Fakhruddin Properties has announced the successful completion of its pilot 90:90 Waste Management initiative, a pioneering model that can divert 90 per cent of building waste from landfills within 90 days. The programme – the first of its kind in the UAE – was rolled out at Trafalgar Central in Dubai International City and has now achieved its waste reduction goals.

The initiative introduces in-building composting and waste-sorting facilities at the residential development, aligning with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 agenda, Dubai Municipality’s plan to close landfills by 2027, and the Circular Economy Policy 2021–2031.

Overcoming challenges

While the technology itself was not the main obstacle, Yousuf Fakhruddin, CEO of Fakhruddin Properties, explained that the greater challenge lay in driving resident participation.

“I don’t think there was much of a technical challenge. The bigger challenge for us was the behavior. There’s always resistance to change,” he said. “Some people welcomed it, some learned and got educated, some did it for the incentives, and some wouldn’t budge.”

To address this, the company used multiple engagement methods, from door-to-door awareness campaigns to involving children in advocacy. “When a child comes and tells you, please do it, there’s a different reaction than an adult – and it is for their future,” Fakhruddin added, talking exlusively to Gulf Business.

Incentives and brand value

The programme is supported by a reward system, including a “gold programme” to encourage consistent participation. However, for Fakhruddin, the true value lies beyond immediate cost considerations.

“What are you representing? If you don’t care about your community, you’ll just build a building with four walls and leave it. If you are a brand that actually cares about the community and the people and the children, you will adopt these initiatives,” he said.

He added that sustainability has become a differentiator in Dubai’s competitive real estate sector. “We are not a very big developer in Dubai. We are medium-sized, but our name, when it comes to sustainability, is synonymous. It has given us a brand reputation which no other developers have.”

Scaling the 90:90 model

Having proven effective at Trafalgar Central, Fakhruddin sees the model as highly scalable across Dubai and the wider UAE. “We have done this in a CBD building in International City. If we can achieve it there, we can achieve it in other buildings,” he said.

The company now plans to expand the initiative across its entire portfolio, with the long-term goal of embedding waste segregation and recycling as second nature for residents.

Fakhruddin also highlighted the importance of regulatory support to drive adoption across the sector. “Unless you get regulation from the top, people do the bare minimum required. Once that regulation is there, people will start activating in a way that is more responsible for the community and society,” he said.

The 90:90 Waste Management initiative not only positions Fakhruddin Properties as a leader in sustainability-driven development but also marks an important milestone in the UAE’s transition toward integrated waste management and net-zero emissions.

“Waste management should not be a cost. It should be profitable,” Fakhruddin concluded. “If we do it at scale with the right regulations and support, it is definitely going to be profitable.”

Emirates has expanded its Premium Economy offering as part of a multi-billion dollar investment to refurbish 219 aircraft, with 67 fully upgraded planes now in service, including 32 A380s and 35 Boeing 777s. The airline has also added nine Airbus A350 aircraft featuring Premium Economy, with 56 more scheduled to join its fleet.

By March 2026, Emirates will serve 68 cities with aircraft fitted with its Premium Economy product, offering close to 2 million Premium Economy seats annually, set to double to 4 million seats per year by the end of 2026.

The cabin layout varies by aircraft: on the A380, 56 Premium Economy seats are positioned at the front of the main deck in a 2-4-2 configuration; the Boeing 777 offers up to 24 seats in a 2-4-2 layout; and the A350 features 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration.

Emirates Skywards has officially enabled flight rewards for Premium Economy travel, allowing its more than 35 million members worldwide to redeem Skywards Miles on Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards across all Premium Economy cabins.

Emirates Skywards flight rewards on Premium Economy

Dr Nejib Ben Khedher, DSVP Emirates Skywards, said: “We’re thrilled to announce the introduction of flight rewards on Emirates’ highly coveted Premium Economy cabin. This has been in development for some time and comes following the huge success, positive feedback, and strong demand by members to utilise Miles on Premium Economy – especially on popular long-haul destinations such as London, Sydney, Melbourne, and New York.”

Members can redeem Skywards Miles for a full flight ticket starting from 15,000 Miles one-way, or request an upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy starting from 7,020 Miles. Upgrades can be booked prior to a flight or at check-in, subject to availability.

The Premium Economy cabin is currently available on flights to more than 66 cities worldwide.

Joby Aviation, the developer of electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, and Uber Technologies, the world’s largest rideshare and delivery platform, have announced plans to integrate Blade’s air mobility services into the Uber app as early as next year. The move follows Joby’s recent acquisition of Blade’s passenger business.

In 2024, Blade carried more than 50,000 passengers across routes in the New York metropolitan area and Southern Europe, connecting high-demand destinations such as Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Manhattan, and the Hamptons.

