Dubai-based Indian real estate entrepreneur and chairman of Confident Group, Dr C.J. Roy, has died by suicide, according to Indian media reports on Friday.

Indian authorities said Roy was found with a gunshot wound inside his office in central Bengaluru and was later declared dead at hospital. Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and have not disclosed an official motive.

Multiple Indian media outlets reported that the incident occurred on Friday afternoon and coincided with an ongoing visit by Income Tax Department officials to Roy’s office premises. Police officials said forensic teams were called to the scene and procedural formalities, including a post-mortem examination, have been initiated.

Roy, 57, was a prominent real estate developer with business interests spanning India, the UAE and the US. According to Indian media, he is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

A UAE Golden Visa holder, Roy was based in Dubai and split his time between the UAE and India. He was also active in film production and was a well-known public figure in Kerala, his home state.

Founded nearly two decades ago, Confident Group has delivered more than 200 residential and commercial projects across southern India. In recent years, the company expanded its footprint in the UAE, positioning Dubai as a key growth market.

Confident Group entered the Dubai property market with the Confident Lancaster project in Liwan, Dubailand. The project was delivered 11 months ahead of schedule in June 2024.

According to the company website, the group outlined a growing development pipeline in Dubai, with 11 projects currently listed in its official portfolio, spanning completed developments as well as projects in the “coming soon” and early planning stages.

While the group has delivered more than 210 projects globally, primarily across India, Dubai is emerging as a key growth market in its international expansion strategy.

Police officials in India said investigations are ongoing and that statements from family members and associates are being recorded. Further details are expected as authorities continue to examine both personal and professional aspects linked to the case.

Boosting bilateral investment flows and expanding cooperation is part of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked between the UAE and Scotland

The agreement was signed by Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Investment, and Kate Forbes, Scotland’s deputy first minister and cabinet secretary for economy and Gaelic this week.

The MoU sets out a framework for cooperation in investment promotion and facilitation, including closer coordination between government bodies, investment promotion agencies, chambers of commerce and private sector stakeholders in the UAE and Scotland.

“This Memorandum of Understanding reinforces the Ministry of Investment’s commitment to building lasting and meaningful partnerships with leading global economies,” Alhawi said. “This agreement builds on sustained engagement between the UAE and Scotland across government, businesses and investors, including most recently through Investopia, and reflects our shared ambition to translate dialogue into tangible outcomes.”

He added: “We look forward to deepening this partnership further and creating high-quality investment opportunities that benefit our respective business ecosystems and support long-term, sustainable growth.”

Cooperation under the agreement will include the exchange of information on investment legislation, policies and regulations, the identification of investment opportunities across sectors of mutual interest, and support for partnerships between public and private sector entities, including small and medium-sized enterprises.

Business engagement will form a central pillar of the cooperation, with plans for joint forums, exhibitions, investment missions and networking events to strengthen links between UAE and Scottish companies and investors.

The agreement builds on recent collaboration through Investopia Global Edinburgh, held in December 2025, and includes support for Scottish company participation at Investopia’s flagship event in Abu Dhabi in April 2026. The two sides also plan to deliver a series of Investopia Global sessions during the year and host a larger Investopia Global event in Scotland in late 2026.

“This agreement opens doors for Scottish businesses of all sizes to grow and succeed on the international stage,” Forbes said. “By connecting our entrepreneurs with UAE partners and investors, we are creating real opportunities for jobs and prosperity across Scotland.”

She added: “Attracting global investment into Scotland is crucial to growing the economy, a key priority of this government.”

The MoU will be implemented through designated focal points on both sides, who will oversee cooperation activities and agree forward work plans through regular coordination meetings.

Snap Inc., in partnership with The Business of Fashion, has unveiled a new industry report titled Building Brand Resonance With Gulf Consumers, offering fresh insight into how fashion and beauty brands can connect more effectively with consumers across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The report was launched at Shop Talk Luxe in Abu Dhabi.

The study examines how the GCC’s fashion and beauty landscape is being reshaped by the convergence of evolving cultural narratives, community-driven engagement, and digital innovation. It highlights the growing role of augmented reality (AR) and culturally attuned digital experiences in redefining how brands engage with one of the world’s fastest-growing and most digitally fluent consumer markets.

Set against the backdrop of the Gulf’s rapid economic diversification and digital transformation, the report outlines the characteristics of a new generation of luxury consumers who are youthful, highly connected, and deeply rooted in culture and community. It argues that brands seeking long-term relevance in the region must recalibrate their strategies by blending technology, storytelling, and immersive digital experiences to engage audiences across the GCC.

Hussein Freijeh, vice president for Snap Inc. MENA & APAC, said: “The GCC is at the forefront of digital innovation, and Snapchat is proud to be a vital part of its transformation. As consumer expectations continue to evolve – brands will need to find ways to reach and engage the next generation of consumers. We’re excited to partner with the Business of Fashion to share insights on how fashion and beauty brands can engage the next generation of luxury consumers. Snapchatters in MENA are turning to Snapchat to shop, discover and learn about fashion and beauty products – from augmented reality powered virtual try-ons to brand partnerships with culturally relevant creators that help brands reach and engage consumers. Brands that win will understand how to blend commerce and technology into meaningful experiences both online and offline.”

