VISIONARY BUILDER
‘TREPONOMICS
45 Momentum Shift
Ignite Training’s BEN EDWARDS on the rise of emotionally intelligent leadership in the UAE
48 Green Path
Ecocoast’s LACHLAN JACKON discusses if sustainability is a strategy or just an enabler.
50 Growth Strategies
Harris Hawkins Performance’s DR. FAISAL TK HARRIS on why execution risk is becoming UAE leaders’ defining challenge.
52 Beyond the Ban
Hotpack’s DR MIKE CHEETHAM on the UAE plastics policy’s circular reset.
54 Future Forward
SunTec Business Solutions’ AMIT DUA says e-invoicing will test which UAE businesses are future-ready.
STARTUP SPOTLIGHT
61 Homegrown Flow
Water by Yara’s YARA SALMAN on building a national Bahraini water brand
64 Crafting memories How ANNA KREJCA cofounded Ithara to reimagine experience gifting
66 The Big Picture Utopia Capital Management’s and QVenture Capital Association’s ALINA TRUHINA on Qatar’s VC ecosystem.
IN THE LOOP
69 Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026
SEBASTIAN VETTEL and KHABIB NURMAGEDOV headline event; SEF continues to support local entrepreneurs with new AED1,000 startup licenses
76 Step Dubai 2026
Entrepreneur Middle East Managing Editor Tamara Pupic moderates a panel with Amazon (MEAT) Vice President RONALDO MOUCHAWAR and Global Ventures founder and Managing Partner Noor Sweid.
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↑ HH Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi
DUBAI JUST MADE DOING BUSINESS EVEN EASIER
With the launch of DC Connect, the emirate takes a major step toward becoming one of the most digitally advanced places in the world
Dubai has never been shy about ambition, especially when it comes to building a future-ready economy. But with the recent launch of DC Connect by Dubai Chambers, the emirate has sent a clear message to entrepreneurs everywhere: doing business in Dubai is not just pro-growth, it’s now fully digital, intuitive, and seamless.
DC Connect is a unified digital platform that brings all Dubai Chambers services under one smart, user-friendly interface. For hundreds of thousands of active businesses, this means a fundamental shift in how they interact with government and business support services. Instead of navigating multiple systems or administrative touchpoints, companies now have a single digital gateway for everything from memberships and trade documentation to business councils, mediation services, and growth support.
What makes this launch particularly significant is the emphasis on experience, not just efficiency. The platform
is designed around the needs of modern businesses, offering real-time transaction updates, personalized dashboards, smart notifications, and easy access to insights and opportunities. It’s digital transformation with purpose, focused on saving time, increasing transparency, and enabling faster decision-making.
For entrepreneurs, this represents a meaningful evolution in how companies are set up and managed in Dubai. Starting a business here has already become remarkably straightforward over the past decade. Today, much of the journey from registration to licensing and ongoing compliance can be completed digitally, without paperwork or long in-person processes. DC Connect strengthens that ecosystem, ensuring that once a business is established, ongoing interactions are just as smooth and efficient.
More importantly, this is about positioning. In a global environment where founders can choose where to build, scale, and invest, ease of doing business matters. Speed matters. Digital access matters. Dubai understands that competitiveness in the modern economy is increasingly defined by how frictionless the system is.
DC Connect isn’t just a new platform, it’s a reflection of Dubai’s broader vision. A city where government services operate at the speed of entrepreneurs. A place where digital infrastructure supports growth, not complexity. And a business environment designed for the realities of today, not the limitations of yesterday.
For anyone considering where to launch their next venture, Dubai just made the decision even easier.
Anil Bhoyrul Editor-in-Chief
Enlighten Your Eternal Beauty, Inside and Out!
@muarjewels www.muarjewels.com
info@muarjewels.com
Culture Gateway
Lourds Adalia-Evertse’s journey in founding Spice Grill has been a testament to the talent and tenacity of the UAE’s growing Filipino community. With the brand now steadily expanding, the founder hopes it can help catapult her native cuisine into mainstream F&B choices.
by AALIA MEHREEN AHMED
→ Lourds Adalia-Evertse is a UAE-based entrepreneur, hospitality leader, and co-founder of Spice Grill UAE.
Anyone who steps foot in the UAE needn’t spend more than a few hours to understand how far-reaching the Filipino expatriates’ influence is within the country. In fact, a 2025 report by Dubaibased agency Global Media Insight shows that nearly 7% of the UAE’s population —which is a little over 780,000 people— is made up of this specific demographic. As such, their presence has been significantly felt within the business ecosystem, with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce reporting that in just the first three months of 2025, 216 new Filipino companies registered with the governmental organization. Among the plethora of success stories that have come out of this community, one such tale is that of Lourds Adalia-Evertse. “I came to the UAE at 19 years old, fresh out of college, with nothing but a dream,” she recalls. “I worked my way up the corporate ladder, took risks, and eventually became a business owner.”
Indeed, as is the case with many founders, Adalia-Evertse’s decision to plunge into entrepreneurship came while working a traditional 9-5 job. “My journey into F&B was not something I originally planned,” she says. “Before co-founding Spice Grill, I was a founding member of Creative Zone [a UAEbased business setup consultancy], and later served as its COO. But after spending over a decade in the corporate world, I felt ready to take a risk and build something of my own. As a Filipina, food has always meant more than nourishment. Food in this context is more of a community and cultural thing. It’s how we connect, celebrate, and build community. That belief became the foundation of Spice Grill. I wanted to create a space that feels welcoming and familiar, while proudly sharing Filipino flavours with a wider audience.”
Adalia-Evertse thus put her plans into action in early 2020 along with Cristine Caringal Mela, a prominent food industry figure in the Philippines. While Mela was set to take charge of her co-founder duties from back home, Adalia-Evertse was to helm the business in its entirety within the UAE, right from operations and team leadership to partnerships, supplier relationships, and brand growth.
But then came an unprecedented turn of events that would go on to negatively affect the F&B industry across the globe for the next couple of years. “I had just left my corporate
role, signed the lease, and started construction for Spice Grill when the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns hit,” Adalia-Evertse explains. “It was an uncertain and challenging time, but there was no turning back. But we still moved forward with purpose, hiring people who had lost their jobs and using food as a way to bring comfort, rebuild livelihoods, and create a sense of community when it was needed most.”
↓ Spice Grill UAE is a homegrown restaurant brand founded in Sharjah that brings Filipinoinspired flavors to a diverse and multicultural dining audience across the country.
Adalia-Evertse’s persistence paid off and the first Spice Grill branch was opened in Sharjah’s tranquil Majaz Waterfront area in October 2020. “It has a seating capacity of around 250 guests, with both indoor and outdoor dining and a waterfront view next to the park,” the co-founder shares. “The location performs especially well during the winter season, when al fresco dining is popular, and is quieter during the summer months. It has become a destination venue and is often described as ‘a hidden gem’ in Sharjah, attracting families and groups looking for a relaxed dining experience. Following the success of our Sharjah branch, we expanded into Dubai with Spice Grill Express at Flayva, Al Ghurair Centre, which opened in March 2024. This is a smaller, express-style format designed for mall dining. Unlike our waterfront location, this branch sees stronger footfall during the summer, when customers prefer
indoor venues, and slightly slower traffic in winter. Our most recent opening is at the Food Pavilion in BurJuman Mall, launched in November 2024. This outlet has a 55-seat capacity and was created to bring the Sharjah-style dining experience to Dubai diners in a more curated food hall setting. Across locations, seasonality plays a key role in footfall and revenue, with waterfront and outdoor venues peaking in winter and mall-based concepts performing best during the hotter months.”
