Britain’s Prince William has arrived in Saudi Arabia for his first official visit to the Kingdom, underscoring the deepening political and economic ties between the UK and Saudi Arabia.

The Prince of Wales landed in Riyadh on Monday, where he was received at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, the Deputy Emir of Riyadh. Also present were Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Prince Abdullah bin Khalid bin Sultan, and the UK’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Stephen Charles Hitchen.

According to Kensington Palace, Prince William’s three-day visit is being carried out on behalf of the British government and aims to strengthen bilateral relations between London and Riyadh. The trip follows a 2025 visit by the UK’s finance minister, which London said resulted in trade and investment agreements worth £6.4bn ($8.7bn).

Late on Monday, Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received Prince William in the Saudi capital. The meeting marked the official start of the visit, which runs through Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

As part of the programme, the two leaders toured Diriyah, widely regarded as the birthplace of the Saudi state. They posed for photographs in front of Salwa Palace, a historic seat of governance during the first Saudi state, and were briefed on the Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s master plan. Diriyah is home to the At-Turaif district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The visit will also see Prince William engage with initiatives linked to Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation, cultural development and sustainability agenda. His programme includes meetings with young Saudis, discussions on urban development and environmental conservation, and visits to projects supporting women’s sports, e-sports and cultural cooperation.

Later in the week, the Prince of Wales is expected to travel to AlUla, the historic oasis city in northwestern Saudi Arabia. There, he will visit wildlife reserves, meet local communities and tour Prince of Wales House — a newly established UK cultural space designed to promote collaboration in arts, heritage and conservation.

The visit builds on longstanding Saudi-British relations spanning more than 80 years and follows the establishment of the Saudi–UK Strategic Partnership Council, which held its first meeting in London in 2018.

With the World Economic Forum 2026 now concluded, one message from Davos stands out: disruption is no longer a phase; it is the operating environment. On the sidelines of the forum, Omar Boulos, CEO for Middle East and Africa at Accenture, shared insights with Gulf Business on what business confidence really looks like in 2026, where leadership optimism diverges from workforce reality, and why AI is rapidly moving from hype to hard capability.

Drawing on Accenture’s latest Pulse of Change data and regional insights, Boulos shares how companies in the Middle East are navigating reinvention, talent pressures, and the challenge of turning technology investment into real value.

Your Pulse of Change data tracks how leaders feel about their business trajectory going into 2026. What’s the honest read — are leaders genuinely confident, or are they learning to operate in a constant state of disruption rather than expecting stability to return?

While leaders are confident about growth, as highlighted in Accenture’s latest Pulse of Change report, the confidence is increasingly about learning to perform in a constant state of disruption. In fact, 82 per cent of C-suite leaders expect an even higher level of change in 2026 than in 2025. Looking at the 2026 trajectory, what stands out is a maturing ability to lead through continual disruption.

In the Middle East, this sentiment is even more pronounced. Our regional research shows that 82 per cent of organisations have actually accelerated their reinvention efforts over the past year, a rate higher than many markets.

C-suite leaders are optimistic, but that optimism is now grounded in the reality that disruption is the operating environment. While 55 per cent of global leaders feel prepared for technological disruption (up from 49 per cent last year), only 44 per cent feel the same about geopolitical shifts, a critical nuance for our region.

Many CEOs say they are “ready for change”. Based on your findings, where is the biggest gap between perceived readiness and actual capability — technology, talent, operating models, or decision speed?

There is a disconnect between perceived readiness and actual capability. The gap is widening. While 82 per cent of leaders expect more change, there is a 24-percentage point gap between their optimism and employee readiness.

When it comes to talent, employees feel significantly less prepared than leaders. At Davos, we emphasised that the future is “Human in the Lead,” not just “Human in the Loop”.

The bottleneck is no longer the tech stack; it is the fact that fewer than one in 10 organisations are fundamentally redesigning job roles to support AI adoption. In the Middle East, where ambition is high, only 9 per cent of companies are currently progressing at scale, proving that the “readiness” often lacks the structural “reinvention” needed to win.

