Companies that prioritise people — whether employees, customers, or other stakeholders — are positioned to outperform their competitors in nearly every aspect.

Investing in a people-first approach strengthens creativity, enhances loyalty, and drives long-term success.

Fostering an environment where employees feel empowered and motivated leads to innovation, lowers turnover, and improves customer experiences.

When companies empower their teams to take ownership and pursue innovative ideas, they gain a significant advantage. Microsoft and Google have built cultures where employees are encouraged to experiment and contribute new ideas.

Creating an environment where employees have the freedom to innovate allow these companies to consistently lead in product development and industry trends. Employees who are trusted to take risks and think creatively push the boundaries of what’s possible, enabling businesses to stay ahead in competitive markets.

In the Middle East, Emirates Airlines demonstrates the power of investing in people. The company’s commitment to employee wellbeing has fostered a strong culture of trust and support, which in turn fuels its reputation for exceptional service.

Such investment in people contributes to Emirates’ ongoing success, helping the airline remain a global leader despite an intensely competitive industry.

The culture of employee empowerment at the airline plays a key role in the airline’s ability to innovate and maintain a strong presence in international markets.

Creating loyalty through a supportive work environment for people

Employee retention is one of the most significant benefits of a people-focused culture. High turnover is expensive and disruptive, draining valuable resources. Companies that create an environment where employees feel valued and engaged see reduced turnover rates and greater overall stability.

A people-powered approach strengthens loyalty, ensuring that employees remain committed to the company’s long-term goals.

Almarai, a leading food and beverage company, demonstrates the benefits of prioritizing employee engagement. The company’s commitment to developing its workforce through training, leadership programs, and a supportive work environment has created a loyal and motivated team.

Almarai’s commitment to reducing turnover has helped the company grow while maintaining strong, long-term relationships with its employees, ultimately contributing to its success as a regional leader.

Internal culture strengthens brand reputation

A human-centred approach impacts more than internal operations — it shapes the company’s external reputation as well. Employees who are engaged and motivated become natural ambassadors for the brand.

Their enthusiasm and dedication often translate into better customer service, which strengthens customer loyalty and reinforces the company’s brand values.

Emaar Properties in Dubai has similarly benefited from a strong internal culture. The company invests in employee development and fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation.

This focus on internal culture has contributed to the company’s reputation for excellence, particularly in the real estate sector. Emaar’s employees take pride in delivering high-quality developments, and this passion is evident in the brand’s ongoing success in the global market.

Employee engagement boosts financial performance

Research has consistently shown that companies with high employee engagement perform better financially. Businesses that invest in their people enjoy higher productivity, better customer satisfaction, and stronger profitability.

According to a 2024 McKinsey report, companies that prioritise their employees’ performance are 4.2 times more likely to surpass their competitors, achieving an average revenue growth that is 30 per cent higher and experiencing 5 per cent lower turnover.

Businesses that prioritise employee engagement are also more resilient and adaptable, with a workforce that is motivated to contribute to the company’s success.

In Saudi Arabia, organisations aligning with Vision 2030 are increasingly recognising that the key to long-term success lies in developing human capital.

Focusing on employee well-being and professional growth, these businesses set themselves up for sustainable growth and greater competitiveness in the global market.

Leadership plays a critical role in employee empowerment

Effective leadership is essential in creating and maintaining a human capital strategy. Leaders must act as mentors, providing guidance and support while empowering their teams to succeed.

Transparent and inclusive leadership fosters an environment where employees feel confident in contributing their ideas and working collaboratively. This kind of leadership encourages adaptability and drives innovation, which is crucial for business growth.

Mohammed Alabbar, founder of Emaar Properties, demonstrates how leadership rooted in employee engagement can shape an entire organization. His focus on building a supportive and innovative internal culture has been integral to Emaar’s success.

Alabbar’s leadership style encourages creativity and collaboration, empowering employees to take ownership of their work and contribute to the company’s growth.

Investing in people isn’t just a strategy — it’s the strategy that will drive long-term success. The future of business lies in leadership that places a strong emphasis on human capital, creating supportive and inclusive cultures where employees are motivated to contribute to the company’s overall trajectory.

