ChatGPT founder’s visit gets Dubai talking about AI Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company that created controversial artificial intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT, is heading to Dubai this summer as part of a world tour to meet with users, developers and policymakers. Industry observers say the executive’s stop in the city is recognition of the Gulf’s digital advancement and anticipate that OpenAI will establish […] April 14, 2023
Exclusive Osman Sultan on Mena’s move from ‘telco’ to ‘techco’ Osman Sultan proclaimed in 1997 he would put “a mobile in the hand of everyone” in Egypt. At the time, even some shareholders at Egyptian Company for Mobile Services (MobiNil), where he was CEO, were unsettled by his audacious statement. Egypt’s telecoms regulator granted him a licence to become the country’s first mobile operator, but […] April 7, 2023
Employment Professions named and shamed in UAE ‘worst reputation’ survey Recruiters have topped a list of the worst professionals to deal with in the UAE for the third year in a row, while social media influencers offering financial advice were also targeted as “infuriating”. UAE residents were asked which industries delivered the most unreliable customer service in a survey for the fifth annual “Worst Reputation” […] March 31, 2023
Banking & Finance US fintech expands to offer UAE startups bank accounts A US fintech is accepting applications to open bank accounts from venture capitalists and tech startups with entities formed in the UAE, a move local industry experts say will be a “wake-up call” to the Gulf’s banking sector. Online-only banks – known as neobanks – have been cashing in on the collapse of Silicon Valley […] March 30, 2023
Analysis Retail $5bn extra Ramadan spending splurge predicted in UAE People in the UAE are upbeat about shopping and dining out more this Ramadan despite inflationary pressures and an elevated cost of living. Retail sales are set to rise to $66 billion over the holy month, up $5 billion compared to last year, a study by India-based Redseer Strategy Consultants says. It said that constant […] March 20, 2023
Banking & Finance SVB collapse may boost UAE startup business for neobanks One thing is more certain than not in the ongoing confusion caused by last week’s Silicon Valley Bank collapse: traditional lenders in the Gulf are likely to make it even more difficult for UAE startups to open bank accounts and borrow money. Emerging digital lenders in the region are hoping that this creates a big […] March 17, 2023
Entertainment When brands go geek: The business of Comic Con As the Middle East Film and Comic Con, the largest popular culture festival in the region, takes place this weekend, it is not just cosplay and comic fans who will be in attendance. This year big brands are upping their pop culture marketing in a bid to stay relevant to the region’s growing young geek […] March 5, 2023
Exclusive Real Estate Dubai mortgage market needs overhauling, says Gulf developer Mortgage systems for overseas investors looking to buy completed homes in Dubai need to be overhauled, says the leader of one of the Gulf’s biggest property firms. “Dubai is a very unique market where off-plan sells higher than the ready properties,” said Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global Real Estate, Saudi Arabian real estate […] February 28, 2023
Banking & Finance Expert calls for crypto regulatory loopholes to be tightened The UAE must close potential loopholes between cryptocurrency regulations established by competing financial free zones, a senior industry figure has highlighted. Different rules in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and a lack of a single federal regulator pose challenges, said Wai Lum Kwok, senior executive director of authorisation at the Financial Services Regulatory Agency at the […] February 24, 2023
Banking & Finance Dubai’s DIFC aims to forge new ties with reopened China The Dubai International Financial Centre has plans to generate a new wave of interest from Chinese financial services companies as the world’s second-largest economy returns to the global stage. China reopened its borders last month, after dropping the strict controls imposed at the start of the pandemic. In 2022, when the zero-Covid restrictions were still […] February 21, 2023
Exclusive Banking & Finance First Abu Dhabi Bank to launch crypto services First Abu Dhabi Bank plans to introduce cryptocurrency and digital asset offerings to its customers. The move is part of a plan by the UAE’s biggest lender to implement Web3 technologies in its services to gain competitive advantage. “We’re already working on a product paper looking at how to work with crypto and digital assets,” […] February 19, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Entertainment UAE’s centre stage in Bollywood blockbusters The UAE is set to become a major post-production and financing hub for the Bollywood film industry. Acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur told AGBI: “Infrastructure for filmmaking is coming up in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and more Indian filmmakers will come to the UAE to make their films. There are very good studio facilities in Dubai […] February 13, 2023
