First wind turbines reach Saudi green hydrogen plant, says CEO
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The first wind turbines have arrived at what Saudi officials bill as the world's biggest green hydrogen...
Business
GCC FMCG market faces headwinds
Interview
BNPL gains currency in the UAE
Interview
‘UAE’s new labor law is a game-changer’
Legal and business leaders tell TRENDS that the new legislation is in line with the industrial modernization roadmap that the...
Analysis
Interview
Self-mobility a ‘promising business’: Ekar founder
Car ownership could become a hobby only for wealthy people in future, says Ekar founder Vilhelm Hedberg.
- Ekar’s founder believes car ownership could become a hobby only for wealthy people in the upcoming years
- Ekar is looking into an addressable market of 138 million people in the MENAT region
Interview
Major GCC countries see push for Arabic e-gaming
People are hungry to consume content that they can understand and more importantly relate to, says Eyad Basheer, chief operating...
- Around 70 percent of Arab smartphone users have their phones set to Arabic, indicating a preference for content in their mother tongue
- According to management consultancy firm Strategy&, mobile gaming will be a $2.3-billion industry in the region by 2022
Interview
‘Challenging year ahead for logistics industry’
Companies have used innovative methods to keep their operations running while overcoming numerous challenges linked to Covid-19 pandemic. However, the...
- The limited capacity and high freight rates will remain until global vaccine campaigns gather traction
- Logistic companies who fail to recognize necessity of digital adoption will be left behind
Business
Ecommerce is fastest-growing channel in ME
In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE account for nearly 80 percent of the overall ecommerce market.
- A PwC report indicates that UAE consumers are making purchases on smartphones (53 percent), computers (39 percent) and tablets (31 percent)
- As a result, the UAE’s retail ecommerce market reached $3.9 billion in 2020, indicating a 53 percent year-on-year increase
Interview
Breathable sand could disrupt UAE agri-sector
The technology could help the UAE grow more crops within its boundaries, ensuring food security, says Dake Rechsand CEO and...
- The UAE is 80 percent desert, with less than 1 percent agricultural land
- Systemic, climatic, and geographic concerns threaten food and water security in the country
Business
New Dubai adventure: Eco-friendly surfing
What makes Dubai a tourist hub and an essential market for sustainable surfing is the region’s proximity to the sea?...
- What makes Dubai a tourist hub and an important market for sustainable surfing is the region’s proximity to the sea
- Artificial surfing has now takers in countries like Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Egypt which also boast of a strong community of surfers
Interview
Jordan eyes investments with ICT growth
Investment opportunities also exist in IT solutions for Jordan's financial sector and enterprise solutions and emerging applications. In addition, Jordan...
- Jordan's ICT sector generates 75 percent of the region’s Arabic internet content
- Jordan offers a competitive proposition for investment in content applications and e-learning with fairly priced broadband internet tariffs
Interview
Saudi Arabia looks to lead solar-cell industry
Demand for PV technology will increase in 2022, says Fahad Bin Omairah, CEO of Bin Omairah Holding Company.
- Masdar is a state-of-the-art PV solar panels factory with a total capacity of 1.2 GW and a SAR700 million investment
- Solar panel systems are now priced $1-1.5 per watt
Interview
‘Saudi women entrepreneurs have it easier now’
Boundary-pushing journalist and entrepreneur Muna AbuSulayman tells TRENDS how things have changed for businesswomen in Saudi Arabia.
- Young entrepreneurs who have never worked before struggle severely, and their businesses fail early, says Muna AbuSulayman
- Influencers should create important and meaningful content for this new world and the new generations, she adds
Analysis
Fast-rising politician pushes rebirth of Iraqi city
Halbussi, 40, travels frequently about the region, trading his elegant suits for jeans during field visits to shepherd the projects...
- Halbussi, 40, travels frequently about the region, trading his elegant suits for jeans during field visits to shepherd the projects in Anbar province
- Over the years Halbussi has been known to maintain good ties with the Baghdad federal government while cultivating relations with regional powers
First wind turbines reach Saudi green hydrogen plant, says CEO
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The first wind turbines have arrived at what Saudi officials bill as the world's biggest green hydrogen...
Business
Company News
GCC FMCG market faces headwinds
Interview
BNPL gains currency in the UAE
Interview
Latest News
Smartphones, net speed fuel Saudi ecommerce boom
Pablo Martinez, Managing Director and Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group, sheds light on what lies ahead for the...
Interview
GCC retail electronics set for boost as buyers return
The retail electronics sector has proliferated in GCC countries, with demand rising not only due to the urge to own...
Interview
MENA businesses are battling social media scams
Saeed Ahmad, Callsign’s Managing Director for the MENA region, explains how a single fraudulent message impersonating an entity can erode...
Interview
Most Read
Business
New UAE law boosts family business growth
Haoula considers it extremely important to sustain family businesses as a recognition for their efforts historically, and for the advantages...
- Corporate tax in the UAE is expected to be among the most competitive in the world, due to the 9% introductory rate and no tax for profits up to $102k
- Personal income that does not come from a licensed business or commercial activity in the UAE will not be subject to corporate tax
Interview
Saudi Crown Prince opens up on every little thing
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has created quite a few ripples with his views on all things important...
- The crown prince said he was leaning towards taking Saudi Arabia towards the ‘real teachings’ of Islam
- He also said the country was working towards codifying Islamic law as had been handed down directly by the Prophet
Interview
Israel stock exchange eyes GCC investors
In an exclusive interview, Tel Aviv Stock Exchange CEO Ittai Ben-Zeev speaks on his strategy to attract investors from the...
- The UAE is key to the relatively small but growing Israeli bourse’s new strategy of “going east” to globalize its foreign investment pool
- Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has traditionally been heavily oriented towards the US, but is now looking to expand to the GCC and the rest of the world