The writer is the CEO and founder of CLAN Investment.

AD Ports Group reported a 16 per cent year-on-year rise in net profit to Dhs464m in Q1 2025, as its Ports, Economic Cities & Free Zones (EC&FZ), and Maritime & Shipping clusters continued to deliver strong operational performance.

Group revenue rose 18 per cent year-on-year to Dhs4.60bn, supported by robust contributions from the three core clusters. EBITDA grew 9 per cent to Dhs1.14bn, with margins slightly narrowing to 24.7 per cent from 26.7 per cent in Q1 2024. Earnings per share increased 14 per cent to Dhs0.07.

Capital expenditure in the quarter reached Dhs954m, down from Dhs1.28bn in Q1 2024, as capex intensity declined to 21 per cent of revenue, compared to 33 per cent in the same period last year.

Operating cash flow stood at Dhs725m, slightly below the previous year, primarily due to timing of collections.

Free cash flow to the firm was negative Dhs173 million.

“The positive momentum from our record 2024 financial results continued into the first quarter of 2025,” said Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, MD and group CEO of AD Ports Group. “Our value-adding business ecosystem weathered prevailing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties to drive strong, double-digit growth in revenue and net profit.”

The group maintained a stable net debt to EBITDA ratio of 3.4x, compared to 3.3x at the end of 2024, supported by a strong liquidity position.

AD Ports Group leverages new partnerships and international expansion

AD Ports continued its international expansion during the quarter, including:

• A 51 per cent joint venture to develop a grain terminal at Kuryk Port in Kazakhstan.
• The start of port and logistics operations at Luanda Port in Angola.
• A 50-year land lease with Al Ain Mills for a 300,000-metric-tonne grain facility at Khalifa Port South Quay.
• A joint venture with CMA CGM Group (49 per cent ownership) to develop a multipurpose terminal at Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo.
• A contract to manage and operate Al Madouneh Customs Centre in Amman, Jordan, integrating AI, blockchain, and IoT logistics.

The group also entered marine services and fleet optimisation through a 70 per cent-owned JV with Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard Company (ASRY) in Bahrain, and a 50 per cent-owned JV with Columbia Group to launch an AI-powered digital platform for third-party vessel optimisation.

Other major developments included the start of Al Faya Dry Port operations between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and lease agreements in KEZAD for sustainable polymer and food manufacturing facilities.

Geopolitical resilience and green shipping

Despite ongoing geopolitical volatility in the Red Sea and evolving US tariff policies, AD Ports said it remains well-positioned to adapt, citing its geographic footprint and five-cluster integrated model.

The Red Sea disruptions have positively impacted the group’s container shipping business, while current US tariff shifts have had a minimal effect.

The group also ramped up its ESG and decarbonisation efforts, including investments in electric tugboats, LNG-powered Ro-Ro vessels, and LNG bunkering services at Khalifa Port, with its first ship-to-ship operation completed in April.

The company said it will continue to prioritise investment in resilient infrastructure across Ports and Economic Cities & Free Zones, supported by its maritime, logistics, and digital capabilities.

Imagine a future where every banking transaction is tailored to your unique requirements – where your bank predicts your needs and comes up with personalised solutions. The fintech landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by relentless advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

These technologies are fundamentally redefining how financial services are delivered, consumed and regulated. AI is pushing the boundaries of customer service, data analytics, fraud prevention and risk management, presenting unprecedented opportunities and throwing up complex challenges for the banking sector.

A new report has projected the UAE’s artificial intelligence (AI) market to surge from $3.47bn in 2023-2024 to $46.33bn by 2030.

Generative AI, in particular, is proving to be a catalyst for profound transformation. While debates surround AI’s potential to displace human workers, in FinTech it has enhanced and streamlined operations. AI is proving invaluable in reducing fraud, improving accuracy and fostering innovation.

From personalised financial advice to sophisticated risk mitigation strategies, the potential of AI in fintech is vast and largely untapped.