Having expanded the brand with a favorable mix of locations, Spice Grill unsurprisingly has a lot of Filipino customers. But with operating in a diverse nation, comes the added task of properly representing the Phillipines’ culture — a responsibility Adalia-Evertse is all too aware of. “Our restaurants are designed to be cozy, modern spaces that guests feel proud to dine in, and we are deeply
“FILIPINO CUISINE HAS STRONG POTENTIAL TO BECOME MORE MAINSTREAM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY POSSIBLE SINCE THE PHILIPPINES IS NATURALLY RICH IN SEAFOOD, YET VERY FEW BRANDS ARE ACTIVELY SHOWCASING THIS TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE. AT SPICE GRILL, WE SEE OURSELVES AS A DOORWAY FOR OTHER CULTURES TO EXPERIENCE FILIPINO FOOD IN A WAY THAT FEELS FAMILIAR, ELEVATED, AND WELCOMING.”
→ Spice Grill was co-founded
alongside Cristine Caringal Melad, whose culinary vision helped shape the brand’s creative foundation.
customer-service centric,” she says. “Together, the food, the space, and the service create an experience that introduces Filipino cuisine with confidence and pride, while inviting diners to explore
it further. In the food industry, I believe we hold a great responsibility: we become ambassadors of our country’s cuisine. Whenever people from other nationalities try our food, it is like opening our
culture to them. It is important that they have the best possible experience, because we represent our home country. We want to show them that the Philippines is an excellent country with an amazing food culture.”
In order to make her motherland’s food “more approachable while promoting unity and inclusivity,” Adalia-Evertse took the decision to incorporate cross-cultural dishes into the Spice Grill menu. “This stays true to our original mission of using food as a bridge and introducing Filipino cuisine in a welcoming way,” she says. “For example, we have Asian and Filipino fusion, including our seafood feasts, alongside approachable dishes such as adobo birria tacos and strawberry leche flan. Adobo is popular, but it is mostly known as a homecooked comfort food. For the adobo birria tacos, we wanted to elevate the dish to appeal to a wider range of nationalities
BEING ONE OF THE WINNERS OF THE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FILIPINA WOMAN IN THE WORLD™ AWARD WAS DEEPLY MEANINGFUL TO ME, BOTH AS A FILIPINA AND AS AN EXPAT BUSINESS LEADER IN THE UAE. IT REPRESENTS MORE THAN A PERSONAL MILESTONE—IT’S A REMINDER THAT IN THE UAE, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU ARE WILLING TO WORK HARD AND BELIEVE IN YOUR VISION. I HOPE MY JOURNEY CAN INSPIRE OTHERS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND YOUNG EXPATS, TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS WITH CONFIDENCE AND COURAGE.”
and to show that adobo is an important part of Philippine cuisine. Happily, the fusion with Mexican tacos is gaining traction at Spice Grill. Leche flan, meanwhile, is a popular Filipino dessert with similarities to crème brûlée. We changed it slightly by enhancing it with strawberries, a fruit that is popular in certain regions of the Philippines. We are happy that both Filipinos and other nationalities have received these new dishes well.”
But curating such amalgamations of dishes and cultures, for AdaliaEvertse, holds more significance than simply introducing Filipino cuisine to the masses. “Filipino cuisine has strong potential to become more mainstream,” she remarks. “This is especially possible since the Philippines is naturally rich in seafood, yet very few brands are actively showcasing this to a global audience. At Spice Grill, we see ourselves as a doorway for other cultures to experience Filipino food in a way that feels familiar, elevated, and welcoming.”
When asked which Filipino cultural traits best expressed through Spice Grills’ offerings, the co-founder picks three: hospitality, resilience, and community. “Filipinos are naturally warm, smiling, and welcoming, and that spirit is reflected in how our food is prepared, served, and
shared,” she continues. “Whenever people dine at Spice Grill, we make it our mission to make them feel welcome, as if they are eating in their families’ homes. All our staff are friendly, which helps create a comfortable and welcoming dining experience. I also believe it is important for all staff to feel happy at work, because this is reflected in how they perform their duties and how they treat customers. Most of our staff have been with Spice Grill since the beginning, and we are very proud of that. Resilience is reflected in how our cuisine has evolved through challenges while remaining comforting and flavourful. Community is at the heart of Filipino dining, as meals are meant to bring people together. At Spice Grill, these values guide everything, from our customer service culture to our menus and dining spaces. It is our way of sharing a Filipino heart with the world, which is essentially the core of Spice Grill’s identity.”
“IN
TIME FOR RAMADAN, SPICE GRILL IS CURRENTLY GIVING BACK TO ITS ROOTS THROUGH A TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL INITIATIVE. HAVING OPENED ITS FIRST BRANCH IN SHARJAH, SPICE GRILL LAUNCHES A SHARJAH-TO-TABLE CONCEPT, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FISHERFOLK TO CELEBRATE FRESH, LOCALLY SOURCED FISH CAUGHT IN SHARJAH. THE INITIATIVE BLENDS EMIRATI PROVENANCE WITH A FILIPINO CULINARY PERSPECTIVE,
REINFORCING THE ROLE OF FOOD AS A CONNECTOR OF CULTURE
AND COMMUNITY.”
Adalia-Evertse’s endeavors in growing Spice Grill with intention and purpose received a mammoth public validation when, last year, she received the ‘Global FWN100 Builder Architect of Change Award’ at the annual The Most Influential Filipina Woman in the World™ Award (an awards ceremony, by the US-based Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network, that honors Filipina women who are creating change and impact in their local communities). “Winning that award was deeply meaningful to me, both as a Filipina and as an expat business leader in the UAE,” Adalia-Evertse says. “This recognition represents more than a personal milestone— it’s a reminder that in the UAE, anything is possible if you are willing to work hard and believe in your vision. Another milestone I’m most proud of is Spice Grill being awarded Highly Commendable Restaurant 2025 in the Northern Emirates, especially as the only Filipino-owned restaurant recognized dur-
→ Built around the idea of food as a shared experience, Spice Grill is known for its bold yet balanced flavors, with a strong focus on fresh seafood, sizzling grills, and comfort-driven dishes designed for communal dining.
ing the awards. It was a powerful moment of representation and validation for Filipino cuisine on a wider stage. I hope my journey can inspire others, especially women and young expats, to pursue their dreams with confidence and courage.”
In ensuring her work creates a positive ripple effect throughout society, Adalia-Evertse has initiated collaborations with community groups and small business owners, by hosting events and workshops in our restaurants.
“These partnerships have helped us support fellow entrepreneurs, expand our reach, and strengthen Spice Grill’s position as a community-driven brand—sharing a Filipino heart to the world,” she says. “We also always want to offer something new every year. Like now, in time for Ramadan, Spice Grill is currently giving back to its roots through a timely and meaningful initiative. Having opened its first branch in Sharjah, Spice Grill launches a Sharjah-to-Table concept, partnering with local fisherfolk to celebrate fresh, locally sourced fish caught in Sharjah. The initiative blends Emirati provenance with a Filipino culinary perspective, reinforcing the role of food as a connector of culture and community.”
