Strong government regulation and hefty public spending have buoyed the Kingdom’s banking sector.
After 30 months of recession, revolution and soaring oil prices, flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith tells Jonathan Sheikh-Miller why even a potential global double dip won’t spoil his bold expansion plans.
Banks are focusing on building Tier 1 capital to meet stringent global liquidity regulations.
Difficult conditions mean banks are spreading their retail wings to attract customer deposits and loans.
The famous British hotelier tells Jonathan Sheikh-Miller why he’s not fazed by talk of Abu Dhabi over-supply.
Banks are slowly recovering from the 2008 fallout, but the impact of a recent government funding drive remains to be seen.
Massive public spending and impressive GDP growth spell a bumper year for Qatari banks.
Increased consumer lending and new Islamic banks will put the country on a solid footing for 2012.
The Arab Spring boosted private jet travel as diplomats and business leaders engaged in peace talks.
The Arab spring has reignited interest in Jordan and Morroco joining the GCC but not all the member countries agree.
After years of pressure, Islamic scholars in the Gulf are finally modernising their operations, much to the delight of Western financial organisations
Big brand companies are led by leaders with a strong personal brand, writes leadership expert, Tommy Weir
The systemic risk in GCC private equity funds was grossly underestimated by investors who assumed that the region’s equity and property bubbles would last forever.
Thomas Lundgren, boss of The One furniture chain, tells Alicia Buller how he swerved bankruptcy and burn-out to launch new stores.
No matter the concessions to regional unrest, controlled state economies may not offer a solution in a networked global economy with unfettered capital markets.
Alicia Buller hangs out with Georges Kern, suave CEO of luxury watch-maker IWC Schaffhausen, at the Laureus World Sports Awards.
With only around 10 per cent of Saudi’s currently owning their home, the new mortgage laws could be set to boost real estate firms, banks and society overall.
Low liquidity and weak confidence continue to dampen the Gulf’s IPO pipeline. Stringent local market guidelines must be relaxed to improve cashflow.
Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, speaks out on his detractors and his record order book.
As the global economy reels from fresh Euro and US woes, the gold price is set for a dizzying ascent.
Anan Fakhreddin, the man charged with salvaging the reputation of Damas jewellery firm, tells Alicia Buller why he’s got one of the most difficult jobs in the region.
The region welcomes its first non-executive director ‘match-making’ service as it strengthens corporate governance regulation.
V Shankar, CEO of Standard Chartered says the unrest is inflating banking wages but he’s confident the UAE will be the financial services powerhouse for the region.
Gulf real estate players are pumping money into Lebanon and playing an ever-larger hand in the nation’s landscape.
In the wake of the tax evasion clampdown in the West, Swiss banks are aggressively pursuing the emerging markets, says Raymond Baer, chairman of billion dollar investment bank Julius Baer.
Gulf Business Investigates how the global crisis affected Oman Cyprus, two very different landscapes with similarly challenging property cycles.
Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, speaks exclusively to Alicia Buller about Western detractors, rising oil prices, and why there’s enough future global demand to fill his record order book.