If the AI hype cycle cools or capital tightens, how many companies are truly committed to AI as a long-term capability rather than a short-term experiment? What does your data suggest would be cut first: pilots, infrastructure, or talent?

In our 2026 data, 46 per cent of leaders say they would actually increase AI investments even in the event of a market correction. AI has moved from ‘experiment’ to ‘enduring capability.’ Crucially, 78 per cent of leaders now see AI as more beneficial to revenue growth than cost reduction, up from 65 per cent in 2024.

The strategic imperative for CEOs is clear: if you must trim, start by rationalising fragmented pilots, not by hollowing out your data foundations.

In the Middle East, digital transformation spend is projected to hit $72bn this year, and pulling back on the “Digital Core” now would mean losing a seat at the table during the next 12 months of rapid scaling.

Pulse of Change looks at AI investment intentions, but value creation often lags spend. What separates companies seeing real returns from those still stuck in proof-of-concept mode?

Pulse of Change tells us intent is no longer the issue – nine in 10 leaders plan to increase AI investment – but the shift in 2026 is toward “Agentic AI”, AI that doesn’t just generate content but takes action.

What separates value-creators? They move from “Proof of Concept” to “Proof of Value”. They also fix foundations early. As we discussed at Davos, leader-led learning is the only way to ensure the enterprise understands how to move from task automation to end-to-end process redesign. In the Middle East, “Reinventors” who do this are seeing a 15-percentage point premium on revenue growth compared to their peers.

Accenture’s research mirrors leadership views with employee sentiment. Where are leaders misreading the workforce, particularly on reskilling versus external hiring, and what risks does this create heading into 2026?

Leaders are overestimating how ready their people feel. While 86 per cent of leaders say they are preparing their workforce for AI agents, only 24 per cent of organisations have actually embedded continuous learning.

Heading into 2026, the risk is a “resilience illusion.” AI is not the enemy of the workforce; the challenge is companies choosing to restructure without reskilling. In the Middle East, talent is cited as the #1 way the landscape has shifted, yet the “readiness gap” persists. Winners will be those who treat reskilling with the same capital rigour as a cloud migration.

Looking across sentiment, investment, and talent plans, what is the single strategic mistake companies are most likely to make over the next year, and what should leaders be doing differently right now?

A common strategic oversight would be investing in AI while ignoring the “Human in the Lead” philosophy. Leaders risk mistaking a “tech-heavy” roadmap for a “future-ready” one.

Leaders need to match their AI investment with investment in people and organisational design. Right now, they should be doing three things: First, move beyond pilots to scale “Agentic AI” in core domains; second, close the 24-percentage point gap in leader-employee perception through radical transparency; and third, treat the “Digital Core”— data and cloud — as a sovereign asset for regional competitiveness.

The UAE Ministry of Finance said it has issued Cabinet Decision No (1) of 2026, granting a corporate tax exemption to certain sports entities, under Federal Decree-Law No 47 of 2022 on the taxation of corporations and businesses.

The ministry said the decision is intended to support the sustainable development of the UAE’s sports ecosystem, align the sector with international best practices, boost its contribution to the national economy, and strengthen the country’s position as a global hub for modern sports systems.

Under the new decision, international sports entities, sports entities, and supporting ancillary entities operating on a non-commercial basis will be eligible for the exemption.

Sports entities need to qualify for corporate tax exemption

To qualify, entities must have the promotion, management, or development of one or more sports at the international or regional level as their primary objective, and must be responsible for organising or coordinating such sports.

Eligible entities must also be recognised by the Ministry of Sports or another competent sports authority.

The decision stipulates that these entities may not engage in business activities other than those directly related to their principal objective, and that all income and assets must be used exclusively to serve that objective or to cover necessary and reasonable related expenses.