With a steady business model and vision in place, Adalia-Evertse is now focused on simply amplifying the core values that underscore her job. “In 2026, I see the F&B space becoming more experience-driven, with guests seeking authenticity, comfort, and genuine service—not just good food,” she says. “People want places that feel meaningful and consistent. For Spice Grill, this means refining our guest experience, strengthening service standards, and continuing to present Filipino cuisine in a way that feels accessible and proud. Our focus is sustainable growth, community, and staying true to our purpose of sharing a Filipino heart to the world.”
→ Dr. Han, Ph.D. is the founder and CEO of the leading global cryptocurrency exchange Gate.
BEYOND THE NOISE
GATE FOUNDER DR. HAN
ON BUILDING A GLOBAL CRYPTO EXCHANGE.
by TAMARA PUPIC
→ Gate is currently listed as one of the top 3 global cryptocurrency exchanges by most widely tracked industry aggregators, based on trading volume and related metrics.
It was at the Entrepreneur Leadership Awards 2025 by Entrepreneur Middle East gala dinner last December that I was looking for the winner of the Best Crypto Exchange award — pushing through a noisy crowd of people taking selfies, shaking hands, laughing loudly, interrupting each other.
I was expecting Dr. Han, Ph.D., founder and CEO of the global cryptocurrency exchange Gate, to fit into that picture. But no—he met me slightly aside from the flow of people, remaining polite, disciplined, and focused on our conversation as if no distraction or interruptions were competing for our attention.
Irealize that is also how he built the crypto exchange Gate over the past 15 years: patiently, methodically, and largely indifferent to the fluctuating yet constant noise around and within the crypto sector.
Gate is currently listed as one of the top global cryptocurrency exchanges by most widely tracked industry aggregators, based on trading volume and related metrics. It was the first mainstream cryptocurrency exchange to commit to 100% reserves, which in 2020 was ahead of the industry standard. Then, in October 2025, Gate took it a step further by committing to a 124% reserve ratio.
As Gate surpasses 49 million active users, Dr. Han points to security as the single most important factor in how those users choose a crypto exchange. “We have extensive experience and provide strong custody and security measures to protect user assets,” he says.
“Transparency is also critical. We were the first to provide proof of reserves, showing that user assets are fully backed. We also open-sourced our auditing system so users can verify it themselves.”
As part of its strategy to become a fully regulated global crypto exchange, Gate has obtained regulatory registrations, licenses, or approvals across jurisdic-
tions including Lithuania, Argentina, Malta, Italy, Gibraltar, the Bahamas, Hong Kong, and Japan, following the 2024 acquisition of Japan-licensed exchange Coin Master. In 2025, Gate obtained licenses in multiple U.S. states and launched Gate US; plus, its subsidiary Gate Technology FZE secured a VASP license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). “We started as a one-person operation,” Dr. Han says. “Today, we have more than 2,000 employees, including over 1,000 developers. We have offices in Japan, Malta, the United States, and UAE (Dubai), but many team members work remotely.”
Going back to the period when Gate was still a one-person operation reveals that Dr. Han was among the earliest builders in the global cryptocurrency industry. With degrees in computer software engineering and advanced degrees in mathematics and computer science (Peking University), Dr. Han pursued a PhD in
“
WE HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE AND PROVIDE STRONG CUSTODY AND SECURITY MEASURES TO PROTECT USER ASSETS. WE WERE THE FIRST TO PROVIDE PROOF OF RESERVES, SHOWING THAT USER ASSETS ARE FULLY BACKED. WE ALSO OPENSOURCED OUR AUDITING SYSTEM SO USERS CAN VERIFY IT THEMSELVES.”
optics from Canada. After completing one year of postdoctoral work in Canada in optoelectronics, he returned to China to start a business in high-performance computing and optoelectronic software development. Then, in 2012, while conducting high-performance computing research, he noticed graphics cards being widely used for Bitcoin mining. “About 12 years ago, I was trying to find the best hardware to run software simulations. I then discovered that people were using the same kind of hardware for Bitcoin mining. That was the first time I heard about Bitcoin,” he says.
“I started studying what Bitcoin was. It was easy for me to understand because I have a technology background. There was a white paper, very well written, and the code was open source, so you could easily check the details. That was my first encounter with Bitcoin.”
However, intellectual curiosity alone was not what led Dr. Han to start Gate. In 2013, he attempted to purchase 100 Bitcoin on an online forum but was scammed, losing approximately CAD 2,000–3,000 (US$1,500–2,300). The
“ ON THE PRODUCT SIDE, WE EVOLVED FROM A CENTRALIZED EXCHANGE TO ALSO OFFERING DEFI AND TOKENIZED TRADFI PRODUCTS. USERS WANT MORE CONTROL OVER THEIR ASSETS, SO WE BUILT DECENTRALIZED SOLUTIONS AS WELL.”
experience prompted him to build a secure trading platform.
Gate was founded in April 2013, originally under the name bter. com, during a period when the crypto industry operated largely without regulatory frameworks. In its first two years, Dr. Han
personally wrote much of the platform’s core code, handling everything from infrastructure and application programming interfaces (APIs) to website development.
In 2017, when China carried out a sweeping crackdown on cryptocurrency activity -from declaring Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) illegal to instructing major domestic exchanges to cease operations or relocate overseas- Dr. Han’s platform relocated to the Cayman Islands and rebranded as Gate.
Today, his stance on regulation is pragmatic. “Early on, the lack of regulation helped the industry grow. Today, regulation is necessary to protect users from risks like hacking and illegal activity,” Dr. Han says.
“Regulators should provide clear guidelines and objectives but avoid micromanagement. Exchanges have the expertise
↑ Gate founder Dr. Han with Tamara Pupic, Managing Editor, Entrepreneur Middle East.
I ENCOURAGE FOUNDERS TO ENTER CRYPTO EARLY. CRYPTO WILL CHANGE THE WORLD, AND MOST ASSETS WILL EVENTUALLY BE TOKENIZED AND MOVED ON-CHAIN.”
and technology to meet compliance requirements. Excessive micromanagement wastes time and resources, especially for smaller companies. Overall, regulators are improving as they gain more understanding of the industry.”
Alongside the broader expansion of the crypto industry, Gate has undergone its own internal acceleration, with its product strategy moving well beyond only centralized trading. As Dr. Han explains, “On the product side, we evolved from a centralized exchange to also offering DeFi products. Users want more control over their assets, so we built decentralized solutions as well.”
integrated on-chain environment—unified by GT as the native gas token—where users can build, trade, and create within a single ecosystem.
“We continuously launch new products because crypto evolves very quickly. We are now fully focused on Web3, as we see strong demand for decentralized infrastructure and services.”
with on-chain efficiency and seamless user experience. This approach bridges TradFi and crypto into a single platform, setting a new industry benchmark for next-generation financial infrastructure.
Brand visibility followed infrastructure. Starting from the 2024/25 season, Gate.io has become the Official Sleeve Partner of
That shift has recently taken shape in Gate’s “All in Web3” strategy, a comprehensive on-chain ecosystem built around Gate Layer, its high-performance Layer 2 blockchain. Serving as the foundation, Gate Layer enables a new generation of decentralized applications, including Gate Perp DEX, a decentralized perpetuals exchange, and Gate Fun, a zero-code token launchpad. Together, these products form an
Innovation doesn’t stop there. Gate recently dabbled into a new model of on-chain TradFi by integrating tokenized stocks and traditional financial instruments directly into its crypto ecosystem, creating a true 360-degree trading experience. In recent interviews, Dr. Han emphasized how Gate is using blockchain infrastructure to deliver compliant, high-liquidity access to traditional assets
FC Internazionale Milano, which will see its logo featured on the sleeves of the playing kits for both the men’s and women’s teams, as well as the club’s U20 teams. Also in 2025, Gate signed a multi-year deal to become the exclusive crypto exchange partner of the eight-time World Drivers’ Championship–winning team, Oracle Red Bull Racing. Gate’s branding is featured on the RB21, team kit, driver and crew suits, and Max
→ The Gate team received the Best Crypto Exchange award at the Leaders in E-Business Awards 2025 by Entrepreneur Middle East in Dubai in December 2025.
