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Shane McGinley

Middle East Editor

An award-winning editor with over 20 years of experience in the media industry, across newspapers, magazines, digital, TV and radio. A resident of Dubai since 2008, Shane has held senior roles at some of the Gulf’s biggest media outlets, including Head of News at Expo 2020 Dubai, Editorial Director of Arabian Business, and Head of Editorial Content for Emerging Businesses at Thomson Reuters Middle East. He attended the International Journalists Seminar at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City as one of the winners of the Citi Journalistic Excellence Awards 2015, representing the UAE

Shane McGinley
Abu Dhabi International airport: residents in the UAE are happy to travel again following the lifting of Covid restrictions

UAE embraces travel again as Ramadan airfares spike

Airfares from the UAE to key expat locations have increased over the Ramadan period as a new report shows that residents in the Emirates have the biggest appetite for travel. A global survey of 18 countries by research firm YouGov, carried out in November last year, found that 58 percent of UAE respondents said travel […]

people person, human, building

Turkey home sales down, but Russians still active buyers

Turkey recorded an 18 percent year-on-year drop in the number of house sales in February, the same month in which an earthquake killed more than 44,300 people and caused $34.2 billion worth of damage. The latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute also found that sales to foreign buyers were down 27 percent year-on-year in […]

The transition to renewable energy will affect the economies of Gulf states

UAE and Kuwait banks least at risk from energy transition

UAE and Kuwait banks are the least exposed in the region to the impact of the energy transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable sources such as wind and solar. The new research comes as the UAE’s top banks saw profits rise by nearly one-third last year. As part of the global climate change […]

Remote working visas in the UAE are opening the door for more rentals in the region

Landlords benefit as UAE and Saudi embrace Airbnb model

The UAE’s introduction of a remote working visa and Saudi Arabia’s plan to allow residents to rent out rooms in their homes has led to the Gulf embracing the Airbnb model and a boom in the short-term rental sector. In March 2021 the UAE cabinet introduced a remote work visa, allowing workers to set up […]

City, Architecture, Building

Dubai real estate prices haven’t yet peaked, says S&P

Dubai’s fast-growing real estate market has not yet hit its peak and is unlikely to do so until at least next year, when supply will begin to catch up with demand, according to a senior industry analyst. The total volume of residential transactions in Dubai hit 90,881 in the full-year 2022, exceeding the historic record […]

Saudi Arabia has been described as the "biggest construction site in the world"

Global banks look to fill ‘huge’ funding gap for Vision 2030

International banks have spotted an opportunity in Saudi Arabia to meet the “huge financing needs” of Vision 2030, according to an industry expert. Dr Mohamed Damak, senior director and financial institutions sector lead at S&P Global Ratings, told a media conference on Thursday that Saudi banks will continue to “grow tremendously” but the sheer size […]

Qatar's competition authority has vetoed Uber's acquisition of Middle Eastern rival Careem

Qatar vetoes Uber’s $3.1bn Careem deal

Qatar’s competition authority has vetoed Uber’s $3.1 billion acquisition of Middle East rival Careem, four years after it was announced. Careem confirmed this week it had ceased operations in the Gulf state from February 28, despite the company expanding its fleet of branded cars to help transport fans to and from football matches during last […]

People, Person, Adult

Coronation, Eurovision and tea to entice Gulf travellers to UK

The coronation of King Charles III, Liverpool’s hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest, and Britain’s obsession with drinking tea are some elements set to feature in a marketing campaign to encourage more Gulf travellers to visit the UK this spring. VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, said spending by GCC-based tourists visiting the UK climbed above […]

UAE launches free zone for military and security sector

The UAE has announced the establishment of a new free zone dedicated to the military and security sector, just days after the Gulf state signed deals worth AED23.34 billion ($6.36 billion) at a major defence expo in Abu Dhabi. The free zone will be located within the Tawazun Industrial Park in Abu Dhabi and will […]