The breadth of AI’s influence – encompassing automated knowledge management, advanced investment research and personalised banking services – underscores a paradigm shift in the industry. Financial institutions must acknowledge that the transition to an AI-enabled future is not a gradual process, but an accelerated imperative.

A strategic, collaborative and decisive approach has become a prerequisite for sustained relevance. Organisations that fail to embrace and implement AI risk obsolescence.

AI-powered personalisation

The world of finance is moving away from standardised products and towards solutions tailored to individual needs. As digital transformation accelerates, technologies that deliver individualised insights and real-time decision-making are setting new benchmarks. AI is at the forefront of this trend, enabling financial institutions to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty.

B 2027, 85 per cent of banking sector customer interactions will be assisted by AI in the UAE, where 71 per cent of institutions have deployed or enhanced AI capabilities in the last year.

Increasing reliance on data to drive personalisation, however, raises critical concerns about data privacy and security. As AI adoption accelerates, companies and businesses are grappling with crucial issues related to data privacy, ethics and governance.

In regions like the GCC, for example, businesses must adhere to stringent regulations around data management, privacy and governance.

Future of risk management

Another area where the role of AI is proving transformative is risk management. The complexity of financial risks is growing, demanding sophisticated and proactive risk management strategies.

Generative AI can revolutionise how banks manage risk. It can support risk professionals to advise on new product development and strategic business decisions, explore emerging risk trends and scenarios, strengthen resilience and improve risk and control processes proactively.

Similarly, AI-powered fraud detection systems are now capable of analysing vast amounts of data in real-time, examining everything from transaction patterns and user behaviour to device fingerprints and network signals.

But scaling up the application of generative AI in credit risk is not without challenges. The most significant barriers are risk and governance, including privacy violations resulting from the use of personal or sensitive information to train models, malicious content as well as security threats and related vulnerabilities.

Efficiency and automation

AI-powered automation offers significant opportunities to streamline core banking processes such as loan processing, fraud detection and customer service.

Research indicates that AI’s capabilities in wealth management – particularly its ability to broaden access to services, boost operational efficiency and deliver detailed insights into client behaviour – can lead to substantial cost savings for financial institutions.

Financial inclusion

AI holds transformative potential for financial inclusion by expanding credit access, lowering transaction costs and providing personalised financial education. In emerging markets, mobile money and connectivity drive AI integration for credit assessment, customer engagement, tailored product offerings and fraud detection.

However, overcoming challenges like data access, bias and costs requires collaboration between institutions, fintechs and regulators to ensure ethical AI practices, protect user privacy and foster innovative solutions that promote inclusive economic growth and accessible financial services.

Regulatory landscape

The regulatory landscape for AI in fintech is constantly evolving, demanding that financial institutions stay informed and adapt their strategies accordingly. Data privacy, security and ethics remain paramount, with clear, consistent frameworks essential for progress.

Collaboration between regulators, industry stakeholders and technology providers is crucial to ensure responsible innovation.

Transformative potential

The future of fintech is inextricably tied to AI’s transformative potential. By embracing a strategic approach and fostering collaboration the banking sector can unlock AI’s power to deliver more personalised, efficient and inclusive financial services.

The journey toward an AI-enabled future requires a commitment to ethical practices, robust risk management and a proactive approach to navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.

For those who embrace this revolution, the rewards will be significant, positioning them as leaders in the next era of financial services.

Digital transformation is increasingly defining the realities of today’s world. This includes migrating data to the cloud, leveraging digital communication tools, and automating key operations.

According to Statista, global spending on digital transformation is projected to reach $2.5tn in 2024. By 2027, this figure is expected to grow to $3.9tn.

Huawei’s research and development commitment to cybersecurity

Colm Murphy, from the European Cybersecurity Center at Huawei, emphasised the company’s sustained investment in research and development (R&D) as a cornerstone of its cybersecurity strategy.

Read-Huawei Cloud unveils AI-native solutions at MWC 2025

“In 2024, Huawei invested $24.6bn in research and development, representing 20.8 per cent of its annual revenue,” said Murphy.