↑ Gate founder Dr. Han receives the Best Crypto Exchange Award at the Entrepreneur Leadership Awards 2025 in Dubai.
Verstappen’s helmet. “It significantly increased global awareness. These were major milestones for us,” Dr. Han says.
Stepping back from Gate to the crypto industry as a whole, Dr. Han draws on years of navigating multiple market cycles, treating both bull and bear phases as exercises in discipline.“Crypto used to follow a four-year cycle based on Bitcoin supply, but today it is influenced by the global economy. Bull and bear markets still exist, but the dynamics have changed,” he explains. “In bull markets, hype can lead to mistakes and bubbles. You need to be careful not to overextend or launch too many products without discipline.
“In bear markets, revenue is lower and morale can drop. That is the time to reduce unnecessary spending and focus on product development and long-term improvements. Finding the balance is a key lesson we learned.”
When it comes to the industry’s next chapter, Dr. Han sees stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization as foundational. “Stablecoins are a form of real-world assets because they are backed by fiat currency. Initially, they were mainly used for trading, but today they are widely used for payments,” he says. “Real-world asset tokenization is growing quickly. Assets like gold and stocks can now be traded on-chain, globally and 24/7. This increases accessibility, efficiency, and liquidity. We will see more traditional assets move onto blockchain.”
“BY 2026, I EXPECT AI-DRIVEN INTERFACES THAT MAKE CRYPTO MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.”
By contrast, Dr. Han remains cautious about central bank digital currencies.“CBDCs have been discussed for years, but I have not seen real success yet,” he says. “Blockchain already
provides trust through technology and consensus, so users do not necessarily want centralized control. CBDCs must compete on experience, cost, and efficiency like any other project. Without clear advantages, adoption will remain limited.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Han believes artificial intelligence will play a decisive role in crypto adoption.
“AI will significantly improve user experience. Crypto platforms are still too complex for normal users,” he explains. “With AI, users won’t need to learn complicated interfaces. They will simply express their intent, and the system will execute it for them.
“By 2026, I expect AI-driven interfaces that make crypto much more accessible.”
After more than a decade building through volatility, regulation, and reinvention, Dr. Han’s advice to founders—particularly those in the UAE—is grounded in experience. “I encourage founders to enter crypto early. Crypto will change the world, and most assets will eventually be tokenized and moved on-chain,” he says.
“Founders should build in major crypto hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, or Singapore. These ecosystems make it easier to find capital, partners, and talent. Starting in a small city without an ecosystem makes growth much harder.”
Into New Worlds
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Secure your pass now
RADIO TV DIGITAL INSIDE MODERN Media CAREERS
by TAMARA PUPIC
In the UAE, the media landscape has never been defined by a single platform. Television still commands authority, radio retains intimacy, and digital media continues to redraw the rules of reach, speed, and influence.
But the real story of how these mediums coexist and evolve is best told through the people who have built their careers inside them.
This feature brings together three women whose professional journeys span radio, television, and digital media, offering a grounded view of how the UAE media landscape has transformed over the past decade.
MARIAM (MAZ) HAKIM PRESENTER
VIRGIN RADIO,
ARABIAN RADIO NETWORK (ARN)
DINA BUTTI
TV PRESENTER DUBAI ONE
CASEY FITZGERALD
SENIOR CONTENT DIRECTOR
LOVIN’ DUBAI, AUGUSTUS MEDIA
DIGITAL
→ MARIAM (MAZ) HAKIM is a presenter at Virgin Radio, Arabian Radio Network (ARN).
RADIO’S ENDURING IMPACT
MARIAM (MAZ) HAKIM
PRESENTER
VIRGIN RADIO, ARABIAN RADIO NETWORK (ARN)
Radio’s strength isn’t volume or virality — it’s intimacy,” says Mariam (Maz) Hakim Presenter, Virgin Radio, Arabian Radio Network (ARN). “And in a fast-growing market like the UAE, where communities are still being shaped in real time, that
intimacy remains incredibly valuable.”
Maz Hakim has built a long-standing radio career in the Middle East through her work with Virgin Radio Dubai 104.4 FM, widely recognized as the UAE’s leading English-language hit music station, with an estimated weekly audience reach of around 1.3 million listeners. She moved to Dubai from Australia
in 2014 to host her own show on the station and has since remained a core part of its on-air lineup. She currently presents The Vibe with Maz Hakim, which airs on weekdays from 10am to 2pm. “Longevity has been one of the most defining milestones in my career. Spending over a decade at Virgin Radio in a region as fast-moving and competitive as the
Middle East means you’re constantly being challenged to stay relevant, curious, and adaptable. Comfort is never really an option.” Two key turning points have
Maz Hakin’s Lessons Across Platforms
} "In media, listening has taught me more than talking ever did. In podcasting, the moments that matter most are the ones where you stop performing and really pay attention. And in entrepreneurship, discomfort isn’t a sign you’re failing — it’s usually a sign you’re learning. If I could say one thing, it would be this: try to be excellent at what’s right in front of you. If you can stand by your work even when there’s no applause, you’re already doing something right — and that’s usually what lasts."
played a defining role in shaping her professional trajectory - moving from co-hosting to hosting solo forced her to find her own voice very quickly, but another pivotal moment was realizing that “radio alone was no longer enough.” She explains, “It’s not because radio is losing its power, but because audiences were changing. That awareness pushed me to think beyond the studio and start building a broader personal brand, focusing on storytelling, relevance, and impact across multiple platforms.” Hakim views today’s UAE media landscape across radio, television, and digital platforms as “fragmented, fast-moving, and highly competitive for audience attention.” In this environment, she explains consumption patterns are “no longer defined by distinct channels, as audiences move fluidly between live radio, short-form content, podcasts, social media, and video— often within the same day.” However, in the UAE, she notes that radio remains deeply embedded in daily life. “With
“ Radio’s strength isn’t volume or virality — it’s intimacy. And in a fast-growing market like the UAE, where communities are still being shaped in real time, that intimacy remains incredibly valuable.”
long commutes, a diverse population, and a strong culture of live, local connection, radio here isn’t just background noise — it’s companionship,” she says. “People still tune in for conversation, for familiarity, and for voices they trust. Live radio holds a power that no other medium has fully replicated: real-time human connection. It’s immediate, responsive, and shared. When something happens — globally or locally — radio reacts instantly. In a region as diverse as the Middle East, that sense of immediacy and inclusion really matters.” While attention has become the scarcest currency, Hakim agrees that new attention dynamics have changed how audiences consume content in the moment, but believes that radio has retained its distinctive power. “Some traditional platforms are still adjusting to how quickly attention shifts today, but radio has quietly evolved alongside its audience. It doesn’t rely on clicks or algorithms — it relies on presence. Being there, every day, in real time,” she says.
“The platforms that continue to succeed are the ones that respect how people actually live their lives — not just how they scroll.”
