Voting has officially opened for the Gulf Business Awards 2025, giving the public an opportunity to support their preferred companies and leaders across the Gulf region. All nominations can be viewed online, and casting a vote is simple, straightforward, and takes just a few minutes.

Voting is now live via the official Gulf Business Awards 2025 link, with the process being entirely online and user-friendly. Once on the site, voters can easily navigate through the categories and submit their choices.

Voting will close on 28 August.

The awards span key sectors including banking, real estate, healthcare, technology, energy, tourism, and more—honouring both standout companies and visionary leaders who are driving growth and transformation across the GCC.

Entries are evaluated by an independent panel of experts, comprising regional business leaders, industry veterans, and Gulf Business editorial leadership. The judging process is designed to ensure transparency, merit-based evaluation, and sector relevance.

As a refresher, this year’s categories include:

Company Awards

Leader Awards

Cityscape Global is set to return to the Exhibition and Convention Centre in Malham, Riyadh, from 17–20 November 2025, under the theme “The Future of Urban Living.” Sponsored by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH) and in partnership with the Real Estate General Authority (REGA), Vision 2030, and the Housing Program, the event is organised by Tahaluf.

As the world’s largest real estate exhibition, Cityscape Global 2025 will bring together more than 172,000 participants from across the global real estate ecosystem—including developers, architects, institutional investors, technology providers, and policymakers. The event highlights both Saudi Arabia’s real estate transformation and its growing international footprint, with over 70 global developers and more than 20,000 international attendees participating in the 2024 edition.

New this year is the co-location of ESTAAD, Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated platform for stadium, sports, and mega-event infrastructure. The expanded agenda will feature 500+ exhibitors, 450+ speakers, four specialised conferences, and two VIP networking programmes tailored for institutional investors and global developers.

H.E. Majed bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Hogail, Minister of Municipalities and Housing, commented: “The 2025 edition of Cityscape Global, set to take place this November, represents a significant opportunity to forge new partnerships and strengthen collaboration as we pursue the ambitious objectives of Vision 2030. This exhibition plays a crucial role in supporting our efforts to develop integrated urban communities, improve the quality of life for citizens and residents, and drive sustainable economic growth. We welcome stakeholders from across the real estate value chain—both locally and globally—to join us in shaping the future of living, here in Saudi Arabia and beyond.”

Faisal Al-Khamisi, Chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones and founding partner of Tahaluf, added: “This year, we aim to leverage the outstanding successes achieved by Cityscape Global in its previous editions, particularly what was recorded in 2024 in terms of the value of transactions and the increase in global participation, with the total deals exceeding the value of $61 billion, and participating countries reaching 121; reflecting the growing global significance of this exhibition, which continues to establish its international presence as one of the most important platforms for conducting real estate business deals in this sector.”

New pillars and content in 2025

This year’s expanded programme includes:

Future of Living Summit: A platform where policymakers, developers, and investors convene to define smarter, sustainable cities.

DnA (Developers & Architects) Stage: Connecting top global architecture firms, urban planners, and ESG experts to discuss the evolution of human-centric cities.

Innovation Arena: A hub for tech startups and innovators, featuring the Cityscape Innovation Challenge and Future Leaders Hackathon.

ESTAAD: A new co-located forum focused on global sports and entertainment infrastructure.

A global stage for real estate visionaries

Cityscape Global 2025 will feature global thought leaders including:

Sally Capp, Former Mayor of Melbourne

Darren Bechtel, Founder & MD, Brick & Mortar Ventures

Stefano Boeri, Architect of Bosco Verticale

Mitchell Silver, Former NYC Parks Commissioner

Anil Erdem, MD, BentallGreenOak

Representing countries and exhibitors

A total of 37 countries will be represented, such as the USA, China, UK, UAE, Qatar, Italy, Jordan, and India—with exhibitors including Qatari Diar, JLL, Hovnanian, Iris Ceramica, and Property Automate, among others.

