Opinion People & Lifestyle The top hotspots for millionaire migrants Dubai, Australia and Singapore are expected to emerge as the biggest beneficiaries January 24, 2025
Infrastructure Etihad Rail train to link Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 30 minutes Authorities from Abu Dhabi and Dubai formally unveiled plans on Thursday for a high-speed passenger rail link that will reduce travel between the two cities to 30 minutes. Spearheaded by Etihad Rail, the train service will reach speeds of up to 350km/h, and “pass through key strategic destinations and tourist attractions”, an Abu Dhabi media […] January 23, 2025
Banking & Finance Dubai’s Mashreq enters Oman’s growing banking sector Mashreq, the UAE’s fifth largest bank by assets, has launched operations in Oman in what it says is a strategic move to support the sultanate’s economic diversification plans. Oman’s banking industry has more than doubled in size since 2013 but may lack the scale to meet state financing needs, experts told AGBI last October, with […] January 21, 2025
Analysis Media & Advertising The million-dirham draw of digital billboards Revenues for billboard operators have grown as much as eightfold in the past few years as digitalisation has given out-of-home (OOH) advertising a notable boost. Sometimes seen as a bellwether for the local economy, billboards get plenty of viewing time in places such as Dubai during morning and evening traffic rush hours when cars are […] January 21, 2025
Real Estate Dubai expands freehold areas to attract new investment Private property owners along Sheikh Zayed Road, extending from the Trade Centre Roundabout to the Water Canal and Al Jaddaf, will be allowed to convert their ownership status to freehold to all nationalities. A total of 457 plots are eligible for conversion to freehold. This includes 128 plots on Sheikh Zayed Road and 329 plots […] January 20, 2025
Tech KKR signs a $5bn Gulf data centre deal in Dubai KKR, the American investment giant, and the data centre platform Gulf Data Hub (GDH), based in Dubai, have signed a strategic partnership to invest $5 billion in data centres serving the Gulf. A joint press release on Friday said that funds “affiliated with KKR” will also acquire a stake in GDH, although it did not […] January 17, 2025
Logistics Emirates increases capacity to meet rising cargo demand Dubai national carrier Emirates Airline has taken delivery of two additional aircraft to increase capacity and meet growing demand for its cargo service. The company has signed multi-year leasing deals for two Boeing 747 freighters, which have raised Emirates’ cargo capacity by 15 percent, the airline said in a statement. Emirates SkyCargo transported almost 1.2 […] January 17, 2025
Opinion Real Estate On the 19th hole with Trump and Damac What better place than Trump International Golf Course to watch the inauguration January 17, 2025
Real Estate Dubai’s Emaar confirms talks to sell stake in Indian unit Emaar Properties, Dubai’s largest developer, has confirmed talks with companies in India, including Adani Group, for a possible stake sale in its Indian subsidiary. The valuation and other terms of a potential transaction are not finalised, the developer said in a Dubai bourse filing on Thursday. The clarification followed a news article by Mint, an […] January 17, 2025
Transport Tenders issued for high speed Abu Dhabi-Dubai rail link Tenders have been issued for the design and construction of central components in a high-speed rail link between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Etihad Rail, the national rail company of the UAE, has sent out tenders for designing and constructing civil works and station packages for the line connecting the two cities as part of the […] January 16, 2025
Construction Dubai Multi Commodities Centre announces “Crypto Tower” Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and software company Reit Development have announced plans to build a 17-storey “Crypto Tower” that they say will demonstrate the use of blockchain technology. Blockchain will be used for tenant interactions and transactions through the use of on-chain voting mechanisms, shared resources, smart contracts and other automated services. The 150,000 sq […] January 16, 2025
Finance Former Drake & Scull executives lose appeal in Dubai court UAE-based Drake & Scull International (DSI) has claimed a pivotal legal victory after an appeal from former executives of the company was thrown out. Ex-CEO Khaldoun Rashid Tabari and ex-executive Saleh Muradweij were previously ordered to pay almost AED152 million ($41 million) as compensation “for the material and moral damages suffered by the company”. The […] January 15, 2025
Oil & Gas Shell to relocate Madrid gas trading team to Dubai Shell plans to close its Madrid gas trading operations for tax reasons, Spanish newspaper Cinco Dias has reported. Citing unnamed sources, the report said Shell planned to relocate its gas trading staff of 50 people to Dubai, London and Singapore. The staff includes a team handling commercial activities. The Madrid operations were originally part of […] January 15, 2025
Education Gems Education announces $100m Dubai school Gems Education has revealed plans to open the most expensive school in the Gulf, which is set for completion later this year. It is spending $100 million to develop Gems School of Research and Innovation in Dubai Sports City. Annual fees will start from AED116,000 ($31,582) for early-years education and rise to AED206,000 by the […] January 14, 2025
Opinion Real Estate The UAE is the world’s new capital for entrepreneurs Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become magnets for investors and the world's super-rich January 13, 2025
Opinion Tourism Immersive storytelling, posh cuisine and branded flats: 2025’s hospitality trends Adaptability and innovation will be vital to maintaining the sector’s global appeal January 10, 2025
Opinion Lifestyle Dry January in Dubai – renew, reset and resist temptation After the excesses of December, I found myself looking forward to eschewing alcohol January 10, 2025
Education Taaleem plans new schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Taaleem has revealed plans to add two “super premium” schools to its portfolio in 2026 as it takes advantage of the increasing number of high-net-worth individuals moving to the UAE. The Dubai-based company has secured a plot of land in the emirate for one of the schools and is “in the process of acquiring another […] January 10, 2025
Leisure & Hospitality Jumeirah appoints acting CEO to lead expansion plans Jumeirah Hotels Group, the owner of Dubai’s Burj Al Arab hotel, has appointed Thomas Meier as CEO to lead the luxury hotel chain in its global expansion push. Swiss national Meier has been acting CEO for the past 10 months following the departure of Katerina Giannouka in late February last year. Meier, who has been chief […] January 9, 2025
Retail Dubai’s Majid Al Futtaim closes Carrefour in Oman Dubai-based retail conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim has launched its new grocery retail brand HyperMax in Oman, according to reports, after closing all of its Carrefour stores in the sultanate. It follows a similar move in Jordan in November where its Carrefour franchise brand ceased operations and 34 HyperMax locations were opened across the country. Carrefour […] January 8, 2025