Etihad Airways reported a near 50 per cent jump in net profit to $698m last year, the carrier said on Tuesday, as increased capacity supported strong demand across markets and lifted its load factor.

“We’ve been investing a lot in our product, in customer satisfaction. We’ve been growing a lot, adding capacity, right?…So I would say it’s a combination of efforts,” CEO Antonoaldo Neves told Reuters.

The Abu Dhabi airline said passenger numbers rose 21 per cent to 22.4 million in 2025, with the fleet expanding to 127 aircraft after 29 new jets were added during the year through deliveries from both Boeing and Airbus, along with the return to service of the A380.

The airline sees signs of continued strength in demand this year, with “more and more premium demand”, Neves said.

“Our load factors were 88 per cent last year,” he said. “We’re getting many, many days of 90 per cent this year. We wouldn’t have that if economy was not strong as well.”

“I think the great news that we have is that the new markets are performing much better than we thought … they’re maturing much, much more quickly than we actually anticipated,” he said, without mentioning specific geographies.

Plans to expand in Asia, Europe

Last year, the Gulf airline launched new routes including Prague, Hanoi and Hong Kong.

Asked about further route expansion for this year, Neves said the company plans to further expand in China, Southeast Asia and Europe.

In recent years, airlines have struggled with aircraft deliveries amid increasing demand, as Boeing undergoes multiple crises and Airbus struggles with supply chain constraints.

Neves said Etihad is focused on keeping its retrofit programme on schedule while working with manufacturers to secure timely deliveries.

“So far, I mean, I wouldn’t say it’s amazing … but it’s improving,” Neves said, noting the carrier expects about 20 more aircraft to be delivered this year, primarily from Airbus.

The Tata Group, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and OpenAI have announced a multi-dimensional strategic partnership aimed at accelerating AI-driven innovation across enterprise, consumer and social sectors, while strengthening India’s AI infrastructure ambitions.

The collaboration spans enterprise deployment, industry transformation, infrastructure development and workforce enablement. It will see several thousand Tata Group employees gain access to Enterprise ChatGPT to enhance productivity and innovation, while TCS will leverage OpenAI’s Codex to improve software engineering performance.

A key pillar of the partnership involves the development of industry-specific agentic AI solutions. OpenAI will bring its advanced AI capabilities, while TCS will contribute sector expertise and contextual implementation capabilities to design solutions tailored to specific industries.

The two companies will also pursue joint go-to-market initiatives, enabling Indian and global enterprises to deploy and scale OpenAI’s AI platforms. TCS will support customers in integrating and operationalising AI solutions aligned to their organisational requirements.

On the infrastructure front, TCS’ HyperVault unit and OpenAI have agreed to a multi-year partnership to build AI-ready infrastructure in India. The initial phase will include the development of 100MW of AI infrastructure capacity, with plans to scale to 1GW. The facilities are expected to support next-generation AI workloads and position India as a global AI hub.

Beyond commercial objectives, the partnership includes a social impact component. The OpenAI Foundation and TCS will collaborate to provide AI training and resources to Indian youth, with a target of improving the livelihoods of at least one million young people. The initiative will include technology toolkits for NGOs and youth-focused programmes to promote responsible AI adoption.

Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI, said, “India is already leading the way in AI adoption, and with its talent, ambition, and strong government support, it is well placed to help shape its future. Through OpenAI for India and our partnership with Tata Group, we’re working together to build the infrastructure, skills, and local partnerships needed to build AI with India, for India, and in India, so that more people across the country can access and benefit from it.”

N Chandrasekaran, chairman, Tata Sons, said, “This deep collaboration between OpenAI and Tata Group marks a major milestone in India’s vision to become a global leader in AI. We are pleased to partner with OpenAI to create state-of-the-art AI infrastructure in India. This is a unique opportunity for OpenAI and TCS to transform industries. Together we will skill India’s youth and empower them to succeed in the AI era.”

TCS established HyperVault in 2025 to deliver gigawatt-scale, AI-ready infrastructure for hyperscalers and AI-driven enterprises. Powered by green energy, the platform will feature purpose-built, liquid-cooled data centres with high rack densities and connectivity across major cloud regions.

The partnership signals a significant step in India’s push to strengthen domestic AI capabilities while scaling enterprise adoption and infrastructure readiness.

Read: OpenAI expands global push for AI use, data centre buildout

Telecommunications giant e& said on Tuesday that its group CEO, Hatem Dowidar, will step down at the end of March 2026, concluding a six-year tenure that reshaped the group into a global player.

The board has appointed Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, currently chief executive of e& UAE, as Group CEO effective April 1, 2026. Mahmood will hold the dual role of Group CEO and CEO of e& UAE.

Read more: Who is Masood Sharif Mahmood, the new CEO set to lead e& into its next phase?

The board has accepted Dowidar’s resignation, with his last working day set for March 31, 2026. The move comes as e& reported record financial results for 2025 and is aligned with the group’s long-term succession plan.

Dowidar has led e& since 2020, overseeing a period of rapid transformation and international expansion. During his tenure, the company evolved beyond its core telecommunications business, building scale across digital services, fintech, enterprise solutions and digital lifestyle platforms.