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, said: “Diriyah Company is building one of the world’s most unique contemporary urban developments – The City of Earth. Our goal is to uplift the quality of life for over 100,000 residents, creating a hub for entertainment, education, and work. Offering residents and visitors iconic experiences such as the Royal Diriyah Opera House and numerous other hospitality, retail & entertainment assets. At Cityscape Global in 2024, we successfully launched the ‘Signature Collection of The Ritz-Carlton Residences Diriyah’ and the ‘Raffles Residences Diriyah’, which were extremely well received by the marketplace, and in 2025 we are looking to realize even more successes.”

Supporting Saudi Arabia’s giga-project agenda

Renowned developers such as Qiddiya, are exhibiting for the first time as Foundation Partner. Along with Abyatona, Ajdan, Ajlan & Bros, Ajlan Riviera, Abdulrahman Saad Alrashed and Sons, Al Basateen, Dar wa Emaar, AlDyar AlArabiya, Al Majdiah, Mohamed Al Habib, Mountain View, AlOthaim, Osool, Osus, Rafal, Retal, Rikaz, and Zood, are committed Diamond Sponsors to Cityscape Global. They will showcase various innovative projects, which are shaping the future of real estate.

Cityscape Global 2025 is poised to be the most transformative edition yet, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a real estate powerhouse and a global hub for urban innovation.

To register, please click here.

The UAE’ civil aviation sector recorded notable growth across key indicators in H1 2025, with passenger traffic, air cargo, and air traffic movements showing solid results, according to a report by the state news agency (WAM).

Airports across the UAE handled 75.4 million passengers in H1 2025, up from 71.7 million in the same period last year, representing a 5 per cent increase. January recorded the highest monthly passenger volume, exceeding 13.7 million travellers.

UAE national carriers expanded their global network, launching flights to 15 new destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

The new cities include locations in Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Croatia, and Ethiopia, further reinforcing the UAE’s status as a major international aviation hub.

Country’s competitiveness in the aviation sector is ‘rising’

Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said, “The UAE continues to enhance its global and regional standing as an international aviation hub, posting unprecedented growth rates driven by innovative national initiatives and strategies. This has significantly strengthened the country’s competitiveness and leadership in this vital sector, which today represents a key pillar for driving economic growth, diversifying income sources, and supporting trade, tourism, investment, and job creation across all aviation-linked sectors.”

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, DG of GCAA, added, “We are proud to continue achieving stable growth rates in both passenger and cargo traffic, supported by ambitious development projects to keep pace with this expansion. The total passenger handling capacity of the country’s airports now exceeds 160 million, and we are confident that the aviation sector will continue to play a pivotal role in supporting the national economy, boosting tourism and trade, and reinforcing the UAE’s position as a leading air transport hub regionally and globally.”

In detail, air traffic in the UAE recorded 531,000 movements in H1 2025, a 6.2 per cent rise compared with nearly 500,000 movements during the same period last year.

Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, Mumbai, and Bahrain were the top five busiest destinations in terms of weekly flights.

Air cargo volumes surpassed 2.2 million tonnes, up 4.74 per cent year-on-year, with national carriers accounting for 67 per cent of total cargo traffic.

Read: DXB welcomes 46 million passengers in H1 2025

Emirati citizens will soon be allowed to renew their passports up to 12 months before expiry, according to an announcement on Thursday by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).

Previously, the window for passport renewal opened just six months before the passport’s expiration.

The new policy will take effect on Monday, August 18, and will be accessible through ICP’s smart services platform.

The UAE passport is rated among the most ‘strongest’ in the world

ICP chairman Ali Mohammed Al Shamsi said the change will improve citizens’ quality of life by enabling better planning for international travel, smoother completion of official transactions, and wider use of secure digital documents.

He also noted that the UAE passport — already among of the world’s strongest and most trusted — will further enhance its global standing under the updated system.

The reform aligns with the UAE’s broader “Zero Government Bureaucracy” initiative, aimed at reducing red tape and serving as a model for digital public services in the region and beyond.

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Across the Middle East, organisations are increasingly leveraging AI-powered analytics to boost operational efficiency and accelerate decision-making. Karl Crowther, vice president at Alteryx MEA and APAC, explains that modern analytics platforms are bridging the gap between governance, flexibility, and innovation.

“Traditionally, businesses have had to choose between governance, flexibility, and innovation, but that’s changing. Newer solutions now bring together low-code/no-code analytics, AI assistance, and strong governance in a single, centrally managed environment, allowing more teams to access insights securely and at scale,” Crowther says. “In fact, Alteryx research shows that 94 per cent of analysts say their role now directly influences strategic decisions.”