“We’re excited to introduce Uber customers to the magic of seamless urban air travel,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “Integrating Blade into the Uber app is the natural next step in our global partnership with Uber and will lay the foundation for the introduction of our quiet, zero-emissions aircraft in the years ahead. Together with Uber’s global platform and Blade’s proven network, we’re setting the stage for a new era of air travel worldwide.”

Andrew Macdonald, president and COO of Uber, added: “Since Uber’s earliest days, we’ve believed in the power of advanced air mobility to deliver safe, quiet, and sustainable transportation to cities around the world. By harnessing the scale of the Uber platform and partnering with Joby, the industry leader in advanced air mobility, we’re excited to bring our customers the next generation of travel.”

Read: Joby Aviation completes first piloted eVTOL flight, eyes Dubai launch

Joby and Uber have collaborated on urban air mobility since 2019. Joby’s acquisition of Uber’s Elevate division in 2021 played a pivotal role in advancing the sector, providing tools for market selection, demand simulation, and multi-modal operations.

With its acquisition of Blade’s passenger business in August 2025, Joby plans to leverage Blade’s infrastructure and a decade of experience in vertical air travel to accelerate the rollout of its electric air taxi service in cities worldwide, including Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, the UK, and Japan. Joby’s electric aircraft is designed to carry four passengers and a pilot at speeds of up to 200 mph, with an acoustic footprint 100 times lower than that of a traditional helicopter.

Blade’s services currently operate through a network of landing points with dedicated passenger lounges. Once integrated, Uber users will be able to book Blade flights directly via the Uber app, offering faster, seamless journeys across some of the world’s busiest urban environments.

Titanium Escrow, the Abu Dhabi-based provider of regulated escrow and custody services, recently surpassed $5bn in secured transactions, marking its fifth anniversary as demand grows across the Middle East for sophisticated corporate payment infrastructure for complex, cross-border deals.

Since its launch in 2020, the firm has facilitated nearly 500 transactions spanning mergers and acquisitions, private capital, real estate, and infrastructure. Operating under the supervision of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Titanium Escrow was among the first participants in ADGM’s RegLab innovation sandbox to develop the region’s first supervised escrow licensing. Here, we speak to its CEO Ibrahim Kamalmaz on the company’s milestones, operations and M&A activity in the region.

Titanium Escrow has reached a significant milestone of over $5bn in secured transactions on its fifth anniversary. What does this achievement signify about the growth of sophisticated corporate payment infrastructure in the Middle East?

It’s not just the $5bn headline – it’s the nearly 500 transactions behind it. Those span more than M&A: alongside buy-side and sell-side mandates, we’ve handled real estate closings, post-liquidation distributions, and secondary sales of equity in growth-stage startups.

The common thread is neutral third-party fundholding with clear, enforceable release mechanics, from sub-$2m SME transactions through to upper-eight-figure cross-border assignments. A significant sum relates to M&A transactions, with the balance in these other escrow categories.

A big part of that confidence comes from the ADGM. It applies an English common law framework with its own courts and arbitration facilities, providing familiar contractual certainty for international counterparties; cross-border enforceability remains jurisdiction-specific.

Combine that with FSRA regulation, strong liquidity in regional banks, and fast execution timelines, and you’ve got an environment where both larger strategic transactions and the sub-$m deals that drive nearly half of GCC M&A activity can be executed with confidence.

The firm has supported over Dhs1bn in transactions for acquisitions in vital sectors like education, healthcare, and telecommunication infrastructure in 2025. What is the broader significance of enabling these types of social infrastructure investments in the region?

They’re strategic priorities for the GCC’s diversification agenda – education and healthcare deliver visible social benefits, while telecom, especially digital infrastructure, underpins high-growth areas like AI, fintech, and cloud services.

We work with a wide range of counterparties – from family businesses looking to professionalise, to private equity funds scaling portfolio companies, to sovereign-linked investors acquiring strategic assets. Many transactions involve cross-border counterparties, which means structuring escrow in multiple currencies – Dhs, USD, EUR, SAR, and GBP – and ensuring funds move seamlessly between jurisdictions.

Our operational model is built for speed. Risk-based KYC is typically completed within one business day – faster where public disclosures are sufficient – while enhanced due diligence cases may take longer.

Once conditions are met, we instruct disbursements the same business day, subject to banking cut-offs and compliance checks. That certainty matters just as much in a $2m edtech acquisition as it does in a larger-scale infrastructure rollout.

While M&A is a large part of our book, our escrow mandates also support real estate completions, post-liquidation distributions, and secondary share transfers, which face similar execution risks and benefit from the same structured release discipline.”

According to EY, M&A activity in MENA saw a 50 per cent increase in deal value in 2024. What factors do you believe are driving this momentum?

