From startups to “Dubai Chocolate,” why one of the world’s strongest city names is protected—and why that protection shapes trust, value, and global brand power In global branding, very few place names carry the instant credibility, ambition, and aspiration of Dubai. Say the word anywhere in the world and it signals scale, speed, innovation, safety, […]

From Cost-Cutters to Value Architects: The New Mandate for MENA Finance Leaders In the traditional boardroom, the CFO or Finance Director was often viewed as the “Chief No Officer”—the guardian of the budget whose primary tool was the red pen. However, as the Middle East undergoes a historic economic transformation, from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

Over the past nine years, MENA super-apps like Careem, Noon, and Talabat, as well as Chinese platforms such as Taobao Live, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu have developed a new paradigm of online retail — one in which sales are driven primarily by live streams, entertaining content, and real-time interaction rather than static product listings. The live

Why Slumdog Millionaire and Good Fortune Stay With Me. A Personal Reflection There are films I enjoy, and then there are films that stay with me quietly, almost stubbornly, long after the credits roll.Slumdog Millionaire and Good Fortune belong firmly in that second category. They are different in style, geography, and pacing, yet they meet

Economy 2026: Tokenizing Reality & the Rise of AI SovereigntyWhere Is Investment Headed? The Big Shift In 2026, the core question for founders and investors in Riyadh and Dubai is no longer:“How do we raise capital?”It is now:“How do we build an economic model that survives structural asset transformation?” We are entering the peak of

The Golden Globes, one of the most prestigious celebrations of talent globally, started the year off with familiar faces on the red carpet. Based in Los Angeles, the scene is dominated by Hollywood excellence and common names in every American household. However, the American film industry is nothing if not inspired and rooted in global

One of the key tools driving this transformation is Digital Twin 2.0. From a Digital Copy to an Intelligent Asset In global practice, the term Digital Twin is often used too broadly. In reality, the digitalization of assets progresses through several levels of maturity, and only the highest of these levels generate real economic value.

Over the years, sustainability in the logistics and delivery sector has often been framed as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative – a “nice-to-have” badge of honour for annual reports. The conversation centred on green marketing and vague commitments to a better tomorrow. For many businesses focused on the daily grind of parcels, pizzas, and

A Smile Isn’t Universal: What Traveling the World Taught Me About Communication 😊 I used to think a smile was universal. One expression. One meaning. One safe shortcut in human communication. Then I started traveling. A lot. From boardrooms in Redmond to meetings in Paris, from long days in Bangkok to fast-paced conversations in Dubai,

Financial services data leaders face a fundamental paradox: they have unprecedented access to data assets, yet they continue to encounter persistent barriers to value creation. Success hinges not on technology deployment, but on three critical capabilities: translating data initiatives into measurable business outcomes, building genuinely data-driven cultures, and navigating the tension between innovation and governance.