Sustainability Abu Dhabi ramps up its climate action strategy The Abu Dhabi Environment Agency (EAD) has outlined its plans for the emirate’s climate change strategy. The EAD’s five-year plan aims to reduce the UAE capital’s emissions by 22 percent from 2016 levels by strengthening its efforts to achieve greater environmental resilience and climate neutrality, and attracting investment as part of a sustainable economy. EAD […] July 25, 2023
Banking and Finance ADQ expands investment reach in Canada ADQ, the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, has expanded in Canada with the acquisition of a stake in global asset management firm Sagard, which has $14.5 billion in assets. Sagard’s majority shareholder remains Power Corporation of Canada, an investor in Europe and North America. ADQ is joined as a new minority investor by the Bank […] July 6, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Aviation Hamish Harding: British billionaire in the UAE Hamish Harding was one of the five people who died on the Titan submersible in the Atlantic on June 18. He founded Action Aviation, a UAE-based international aircraft brokerage company, and was chair of the Middle East chapter of The Explorers Club. Read below AGBI’s interview with him last September, when he had just been […] June 21, 2023
Tech AeroFarms: the US business growing up (and up) in the Gulf Agtech giant AeroFarms is seeding its indoor vertical farms all over the Gulf, launching significant ventures in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The US company is set to play a pivotal role in tackling problems of farming in the desert-climate region, which has historically imported around 90 percent of its food requirements. AeroFarms claims […] March 1, 2023
Tech The vertical farms stacking up across the UAE Food security is a top priority in the UAE government’s development goals outlined in its National Strategy for Food Security. Political will and private sector innovation are combining, and the result is an unprecedented wave of agricultural technology initiatives that aim to improve food self-sufficiency. Across the Gulf, the vast majority of food requirements have […] March 1, 2023
MAKE IT HAPPEN Tech Become a master of the metaverse For a time last year, all anybody seemed to be talking about was the metaverse. Some Gulf businesses said they were already planning for it, while others were trying to work out what the fuss was about. The frequently asked questions included: when will it really arrive? How much does it cost? Who’s on the […] February 17, 2023
How I got to the top Lifestyle Caroline Ralston, founder, Proposal Boutique Proposal Boutique is a Dubai-based luxury marriage proposal planning company, helping couples enjoy an unforgettable “will you marry me?” experience. What does your company do? We work closely with men from all over the world to help them deliver the most romantic and unforgettable proposal. We source the venue, flowers, decorations, musicians, fireworks, and much […] December 9, 2022
Analysis Retail Global luxury fashion brands look to the Gulf for growth in 2023 The Middle East and North America are expected to have the highest growth potential for the fashion industry in 2023, as executives deprioritise countries like China in the short term. The war in Ukraine, rising inflation and supply chain pressures are the biggest threats to the fashion industry in the run-up to a challenging year […] December 2, 2022
Tech Vertical saffron farm spices up UAE’s agtech sector Agtech company Veggitech opened the first vertical saffron farm in Sharjah this summer, with the harvest of the expensive spice, known as red gold, peaking at the end of November. The UAE saffron farm is the largest in the Middle East and North African region, spanning only 165 square metres but equivalent to 3.5 hectares […] November 28, 2022
Manufacturing Daimler and DHL launch truck parts centre in Dubai Commercial vehicles company Daimler and logistics provider DHL are to launch a Daimler truck parts facility in Dubai in December. The new parts centre will open in Dubai World Central, the economic zone supporting logistics and businesses around Al Maktoum International Airport. Daimler Commercial Vehicles Mena (DCV Mena) and DHL Global Forwarding have forged a […] November 28, 2022
Real Estate UAE developer adds residences to RAK tourism sector Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties has acquired prime beachfront land on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) to build its first residential development in the northern emirate. Set to launch in 2023, the development will include 2,000 branded and premium homes on a plot of over 40,000 square metres, plus retail spaces and a […] November 22, 2022