Beyond radio, Hakim has also expanded her storytelling into podcasting through Success Decoded with Maz Hakim which features a diverse lineup of regional and international guests, such as such as best-selling author Roxie Nafousi, fitness coach Jason Grima, wellness expert Mary Cristine, entrepreneur Ebraheem Al Samadi chef Mohamad Orfali, and global media personality Piers Morgan. The series is distributed across major audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and RSS feeds through Virgin Radio Dubai’s podcast page. “Live radio is driven by instinct, speed, and energy in the moment. Podcasting, by contrast, is slower, deeper, and far more intentional. With Success Decoded, I had to learn patience — allowing conversations to breathe, embracing silence, and prioritizing depth over entertainment,” Hakim explains. “The biggest lesson has been understanding that podcast audiences want substance, not just personality. They’re choosing to spend time with you — not catching you in the background of their day. That level of attention changes how you prepare, how you listen, and how you tell
stories. It’s a responsibility you can’t take lightly.”
Alongside her media career, Hakim has also explored entrepreneurship through the launch of Expand By Maz, a socially conscious and sustainable clothing brand focused on celebrating her native Afghan culture. “Exploring entrepreneurship came from a desire to express identity beyond broadcasting,” she says. “I was drawn to fashion as a storytelling medium — a way to explore culture, heritage, and conscious creation in a tangible form. As an Afghan-Australian woman living in the Middle East, it felt important to build something meaningful that reflected where I come from and what I stand for. That experience offered insight into the differences between entrepreneurship and media, underscoring that creativity is only the
starting point in entrepreneurship.
“Execution, logistics, decision-making, and resilience are where the real work happens,” Hakim explains. “Building from the ground up gave me a deep appreciation for sustainability, production realities, and the discipline required to turn ideas into something real.”
Her journey across three distinct avenues for self-expression —radio, podcasting, and entrepreneurship— informs her belief that attention is increasingly driven by personalities rather than platforms. “Audiences follow people they trust — not logos. Platforms are vehicles; personalities are the connection,” Hakim concludes.
“This shift has decentralized power. Broadcasters no longer ‘own’ audiences in the way they once did
— they collaborate with them. For talent, that’s empowering, but it’s also demanding. You’re no longer just a presenter; you’re a brand, a strategist, and a storyteller. Consistency, authenticity, and clarity of voice matter more than ever.”
“The UAE is still a rapidly growing country where radio remains deeply embedded in daily life. With long commutes, a diverse population, and a strong culture of live, local connection, radio here isn’t just background noise — it’s companionship.”
DINA BUTTI
of presenters
Ilove television. I genuinely believe it still offers something special: surprise,” says Dina Butti, TV presenter at Dubai One, an English language entertainment television channel owned by Dubai Media Incorporated.
“We live in an extremely curated world where we control what we watch, when we watch it, and how fast we consume it. Television allows for discovery - flipping channels, stumbling upon a story, a film, or a topic you didn’t even know you were interested in.”
After co-hosting the celebrity entertainment program That’s Entertainment, Butti is now a part of a team of presenters hosting DXB
Today, a daily lifestyle program on Dubai One that highlights culture, events, local stories and experiences in the UAE. “For a show like ours designed for local audiences, we deliver news and current affairs rooted in the city itself, while giving talent, businesses, and personalities a trusted platform. That communal aspect is still awesome,” Butti says.
Egyptian-Canadian Butti began her journey in media after studying studio arts, journalism, and television at Concordia University in Montreal. Returning to Dubai for family reasons, she entered the industry without established connections, but she landed an early internship at INTV (later known as City 7), followed by a role at a women’s fashion and lifestylemaga-
TREP TALK
} "Create your own opportunities and platforms. We’re in so much more control of our success than ever before. Put yourself out there. Experiment. Take risks. Fail publicly. Get in front of a camera and keep posting."
} "When I started, I was told I wasn’t pretty enough, thin enough, smart enough and that I smiled too much. You have to learn to be your own cheerleader and lean into what makes you thrive. The hardest thing to be on camera is being yourself, but like anything else, communication is a skill you can practice.”
} "I genuinely believe my success has come from being relatable. I stutter. I’m goofy. I correct myself. I’m not overly polished and that’s intentional.”
} "If you want to work in traditional media, reach out to people who already do. Prove your value. Get your foot in the door. Even if it means working for free at first, build your reel and your CV. Figure out what makes you uniquely you - and spread it like wildfire."
zine. Her first paid assignment at the Dubai International Film Festival marked a pivotal moment- Butti conducted celebrity interviews with A-listers including the renowned Egyptian actress Yousra and American actor George Clooney. That experience paved the way for her first full-time position as a production coordinator at MTV
DINA BUTTI On Breaking Into TV
“
→ Dina Butti is a part of a team
hosting DXB Today, a daily lifestyle program on Dubai One.
↓ Dina Butti and Robin Williams
“We live in an extremely curated world where we control what we watch, when we watch it, and how fast we consume it. Television allows for discovery - flipping channels, stumbling upon a story, a film, or a topic you didn’t even know you were interested in.”
Arabia, followed by an editorial role with Jumeirah Group’s beauty and wellness publication.
When reflecting on the qualities that have defined her career trajectory, Butti highlights one in particular: resilience in the face of rejection.
“There is a lot of it,” she says. “I always knew I wanted to be a TV presenter, and I also knew I wasn’t going to stop until it happened. That meant hearing ‘no’ more times than I can count.”
Butti adds that she had set her sights on Dubai One for years, but her early attempts to secure an on-air role proved unsuccessful. Ultimately, she accepted a behind-the-scenes position as a researcher and writer. From there, she continued to show up—making her ambitions clear to everyone around her. “I was told all kinds of things - that it wasn’t going to happen, that maybe I wasn’t pretty enough, didn’t have “the it factor,” or that I was wasting people’s time by hoping for a different result. Thankfully, I believed in myself more than the noise,” she says.
A pivotal turning point came when Reim El Houni, founder of Dubai-based production studio Ti22 Films, offered her the opportunity to take on an unpaid role as a city scout delivering short on-camera segments each week. Butti went on to become a reporter on Studio One, and later stepped in as host of Out and About. The
momentum continued when she became co-host of That’s Entertainment, where she reported live from the red carpets of the Oscars and the Critics’ Choice Awards.
From that point forward, her commitment became unmistakable—rooted in a disciplined approach to preparation and a deep respect for her craft. For Butti, every interview begins with thorough research and genuine curiosity. “One thing that really set me apart early on was finding playful, unexpected ways to get information out of people so they’re genuinely enjoying themselves and want to give you something good,” she says.
“Many celebrities are doing back-to-back interviews all day. It gets repetitive. So I’d ask myself: how can I spice this up for them too? Sometimes that meant challenges, sometimes dancing - Ranveer Singh and Will Smith were amazing sports about that. I’m also always surprised by how nervous some public figures are. Taking a few minutes before the interview to put them at ease can completely change the energy.”
Reflecting on the conversations that have left a lasting impression, Butti recalls the immediate warmth of Canadian singer Céline Dion, the joie de vivre of American actor John Travolta, and the surprising humility of Metallica’s lead singer James Hetfield. “One moment that really stayed with me was interviewing Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan alongside a young Deepika Padukone,” she adds. “I remember feeling slightly frustrated because he kept redirecting questions to her when I wanted to hear more from him. Later, I realized he was intentionally helping her step into the spotlight. That generosity made me see him as even more of a legend.”