The cabinet decision further requires that no part of an entity’s income or assets be used for the personal benefit of any shareholder, member, trustee, founder, or settlor, unless the beneficiaries are qualifying public benefit entities, government entities, government-related entities, or other approved sports entities.

To obtain the tax exemption, sports entities must apply to the Federal Tax Authority and submit supporting documents, data, and information to verify eligibility.

The ministry said the framework is designed to ensure that tax-exempt status is limited to entities that play a genuine role in developing sports in the UAE, while adhering to transparency, public interest, and non-profit principles.

Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, up 5 per cent from 18.72 million in 2024, marking a third consecutive year of record tourism, data from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) showed.

The city crossed two million visitors in a single calendar month for the first time in December, receiving 2.04 million international overnight visitors, a 6 per cent year-on-year increase. The previous monthly record was 1.94 million in January 2025.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, said the performance reflected the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

“Dubai’s strong tourism growth momentum has been driven by the leadership’s commitment to building a city that connects the world, creates opportunity, and offers distinctive experiences,” he said, adding that tourism is a key driver of economic diversification and sustainable growth under D33.

DET said its diversified year-round market strategy, delivered with domestic stakeholders and more than 3,000 international partners, lifted arrivals across both traditional and emerging markets.

Dubai tourism: Largest source markets

Western Europe remained Dubai’s largest source market in 2025 with 4.1 million visitors, or 21 per cent of the total, up from 3.74 million a year earlier.

The GCC and MENA proximity markets accounted for a combined 26 per cent, with 2.99 million and 2.17 million visitors, respectively.

Other key markets included CIS and Eastern Europe and South Asia at 2.89 million each (15 per cent), North East and South East Asia at 1.85 million (9 per cent), the Americas at 1.40 million (7 per cent), Africa at 897,000 (5 per cent) and Australasia at 401,000 (2 per cent).

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DET, said Dubai’s tourism performance reflected “the strength of our economic model, anchored in public-private collaboration and aligned with D33,” adding that tourism continues to support GDP growth, investment inflows and global talent attraction.

According to Financial Times’ fDi Markets data, hotels and tourism accounted for 21.3 per cent of total estimated foreign direct investment capital flows into Dubai in the first half of 2025, ranking among the top five sectors.

Dubai’s hotel inventory reached 154,264 rooms across 827 establishments by the end of 2025.

Average hotel occupancy rose to 80.7 per cent from 78.2 per cent in 2024, while occupied room nights increased 4 per cent to 44.85 million. Average daily rates climbed 8 per cent to Dhs579, and revenue per available room rose 11 per cent to Dhs467, DET data showed.

New hotel openings during the year included Ciel Dubai Marina, Vignette Collection by IHG, billed as the world’s tallest hotel, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai, Cheval Maison – Expo City and Vida Dubai Mall.

Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said record visitation reflected global confidence in the destination and the impact of policies aligned with D33. “We’re attracting global talent through progressive visa policies and strengthening Dubai’s competitiveness through innovation and guest experience,” he said.

DET launched new initiatives in 2025, including a Hotel Incentive Programme targeting high-growth areas such as Dubai South, Palm Jebel Ali and the Dubai Islands, and a citywide contactless hotel check-in system unveiled in December.

Global marketing campaigns during the year included “Find Your Story,” “Dubai. That’s How You Summer,” and “Dubai, Ready for a Surprise?”, while DET signed partnerships with companies including Marriott International, Visa, Hyatt, Premier Inn and Amadeus.

Dubai received several international accolades in 2025, including being named the first Certified Autism Destination™ in the Eastern Hemisphere, ranking among the world’s top ten safest cities by Numbeo, and being named the best city for solo female travellers by InsureMyTrip.

DXB is the world’s busiest airport

Dubai International Airport (DXB) retained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passengers for an 11th consecutive year, according to Airports Council International. DXB handled 24.2 million passengers in the third quarter of 2025, and 70.1 million passengers in the first nine months of the year, up 2.1 per cent.