Banking & Finance UAE ‘to issue first 10-year dirham bond this year’ The UAE government is expected to issue its first ever 10-year dirham-denominated bond in 2023, a banking executive has said. Since the Gulf state announced the launch of conventional AED government treasury bonds in May last year, the Ministry of Finance has issued a total of AED9 billion-worth in two, three and five-year tenors. First […] February 8, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Entertainment Bollywood filmmaker trains camera on Gulf locations Shekhar Kapur, the filmmaker behind Elizabeth and Bandit Queen, has partly “shifted base” to Dubai and is scouting locations in the Gulf for future projects. The Indian director, who attended the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah last December, told AGBI that the nascent film industries of Saudi Arabia and the UAE had huge potential […] February 8, 2023
Banking & Finance The new Switzerland: diplomacy is key to UAE’s trade success The UAE is “the new Switzerland” and poised to reap the benefits of its good relationships with both East and West, the investment boss of one of the Gulf’s leading banks has said. Maurice Gravier, chief investment officer at Emirates NBD Group, said he believed the world needed neutral powers, “a place to speak between […] February 7, 2023
Exclusive Manufacturing Cars, property and superjets: Pagani plots future with PIF Horacio Pagani, founder of the supercar that bears his name, is open to further partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as his company expands into luxury real estate and private jet design. PIF acquired a 30 percent stake in the Italian business in 2021. Pagani, who acts as its CEO and chief design officer, […] January 29, 2023
Retail Indians buy homemade jewellery for less in Dubai Indians are travelling to Dubai to purchase jewellery made in their home country as it costs less in the emirates. Import duties, previously at 5 percent, were waived for jewellery exported from India to the UAE under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) signed between the two nations last year. “The prices are better,” said […] January 26, 2023
Analysis Retail Diamonds (from a lab) are the Gulf’s best friend Basma Chaieri began her business after watching the season two finale of Netflix’s hit series Explained. The November 2019 episode, which explored the growing popularity of lab-grown diamonds, prompted the Dubai resident to quit her travel job and enrol in gemology school to study the trade. “I thought why would anyone buy a real diamond […] January 20, 2023
Energy West ‘unfair’ to stop Africa using fossil fuels, says Qatari minister Barring Africa from exploiting its fossil fuel riches is “very, very, very unfair” despite the urgency to cut global greenhouse gas emissions, Qatar’s energy chief has said. Saad Al Kaabi, Qatar’s minister of energy and CEO of state-owned QatarEnergy, told a panel at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum that people needed to be realistic […] January 18, 2023
Environment $100bn ‘a drop in the ocean’ for climate action, says Cop27 host The world still urgently needs to address the “elephant in the room” in the climate crisis, which is financing action for vulnerable developing countries, officials from Cop27 host nation Egypt said. In 2020 combined adaptation and mitigation finance flows fell at least $17 billion short of the $100 billion pledged annually to developing countries, according […] January 17, 2023
Energy EU will return to Russian gas, Qatari minister predicts Europe will eventually return to imports of Russian gas but with reduced dependence, Qatar’s energy boss has predicted. The European Union imposed sanctions on Russian oil imports in March last year in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, pledging to wean itself off Russian energy. The sanctions were intended to limit Russia’s financing ability for […] January 16, 2023
Cop28 Cop28 chief sets out UAE’s vision for climate finance The UAE intends to make financing for climate change projects “more affordable [and] much more accessible”, the country’s oil chief and Cop28 president has said. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said finance reforms were needed because the world was “way off track” the goals of the 2015 Paris climate accord, during a speech to the Atlantic […] January 16, 2023