On the region’s shifting media landscape, Butti observes that radio has remained remarkably resilient— by contrast, television and print have faced steady contraction. “Where the UAE truly shines is in its ability to adapt. The city has done an incredible job nurturing the content creation industry, with initiatives like the Billion Followers Summit. My hope is that we continue innovating without losing sight of traditional media and the value it still holds,” she says. Beyond television, Butti has built a
multifaceted media profile as an emcee and voice-over artist, while also cultivating a strong presence on social media. “TV presenting has been my most consistent anchor. Emceeing keeps me sharp as a public speaker. Voiceover work is a completely different art form. It’s all about nuance and detail,” Butti says. “Social media, though, has probably been the most surprising. I built it from scratch, I fully own it, and I never really know what opportunities will come from it. Recently, it led to me hosting a podcast series for the BBC, which was an incredible experience. That opportunity came purely from putting myself out there consistently online.”
Asked which platform best understands audience behavior today, Butti points to digital. “I feel like digital platforms understand audience behavior best simply because they have the data in real time, and they can pivot instantly,” she says. “That said, knowing what people click on isn’t the same as understanding why they connect.” In the end, Butti explains, real winners will be those who combine data with intuition— analytics guided by humanity and purpose. “At the end of the day, attention isn’t just about grabbing eyeballs. It’s about holding them for a reason, and that still comes down to good storytelling, no matter the platform,” Butti concludes.
CASEY FITZGERALD
SENIOR CONTENT DIRECTOR
LOVIN’ DUBAI, AUGUSTUS MEDIA
Traditional media still has its place, but digital is where the real breakthroughs are happening,” says Casey Fitzgerald, Senior Content Director at Lovin’ Dubai, Augustus Media. From the launch,
The growth of the Lovin’ brand by Dubai-headquartered digital media group Augustus Media - from the launch of Lovin’ Dubai by in 2015 to today’s network of more than 26 city editions reaching approximately 28 million unique users per month across digital platforms - brings her point into sharp focus.
“Lovin’ Dubai stands out in a busy digital media space because we focus on genuinely local storytelling,” Fitzgerald explains.
“While many platforms chase clicks or viral trends, we put the city and its communities at the heart of every story. As local newspapers decline, the need for reliable, relevant local news is stronger than ever. Across the Lovin’ network, we mix essential city updates with entertaining and positive stories that celebrate the people and communities we cover.”
Fitzgerald moved to the UAE in 2012 after completing a degree in journalism and Irish in Dublin, initially taking up a teaching role in Abu Dhabi. In 2015, she began contributing as a freelance writer to Lovin’ Dubai that was launched by her brother Richard Fitzgerald. After balancing classroom hours with evening reporting, she transitioned into a full-time role once the brand’s local coverage went viral.
Over this period, Fitzgerald has witnessed the rapid transformation of Dubai’s media landscape. “When I first started working as a journalist in Dubai, success was measured by website page views, and advertisers were mostly focused on placing ads on websites,” she says. “At that time, we focused on native advertising before it became mainstream, encouraging clients to shelve their press releases and allow us to adapt their promotions with a casual, friendly tone that would sit naturally on Lovin’, so the content didn’t look like a typical ad. We’ve always aimed for clients to speak to our audience naturally, rather than just running a standard ad.
“Today, Dubai’s media scene has transformed completely: digital spend dominates, content is more visually and authentically driven, and the more genuine a video or visual feels, the more naturally people engage. The shift over the past ten years has been dramatic.”
Her day typically begins with hosting The Lovin’ Dubai Show, a live news program focused on local stories from across the city and distributed across Lovin’ Dubai’s social platforms (its official Instagram account @lovindubai alone has +1.7 million followers), website, and app. “After the show, my role as Senior Content Director shifts between ensuring consistency across all content in Lovin’s 22 cities, overseeing client campaigns to ensure they meet expectations, reviewing local news stories, and collaborating with our tech and commercial teams to continuously improve the Lovin’ experience,” Fitzgerald explains. “One current focus is expanding our podcast network. Each Lovin’ city now produces two podcasts daily using AI, one in Arabic and one in English, which means we can now deliver timely, relevant audio content that’s available across the region.”
→ CASEY FITZGERALD is the Senior Content Director at Lovin› Dubai, Augustus Media.
“ Dubai’s media scene has transformed completely: digital spend dominates, content is more visually and authentically driven, and the more genuine a video or visual feels, the more naturally people engage. The shift over the past ten years has been dramatic.”
Her professional authority evolved alongside the platform’s growth, shaped by a series of defining career milestones - such as when, in the early days of Lovin’, Fitzgerald was invited to take part in a regular segment on The Kris Fade Show to discuss their biggest stories. “I was so nervous, surrounded by seasoned radio professionals and speaking live to hundreds of thousands of listeners,” she recalls. “But the team was incredibly welcoming, and over time, that bi-weekly segment became manageable. It taught me that confidence only comes from doing the thing you’re afraid of, repeatedly.”
Another notable milestone in her career came in 2025, when Fitzgerald presented The Lovin’ Community Awards, marking the
10-year anniversary of Lovin’ Dubai. The awards recognized individuals highlighted through a decade of local coverage, celebrating community members whose contributions have helped shape the city’s social fabric. “Standing on stage, looking out at a room filled with faces I’ve seen on our platforms across a decade of stories, was truly special,” she says. “And it’s the reminder of why we do what we do: to share stories that empower, inspire, and connect the community.”
However, working at a news desk also presents its challenges, and for Fitzgerald, this often means navigating high-pressure situations on a regular basis. “I interviewed a doctor who recounted his experiences working in life-saving trauma situations in Rafah (Gaza),
describing moments so intense they felt almost out of body, along with a mother who was on the latest Gaza Freedom Flotilla,” she says.
“Hearing these stories of courage was truly humbling, and it made me realize just how important it is to amplify voices and share the stories that need to be told.
“Growing up in Ireland, I don’t always have an immediate lived understanding of every regional story, so personally, I’ve learned to listen more closely and rely on local voices to ensure our coverage is informed, balanced, and respectful. These moments have shaped how I lead, edit, and approach journalism today.”
In the end, Fitzgerald’s view reflects how digital media now operates alongside traditional mediums—not as a replacement, but as a complementary force reshaping how audiences consume and engage with news and content.
“Traditional media still has its place, but digital is where the real breakthroughs are happening,” she says.
When it comes to media innovation, Fitzgerald believes it extends beyond any single format, emerging instead through shifts in platforms, technology, and storytelling methods. “The ever-changing digital media landscape offers endless opportunities for experimentation, and fortunately, we’re in a city that embraces change,” she concludes.
“Today, our newsrooms are evolving: AI is creating podcasts, avatars are
delivering news stories, and while it’s still early days, this is the future. These innovations will allow us to scale output in ways traditional media could never match. It’s an exciting era, and AI will only open up even more possibilities.”
CAREER ADVICE
Casey Fitzgerald on Digital-First Media
} “It is the same advice I’d give to anyone in any industry: have passion for what you do, learn your trade, and show up every day. Skills can be taught, platforms will change, and trends will come and go, but consistency and commitment are what build real careers. If you stay curious, put in the work, and keep showing up, it will take you further than anything else."
“Lovin’ Dubai stands out in a busy digital media space because we focus on genuinely local storytelling. While many platforms chase clicks or viral trends, we put the city and its communities at the heart of every story.”
↑ CASEY FITZGERALD with her brother and founder of Augustus Media Richard Fitzgerald.
