EXCLUSIVE Construction Masdar City struggles to find contractors for cutting-edge projects Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s flagship sustainable eco-city project, is facing a shortage of contractors skilled enough to meet the demands of its ambitious projects, a senior executive has warned. Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy company, is the anchor tenant at Masdar City, with the Mubadala Investment Company, one of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth funds, ashareholder […] December 12, 2024
People & Lifestyle Abu Dhabi thinks big to attract super-wealthy From exclusive schools and members’ clubs to private banking and wealth management institutions, Abu Dhabi is ramping up efforts to attract family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals to the emirate. US private equity investor Leon Black, who has a net worth of about $14 billion, in September opened a branch of his family office in Abu […] December 12, 2024
Real Estate Property Finder ‘likely’ to go public, says CEO Property Finder, a real estate platform in the Middle East and North Africa, is likely to go public, Michael Lahyani, its CEO, said. “It’s not something that we’re actively working on, but Property Finder is likely to be a public company at some point,” he said at Abu Dhabi Finance Week on Monday. “It’s just […] December 9, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Media & Advertising Imax seeks investors in its vision of growth in the Gulf Imax Corporation, the US cinema technology giant, is in discussions with Gulf investors including sovereign wealth funds as it seeks to deepen its presence in one of its fastest-growing markets. The UAE and Saudi Arabia rank among Imax’s top 20 global markets, its popularity driven by rising demand for premium cinematic experiences. “We’re meeting various […] December 5, 2024
Infrastructure $54bn private investment sought for Abu Dhabi infrastructure Abu Dhabi is overseeing more than 600 infrastructure projects valued at more than AED200 billion ($54 billion), representing an opportunity for the private sector to collaborate on a pipeline of projects that are integral to the emirate’s Economic Vision 2030 plan, a senior official said. The projects, being led by the Abu Dhabi Projects and […] December 2, 2024
Giga-projects Riyadh hopes to entice private sector to landmark projects Riyadh is courting private-sector investors to fuel its ambitious development agenda, offering significant opportunities but grappling with resistance from companies citing financial risks, a senior official said. The push to involve private firms highlights Saudi Arabia’s challenges as it transitions from government-led development to growth driven by the private sector, a pillar of its Vision […] November 29, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Infrastructure Riyadh Metro aims to break Saudi capital’s car gridlock The first phase of Saudi Arabia’s $22.5 billion Riyadh Metro is opening on December 1, marking a significant step toward transforming public transportation in a city known for its heavy car culture and gridlocked streets. The project, billed as the world’s longest driverless transit system, is a centerpiece of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which […] November 27, 2024
Analysis Aviation Riyadh Air secures unprecedented number of airport slots Riyadh Air has secured more than 2,500 slots at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, positioning itself as the fourth-largest carrier at the capital’s main gateway as it prepares to launch operations in the summer 2025 season, according to filings by Airport Coordination Limited. The allocation marks a striking start for the state-backed carrier, which aims […] November 25, 2024
Exclusive Trade Major trade shows to relocate to Expo City Dubai Dubai is to relocate its major trade shows next year from the World Trade Centre to the sprawling Expo City, 20 miles away. The move is a significant step in transforming the Expo City site into a centre for big events, businesses and sustainable living, a senior official has confirmed. “As of next year, all […] November 22, 2024
Construction US charges billionaire Gautam Adani in $265m bribery case US prosecutors have indicted Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and seven others, including his nephew Sagar Adani, in connection with an alleged $265 million bribery scheme tied to India’s largest solar power project. Adani has extensive business interests in the Arabian Gulf. The indictment, unsealed in New York on Wednesday, accuses the Adanis and Vneet Jaain, […] November 21, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Finance The No 1 problem in a family business? ‘Not business, but family’ Public listings offer access to capital markets but they do not resolve the issues that often plague family businesses, the chairman of one of the Gulf’s largest and oldest family-owned conglomerates has told AGBI. Those challenges are governance, mindset and personal dynamics, said Mishal Kanoo, chairman of the Kanoo Group. “Not a lot of people […] November 21, 2024