“Over the past decade, Huawei’s research and development spend has totaled $171.1bn. Currently, more than 3,000 personnel are dedicated to cybersecurity research and development, with 5 per cent of total research and development investment focused solely on securing Huawei products.”

Murphy added, “Cybersecurity and user privacy are Huawei’s top priorities. With operations in over 170 countries, Huawei has implemented end-to-end security practices and has maintained a record free of major cybersecurity incidents.”

Addressing AI-era threats

Richard Wu, President of the Security Product Domain at Huawei, highlighted the rise of AI-driven threats. “AI technologies like ChatGPT and DeepSeek are revolutionizing industries, but they are also being exploited by hackers. In 2024, AI-driven network attacks rose by 50 per cent year-over-year.”

Wu cited alarming trends: “More than 100 million new viruses are created annually. Tools like WormGPT and FraudGPT enable the generation of 1,000 phishing emails in one minute—something that would take a human three days.”

Huawei has responded by integrating AI into its cybersecurity defenses. The company has established six global cybersecurity labs and was the first in the industry to adopt AI to bolster protection. “AI enables advanced threat detection, operational support, and real-time alert analysis. In one government deployment, our AI analyzed 10,000 alerts in six minutes—160 times faster than manual processing,” Wu said.

Huawei cloud’s AI-native strategy

Dr Zhu Shenggao, Vice President of AI at Huawei Cloud for the Middle East & Central Asia, noted that the cloud division is now fully aligned around an “AI-native” strategy.

“With our ‘one center, seven defenses’ security model, we offer end-to-end protection for AI systems, ensuring compliance, privacy, and control,” he said. “Security for large AI models is now essential, as they face specific threats and ethical concerns.”

Combating the rise of ransomware

Wu also addressed the growing threat of ransomware. “In 2024, ransomware caused global losses of $42bn, with an average of 21 days of business disruption per incident,” he said. “Only 4 per cent of enterprises can fully recover data even after paying ransoms.”

Huawei’s HiSec Endpoint product is designed to protect laptops, computers, and servers. It features AI-powered detection, multi-hop source tracing, and intelligent backup triggering. “Unlike traditional vendors, our system allows virus removal from all infected devices in one action,” said Wu.

Proactive defense across layers

Yongjian Li, President of Data Protection at Huawei, introduced the industry’s first multi-layer coordinated protection solution against ransomware.

Key capabilities include:

• 99.9 per cent ransomware detection via SAN/NAS scanning with decoy files,
• End-to-end encryption from data production to backup zones, and
• Automated backup drills enabling five times faster recovery validation.

“This represents a shift from reactive to proactive cybersecurity,” said Li.

As health systems across the Middle East and Africa confront the dual pressures of rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and persistent access gaps, AstraZeneca is placing health equity at the heart of its mission.

In this nterview, Iskra Reic, EVP – International at AstraZeneca, shares how the company is working to deliver healthcare that is inclusive, impactful and future-focused.

From AI-powered diagnostics in rural Africa to large-scale screening programme in the UAE, Reic discusses why closing the health gap is not only a moral imperative but a cornerstone for sustainable health systems in the region and beyond.

From your perspective what is health equity and what does it mean in practice?

We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life – regardless of where they live, their background, or their economic circumstances. This is what we mean by health equity, and it underpins everything we do.

We also know the world is facing growing challenges – from ageing populations to climate change – that are straining health systems and widening inequities in high-, middle- and low-income countries.

The Middle East and North Africa region is experiencing a demographic shift that will increase non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer and cardiorenal diseases over the next few decades. The elderly population there is expected to rise by 290 per cent from 2018 to 2050, leading to a projected doubling of cancers and cancer deaths by 2040 in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region. In Africa, 2.1 million new cancer cases and 1.4 million deaths are projected annually by 2040.

These diseases affect lives, livelihoods, and economic productivity, exacerbating health inequities by disproportionately impacting lower-income and rural populations with limited healthcare access.

To address this burden, governments need integrated policies focusing on prevention, early detection, and treatment of NCDs. Early action on the NCD crisis can improve equitable health outcomes, reduce health system costs, and mitigate healthcare’s environmental impact.