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Why Emotionally Intelligent Leadership is Outperforming Traditionally Masculine Command-And-Control Models in the UAE
by BEN EDWARDS
‘T/Leadership
Across the Middle East, leadership success is often defined by certainty, authority and control. The strongest voice in the room wins. Decisions are made, cascaded downwards and rarely questioned. In some cases, that approach has delivered results, but in the region’s business landscape nowadays, it increasingly doesn’t.
Organisations here are now trying to lead through complex enviroments and situations that traditional command-and-control models were never designed for. Multicultural teams, rapid digital change, heightened expectations around wellbeing and performance, and constant economic movement demand a different kind of leadership muscle. The leaders outperforming right now are not the most dominant or directive. They are the most emotionally intelligent. That may sound like a soft statement, but in reality, it’s a hard commercial truth.
UAE leadership reality has changed
The UAE is one of the most complex leadership environments in the world. Teams are often made up of dozens of nationalities, working across cultures, languages, time zones and belief systems. Add to that fast growth, ambitious targets, evolving regulation and constant transformation, and the margin for leadership error is small. In this environment, authority alone doesn’t scale. What does scale is the ability to read people, adapt communication, manage tension and create clarity without fear. Emotional intelligence isn’t about being ‘nice’. It’s about understanding how humans behave under pressure and leading accordingly.
Entrepreneurs who rely solely on command-and-control approaches
often encounter the same problems:
}Talented people disengage quietly
}Decision-making slows as teams wait for permission
}Conflict goes underground instead of being resolved
}Innovation stalls because people don’t feel safe to challenge ideas
None of these show up immediately on a P&L. But over time, they erode performance.
Emotionally intelligent leadership performs better under pressure
Emotionally intelligent leaders do something fundamentally different. They don’t just manage tasks; they manage energy, attention and trust. In complex environments like the UAE, this has tangible advantages: Firstly, emotionally intelligent leaders create psychological safety. Teams that feel safe to speak up surface risks earlier, resolve problems faster and make better decisions. In fast-moving markets, that speed and clarity matter.
Secondly, they reduce friction.
Misunderstandings in multicultural teams are often emotional, not technical. Leaders who can sense tension, adapt their tone and address issues early prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. Thirdly, they build resilience at scale. When pressure rises, emotionally intelligent leaders regulate their own responses. Calm becomes contagious. That steadiness stabilises teams and keeps performance consistent, even during disruption. This is why emotionally intelligent leadership isn’t a ‘people issue’, it’s a performance strategy.
The myth of strength in leadership
One reason command-and-control models persist is the belief that strength means certainty. Many entrepreneurs feel pressure to have answers, project confidence and suppress doubt, but in reality, that model creates fragility. When leaders can’t acknowledge uncertainty or pressure, teams learn to hide it too. Issues surface late.
Burnout increases. Decision quality drops.
The strongest leaders we work with do the opposite. They combine clarity with humility. They set direction, but they invite challenge. They make decisions, but they explain their thinking. They remain composed without becoming distant. This doesn’t weaken authority. It strengthens it.
In the UAE, where leadership presence carries cultural weight, this balance is especially powerful. It allows leaders to maintain respect while fostering openness and accountability.
Why this matters for entrepreneurs and founders
Entrepreneurs often sit at the centre of everything. Vision, growth, culture and execution frequently rest on their shoulders. As businesses scale, the leadership habits that worked in the early days can become liabilities. Command-and-control leadership might feel efficient when teams are small. As organisations grow, it becomes a bottleneck.
Emotionally intelligent leadership, by contrast, distributes capability. It builds teams that can think, decide and act without constant oversight. For entrepreneurs looking to scale
ISN’T ABOUT BEING ‘NICE’. IT’S ABOUT UNDERSTANDING
sustainably, this shift is critical. It also directly affects retention. High-performing employees don’t just leave for money. They leave environments where they don’t feel heard, trusted or supported. In competitive UAE talent markets, emotionally intelligent leadership is a differentiator.
Practical strategies:
This isn’t about personality. Emotional intelligence is a skill set that can be developed, and there are a number of practical ways leaders can start shifting their approach immediately:
1/ Regulate before you communicate
Under pressure, tone matters more than content. Before difficult conversations or decisions, pause. Check your own emotional state. Calm communication increases clarity and reduces defensiveness.
2/Replace certainty with curiosity
Instead of presenting decisions as fixed, explain the reasoning and invite input. Phrases like “Here’s what I’m seeing - what am I missing?” Unlock better thinking without undermining authority.
3/Make decision ownership explicit
Many teams stall because they don’t know who owns what. Emotionally intelligent leaders create clarity, not control. Define decision boundaries so teams can act confidently when leaders are unavailable.
4/Address tension early, not perfectly Unresolved friction drains performance. Leaders don’t need perfect language; they need timely action. Naming tension respectfully prevents escalation and builds trust.
5/Model healthy pressure management
How leaders respond to stress
sets the tone. Normalising recovery, focus and boundaries gives teams permission to perform sustainably, not exhaustively.
The future of leadership
As the UAE continues to position itself as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and investment, leadership models will continue to evolve. The next phase of growth will favour leaders who can integrate performance with humanity, speed with steadiness, and ambition with awareness. Emotionally intelligent leadership is not a rejection of strength. It’s an evolution of it. In complex, multicultural environments like the UAE, the leaders who outperform are those who understand that people are not variables to be controlled, but systems to be understood. For entrepreneurs building businesses to last, that understanding may be the most valuable leadership skill of all.
Ben Edwards is the Head of Training at Ignite Training. With over 15 years of experience in learning and development in the UK and Middle East, across corporate and government sectors, Ben is Head of Training, and leads the design and delivery of Ignite’s LEAP Graduate Trainee Program for Emirates
Global Aluminium, a flagship initiative supporting UAE national leadership development aligned with Emiratisation goals. He designs structured, high-impact learning journeys that deliver lasting behavioural change. He is a qualified facilitator of the Royal College of Psychiatrists-accredited i-act mental health programme, and certified Jigsaw Discovery Tool Master Facilitator. www.ignitetraining.com
Is Sustainability Really a Strategy?
Or is it just an enabler of one? by LACHLAN JACKSON
Every company talks about sustainability now. From airlines to app developers, it’s on every website, in every investor deck, and part of every annual report. Everyone mentions it, few know what it really means, and when everyone claims to be sustainable, does it still mean anything?
The question is not whether sustainability matters. Of course it does. The real question is whether it should lead your strategy or simply enable it, because in most industries, sustainability has become the new baseline, not a differentiator.
When I founded Ecocoast in 2009, our focus was protecting coastlines and marine environments. At the time, that was unusual in the region, almost idealistic. Fast forward to today, and sustainability is a mainstream business theme, backed by regulation and public sentiment. Yet despite this, when we recently surveyed clients, sustainability still ranked last among the factors driving purchasing decisions, well behind price, delivery time and performance. That was a confronting realization and highlights a stark reality. Many of us want to believe sustainability sells, but in most markets it doesn’t. At least not yet. It’s something akin to licence to operate, not a strategy to win.
When we opened a new factory in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, as part of our business case, we calculated that producing locally would reduce carbon emissions by 23 percent. It was a welcome benefit, but not in the end, the reason for the investment. The decision, as you would expect, was purely commercial. Localising production halved our delivery times and protected one of our competitive advantages. Speed. The sustainability gain was the by-product of a good decision, not the reason for it.
