Banking & Finance Mena VC firm VentureSouq to set up climate-focused fund Middle East and North Africa-based Venture capital firm VentureSouq is to launch a new climate-focused fund to support companies developing solutions for the green economy. Achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 globally will require as much as $173 trillion in investments in the energy transition, according to BloombergNEF’s (BNEF) New Energy Outlook 2021 (NEO), […] November 18, 2022
Banking & Finance Fintech Pyypl mulls more fundraising amid investor demand Pyypl, the Middle East and Africa (Mena) focused financial services platform, is mulling plans for a new fundraising drive after closing its Series B raise of $20 million. The company said it is considering opening a second tranche for further investment due to interest from investors. Since inception in 2017, Pyypl has raised almost $40 […] November 15, 2022
Exclusive Banking & Finance Jobs at risk as private equity slows hiring in the Gulf The looming global recession is pushing private equity firms to freeze hiring in the Gulf, with layoffs likely to be on the way, an executive at a UAE-based global investment company has said. Major Wall Street firms are already beginning to rein in expenses amid a slump in deals volume on the back of repeated […] November 4, 2022
Economy UK exports to Arab countries up 20% to $38bn in 2022 The UK’s exports to Arab countries have posted a 20 percent year-on-year increase, standing at £33.6 billion ($38.26 billion), and are expected to rebound to pre-pandemic levels. “While exports have remained broadly flat between 2020 and 2021, we have seen a 20 percent recovery so far this year and we anticipate that our total trade […] November 3, 2022
Banking & Finance UBS to wind down Mena advisory and dealmaking operations UBS Group AG is planning to wind down its dealmaking and advisory operations in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), Bloomberg reported, citing informed sources. The division’s last senior banker in the region has tendered his resignation recently, they said, adding a decision to retreat from in-person operations was taken in recently. Bankers and […] November 3, 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 & Finance Islamic finance to grow 10%, but struggles in new markets The global Islamic finance industry will expand by 10 percent in 2022 and 2023 thanks to strong economic growth in core markets, high commodity prices and relatively little impact from the Russia-Ukraine war. However, data from S&P Global Ratings forecasts shows that the sector has struggled to make inroads in non-traditional markets outside the Gulf. Excluding […] October 27, 2022
Exclusive Interviews ‘The metaverse can change the way we school our children’ Some schools still rely on more traditional teaching methods but an Emirati entrepreneur believes the metaverse has the potential to extend the physical classroom experience. Using blended learning options such as augmented and virtual reality technologies, Amin Al Zarouni, CEO of UAE-based Web3 company Bedu, is aiming to give the Gulf’s education system an overhaul. […] October 23, 2022
Banking & Finance ‘It’s destined for disaster’, expert warns, as startups dilute equity Investors who demand increasingly bigger stakes in startups amid plunging valuations could be signing their own “death warrants”. Startup valuations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are already seeing a downward correction this year, in line with global trends as VC funding has tightened since interest rates were increased by central banks […] October 21, 2022
Energy Gulf petrochemical giants well placed to weather tough economy Petrochemical companies in the Gulf have safe credit ratings despite rising interest rates and higher energy costs. S&P Global reported this week that Saudi Arabia’s SABIC and Industries Qatar (IQ), which are both ultimately state-controlled, benefit from low feedstock prices, strong shareholder support and “solid bases” of customers. Feedstock is raw material used for processing […] October 21, 2022
Economy Pensions in demand as expats stay longer in the Gulf Expats are staying in the Gulf longer than the global average, leading to greater demand for pension services in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. “We have observed an increase in interest and discussion in the Middle East around offering pension type savings for expatriate employees,” said Robert Ansari, head of investment and retirement for India, […] October 20, 2022
Royal seal of approval for Polish firm to solve Gulf’s tech issue A member of the royal family in the UAE is backing a Polish firm’s entry to the Gulf as it aims to address the severe skill shortage in the region’s technology sector. Future Collars is a digital IT training company that has worked with Amazon, Accenture and BNP Paribas to train highly skilled workers. Headquartered […] October 19, 2022
Markets Gulf countries defy global gloom with bond sale plans Saudi Arabia, Mubadala and Emirates NBD are preparing to sell bonds and sukuk, despite market volatility that has put off other issuers October 18, 2022
Tech Gulf investors back $20m funding for ‘YouTube of the metaverse’ Los Angeles-headquartered social media startup VUZ, which describes itself as ‘the YouTube of the metaverse’ has raised $20 million from a range of Gulf-based investors and aims to use the new funding to expand into Asia. Founded in 2017, VUZ also has offices in Dubai and Riyadh, and is a social app which allows users […] October 14, 2022
Exclusive Tourism Sydney-based StayWell looks to add up to 15 Mideast hotels StayWell Holdings, one of the largest hotel management groups in Asia Pacific, is looking to add up to 15 new properties in the Middle East, with its luxury brand targeting debuts in Dubai and Riyadh. Simon Wan, president and director of StayWell Holdings, told AGBI that the expansion plan comes on the back of advances […] October 7, 2022
Energy OPEC+ cuts: the media’s verdict Major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trading on Thursday, joining the rise in oil prices following the announcement late on Wednesday October 5 that the oil alliance OPEC+ had agreed to cut production by about two million barrels per day, the largest reduction since 2020. OPEC+ agrees deep oil production cuts, Biden […] October 6, 2022
Banking & Finance Region sees surge in compliance costs for new bank accounts The rapid expansion of the financial technology and online banking sector in the Middle East has meant the region has seen a large increase in the size of compliance teams over the last three years, according to a new study. Increased geopolitical risk, regulation and evolving criminal threats are also driving increased anti-money laundering (AML) […] October 5, 2022
Retail India’s Ferns N Petals blossoms in the Middle East Indian flower and gifting company Ferns N Petals is forecasting 50 percent annual growth in the Middle East as it expands into more markets including Saudi Arabia, ahead of a potential stock market listing within three years. Established in New Delhi in 1994, Ferns N Petals is one of the largest floral retail chains in […] October 3, 2022
Venture capital firms back female business founders in MENA Playfair Capital and Dubai-based Global Ventures have launched ‘Female Founder Office Hours’ across MENA – with 150 leading venture capital funds hosting virtual mentoring sessions for more than 400 women founders on November 10. The eighth edition of Female Founder Office Hours since it was launched in the UK in 2019 is part of a […] September 26, 2022
Manufacturing Aviation and fintech help Irish exports soar to record $532m Ireland reported record levels of exports to the Middle East last year, with aviation and financial technology (fintech) among the standout sectors that helped Irish companies to achieve over half a billion dollars in sales in the region. Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Government’s trade agency, said the companies it supports in India, the Middle East […] September 23, 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
ANALYSIS Economy 200 billion reasons why the Gulf is China’s hottest trading partner When Deng Xiaoping, the former communist leader of China, started his modernisation drive in the late 20th century, he looked to the Middle East as the only place that could provide the enormous quantities of oil and gas that his country required to become a global powerhouse. By the end of this decade, less than […] September 22, 2022
