Snap’s regional chief Hussein Freijeh outlines growth plans across MENA and APAC in an interview with TRENDS, highlighting startups, creators...
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE Ministry of Finance said on Sunday it had launched its first-ever seven-year tranche of...
Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally...Shared infrastructure, capital flows, and policy choices bind these ecosystems together more than they divide them.
The critical question for Gulf ecosystems is not whether they have capital or talent, but whether both are organized toward genuinely global ambition.
Dubai faces substantial supply headwinds that may absorb currency-driven demand without triggering significant price gains. Approximately 45,000-50,000 new residential units...A 9.88% slide in the US dollar has boosted foreign buying power in Dubai, cutting the sterling cost of a AED 5 million home by nearly £105,000 in a year
UAE’s 1 USD–3.6725 AED currency peg means the dirham weakens with the dollar, making Dubai property cheaper for overseas investors while staying stable for locals
The GCC is competing to build world-class technology hubs, investing heavily in AI, infrastructure, and sovereign capital to drive digital...The GCC smart cities and digital transformation market reached $145.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $907 billion by 2032.
Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, for instance, was the largest sovereign-owned investor globally in 2024, deploying $29 billion across 52 deals, a 67 percent increase from the previous year.
In an interview with TRENDS, Josh Lerner says Gulf economies pursuing diversification must recognize that transformation takes time, patience, and...Innovation reforms take time, strong institutions, and market-aligned policies, Josh Lerner tells TRENDS
Funding alone is not enough; follow-on capital and a culture that rewards risk are essential, he adds
- The synergy between humans and AI agents is driving a ‘Great Redeployment’ where there is a structural shift in how...
AI adoption is surging, but enterprises are stuck in “pilot purgatory”, failing to scale isolated AI experiments into orchestrated, ROI-driven systems
The shift to an Agentic Enterprise requires multi-agent orchestration, shared enterprise context, and strong governance, especially as GCC regulations tighten
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
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
- The report, Impacts of Multinational Corporations: What Citizen-Consumers Want from Foreign Companies Doing Business in Their Country, draws on a...
Despite regional differences, one expectation stands out globally: people want multinational corporations to contribute to local economies.
This economic focus was particularly pronounced in developing and emerging markets, including many countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America.
Titled Creative Futures: The Springboard for Sustained Economic Growth and Diversification, the report argues that cultural and creative industries —...The report finds that every dollar invested in creative industries generates approximately $2.50 in broader economic activity across sectors such as tourism and urban services.
It warns that countries slow to act risk becoming importers of creative content rather than exporters shaping global cultural markets.
- The summit features a high-profile lineup of speakers, including Canva co-founder Cliff Obrecht, IBM Chief Impact Officer Justina Nixon-Saintil, Twitch...
