Gold has long stood at the intersection of culture, emotion and wealth, retaining its relevance across generations and economic cycles. Au Finja chairman Ajay Sobhraj explains why its enduring value could make gold the “fourth essential” of modern life.

At IIJS Bharat Premiere 2026, Au Finja chairman Ajay Sobhraj highlighted the enduring relevance of gold and its evolving role in wealth preservation, financial planning and everyday life.

For generations, gold has represented far more than jewellery. Across cultures and communities, it has been associated with prosperity, security and financial stability, while offering families an asset that can be preserved and passed from one generation to the next.

“Gold is not simply something we wear,” Ajay Sobhraj says. “It is something we preserve. It carries emotional value, cultural significance and financial value at the same time.”

The strong response to Au Finja’s presence at IIJS Bharat Premiere 2026, marked by significant interest from buyers across India and international markets, reflects the continued strength of the jewellery industry and sustained demand for quality, craftsmanship and trusted jewellery manufacturing.

For Ajay Sobhraj, the significance of gold extends beyond its traditional place in jewellery. He believes consumers should increasingly view gold through a broader lens, not simply as an ornament, but also as an asset that can play a role in long-term wealth planning.

While investment decisions should always be based on individual financial objectives and professional advice, an appropriate allocation to gold can form part of a diversified portfolio. Its historical role as a store of value has made it an asset that many families turn to across different economic cycles.

Ajay Sobhraj adds, “In the olden days, we spoke about food, clothing and shelter. But in today’s world, we are talking about food, clothing, shelter and gold, because gold is no longer just jewellery; it has increasingly become an important household asset, a store of value and a part of long-term financial security.”

That combination of emotional, cultural and financial value continues to distinguish gold from many other assets. It can mark milestones, become part of family traditions and, at the same time, represent a form of wealth that can be carried forward through generations.

For Au Finja, IIJS Bharat Premiere 2026 was therefore more than an exhibition. The event offered an opportunity to showcase the company’s commitment to craftsmanship, innovation and quality while strengthening its expanding presence across international jewellery markets.

As consumer attitudes towards wealth, investment and luxury continue to evolve, gold continues to retain its place at the intersection of tradition and modern financial thinking, remaining something people wear, celebrate, preserve and pass on.

Ajay Sobhraj thanked the Government of Dubai, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Chambers, Dubai Customs, jewellery associations, customers, retail partners, financial institutions, banks, vendors and industry partners for their continued support, trust and collaboration in strengthening the global jewellery ecosystem and shaping its future.

The Sharjah Department of Public Works (SDPW) is expanding and upgrading educational infrastructure across the emirate through new school and nursery projects, academic and sports facilities, and maintenance programmes aimed at improving learning environments.

The projects are being coordinated with the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) to ensure compliance with educational standards, licensing and operational requirements, including safety and early childhood provision, a WAM report said.

New schools and early childhood facilities

In Sharjah, SDPW completed Muhadhab School in just 60 days, transforming a 30,000-square-metre site into an educational complex capable of accommodating 400 students.

Its kindergarten and nursery facilities serve 150 children, while the building for grades one to four accommodates 250 students.

The school features 16 classrooms across both buildings, along with libraries, science and computer laboratories, medical facilities, multi-purpose play areas and a 117-seat theatre.

Read more: Looking for a school in Dubai? 26 new education institutions to open

The department also completed expansions at the Early Childhood Centre in Al Sayouh, adding four classrooms across 770 square metres for 96 children. At the Early Childhood Centre in Al Rahmaniya, six classrooms were added across 1,000 square metres, providing capacity for 150 children.

Maintenance works at Al Qulaia Nursery included upgrades to flooring, doors, ceilings, car park canopies, painting, air conditioning and electrical systems.

Four government nurseries are also under construction in Al Abar, for the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, as well as in Al Mawrada, Kashisha and Al Nouf.

Schools upgraded across the emirate

SDPW has also completed maintenance works at the Pakistani Islamic School in Al Ghubaiba, covering approximately 8,000 square metres of buildings and facilities.

The works included concrete repairs, roof waterproofing, refurbishment of toilets and ceilings, replacement of damaged fittings and installation of rubber flooring in sports areas.

In Al Dhaid, construction of Victoria International School in Al Thumama has reached 73 per cent completion. The campus will include administration buildings, a theatre, a multi-purpose sports hall, kindergarten and nursery facilities, and classrooms.

Playground covering and maintenance works at Al Bustan Nursery are 84 per cent complete.

In Al Madam, work includes construction of Tawila Nursery and expansion of Khalifa Al Hamza American School. The completed first phase of the school expansion comprises a 145-square-metre addition with a classroom, activity room and supervisor’s office, alongside a 365-square-metre girls’ section featuring four classrooms, a laboratory and a supervisor’s office.