Key insights from the report include a detailed look at shifting consumer dynamics across the GCC. Demographic changes are playing a central role, including increased female participation in the workforce in Saudi Arabia, which rose by 64 per cent between 2018 and 2020, alongside a predominantly young population, with 60% of people in the region under the age of 30. These trends are reshaping perceptions of luxury, aspiration, and brand engagement.

Read: Dubai Fashion Week: What you need to know about the event

The report also highlights the growing importance of community-building as a driver of brand value. Consumers increasingly expect brands to move beyond transactional relationships and create spaces for interaction, trust, and shared experiences. According to the findings, 77 per cent of Snapchat users in the GCC share products or recommend brands to friends and family, reinforcing the platform’s strength as a channel for word-of-mouth influence.

Another key theme is the blending of digital and physical retail experiences. With 70 per cent of Snapchat users globally engaging with AR on the platform, the GCC has emerged as a leading market for virtual try-on experiences. Examples cited include AR lenses such as Gucci’s sneaker try-ons and Dior’s regionally inspired activations, which allow consumers to engage with products in immersive and culturally relevant ways.

Cultural storytelling is also identified as a critical differentiator for brands in the region. The report highlights how AR-led Ramadan campaigns, National Day activations, and heritage-driven collaborations can help brands align with the cultural rhythm of the Gulf while leveraging advanced technologies to build deeper emotional connections and long-term loyalty.

The report was launched alongside an exclusive panel discussion at Shop Talk Luxe, featuring industry leaders and digital innovation experts who explored how AR is opening new avenues for storytelling, engagement, and commerce in the GCC luxury market.

The collaboration between Snap Inc. and The Business of Fashion reflects the rapid evolution of a young, sophisticated, and digitally native consumer base across the Gulf. It also aligns with national vision agendas across the region, which prioritise cultural heritage, social mobility, and advanced digital infrastructure as foundations for future economic growth. By focusing on themes such as personalisation, authenticity, and technology integration, the report provides actionable insights for brands navigating an increasingly competitive and community-led luxury ecosystem.

The full report is available for download here.

Dubai Fashion Week, organised by Dubai Design District (d3) in collaboration with the Arab Fashion Council, will take place from February 1 to 6, bringing together a distinguished line-up of international designers and buyers from around the world.

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The event reinforces Dubai’s growing status as an emerging global capital for fashion and design, underscoring its role as a key meeting point for the international creative economy.

Manish Malhotra returns to the runway

Renowned Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra will return to the Dubai runway to present the closing show of the Autumn/Winter season, a move that underscores Dubai’s rising profile as a global hub for the fashion industry and creative innovation, a WAM report said.

His participation highlights the city’s ability to attract globally recognised designers to its fashion calendar.

Commitment to creative exchange

Malhotra said his renewed participation reflects his commitment to expanding his presence in Dubai as a global meeting point for creatives and a platform for cultural dialogue between East and West. He noted that his international collection embodies a contemporary cultural narrative and a high level of craftsmanship in design.

For her part, Khadija Al Bastaki, senior vice president of TECOM Group, Dubai Design District, said that Malhotra’s return for the second consecutive year highlights the growing confidence of leading international designers in Dubai Fashion Week as a premier global platform for creative exchange.

China has given its top AI startup DeepSeek approval to buy Nvidia’s NVDA.O H200 artificial intelligence chips with regulatory conditions that are still being finalised, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing sources, that ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent had been given permission to purchase more than 400,000 H200 chips in total.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told reporters in Taipei on Thursday that his company had not received such information. He added that he believed that China was still finalising the licence. Nvidia did not respond to a request for comment on DeepSeek’s approval.

China’s industry and commerce ministries have granted approvals for all four companies, but have stipulated that they will impose conditions that are still being finalised, the sources said. These conditions are being decided by China’s state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), according to one of the people.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Commerce and NDRC did not answer requests for comment.

DeepSeek, which rattled the global tech sector early last year by rolling out AI models that cost a fraction of those being developed by US rivals such as OpenAI, did not answer a request for comment.

The H200, Nvidia’s second most powerful AI chip, has emerged as a major flashpoint in US-China relations. Despite strong demand from Chinese firms and U.S. approval for exports, Beijing’s hesitation to allow imports has been the main barrier to shipments.

The US earlier this month formally cleared the way for Nvidia to sell the H200 to China, where the company is seeing strong appetite. However, Chinese authorities have the final say on whether they would allow it to be shipped in.

Any purchases of H200 chips by DeepSeek could draw scrutiny by U.S lawmakers. Reuters reported on Wednesday that a senior US lawmaker had alleged that Nvidia had helped DeepSeek hone artificial intelligence models that were later used by the Chinese military, according to a letter sent to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

DeepSeek is expected to launch its next-generation AI model V4, featuring strong coding capabilities, in mid-February, The Information reported earlier this month.

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