Retail and sporting events, including Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai Summer Surprises and the Dubai Fitness Challenge, continued to attract visitors.

The Dubai Fitness Challenge recorded more than three million participants in 2025. The city also hosted the inaugural World Sports Summit.

DET said infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport and the Dubai Metro Blue Line, will support future growth, as the emirate advances its D33, Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and Quality of Life Strategy 2033 objectives.

As the UAE sharpens its focus on value-based healthcare, pharmaceutical players are being challenged to deliver innovation that balances quality, cost, and sustainability.

In this interview with Gulf Business, Mohammad Allakany, GM for Middle East and Africa at ELPEN, outlines the company’s regional investment strategy, its priorities for 2026, and why pharmacoeconomics and patient impact are becoming central to the next phase of healthcare growth in the Gulf.

What is the investment that ELPEN is bringing to the country?

To understand our investment, you have to look at our timeline. After our home base in Greece, we opened ELPEN Germany in 2012, and now, with the establishment of ELPEN MEA in the UAE, we have launched our third global hub.

But for me, the real investment isn’t just the office or the infrastructure, it’s the value we bring to the patient and the healthcare system. We are bringing European manufacturing quality, but we are doing it with a keen eye on pharmacoeconomics. Our investment is about proving that you don’t have to compromise on quality to get sustainability.

And sustainability is not a slogan; it’s built into the science. In respiratory care, for example, we are working on next-generation inhaled therapies that use green propellants with lower global warming potential, which reduces environmental impact while keeping treatment quality at the highest level

We are here to offer the UAE healthcare system a partner that understands the need for premium, effective treatments that are also economically viable for the long term.

Read: WHX 2026: Emirates Drug Establishment launches key pharma initiative

What are ELPEN’s plans for 2026?

For 2026, our focus is clear: to ensure that innovation translates into real patient impact across the region. We are prioritising high-burden disease areas where the clinical need is significant, and the value for healthcare systems is measurable, including cardiometabolic, CNS, oncology, and respiratory care.

In respiratory specifically, we are advancing our patented ELPENHALER platform for asthma and COPD. This is where patient-centric design meets health economics. By improving ease of use and supporting correct inhalation technique, we can strengthen adherence, reduce exacerbations, and ultimately help prevent avoidable hospitalisations.

And while ELPENHALER addresses the day-to-day reality of better inhalation, we are also preparing for the next chapter of respiratory care, including inhaled therapies developed with green propellants that have lower global warming potential, ensuring our innovation remains future-ready and sustainable.

The goal is simple: better outcomes for patients and greater efficiency for healthcare systems. In 2026, we are focused on scaling that impact across the region.

How is the UAE pharmaceutical industry set to grow in 2026?

The UAE is moving towards a very sophisticated model of growth. It’s no longer just about access; it’s about ‘value-based healthcare’. The regulators and payers are looking for solutions that offer the best outcome per dollar spent.

This is where ELPEN MEA fits in. As the market evolves in 2026, we expect quality and pharmacoeconomics to become even more closely connected. Patients are more informed and more demanding about the standards of care, while healthcare systems are focused on sustainability and long-term efficiency.

We are well-positioned in that space, bringing quality and credibility of a European R&D driven company, with a portfolio designed to support both access and sustainable value for the local population.

What are some key trends to look out for in this sector?

The dominant trend today is the growing focus on pharmacoeconomics. Across the Gulf, governments are looking for ways to manage the rising costs of chronic diseases, particularly cardiometabolic and CNS conditions, while maintaining a high standard of care.

We are seeing a clear shift from a ‘lowest price’ mindset to a ‘best value’ approach. This is exactly why value-added medicines are becoming increasingly important.

When a solution improves adherence, reduces complications and helps prevent avoidable hospitalisations, as with our respiratory treatments supported by the ELPENHALER, it delivers a real economic benefit for the healthcare system. Looking ahead, success in this sector will belong to partners who can demonstrate that quality is an investment in outcomes and system efficiency, not simply an added cost.