The momentum comes from two things: strong demographics and regulatory reform. In 2024, Dubai’s population grew by 4.5 per cent and Abu Dhabi’s by 7.5 per cent, creating sustained demand in housing, healthcare, education, and consumer sectors.

At the same time, reforms such as foreign ownership liberalisation and enhanced investor protections have made the UAE one of the most attractive environments for dealmaking.

We support that flow across the spectrum – from $2m early-stage acquisitions to structured non-M&A assignments and multi-tranche cross-border transactions. Our agreements are tailored to match deal complexity and our account setup process typically runs several business days sooner than traditional bank escrows

In one transaction, we acted as escrow agent in the sale of a Category 1 (deposit taking bank). It was an auction-style process involving multiple international bidders, where the regulatory requirements and timetable required a specialist non-bank escrow provider.

We structured the escrow mechanics to comply with the transaction requirements and meet the auction’s deadlines – enabling the seller to close with the winning bidder without delays.

For the sub-$100m deals that dominate GCC volumes – as well as complex regulated asset sales like this the ability to combine regulatory compliance, rapid onboarding, and multi-currency execution is often the difference between a deal closing or stalling.

What advantages does ADGM offer that have led to this shift away from traditional financial centers like London or New York?

With 15 years of UAE banking and financial market experience I’ve been fortunate to witness the region entering an economic golden age, attracting the best and brightest from around the world. Government revenue, public safety, low tax environment, and being the geographic centre of the world has positioned the UAE as the ideal international business hub. Abu Dhabi’s diversification efforts into alternative industries have earned it the title ‘the capital of capital’.

What’s unique about ADGM is its forward leaning regulation on fintech solutions such as digital assets with the blend of an English common law framework and the UAE’s position as a global crossroads. Investors get familiar contractual certainty through ADGM’s court system, but in a market that’s still growing while others are slowing.

We participated in ADGM’s RegLab sandbox to pilot a regulated digital escrow model. That’s allowed us to integrate escrow within a regulated framework. For clients, that translates to faster settlement, less admin, and greater transparency, even in multi-jurisdictional and multi-currency transactions.

We also remove friction wherever possible: clients tell us we typically onboard faster than traditional bank escrow desks, often several business days sooner. They have extended-hours access to senior decision-makers, and we streamline agreement finalisation so counterparties can move from signing to funding without avoidable re-review cycles. We act as a neutral third party and do not provide legal advice; counterparties should seek independent counsel.

Read: Middle East M&A activity rises 19% in H1 ’25, shows PwC report

Looking ahead, what are the key trends you predict in the regional deal landscape?

I see three clear shifts. First, more intra-GCC consolidation, especially among family businesses in sectors like F&B, healthcare, and logistics. Second, sustained activity in technology – AI, fintech, and digital infrastructure – much of it in the sub-$100m range. Third, growth in cross-border renewables and a more active secondary market for scale-up companies.

To support the growing complexity of transactions, we can’t just be a rigid escrow provider. Our value proposition is built on an advisory-focused approach, leveraging our experience to provide bespoke solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of each deal. Our agility is a key differentiator, as we provide fast turnaround on to comments to escrow agreements and an expedited no-nonsense KYC approach that eliminates key pain points from the process.

For example, for a multi-tranched considerations, we can create custom deposit and release instructions tied to specific instruction parameters. In these complex and fast-moving deals, clients need agility. We provide them with direct access to senior decision-makers, cutting through the bureaucracy common in larger institutions.

This blend of institutional-grade security and boutique-level service ensures we are ready for the next phase of regional dealmaking.

The Gulf Business Awards 2025 has officially revealed its shortlist of nominees, marking the next milestone in one of the region’s most respected business recognition platforms.

Scheduled for September 24, 2025, at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, the awards will once again honour the companies and individuals shaping the Gulf’s economic and business landscape.

Now in its 13th year, the Gulf Business Awards continues to celebrate innovation, resilience, leadership, and impact across sectors including banking, real estate, healthcare, technology, energy, and tourism.

Each year, the awards highlight achievements across both the public and private sectors — from startups disrupting traditional models to established conglomerates driving regional influence. The newly revealed shortlist reflects this diversity, showcasing businesses and leaders that are playing a pivotal role in the GCC’s transformation journey.

Nominees will now move forward to the final stage, where an independent panel of judges — comprising regional experts, industry veterans, and Gulf Business editorial leadership — will determine the winners through a process designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and merit-based recognition.

The 2025 edition promises not only to celebrate outstanding business achievement but also to provide an evening of high-profile networking and inspiration, attended by decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and executives from across the region.

See below for the entire shorlist:

Company Awards

Leader Awards