Analysis Sustainability UAE’s ambitious NDCs balanced by criticism over oil expansion The UAE has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions nearly in half by 2035 under its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), marking its most ambitious climate target to date under the Paris Agreement. While the UAE’s commitment to a 47 percent reduction positions it as a regional leader in climate action, its concurrent expansion of […] November 20, 2024
Trade DP World CEO shrugs off threat of US tariffs A prominent Dubai business leader has downplayed the threat of tariffs from the incoming US administration of Donald Trump. Sultan bin Sulayem, chairman and CEO of DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators and a flagship enterprise of the emirate of Dubai, said on Monday that he was unfazed by Trump’s proposed blanket […] November 18, 2024
Health PureHealth in talks to buy hospital operator NMC PureHealth Holding, the UAE’s largest healthcare group, is in discussions to acquire the UAE hospital operator NMC Healthcare, sources familiar with the matter say. A deal, if finalised, could be announced before the first half of 2025, sources told AGBI, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other potential bidders had explored the opportunity but were not […] November 15, 2024
Construction Banks vying to fund Roshn’s Saudi expansion Saudi real estate developer Roshn, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is reporting strong interest from banks eager to finance its projects, and demand is so high that some lenders have been turned away, according to a senior executive. In contrast to this momentum, Saudi Arabia’s other giga-projects face financing constraints, with resources […] November 14, 2024
Construction Former CEO sues Roshn for $100m over ‘unpaid bonuses’ The former CEO of Roshn, David Grover, is suing the Saudi property developer for more than $100 million, claiming unpaid bonuses and wrongful termination. Grover, who lost the initial stage of his case against the state-owned company in October, has appealed to a higher court in Riyadh, the Financial Times reports. Grover alleges that Roshn […] November 13, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Health Aster DM Healthcare expects to close Saudi deals in months Aster DM Healthcare is buying more clinics and hospitals in Saudi Arabia with some deals expected to close in the coming months. The hospital operator, headquartered in Dubai, wants to increase its current roster of 250 hospital beds in Riyadh to 1,000 beds within the next three to four years to help meet the country’s […] November 13, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Business of Sport Roshn seeks contractors for Riyadh World Cup stadium Saudi real estate developer Roshn is inviting expressions of interest from international and local contractors for its 45,000-seat football stadium in Riyadh. Iain McBride, Roshn’s head of commercial, said the Public Investment Fund subsidiary was actively seeking partners “very early in the process” to help “de-risk” the project. “What we don’t want is to design, […] November 6, 2024
Retail Alibaba-backed Trendyol plans $2bn Gulf investment Trendyol, Turkey’s largest ecommerce platform, is to invest $2 billion in the Gulf region over the next three years. The company is backed by Chinese tech giant Alibaba, and has established a presence across all six GCC countries. It has had rapid growth in Saudi Arabia, now its second-largest market, in particular. Its group president, […] November 5, 2024
Aviation Riyadh Air takes aim at online travel giants Saudi Arabia’s new airline, Riyadh Air, is to compete with global travel companies such as Booking.com and Expedia by developing a one-stop digital platform for customers to plan and manage entire trips. The website will cover flights, accommodation, car rentals, AI-generated itineraries and tickets to attractions and concerts. It will also include shared shopping cart […] October 31, 2024
Real Estate Emaar’s Alabbar eyes major investment in Madagascar Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar is planning a major investment in Madagascar, marking the island nation as his next big venture. “Madagascar is the next new thing in my life,” Alabbar said at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on Tuesday. “It’s going to be a very big investment,” he said, but did not provide further […] October 30, 2024
Banking & Finance Regional conflict eroding investment openings, Saudis warn More than a year of regional conflict is eroding investment opportunities across the Middle East, Saudi officials admitted on Tuesday, though they sought to downplay the impact of regional tensions. Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) global investor conference in Riyadh days after Israel fired missiles at Iran, the officials said that the kingdom, […] October 29, 2024
