Construction Aldar to break ground on first Dubai project next year Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s largest developer, has launched its first Dubai residential project, Haven, with construction of the first phase starting in the second quarter of 2024. The project will be developed with its joint venture partner Dubai Holding on the land opposite Al Habtoor Polo Resort in Dubailand. Aldar’s Haven will be built in […] October 27, 2023
Employment Expats in UAE get ready to leave ‘golden goodbye’ behind The “golden goodbye” has long been a staple of UAE office life. Expat staff are handed a lump sum by their employer when they leave, based on a percentage of their salary and length of service. But the practice is starting to change. More companies are looking to set up workplace pension and saving plans instead. […] September 25, 2023
Real Estate Dubai real estate is ‘fairly valued’ says UBS Dubai real estate still offers value for money compared with some of its global peers, a new report by investment bank UBS has claimed. But according to one real estate expert, residents in the emirate could soon be priced out of the market if the ongoing supply and demand imbalance continues. In the year leading […] September 22, 2023
Opinion People & Lifestyle Dosc: a welcome slice of nostalgia amid Dubai’s bling Legendary networking spot harks back to early days of the Emirates August 25, 2023
Opinion Employment The gulf between remote workers and office advocates A legacy of the pandemic is forcing governments to redesign working practices August 21, 2023
People & Lifestyle UAE decking out offices to promote worker wellbeing The UAE is increasingly adopting building standards that meet employee demand for office conditions that enhance wellbeing. The Middle East has witnessed a 24-fold increase in Well Building Standard adoption over the last 19 months, with a large majority coming from the UAE. The Well Building Standard is an international system that measures, monitors and […] August 17, 2023
Opinion Tech Be yourself: Over-reliance on AI is akin to catfishing The corporate catfisher uses AI to impress online in a way that cannot be supported in reality August 14, 2023
Opinion Lifestyle California and the Gulf: more unites than divides The UAE, Saudi Arabia and LA have a lot more in common than they might acknowledge August 4, 2023
Opinion Food & Drink The joys and challenges of UAE-style business meetings Introducing my new Business Lunch Index (BLI) ranking July 21, 2023
Video length: 03:22 VIDEO Employment Only 7% of GCC board seats are held by women Only 7 percent of board seats in the GCC are held by women compared to 20 percent globally, a report by Bain & Company says. “There is an issue in retaining, mentoring and supporting women to make it all the way to CEO positions and the board,” said Karen Khalaf, partner at Bain & Company […] July 14, 2023
Opinion Lifestyle Tip to Arabs abroad: Don’t ditch the dishdash They have impact – to westerners they are the very essence of Arab-ness July 7, 2023
Economy Costs rise, but no fears of a crash for Dubai’s super-rich Dubai has surged up global cost of living rankings for the super-rich, but a leading Swiss wealth management group has no concerns the emirate could be headed for another economic crash. Dubai is the seventh most expensive city in the world for high net worth individuals (HNWIs) to live – ahead of European cities Paris […] June 20, 2023
Opinion Media & Advertising Hacks and flacks chew the fat at the Bahri Bar An informal summer meet is an excellent opportunity for gossip and contact harvesting June 16, 2023
Video length: 04:29 Exclusive Employment Sharp rise in family disputes, says Emirati lawyer The UAE has seen a marked increase in disputes within family-run businesses which is likely to continue, according to a leading Emirati lawyer. Habib Al Mulla has been practising in the UAE for four decades and had until five years ago only seen one dispute case involving family members and shareholders of a company. However, […] June 8, 2023
Opinion Aviation The future of aviation – classless, but premium classy Forget first and even business class – there is a luxury solution that fits all tastes May 19, 2023
Aviation Staff bonus gives Emirates lift-off in recruitment stakes The sizeable bonus awarded by Emirates to its staff will give the Dubai airline a significant tailwind as competition for talent takes off across the region. According to an email from the company’s chairman and chief executive, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, employees have been given a 24-week bonus this month. It comes after […] May 16, 2023
Video length: 03:47 Video Middle East tech sector’s hire and fire conundrum The mass layoffs in the global tech sector last year were the highest since the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, but they are not necessarily a reflection of the job market globally or in the Middle East, according to a Dubai-based digital transformation and Web3 expert. “The layoffs only constitute 10 percent of all the […] April 20, 2023
Opinion Employment Seven deadly career sins and how to avoid them How to make the most of your career April 5, 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
Economy Bahrain and UAE ranked best places for expats to set up home Bahrain has been ranked as the best place for expats to settle, based on factors such as housing, bureaucracy, language and digitalisation. The UAE took second place in the survey by InterNations, a Munich-headquartered online community for global expats. Bahrain, the second-smallest GCC economy, scored highly for ease of administration and bureaucracy, with more than […] March 23, 2023
Tourism 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 […] March 12, 2023
Employment GCC firms compete for talent as they expand workforce Gulf employers, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, expect to expand their workforces further this year, boosting salaries as organisations vie to hire the region’s best talent. Top recruitment agency Hays surveyed about 4,500 working professionals in the GCC in the final three months of 2022. It found that last year 67 percent of […] March 7, 2023