That’s why we are embedding health equity across our business – starting with our science, to the delivery of healthcare across our therapy areas, and community engagement. In science, for example, we are ensuring our genomics research and clinical trials are representative of the patients impacted by disease including those from understudied global communities.

In healthcare delivery, one area where we are focusing on is chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our collaboration with SEHA in Abu Dhabi advances early detection and integrated care for CKD. Since launching a new screening protocol, over 145,000 patients have been screened, with 30,000 diagnosed for earlier intervention.

I’m also inspired by our work on new technologies, such as our partnership with MedSol AI in South Africa that introduces Wi-Fi-enabled ultrasounds to rural clinics, increasing breast cancer screenings by over 40 per cenr and improving healthcare access.

How does AstraZeneca work with partners to improve health equity in the Middle East and Africa?

Achieving health equity requires cross-sector collaboration. AstraZeneca partners with Ministries of Health, local organisations, community leaders, and others to ensure comprehensive healthcare throughout the patient journey — from screening and early detection to diagnosis and treatment.

A prime example is Cancer Care Africa, where we collaborate with health authorities and local leaders on building capacity, screening and diagnostics, patient empowerment, and access to medicines. In 2024 alone, Cancer Care Africa screened 160,000 people and trained 13,000 healthcare workers.

By 2030, the aim is to screen 10 million people, improve diagnostics for 500,000 patients, and double patient access to innovative cancer medicines.

We also tackle root causes of health inequities by empowering young people to make informed health choices. The Young Health Programme (YHP) has reached nearly 20 million young people with health education and advocacy, empowering them to take charge of their well-being.

In Jordan, the ‘Be The Change – Be You’ project educates school children aged 10 to 16 about the risks of smoking and tobacco use. This is one of many YHP initiatives engaging young people both regionally and globally.

Ensuring equitable access to healthcare is not a small task, but I am so proud of the great progress we’re making to close these gaps.

Why are NCDs such a key focus of your conversations as the recent ADGHW?

The rise of NCDs – otherwise known as chronic diseases – is a major global health crisis, affecting over three billion people and accounting for more than 70 per cent of deaths worldwide.

A recent study estimates that major NCDs, including cancer, diabetes, lung, and heart diseases, claim at least 150,000 lives annually in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

During the recent Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, I joined a symposium with Gulf region experts, policymakers, and patients to explore transformative solutions for for illnesses such as cancer and rare diseases. We emphasised the vital role of public-private partnerships emphasising the crucial role of public-private partnerships, such as the Partnership for Health System Resilience and Sustainability (PHSSR) and Lung Ambition Alliance, in advancing sustainable global health.

Abu Dhabi Global Health Week is more than just a conference — it’s a catalyst for action. It unites governments, industry, academia, and innovators to confront some of the most significant health challenges we face today.

This platform enables health leaders and policymakers to focus on enhancing health equity, adopting digital technology, and ensuring sustainable health financing through early detection of NCDs.

Tell me more about your specific efforts to tackle NCDs in the UAE, the Middle East and Africa region and beyond.

In the UAE, we collaborate with the Department of Health and other institutions to enhance diagnostics and disease management for non-communicable and rare diseases.

We are working with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health to develop a digital lung health screening platform that identifies high-risk patients for lung cancer and respiratory diseases at an early stage. Additionally, AstraZeneca has established an Early Lung Cancer Detection partnership with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) to improve early detection programs nationwide, aligning with the World Health Organization’s goal to reduce cancer mortality by 30 per cent by 2030.

In the Middle East & Africa, AstraZeneca’s Healthy Heart Africa programme collaborates with ministries of health to enhance early detection of heart and kidney diseases, focusing on those most in need and promoting equitable care. Since 2014, our partnership has identified 12 million people with hypertension, trained 12,000 health workers, and conducted 67 million blood pressure screenings.

I am looking forward to the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs this September, where global leaders will unite for concerted action. In this pivotal forum, it is critical for health sector leaders to play a central role in advocating for urgent action and long-term solutions.