In an industry where perception travels fast, performance often draws scrutiny. Growth calls for grit, resilience, and integrity.

Over the past two decades, our company has grown across multiple dimensions. Today, our partner network spans 400 insurance companies across 85 countries. We’ve strengthened our presence in Europe through London and Paris offices, set up our regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, and planted new roots in the UAE’s DIFC, where we’ve expanded operations under the region’s most ambitious regulatory frameworks.

We’ve witnessed many players retreat under pressure from reputational challenges, pricing gaps, or claims burdens. Staying is continuity. It means underwriting with conviction, responding to crises in real time, absorbing shocks, and learning fast.

It starts with investing in our people. Our 400-strong team today represents 15 nationalities, with 40 per cent holding advanced certifications from the most reputable industry bodies and business institutions. This depth is what allows us to go beyond conventional service models and into sector-specific, high-impact solutions covering cyber insurance, D&O, energy, NATCAT modeling, and other critical and niche areas.

Specialisation is the very foundation of our operating model. It’s about understanding clients’ real-world operations, why they do what they do, and when they need us most. They need us when their liquidity is tested, when regulatory audits come, and when claims threaten to ruin reputations. When losses occur – and they will – our role isn’t to find accounting loopholes. It’s to bring clarity, fight for resolution, and partner on remediation.

It’s a commitment that has also extended to our claims capabilities in a market where delays and deflection are normalised. Leveraging global relationships with loss adjustors, legal advisors, and reinsurers, we’ve resolved hundreds of complex claims and earned delegated authority across more than 15 lines.

Our role as strategic advisors – not service providers – isn’t limited to the business lines we offer. It is reflected in the businesses we choose to serve. We don’t cherry-pick our portfolio based on volume, visibility, or profitability. Our clients of all sizes and sectors include multinational insurers, regional conglomerates, and SMEs entering high-risk categories.

The strength we lend these partnerships comes not only from our scale, but also from our structure. Our parent investment group Chedid Capital’s support model, built around governance, risk, and compliance, is what allows us to move with confidence in any market. It’s also what gives our partners the assurance that we hold the regulatory foundation, the resources, and the reach to protect their growth – nowhere more evidently than in our status as an official Lloyd’s broker since 2015. This status is a testament to underwriter trust, transparency, and capacity.

We’ll keep investing in talent, technology, and territories. We’ll keep pushing for solutions beyond conventional and transactional models. And when the market calls for clarity, we’ll answer.

• Wadih Hardini is Head of Facultative at Chedid Re Global Operations

In a move to bolster digital engagement and enhance Dubai’s status as a global digital transformation hub, Digital Dubai has launched the first-ever AI-generated “Emirati Family.” The pioneering initiative aims to present government messages in an engaging, accessible format that resonates across diverse segments of society.

The family, developed using artificial intelligence and advanced data technologies, is designed as an interactive digital interface that embodies the values and aspirations of Emirati society. It supports Dubai’s long-term vision of a smarter, more sustainable, and inclusive digital future, a WAM report said.

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Meet ‘The Girl’: First character revealed

The project’s first character, simply introduced as “The Girl,” debuted in a short video circulated on social media. Dressed in traditional Emirati attire with a modern flair, she is designed to be friendly and relatable—especially for children and families—sparking conversations about digital services, technology, and AI.

To encourage public participation, Digital Dubai invited community members to vote for the character’s name from three shortlisted options: Dubai, Mira, or Latifa. The campaign will soon unveil additional members of the virtual family, including a mother, father, and brother—completing a digital representation of a contemporary Emirati household.

Humanising technology through culture

The AI-powered family serves as a new channel for delivering educational and awareness messages in a light, interactive manner. Inspired by Emirati identity and cultural values, the characters aim to engage audiences across all ages, cultures, and nationalities, using familiar visuals and narratives.

By humanizing digital services through culturally relevant storytelling, the initiative seeks to deepen public understanding of Dubai’s advanced digital offerings and reinforce community trust in AI-powered platforms.

Supporting Dubai’s digital vision

Aligned with the broader goals of Digital Dubai, the project supports the city’s efforts to develop cutting-edge, AI-enabled communication tools. It also aims to connect with new generations by speaking in their preferred digital language and style.

Digital Dubai envisions the virtual family as a friendly, relatable voice that strengthens awareness and adoption of smart services. Through this initiative, the city aims to harness AI’s potential to foster a more resilient, inclusive, and people-focused digital society—further solidifying Dubai’s leadership in global digital innovation.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that more than 1.2 million pilgrims have entered Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah since the beginning of the current season, which started on Dhu Al Hijjah 15 (June 12) and continued through the end of Muharram 30. Pilgrims have arrived from 109 countries, underscoring the global significance of the pilgrimage.

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The ministry reported a 30 per cent increase in the number of pilgrims entering Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the number of Umrah visas issued rose by 27 per cent.

To support this influx, over 4,200 contracts have been signed between Umrah companies and international agents, bolstering operational capacity to accommodate the growing demand, a Saudi Press Agency report said.

Improved services and digital transformation

The current Umrah season officially began on Dhu Al Hijjah 14, 1446 AH, with the issuance of visas through the Nusuk platform, which aims to streamline the pilgrimage experience as part of broader goals under Saudi Vision 2030.

The ministry noted that this season follows a successful Hajj marked by seamless coordination, enhanced procedures, and the development of advanced technical infrastructure. It emphasised that preparations for the Umrah season began well in advance in collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure a smooth and organised experience for all pilgrims.

In addition, the ministry has expanded awareness campaigns and digital services in multiple languages. These efforts reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to serving visitors to the Two Holy Mosques, ensuring the highest standards of comfort, safety, and satisfaction for worshippers.

While confidence in operational resilience is growing among IT teams in the EMEA region, a new study by SolarWinds suggests this optimism may be superficial, with day-to-day disruptions continuing to consume significant resources.

The 2025 IT Trends Report, Fragile to Agile: The State of Operational Resilience, surveyed more than 200 IT professionals across EMEA.

The findings reveal that 89 per cent of IT leaders describe their organisation as resilient, yet only one in three (34 per cent) feel “very resilient.”

According to the report, 45 per cent of EMEA IT leaders spend a quarter of their working week resolving critical issues and service disruptions. This indicates a disconnect between perceived resilience and the reality of daily operations.

IT report shows processes are “biggest obstacles”

The study also highlights that cumbersome processes, not technology, are the biggest obstacles to stronger resilience, with over a third (35 per cent) of participants pointing to workflow issues. Half of those surveyed blame processes during periods of disruption, and 38 per cent state that they lack a sufficient number of people to be operationally resilient.

Abdul Rehman Tariq Butt, regional director – Middle East at SolarWinds, commented on the findings: “To remain competitive in such a fast-moving market, IT teams need the right talent, streamlined workflows, and modern tools to embed resilience into daily operations and focus on innovation rather than recovery.”

Despite the challenges, EMEA IT teams are proactively investing in operational resilience, with a quarter of respondents allocating between 21 per cent and 30 per cent of their IT budgets to disruption prevention.

Cullen Childress, chief product officer at SolarWinds, stated that “achieving it requires more than just adopting new technology. Organisations must equip their IT teams with the right tools, workflows, and talent to stay agile and responsive.”

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