Emirates NBD, one of the largest banking groups in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye, said customer trades on its zero-transaction-fee local equities platform have surpassed Dhs5bn in the 12 months since it launched.

The initiative, introduced on August 26, 2024, allows investors to trade UAE-listed equities commission-free via the bank’s digital wealth platform ENBD X.

The bank said more than 300,000 commission-free trades have been executed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and Nasdaq Dubai since launch, with access to over 150 UAE-listed equities.

The mobile banking app ENBD X integrates banking, investment and advisory services, and offers features such as customisable price alerts, real-time investing and fully digital onboarding.

Emirates NBD said the service aims to expand access to financial markets, aligning with the UAE’s “We the UAE 2031” strategy to deepen capital markets and boost financial inclusion.

Emirates NBD’s zero-fee local equities offer received a strong response

Marwan Hadi, group head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management, said: “We are pleased to see an outstanding response to the zero-transaction-fee trading initiative that we launched on our digital wealth platforms, accessible via ENBD X.

“One year on, our customers have embraced purposeful investment by investing in local equities. As a leading national bank, we are proud to transform how people invest, by providing an inclusive, accessible, transparent and affordable platform, while also supporting local businesses.”

He added that innovation remained a core focus, with ongoing enhancements to ENBD X and the development of new products and services to meet evolving customer needs.

Last year, Emirates NBD also launched fractional bonds on ENBD X as part of efforts to broaden access to financial markets.

Read: Dubai’s Emirates NBD half-year profit dips 9%, hit by tax, lower recoveries

Haitham Mattar has seen the hospitality industry from every angle. He started as a dishwasher in Atlanta, rose through the ranks of global hotel giants, and today leads IHG Hotels & Resorts across the Middle East, Africa and Southwest Asia as its managing director. But beyond the impressive career journey, Mattar is on a mission to reshape regional tourism and inspire the next generation.

“I’ve been in hospitality for over 30 years,” he tells Gulf Business. “I actually stepped away for a while to head up tourism for Ras Al Khaimah, then advised Saudi Arabia, before coming back to IHG. I started right at the bottom, in the kitchen, scrubbing pots and pans, and I learned very quickly that no job is too small in hospitality. That’s why I wrote my book Pots and Pans and Five-Year Plans: it’s intended to inspire the younger generation to dream big.”

The book, published earlier this year, dives into resilience, navigating adversity, and building a fulfilling career, whether in hospitality or another industry. It charts Mattar’s story from his childhood in Lebanon during the civil war, to immigrating to the US at age five, and launching his career at the Courtyard by Marriott in Georgia.

“I started as a dishwasher,” he recalls. “I was 17 and just wanted a weekend job like my friends. I didn’t want to rely on my family for pocket money, so I took what I could get. But I was curious — how did the chef make breakfast? How could I master whatever role I had? That mindset stayed with me.”

From Marriott, Mattar eventually joined IHG, beginning with a role at the InterContinental Dubai on the Creek. “I started in rooms division, then became Director of Sales and Marketing. I stayed about five years before moving into a regional role covering the Middle East and Africa. I left in 2011 to join Hilton, spent five years in Ras Al Khaimah, two years in Saudi, and now I’m back. This is my fifth year again with IHG,” he says. “Seems like I run on five-year cycles.”

Doubling down on Saudi

Today, Mattar oversees a vast region spanning the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. IHG currently operates 220 hotels in this footprint, with 180 more in the pipeline. The group is positioned to nearly double its regional presence in the next five years.

Saudi Arabia is the biggest growth driver. “We have 45 operating hotels in the Kingdom and another 49 in the pipeline. That’s over 100 per cent growth,” he says. “It’s also our 50th year in Saudi. We’ve had a presence there since 1975, and we continue to see momentum.”

In the UAE, IHG has 34 operational properties and 12 in development, representing 50 per cent growth. “Dubai remains attractive, particularly with ownership changes. New buyers often look to rebrand, and that gives us opportunities to bid,” says Mattar. “We’ve also signed Greenfield projects, including the world’s tallest hotel tower under our Vignette Collection brand.”