Food & Drink Branded coffee shops expand across the Middle East The Middle East and North Africa’s (Mena) branded coffee shops market has grown 10.5 percent to 8,874 outlets in the past year. Saudi Arabia, which named 2022 the year of Saudi coffee, is the largest market in the region, growing 18.5 percent to reach 3,556 outlets and accounting for 40 percent of all stores in […] November 21, 2022
Long read World Cup 2022 Lusail City is ready for Qatar 2022 … and beyond All over the Gulf, Vision 2030 mega-projects are somewhere on the road from drawing-board dream to functioning reality. One has already got there: Lusail City in Qatar. Work on the development began almost a decade ago, spurred on by preparations for the 2022 World Cup. At the time, the site was a mere village, about […] November 18, 2022
Sustainability Cop27 climate talks in Egypt are set to get heated The Cop27 climate talks, which begin on Sunday in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on behalf of Africa face the challenges of an energy crisis and the war in Ukraine. These impactful events have dramatically changed the geopolitical context of Cop since Cop26 was held in the UK city of Glasgow last year. A key question expected […] November 6, 2022
Energy Adnoc’s new pilot scheme to address UAE’s carbon footprint Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) chose this week’s Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conferences (Adipec) to announce a partnership with Siemens Energy to pilot blockchain technology to certify the carbon intensity of a range of products. By using smart sensor data gathered from across Adnoc’s operational chain – from the oil well to the customer […] November 2, 2022
Business of Sport The legacy of falconry lives on in the Arab world Falcons and the sport of falconry remain not only a thriving niche business but also a proud legacy representing the Gulf’s culture. The third Saudi Falcons Club auction, which concludes on November 15, has already sold six falcons for SR 645,000 ($172,000). The auction in Malham, north of Riyadh, is run in conjunction with the […] October 31, 2022
Banking and Finance Jared Kushner’s firm leads $200m funding for Dubizzle’s owner UAE-based unicorn Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG) has completed a $200 million investment led by Affinity Partners, a global firm launched in 2021 by former US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. EMPG owns leading UAE classifieds platforms Bayut and Dubizzle, along with several platforms across emerging markets focused on Mena, South and Southeast Asia. The investment round […] October 28, 2022
Transport Qatar gives new electric buses demo run before World Cup Qatar’s public transport provider Mowasalat (Karwa) added 90 new electric buses to its fleet this month. There are also plans to make all Karwa taxis around Doha fully electric as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions to meet Qatar’s Vision 2030 goals. Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Qatar Rail, […] October 5, 2022
Tourism Debating the Levantine origins of the falafel Falafels are gaining a mainstream following in Europe and can be found in supermarkets, restaurants, takeaways and street-food stalls everywhere. In UK cities alone, Go Falafel has grown into a chain with three outlets in Manchester, two in London and one in Liverpool. Dubai’s Operation: Falafel and Israeli pitta chain Miznon have recently opened in […] September 30, 2022
Dubai warehousing costs rise to among the highest in the world Warehousing costs in Dubai rose by 7.7 percent in the 12 months to June 2022, making it one of the most premium warehousing markets in the world. Across 52 global markets monitored by Savills for its 2022 Impacts programme, Dubai was ranked fourth due to strong demand and lack of Grade A stock, leading to occupancy […] September 22, 2022
Tourism Marriott to add 20 hotels across Middle East, including conversions Marriott International will add more than 20 hotels and 5,000 rooms in the Middle East over the next 15 months. Announcing its expansion plans at the Future Hospitality Summit in Dubai this week, the hospitality group said its growth is fuelled by ongoing demand for its portfolio of hotel brands across Saudi Arabia, Qatar and […] September 22, 2022
Lifestyle Bahrain pearls given royal stamp of approval The UK’s Princess of Wales put Bahraini pearls back in the spotlight this week when she wore a pair of earrings made from the precious stone for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Her timing was perfect as Bahrain aims to re-establish itself as the global centre for sustainable pearls. Catherine, Prince William’s wife, sported […] September 21, 2022