Future-proofing businesses with analytics and automation

As markets become more data-driven and digitally connected, analytics and automation are central to future-proofing businesses. “It’s no longer just about analyzing the past; it’s about scaling insights and acting on them in real time,” Crowther notes. Organisations are seeking both flexibility and AI readiness, combining intelligent automation with collaborative, enterprise-ready platforms to stay ahead of the rapid pace of AI innovation.

The public sector, he adds, is approaching analytics differently. “Governments in the region are using these tools to improve services, increase transparency, and make better decisions. For instance, Abu Dhabi plans to be the world’s first fully AI-native government across all digital services by 2027. As they adopt AI, there’s a strong focus on governance, security, and following regulations like GDPR.”

Upskilling for a data-fluent workforce

With demand for data fluency growing, organisations are taking a broader approach to upskilling, empowering entire teams rather than a handful of specialists. “Yet challenges like data integration and quality issues continue to slow progress, especially as businesses move to the cloud. In fact, our recent survey found that nearly half of data analysts cite data quality as their biggest obstacle. Organisations should make analytics more accessible and simplify data prep with AI-powered insights,” Crowther explains.

Building a strong data culture, he says, goes beyond technology. “The most successful companies are those that treat analytics as a core part of their decision-making DNA… One key practice we see is activating the entire decision-making ecosystem, from frontline analysts to senior managers, to build momentum across all levels of the organisation. Alteryx research, nine out of 10 respondents in the Middle East, including 93 per cent in the UAE, report that AI has significantly transformed their work in the past year. These companies also recognise that culture change isn’t instant. They celebrate small wins and use those early successes to spark broader adoption.”

Key trends shaping enterprise data strategies

Crowther highlights several trends shaping enterprise data strategies in EMEA, including the need to make data AI-ready while maintaining trust and governance. “As organisations work to unlock value from AI, they’re also confronting fragmented architectures, siloed data sources, and growing regulatory expectations like GDPR. In response, we’re seeing a shift toward more centralised, auditable data workflows where governance is built in from the start, not bolted on later.”

The democratisation of analytics is further changing the landscape. “By putting AI and insights into the hands of non-technical users, organisations are no longer reliant on small, centralised teams to unlock value from their data. This shift enables faster, more informed decision-making across departments… Companies that provide flexible, scalable tools, while maintaining transparency and control over how AI is used, are better positioned to adapt quickly to market shifts, drive innovation from the ground up, and turn data into a competitive advantage,” Crowther says.

Real-world impact across industries

Alteryx-powered analytics are delivering measurable results across sectors in the region. Crowther points to the financial services industry as an example: “One standout example is Bank al Etihad in Jordan, which has seen a measurable impact from Alteryx-powered analytics. With a network of over 50 branches, the bank needed to streamline its manual data preparation and reporting processes, which previously took an average of two days per report using spreadsheets. By adopting Alteryx, the bank was able to automate these workflows, significantly improving reporting speed, accuracy, and responsiveness to ad hoc requests.”

Navigating ethical and regulatory considerations

As AI and automation become more embedded in business processes, ethical and regulatory considerations are critical. “Companies need to ensure that every data process is transparent, auditable, and aligned with both internal policies and external regulations like GDPR. This includes safeguarding personally identifiable information, removing proprietary IP, and involving legal and compliance teams early in the development and deployment of AI-driven solutions. Building trust with customers, regulators, and employees will be essential to unlocking long-term value from AI in a responsible and sustainable way,” Crowther advises.

Opportunities ahead

Looking forward, the Middle East and Africa present significant growth opportunities for analytics adoption. Crowther emphasises, “The biggest opportunities lie in making analytics more accessible, automating routine processes, and ensuring data is AI-ready and well-governed. What excites me most is how quickly the region is moving from early adoption to real impact, with analytics becoming a core part of how organisations operate and grow.”

With AI projected to contribute $100bn to the UAE’s GDP and $135.2bn to Saudi Arabia’s by 2030, businesses that embrace analytics, automation, and a data-driven culture are poised to transform operations, enhance decision-making, and gain a competitive edge.