Despite a high volume of new supply, Dubai’s hotel occupancy rarely dips. “The city’s average occupancy has never dropped below 75 per cent. That’s a testament to the leadership’s strategy of aligning supply with demand,” he says.

Regional gaps and opportunities

Beyond the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Mattar sees mixed readiness across the rest of the GCC.

“Oman has huge potential — rich culture, great food, incredible nature. But they haven’t fully bounced back from COVID. Key markets like Germany and the UK haven’t returned in the same numbers,” he says. “There’s a new tourism minister and a solid strategy in place, so I’m optimistic.”

Kuwait, however, has not prioritised tourism yet. “There’s limited hotel development. We’re opening a new InterContinental soon and recently launched a Vignette Collection hotel on the beach, but it’s still mainly business travel.”

Bahrain sees modest volumes, primarily from weekend travellers coming from Saudi’s Eastern Province. As for Qatar, the post-World Cup environment has created new challenges.

“There’s a lot of supply in the market, but not yet a consistent 12-month events calendar to drive sustained demand,” Mattar explains. “Events tend to be last-minute, which causes spikes and dips in occupancy. We’d like to see more engagement between the tourism board and the private sector. There’s an opportunity for Qatar and the UAE to collaborate more on tourism. It’s just a short hop between the two.”

He also supports the upcoming unified GCC tourism visa. “It would be a game changer. Like the Schengen visa in Europe, a regional visa would allow travellers to explore multiple countries in one trip. Fly into Dubai, visit Doha, drive to Muscat — it’s all possible.”

The conscious traveller

Across all markets, Mattar is seeing a growing demand for sustainable travel. “Today’s traveller wants to stay in hotels that practise what they preach on sustainability. They want to be part of the journey,” he says.

IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow is a 10-year global sustainability plan, and the group has embraced it across the region. “Over 85 per cent of our hotels in this region have adopted practices like water conservation, LED lighting, and energy-efficient room management systems,” says Mattar.

One example is in-house water bottling to eliminate plastic waste. Another is IHG’s Green Engage programme, which provides hotel managers with more than 200 actions to reduce carbon footprint and energy usage. “Many of our properties now have intelligent in-room systems that regulate air conditioning, lighting, and energy consumption based on guest behaviour,” he explains.

“Guests notice the details. They ask questions. They expect no single-use plastics. They want towels reused, not washed daily. Sustainability is now part of the decision-making process.”

Market insights

When it comes to the UAE’s top source markets, India leads year-round, followed by the UK, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and the US. “The US is especially strong for conferences,” Mattar says.

In Saudi Arabia, the guest mix is highly diverse. “The holy cities attract Muslims from all over the world — China, the US, the UK. But we’re also seeing more interest from American and European travellers who are curious about Saudi’s transformation.”

India continues to be a key market for Saudi Arabia as well. “We’re seeing more visiting friends and relatives traffic. That helps the wider ecosystem because people spend on malls, restaurants, and entertainment — not just hotel rooms.”

Looking ahead

With rising tourism targets in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Mattar believes collaboration is essential.

“Whether it’s sustainable travel, regional integration, or just offering great experiences, we all have a role to play,” he says. “Our job is to help people dream big — whether they’re checking in as a guest or starting out in their career like I did.”

Imagine learning from a professor who’s available 24/7, speaks your language, and adapts to your learning style. At Imperial College London’s IDEA Lab, that vision is already a reality, thanks to a video-based, AI platform that enables natural, intuitive chat with AI agents, now changing how students engage with complex topics.

Across the Middle East, similar immersive technologies are being embraced not as novelties but as a new foundation for delivering education.

The shift is already underway. When Dubai announced artificial intelligence would become a mandatory school subject in the UAE starting in 2025, it wasn’t simply a policy decision – it was a clear signal. The region is preparing students for an AI-driven future, and an immersive learning environment plays a central role in it.

