Saudi’s tourism industry banks on niche market for growth

As other regional economies target the mass market, Saudi Arabia is banking on religious travellers and staycationers to grow its tourism industry

A week in the life of…Peter Skudutis

General manager of Zero Gravity Peter Skudutis reveals the day-to-day demands of leading the popular beach club, bar and restaurant

Cheap oil weans Gulf state firms off public purse, pushes them to market

Building projects from universities to soccer stadiums were funded entirely by the public purse but that is changing due to low oil prices

Behind the curtain of… gaming monitors

Gulf Business speaks to Manish Bakshi, managing director of BenQ Middle East and Turkey

It takes two – why the tech crowd needs options

Screen size trends in smartphones, tablets and watches have been shifting, writes IDC MEA research analyst Saad Elkhadem

Timeline: Dubai’s Emirates completes 30 years

The fast growing Dubai airline began with a capital of $10m and two leased aircraft

Wearables and the personalisation of tech

Despite concerns over security, wearables are gaining momentum – writes Spyridon Gousetis

Sharjah woos property investors with mega projects

Sharjah’s property developers are booking to attract expat investors with billions of dirhams of mixed-use projects

Saudi’s automotive ambitions grow

Saudi Arabia is planning to become the region’s car manufacturing hub

OPEC will keep oil output high even if prices stay low, traders say

OPEC ministers meet in Vienna on December 4 to decide production policy

APICORP, QIB sukuk issues show Gulf bond market power shift

Fund managers say there is still substantial latent demand for Gulf debt but investors would no longer accept tight pricings that prevailed just six months ago

Exclusive: Dubai Duty Free’s Colm McLoughlin on building a successful business

Having been in his post since 1984, executive vice chairman Colm McLoughlin talks about the leadership and innovation necessary to create an efficient business operation

The shares trade at rational valuations

UAE equities now trade at a discount to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, writes Matein Khalid

Dubai’s property market slows, but developers remain upbeat

Although Dubai’s real estate market has been sliding, the emirate has seen several new launches

A $70 oil floor? Fat chance, but OPEC price plan may be first step

Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de facto leader, has shown zero interest in returning to a strategy of supporting prices

Saudi state claws back unspent money as finances tighten

Ministries are being told that if money is not fully spent on the projects for which it was originally allocated, the remainder must be sent back to the Treasury

How I got here: Abdulla Al Gurg, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group general manager

The third-generation family business executive describes his climb to the top

It’s time to be bullish on China

Investors in China should focus on the right sectors, writes chief investment officer at Nikko Asset Management Yu Ming-Wang

How migrants can benefit Europe

Conflict and refugees are an opportunity, not an exercise in crisis management, writes Nasser Saidi

Access Bank enters Dubai to tap into regional trade boom

One of Nigeria’s biggest lenders is opening its first branch in Dubai to capitalise on growing Middle East-Africa investment ties

How to invest through the internet

Saxo Bank Abu Dhabi head Fadi Mehdi explains the ins and outs of investing online

GCC states wrest strategic Yemen island from Iran-allied group

Local tribesmen are fighting alongside Gulf forces to “liberate” the home turf whose strategic value has long captivated foreign powers

UAE money rates hit multi-year highs as oil money dries up

As governments’ oil income shrinks, they are making fewer new deposits in their banking systems, reducing banks’ supplies of excess cash

Why is customer service still a problem for Dubai banks?

From delays to wrong products, customer care remains a challenge for lenders, writes Aarti Nagraj

Five minutes with…Tarish Eid Al Mansouri, director general, Dubai Courts

Dubai Courts is aiming to increase the number of smart services in order to speed up litigation process, says Al Mansouri

Parting thoughts from Edward Hobart, former British consul general to Dubai

Exclusive: Edward Hobart on why he will miss the UAE

Saudi Arabia’s new oil policy works in reclaiming market share

Saudi Arabia led a shift by the OPEC in November 2014 to defend market share against competing supplies

Audi: Driving into the future

Senior board members at Audi and parent company Volkswagen explain how driving as we know it is about to change

Glencore, VW hits to push Qatar sovereign fund to diversify more

Qatar Investment Authority owns 8.2 per cent of Glencore, 17 per cent of Volkswagen ordinary shares and 12.8 per cent of its preference shares

Why Middle East firms should focus on having a healthy workforce

Restricting healthcare cover will not be productive in the longer term, writes director of Health and Group Benefits at Towers Watson Steve Clements