Furniture, Table, Desk

More senior execs opting to live in Emirates and work globally

Global firms are increasingly looking to hire senior executives based in the UAE to work for them remotely, according to industry experts. Deel, a headhunting company based in San Francisco, found that 89 percent of global roles it handled were for remote workers, with this figure rising to 97 percent in the UAE. The company’s […]

Occupancy is expected to reach 80 percent in Dubai's hotels this year

Dubai hotels on course for post-pandemic rebound

Dubai’s hospitality sector is forecast to return to pre-pandemic levels this year as the number of international tourists staying at hotels continues to rise, industry experts predict. A report by Zoom Property says that the occupancy rate in Dubai would reach an average of 80 percent this year, in addition to a steady increase in […]

Dubai businesses continue discounting to stay competitive

Dubai retailers have continued to cut prices in a bid to remain competitive and clear inventory, according to industry experts. Demand has held strong, and costs have now stabilised, with supply chain issues easing. This month’s S&P Global Dubai Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), showed non-oil business activity in the emirate hit its post-pandemic peak five […]

People, Person, Woman, Man

Rise in UAE non-oil orders means more staff recruitment

UAE non-oil businesses reported a three-month high in the growth of new domestic orders last month, leading to a continued rise in staff recruitment as companies move to clear their growing backlog. However, this was offset by a “sustained reduction” in overseas orders, which fell at the quickest rate since June 2021, according to the […]

People, cafe, Man

Saudi Arabia sees cashless payments up 25% in January

Saudi Arabia saw the number of digital point-of-sale (Pos) transactions increase by nearly a quarter year-on-year during January, as the kingdom’s drive towards becoming a cashless economy takes hold. Figures from the Saudi Central Bank showed there were 598,861 transactions last month for both ATM cash withdrawals and credit card transactions at retail outlets and […]

Blacklane operates in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Doha, Jeddah, Mecca, Muscat and Riyadh

Chauffeur firm gains UAE investor for premium Gulf service

Chauffeur operator Blacklane has attracted investment from Dubai conglomerate Gargash Group, as it aims to offer Gulf passengers a more luxurious alternative to ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem. Founded in Berlin in 2011, Blacklane is active in around 50 countries. It launched in the Gulf in 2016 and currently operates in Dubai, Abu […]

Canoo EV

Olayan and Canoo sign deal for electric vehicles in Saudi

Saudi Arabian general contracting company GCC Olayan has signed a deal with US electric vehicles maker Canoo for the sale, service and distribution in the kingdom of its EVs. Part of Saudi conglomerate The Olayan Group, GCC Olayan said the partnership was the first step in plans to expand beyond the initial dealership agreement, with […]

Cybercrime in the UAE has risen over the past 12 months

Anti-money laundering order in UAE to tackle stolen IDs

The UAE’s latest anti-money laundering guidance aims to tighten up rules related to digital IDs. While it will have little impact for traditional banks, it may weed out some of the weaker players in the fast-growing fintech sector. The advice issued by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) last week focused on the use […]

A new "phygital" store opened in Dubai in September, which is where shoppers get both a physical and virtual experience

Dubai customs law will ‘level playing field’ for local retailers

Dubai’s decision to lower the tax threshold for goods imported from overseas has been hailed by local retailers. Industry insiders see it as a positive step to protect businesses from global ecommerce giants and say it is already having a positive effect. Under Dubai Customs Notice No. 5 of 2022, which was announced in June […]

Abdallah Abu Sheikh, founder of Astra Tech, wants to set "a global benchmark of what an ultra-app should look like"

Dubai ‘ultra app’ acquires Botim ahead of $800m launch

Astra Tech, the Dubai-based technology firm, has bought voice calling platform Botim and intends to incorporate it into the “ultra app” it aims to launch later this year. Botim, which was founded in 2018 and also has its headquarters in Dubai, is a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) app that allows users across the Middle […]

Russian tourists, real estate investors and now business owners have been flocking to the UAE

UAE sees surge in new Russian businesses

The UAE has seen a surge in the number of Russian individuals and companies looking to set up businesses in the Emirates, industry experts said. Opportunities for Russian businesses have been limited since President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine last February and western governments including the US, UK and EU imposed sanctions on Moscow. The Henley […]