We applaud the direction being taken and strengthen it with partnerships like the company’s collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Finance, creating immersive environments that blur the lines between education and real-world application.

These efforts represent a fundamental reimagining of institutional learning.

Immersive tech + AI: Rethinking how students learn

Immersive technology powered by AI has the potential to reshape learning. In a virtual field trip to Petra, for instance, AI can adapt the narrative based on a student’s curiosity, slowing down for questions, offering extra detail where there’s interest, and skipping what the student already knows. It becomes a dynamic, responsive experience.

In science classes, simulations can pause or zoom in when students seem confused. In language labs, pronunciation tools adjust in real time.

A more intuitive and supportive learning environment emerges — one that adjusts naturally to visual, auditory, and hands-on learners alike.

The impact on higher education and professional training is even more pronounced. Medical students in Dubai can now perform virtual surgeries that respond to their skill levels, providing increasingly complex scenarios as competency grows.

Engineering students build and stress-test structures in virtual environments that simulate real-world physics and material constraints. Architecture students walk clients through proposed buildings before the ground is broken, receiving immediate feedback that improves both design and communication skills.

Immersive education: From vision to implementation

The Middle East’s approach to education technology reveals a crucial insight—they are not deploying technology for its sake. They are deploying technology that will help increase the level of engagement teachers have with their students and the curriculum that will help them succeed. This outcome-first mindset means greater efficiency.

One immersive setup might be used for a history simulation in the morning, a biology lab in the afternoon, and a language immersion in the evening. The infrastructure supports multiple subjects without needing to be rebuilt for each one.

Teachers are also finding their roles shifting—from content deliverers to experience designers. Their expertise is still central, but now it’s increasingly used to create engaging, interactive sessions that bring subjects to life.

Building with partners

Transformation doesn’t exist in isolation. Across the Middle East, governments, universities, and technology companies are building long-term partnerships to co-create new educational tools. These collaborations help institutions stay current without taking on the full development burden.

The digital twin work at Imperial College is one example. They’ve developed AI-powered versions of real professors — digital teachers that adapt over time and provide students with tailored, on-demand guidance. It’s not a replacement for educators, but an extension of what’s possible in the learning experience.

These kinds of partnerships ensure that the benefits — and the risks — are shared. Tech providers gain valuable insights from classroom use. Educators access tools they wouldn’t be able to build alone. Governments see measurable progress toward national education goals.

We are already seeing meaningful results. At INSEAD, over 18,000 students have engaged with immersive tools that complement traditional teaching methods. In Dubai, the School of Modern Skills has embedded mixed reality into everyday learning. Rashid Center’s work with special needs children reveals accessibility benefits of this technology. Immersive environments are helping improve engagement and cognitive development for students who struggle in traditional classrooms.

Why the Middle East’s lead matters

By investing early and aligning strategies across sectors, the Middle East is shaping a new model for education. The benefits go beyond classrooms. A generation of students comfortable with AI tools and immersive environments will enter the workforce ready for a digital-first economy.

This leadership could also influence global approaches. As other regions look to modernise their education systems, many may follow the Middle East’s example — not just in the technology used, but in the way outcomes, policy, and collaboration are integrated from the start.

Looking ahead

The next step is scale. For immersive education to move from innovation to infrastructure, it must be treated as an essential, as basic to the classroom as textbooks and whiteboards.

This means continuing collaboration between innovators and educators. True success will be measured by the unique skills students gain—like spatial reasoning, cultural empathy, and scientific intuition—that traditional education can’t provide.

The Middle East is building something new—and in doing so, setting the pace for what’s possible in education worldwide.

Read: UAE schools to introduce AI curriculum from kindergarten-grade 12

RAK Properties reported an 80 per cent rise in its H1 net profit, driven by higher sales and continued development at its Mina flagship development.

The UAE-based developer posted net profit of Dhs160.6m ($43.7m) for the six months to June 30, up from Dhs89.06m a year earlier.