Under his leadership, e& strengthened its footprint across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe, while accelerating investment in new growth verticals.

The announcement coincided with e& posting double-digit growth across revenue, profit and subscribers in 2025. Consolidated revenue rose 23.1 per cent year on year to Dhs72.9bn, while net profit climbed 33.6 per cent to Dhs14.4bn. EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) increased 21.1 per cent to Dhs32.0bn, and earnings per share reached Dhs1.65.

The group’s total subscriber base expanded 31.3 per cent to 244.7 million, supported by growth across international markets. In the UAE, subscribers increased 8.4 per cent to 16.3 million.

The board proposed a second-half dividend of 47 fils per share, taking the full-year payout to 90 fils, and said the annual dividend will rise to 95 fils in 2026.

The e& board thanked Dowidar for his leadership and the milestones achieved during his tenure, noting that his departure follows the successful delivery of the group’s latest phase of transformation.

In a LinkedIn post, Dowidar said: “I am thrilled to see the company continue to grow, driven by the incredible e& teams across all markets who deliver on our shared ambition.”

“While this news is a big change, it’s all hands on deck for the next five weeks as we ensure a smooth handover to Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, the new Group CEO. My last day as Group CEO will be the 31st of March. Until then, I remain fully committed to the transition and will give my proper goodbyes at the end of March,” he said.

A new regional survey by Deloitte’s Tax & Legal practice shows that organisations across the GCC are accelerating adoption of Generative AI (GenAI) within tax, finance and legal functions — but many are still struggling to scale beyond pilot phases.

Based on insights from senior tax and finance leaders in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, the survey highlights a sharp drop in non-adoption rates, falling from 52 per cent in 2024 to 29 per cent in 2025. Participation in the study rose 47 per cent year-on-year, signalling growing executive engagement with AI strategy. Deloitte said the findings indicate GenAI has now become a mainstream priority for regional leadership teams.

Initial use cases centred on basic productivity tasks such as email drafting. However, focus has shifted toward research and analysis (41 per cent) and improving accuracy and quality (38 per cent), reflecting a move from efficiency-led experimentation to more strategic value creation. At the same time, 93 per cent of respondents expect AI to have a significant long-term impact on their organisations.

Despite this confidence, execution gaps remain pronounced. While 18 per cent of organisations are actively piloting GenAI use cases, only 9 per cent have begun scaling solutions. Just 10 per cent report having enterprise-wide AI strategies and governance frameworks in place, and more than 63 per cent remain in pre-implementation stages. Deloitte noted that clearer operating models, stronger governance and structured roadmaps are required to translate ambition into measurable outcomes.

Automation remains a key opportunity area, with 53 per cent of respondents prioritising automation, particularly in data validation and reconciliation. However, leaders are increasingly prioritising analytical depth over speed, with research and data analysis accounting for 41 per cent of applications.

Implementation approaches across the GCC vary. While some organisations are adopting subscription-based or hybrid deployment models, 38 per cent are still evaluating how to operationalise GenAI, underscoring demand for advisory support to bridge strategy and execution.

Muhammad Bahemia, Middle East tax leader at Deloitte, said: “The pace of Generative AI adoption across the GCC reflects a region that is both ambitious and pragmatic. Leaders clearly recognize the technology’s potential, but many are now confronting the harder question of how to scale it responsibly. Through our work across tax, finance, and legal functions, Deloitte is helping organizations translate innovation into disciplined execution; strengthening governance, building capabilities, and embedding AI in ways that deliver measurable value and enduring trust.”

Mohamed Serokh, partner, at Deloitte Middle East, added: “What we’re seeing across the GCC is a clear shift from curiosity to action. Leaders recognize GenAI’s potential to fundamentally reshape tax, finance, and legal functions, particularly in research, analysis, and quality improvement. However, our survey also shows that many organizations are still navigating how to move from pilots to scalable impact. Success will depend on strong governance, capability development, and a disciplined approach to implementation.”

The survey concludes that while experimentation is widespread, the next phase for GCC organisations must centre on structured execution — prioritising high-impact research and tax analysis use cases, strengthening governance frameworks and investing in workforce readiness to support responsible, scaled adoption.

The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) has announced the activation of a new regulatory mechanism requiring pharmaceutical companies to appoint more than one agent for each medical product registered in the UAE, in a move aimed at ending monopolistic practices and strengthening national drug security.

The measure, described as the first of its kind in the UAE healthcare sector, is designed to ensure the continuous availability of medicines and medical products while reducing the risks associated with supply chain disruptions.

Under the new framework, pharmaceutical manufacturers operating in the UAE market will no longer be permitted to rely on a single exclusive local agent for the distribution of a registered medical product. Instead, companies must appoint multiple agents, creating a more competitive and resilient distribution structure.

According to the announcement, the mechanism seeks to address monopolistic dynamics that can limit market access, constrain pricing flexibility and increase vulnerability to supply interruptions — particularly during emergencies and global crises. By diversifying distribution channels, regulators aim to safeguard consistent product availability across hospitals, pharmacies and healthcare providers nationwide.