The classrooms were handed over at the start of the academic year. Two dining facilities remain under construction: a 340-square-metre main facility accommodating 80 students and a 250-square-metre kindergarten facility serving 50 children. These facilities, along with the remaining buildings, are scheduled for handover in November.

Major projects in Kalba and Khorfakkan

In Kalba, SDPW completed the second phase of Victoria School, adding laboratories, classrooms, a theatre and separate libraries for boys and girls.

A new sports complex includes a multi-purpose hall and a semi-Olympic swimming pool.

Secondary school facilities at Al Sidra Private School have also been completed. The facilities include two indoor sports halls, classrooms, physics, chemistry, biology and computer laboratories, prayer rooms, clinics and staff facilities.

Al Ghail Nursery in Kalba has been completed, while Khor Kalba Nursery is 40 per cent complete. Both nurseries provide facilities for children from infancy to four years old, including classrooms, indoor and outdoor play areas, multi-purpose halls and supporting amenities.

In Khorfakkan, completed projects include Al Lulu’iya Nursery, which has 10 classrooms accommodating 200 children, administrative offices, a central kitchen and play areas.

The University Nursery has also been completed, providing three classrooms, a preparatory kitchen and indoor and outdoor play areas.

Maintenance works at Al Qadisiyah and Shis nurseries included painting, replacement of reception areas and upgrades to play-area flooring.

Work continues in Dibba Al Hisn

In Dibba Al Hisn, soil improvement works are under way for the North District Nursery, which will include four classrooms and service rooms.

Maintenance at Dibba Al Hisn Nursery has been completed, including interior and exterior painting, replacement of the reception area and improvements to play-area flooring.

The projects form part of Sharjah’s wider efforts to increase educational capacity, strengthen early childhood services and provide safe, modern facilities for students and children across the emirate.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded the naming rights of the metro station previously known as ONPASSIVE Metro Station to Garmin under a new 10-year agreement, further expanding the roster of global brands participating in the emirate’s transport branding programme.

The station will be renamed Garmin Metro Station under an agreement with AMIT Retail LLC, the sole distributor of Garmin products in the UAE. Garmin is a global technology company known for developing smart devices and GPS navigation solutions.

The announcement marks the latest addition to the Dubai Metro Stations Naming Rights Initiative, which spans stations across the Red and Green Lines and has attracted a range of international and regional brands since its launch.

According to the RTA, the partnership reflects the continued success of the initiative and demonstrates its ability to attract global companies seeking long-term brand visibility through Dubai’s public transport network.

The authority said the agreement also aligns with the Government of Dubai’s vision of strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors while reinforcing the emirate’s position as a global destination for investment opportunities.

The naming rights programme forms part of Dubai’s broader strategy to generate non-fare revenue from public transport assets while offering brands sustained exposure across one of the world’s busiest urban rail networks.

The station’s new Garmin branding is expected to be rolled out across metro signage, onboard announcements and digital wayfinding systems in line with RTA’s implementation schedule.

Construction of Abu Dhabi’s Dhs6.4bn Sphere is gathering pace just months after ALEC Holdings secured the landmark contract, with the project now moving from early-stage preparation into active delivery.

The Abu Dhabi venue will be only the second Sphere in the world after Las Vegas, where the original rapidly became a global landmark following its 2023 opening.

Its 580,000 sq ft programmable exterior — the Exosphere — is the world’s largest LED screen, while inside, a 160,000 sq ft wraparound display and advanced immersive audio technology have helped redefine the traditional entertainment arena.

ALEC was awarded the Abu Dhabi project in May 2026 by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Valued at around Dhs6.4bn, it is now the largest single contract in ALEC’s Dhs32.5bn backlog and is scheduled for delivery through 2029.

Speaking exclusively to Gulf Business, ALEC Holdings CEO Barry Lewis said the project has already advanced significantly since the award, with Atkins onboarded as lead designer, permit applications submitted and major procurement packages — including structural steel and technology partners — concluded. Ground works and piling are also under way.

“Those are important early steps because this is a project where design, procurement and construction must advance in parallel,” Lewis said.

“The sequencing is particularly demanding given the scale and complexity of the structure.”

A 150-metre engineering challenge

Sphere Abu Dhabi will be approximately 150 metres in diameter and comprise two distinct envelopes.

The internal envelope contains the amphitheatre and immersive LED screen, while the external envelope — the Exosphere — houses individually controllable LED elements.

That creates an unusually complicated construction sequence.

“Each stage is tightly interdependent, and once that sequence is established, there is very little room to deviate from it,” Lewis said.

“The work completed to date places the project exactly where we want it to be at this stage,” he added.

Although the finished Sphere will be immediately recognisable to anyone familiar with Las Vegas, Lewis said the engineering underneath it cannot simply be replicated.

