AFP ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee

"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of...

Qatar announces $430 mn in support for Lebanon

A visiting Qatari official on Monday announced a multi-million dollar aid package for Lebanon, primarily to support the country's crumbling...

Gold tops $5,000 for first time on Trump policy unrest

While turbulence over Trump's ambitions for Greenland and pressure on the Federal Reserve have provided the most recent support for...

Netanyahu, US envoys discuss opening Rafah crossing: Israeli media

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and...

Gaming, esports GCC’s new growth play

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the gaming surge with world-class ecosystems and youth-driven expansion. Across the region, governments...

Professional events are becoming West Africa’s new innovation engine

Innovation doesn’t happen by decree. It happens when people collide, when ideas rub up against each other, when unlikely conversations...

How To Enhance Human Potential? The answer: Cognitive Cities, AI, and Leadership in MENA

Joseph Bradley, former CEO of Tonomus, shares with TRENDS his views on how AI and leadership can help MENA build...

How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy 

By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an...

Embed AI in workflows so deep that it becomes invisible: Matt Cloke

Becoming AI-native starts with a shift in mindset. To harness its full potential, we need to see AI not as...

Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age

In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape...

Iran says US talks in Oman a ‘good beginning’ as fears of military confrontation grow

The discussions took place in Muscat, with the US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and the Iranian side...
  • Oman said its foreign minister held separate meetings with Araghchi, Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and emissary Jared Kushner
  • According to a statement, the “consultations focused on preparing the appropriate conditions for resuming diplomatic and technical negotiations.”

The great tech reset: How the gulf turned sovereign capital into a tech ecosystem

The GCC has quickly moved from passive capital allocation into active ecosystem building, spurred on by heavy sovereign capital and...
  • Heavy bets on cloud, AI infrastructure, and data centers are reshaping the region’s tech base
  • The UAE and Saudi Arabia are fast closing the infrastructure gap with global tech leaders

Jobs and investment top MENA expectations from multinational firms, Ipsos finds

As geopolitical turbulence grows, companies are increasingly at the mercy of forces beyond corporate leadership’s control.
  • American multinationals now face the strongest global skepticism, with “Brand America” increasingly linked to ethical, environmental, and economic concerns
  • A company’s country of origin has become a reputational “passport,” shaping trust as much as corporate behavior itself