Revenue for the period was Dhs774.79m.

RAK Properties H1: Key highlights

Sales value more than doubled to Dhs1.41bn from Dhs703m last year, supported by a 59 per cent increase in the number of units sold to 788.

The company’s development backlog rose 42 per cent to Dhs2.62bn.

Operating profit increased 47 per cent to Dhs204.15m, while EBITDA grew 42 per cent to Dhs239.25m.

Total assets rose 3.5 per cent to Dhs8.29bn, and capital and reserves increased 3 per cent to Dhs5.70bn.

RAK Properties’ share price has gained 26.3 per cent year-to-date, ending the first half at Dhs1.44, giving it a market capitalisation of Dhs4.32bn.

Chairman Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Zaabi said the results reflected the company’s growth and the appeal of Ras Al Khaimah as a property investment destination.

“The emirate’s diversified economy, investor-friendly regulations, and growing population reflect an increasing demand for a new kind of modern, urban-beachfront community with Mina as its vibrant heart,” Al Zaabi said in a statement.

Chief executive Sameh Muhtadi said the company’s performance was supported by new residential launches, hotel announcements, and international interest in Ras Al Khaimah.

Read: Giorgio Armani, RAK Properties to launch branded beach villas

Preparations for cloud seeding during the winter season in the UAE are coming into sharp focus, as the country continues to strengthen its state-of-the-art meteorological capabilities.

Earlier this month, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice president, deputy prime minister, and chairman of the Presidential Court, visited the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

He was briefed on the centre’s advanced infrastructure, including weather forecasting units, cloud seeding systems, marine monitoring operations, and renewable energy forecasting sections (WAM).

READ MORE – PHOTOS: Flying with UAE cloud seeding pilots

The NCM’s work is underpinned by one of the region’s most advanced supercomputers, which enables high-precision numerical weather prediction and improves early warning capabilities. Sheikh Mansour also reviewed the “Early Warning for All” platform, which provides real-time alerts to UAE citizens abroad during extreme weather events, and the NCM’s Science Dome, designed to raise public climate awareness.

Alongside these capabilities, the NCM runs one of the world’s most active rain enhancement programmes. The UAE has carried out 185 cloud seeding missions so far in 2025, including 39 in July alone, according to NCM data.

Using hygroscopic flares, nanomaterials, and electric-charge emitters, these flights aim to increase rainfall by 10 to 25 per cent under favourable conditions.

Research in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science estimates the programme generates 168–838 million cubic metres of additional rainfall annually, with 84–419 million cubic metres of usable water. A separate evaluation on ResearchGate found an average 23 per cent increase in annual surface rainfall over seeded areas compared to the pre-seeding era. The UAE spends about Dhs29,000 per flight hour, with more than 900 hours of missions conducted each year.

“Rainfall enhancement has historically been overlooked as a key component of sustainability and climate change adaptation strategies,” the authors of the npj report note.

Each mission can last up to three hours, with pilots circling the base of cumulus clouds and releasing salt particles from flares when updrafts are detected. The fleet comprises four dedicated aircraft and 12 specially trained pilots. The NCM says the materials used are harmless, relying on natural salts such as potassium chloride and sodium chloride.

The UAE now has more than 60 networked weather stations, an integrated radar network, and the Emirates Weather Enhancement Factory — the region’s first facility for producing high-quality flares. The government has also invested $20m in cloud seeding research and development, according to a recent CNBC report.

Cloud seeding in coming days?

The NCM forecasts partly cloudy to cloudy skies in the eastern and southern regions this weekend, with a chance of light rain despite daytime highs reaching 46°C in some areas.

The outlook follows recent moderate to heavy rainfall, dust storms, and cooler temperatures in parts of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

With the UAE’s annual rainfall averaging just 6.7 billion cubic metres, officials say the cloud seeding programme remains a vital part of the nation’s water security strategy.

Pictured below are images from a cloud seeding mission that took place in January 2024.