“The essential thing to note here is that an identical public experience does not mean an identical construction solution,” he said.

“Yes, the dome will be immediately recognisable, but almost every layer beneath that appearance has to be adapted for Abu Dhabi.”

That means accommodating different climatic conditions, building codes, power requirements, logistics networks and suppliers.

“The challenge is therefore to preserve the integrity of the Sphere concept, while engineering every surrounding system to work safely and effectively here,” Lewis said.

62,872 individually calibrated tiles

Perhaps the clearest indication of the project’s technical complexity lies inside the venue.

Lewis said that despite rapid advances in processing technology, much of the Sphere’s physical specification has to remain fixed because the content itself is designed around a precisely defined environment.

“Ultimately, content must be created for a defined physical environment,” he said.

“That means a highly specific screen geometry, pixel count and combination of visual, audio and sensory effects. Change the envelope materially, and the content no longer performs as intended.”

The internal IMS display will be assembled from 933 facets comprising 62,872 individually calibrated tiles, all of which must align seamlessly to create one continuous 180-degree image.

“A small deviation can appear as a visible seam or distortion,” Lewis said.

The tolerances are so fine that the supporting steel and panels have to be installed under temperature- and dust-controlled conditions, including a temperature-matched connection between the assembly area and the building.

“Even a difference of around four or five degrees can affect the tolerances,” he said.

ALEC’s Dhs32.5bn pipeline

The Sphere award comes amid a period of rapid growth for ALEC.

The group generated Dhs8.99bn in revenue during the first half of 2026, up 67.6 per cent year on year, while its backlog reached Dhs32.5bn.

Building and construction revenue more than doubled to Dhs5.8bn, supported by major projects including the Stargate Data Centre, Wynn Al Marjan Resort and the ilmi Science and Discovery Center.

ALEC is targeting full-year revenue growth of around 45 to 50 per cent, with its secured backlog already providing full coverage of expected 2026 revenue.

Lewis said the group remains selective despite the scale of opportunity across the region.

“We concentrate on complex, high-value projects that are strategically important to clients and to the region, and we make sure we have the people, supply chain and management capacity to execute them properly, before we commit,” he said.

Data centres are also becoming an increasingly important part of ALEC’s strategy. Lewis said the company identified the sector as a priority around seven years ago, well before the current acceleration in AI infrastructure spending.

“Our success in this segment is not the result of a single large project or the recent acceleration of technologies such as AI,” he said.

“It is grounded in a deliberate strategy that began when we identified data centres as a priority around seven years ago and built a dedicated capability around the sector.”

Saudi Arabia is another major growth market, with Lewis pointing to aviation, entertainment, data centres and energy as key areas of opportunity.

But he stressed that ALEC is not chasing growth for its own sake.

“We have a healthy group backlog and are not under pressure to manufacture growth in any one country,” he said.

“Our approach across the business, irrespective of geography, is to pursue distinctive projects where our technical depth and integrated delivery model can add value,” Lewis concluded.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi will add three Harry Potter-themed lands as part of a major expansion that will increase the indoor theme park’s overall size by more than 50 per cent, Miral said on Monday.

The new lands, Diagon Alley, Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest, will cover approximately 63,000 square metres, or 678,000 square feet, with construction targeted for completion in 2029.

Miral, which is developing the project in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, said the expansion would feature world-exclusive Harry Potter-themed rides created specifically for Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

An official opening date has not yet been announced.

Wider expansion of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

The Harry Potter development forms part of a wider expansion of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island. The project also includes two previously announced DC attractions, Kryptonite Collider and Superman Up and Away.

Together, the additions will add around 70,000 square metres, or 753,478 square feet, of new theme park space and increase the park’s overall size by more than 50 per cent.

“The introduction of the three new Harry Potter-themed lands represents a significant milestone in the continued evolution of Yas Island and the emirate of Abu Dhabi,” Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Miral, said.

Al Mubarak said the expansion was aligned with Abu Dhabi’s broader objectives to diversify its economy, strengthen its tourism offering and expand its entertainment sector.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi currently has six immersive lands and is described by Miral as the region’s largest indoor theme park.

Simon Robinson, president of Global Experiences and Studio Operations at Warner Bros. Discovery, said the addition of three Harry Potter-themed lands would deepen the connection between the company’s franchises and visitors.

“The expansion of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi represents a significant step forward in our commitment to building world-class destinations anchored in the strength of our storytelling,” Robinson said.

Miral and Warner Bros. Discovery first announced plans for a Harry Potter-themed land at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi in November 2022. At the time, the companies described the project as a single themed land that would be significant in scale.

The latest announcement substantially expands on those plans by confirming three separate lands and identifying them as Diagon Alley, Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest.

The development is the latest addition to Yas Island’s growing portfolio of leisure and entertainment attractions as Abu Dhabi seeks to expand tourism’s contribution to its economy.