WHERE STRATEGY AND SUSTAINABILITY MEET
This is where many companies blur the line. Real strategy is about making
choices that give you an advantage. It’s about trade-offs, priorities, and focus. Sustainability can support those choices and it can reduce risk, improve resilience, or build reputation, but rarely is it the reason a business wins. The mistake many companies make is treating sustainability as a separate playbook, rather than a principle that shapes every part of the business. When it’s bolted on, it becomes PR. When it’s built in, it becomes useful. A sustainability plan without a commercial engine is philanthropy, a not-forprofit. A commercial plan without sustainability is short-sighted and, one could argue, selfish for future generations.
The real value lies somewhere in the intersection of the two because in most industries, sustainability isn’t the strategy. It’s the minimum standard.
The constant noise around sustainability hides something else. That many businesses simply have nothing new to say. You’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise if you scroll through the websites of companies in this space. Many extol the virtues of their products as though they single-handedly make the world cleaner, greener, more pristine, just by existing. Read a few press releases and you’d believe that by using their product, we’re reversing climate change. The sustainability language is so inflated it starts to feel like satire. But behind the headlines, most of these companies are still chasing the same things.
Margins, market share, and operational scale. And that’s okay. That’s business. What’s not okay is pretending otherwise.
for bids. It’s no longer a differentiator there, it’s an entry ticket. Like wheels on a car. That shift will inevitably reach the Middle
“Sustainability should inform how you operate, how you design, how you measure. It should be part of capital allocation, not a paragraph in a report. You can’t outsource it to the marketing team, it has to live in decision-making”
When everyone uses the same buzzwords, it starts to feel like a substitute for substance. You can only talk about being responsible for so long before someone asks, “Yes, but what are you actually building?” Leading with sustainability can make sense if it’s truly your differentiator and what makes you commercially competitive, but for most companies, it’s not the story. It’s a byproduct.
HOW FAR MARKETS HAVE REALLY COME
That being said, some markets are clearly further along. In Europe, for example, sustainability criteria have become embedded in tendering, procurement, and regulation. Large corporations and government bodies increasingly require measurable sustainability credentials to even qualify
East in time, but for now and potentially a decade to come, in many sectors across the region, it’s still emerging. For most buyers, the fundamentals such as cost, quality and delivery still remain the deciding factors.
That doesn’t mean companies here should wait. The smarter approach is to treat sustainability as a forward-looking investment. Anticipate where regulation and client expectations are heading, rather than reacting once it arrives. Integrate it in ways that strengthen your existing strategic levers. Use it to make your supply chain more resilient, your brand more credible, your processes more efficient. The companies that get this right will find themselves ready when sustainability becomes a true differentiator or, more likely a regulated requirement.
MAKING SUSTAINABILITY PART OF THE PLAN
So, the question isn’t whether to pursue sustainability. It’s how to do it with intent. For founders and leaders, the answer lies in integration. Sustainability should inform how you operate, how you design, how you measure. It should be part of capital allocation, not a paragraph in a report. You can’t outsource it to the marketing team, it has to live in decision-making. The real strategy is how you create value, how you defend it, and how you build something that lasts. That, in the end, might be the most sustainable thing of all. The companies that win will be those that stop treating sustainability as a marketing spin and start treating it like infrastructure.
Five Questions to Test if Sustainability Is Really Part of Your Strategy
} 1.Does it change how you allocate capital or resources?
} 2. Is it embedded in product design, not just communications?
} 3. Would your business case still hold if customers stopped rewarding you for it?
} 4. Are you measuring outcomes or just intentions?
} 5.Is it led by the boardroom or the marketing team?
Lachlan Jackson is the co-founder and Director at Ecocoast, a company that develops solutions for sustainable coastal and marine development. He is an active member of Endeavor Entrepreneur.
Why Execution Risk Is Becoming the Defining Challenge for the UAE’s Top Leaders
by DR FAISAL TK HARRIS
The UAE is one of the world’s most ambitious business environments. Vision, capital, and intent are not in short supply. The region is now firmly in a phase of translating bold plans into action. And it is precisely at this point that one of the UAE’s most significant leadership challenges is becoming clear: execution risk.
Execution risk is the difficulty of converting agreed intentions into completed actions. Talented executives generally know what should be done. What they struggle with is consistently doing it, under pressure, at pace, and without losing momentum. The gap between intention and completed action is known as the execution gap. Research places the UAE’s execution gap at
approximately 53%. This figure is not dramatically higher than global averages, but it is striking in a region that otherwise delivers world-leading performance across infrastructure, capital deployment, and strategic ambition.
In simple terms, for senior executives in the UAE, more than half of formally agreed, documented plans are delayed, diluted, or ultimately unrealised. This is
not a failure of vision or planning. The UAE has benefited from some of the most coherent long-term strategic thinking anywhere in the world. The risk lies squarely in execution.
The hidden cost of failed execution
The financial cost of execution failure is significant. Studies suggest revenue losses of around 20%, alongside the waste of nearly 60% of capital, time, and talent invested in initiatives that never fully land. But the human cost is more corrosive.
Talented people are often their own harshest critics. Repeated failure to execute erodes confidence. Leaders become cautious, over-controlled, and increasingly paralysed by fear of visible failure. Some burn out and leave. Others
IMPORTANTLY, EXECUTION RISK IS NOT DRIVEN SOLELY BY INTERNAL, PEOPLE-CENTRIC FACTORS. EXTERNAL SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES MATTER.
remain in post but disengage, contributing only the minimum required to retain their role.
I refer to this as cognitive tax, the loss incurred when people operate far below their true capacity due to overload, anxiety, or disengagement. A senior executive paid USD 100,000 a month can, under these conditions, deliver the cognitive output of someone earning a fraction of that. The apathy spreads, quietly dragging down teams and organisations if left unaddressed.
Why the pressure is intensifying
One accelerant of execution risk is uneven AI adoption. In the Gulf, timelines are compressed and expectations are high. When implemented well, AI-enabled organisations can achieve 20–30% productivity gains over competitors. But many senior executives remain under-prepared for the cognitive and leadership demands AI introduces.
Poor AI adoption is rarely a technical problem. It is a leadership one. Uncertainty, anxiety, and lack of confidence impair cognition, narrowing attention and reducing decision quality at precisely the moment leaders are expected to perform at their best.
This is occurring against a backdrop of increasing regulatory maturity. The UAE’s regulatory environment is no longer permissive. It is active and consequential. Central Bank fines alone rose from AED 76 million in 2022 to AED 370 million in 2025. Less confident leaders respond by constraining growth and reducing visibility. More capable leaders refine their execution, train their teams, and
remain strategically visible while managing risk.
Execution is a human capability problem
Executives are cognitive assets. Like any critical asset, they require management: analysis, investment, recovery, and review. Without this, cognitive overload and decision fatigue are inevitable.
When overload sets in, leaders default to defensive or impulsive decisions rather than composed, reflective ones. Some cope by narrowing their field of attention, focusing on small, immediate crises while larger strategic threats accumulate overhead. The consequences are familiar to any experienced reader.
Importantly, execution risk is not driven solely by internal, people-centric factors. External systems and processes matter. Organisations that are excellent at planning are not automatically excellent at execution. Execution demands different rhythms, disciplines, and protections.
Making space for execution
One practical intervention is planning for crisis rather than reacting to it. Crises and interruptions pose a disproportionate threat during execution phases. They will occur. The question is whether they dominate the day.
One paradoxical strategy is to schedule crisis time deliberately, much like urgent care hours in a medical practice. Crises are discussed only within designated slots. Outside of those windows, teams are encouraged to resolve issues independently unless genuinely critical. While initially uncomfortable, this approach rapidly builds confidence, accountability, and execution discipline.
Execution-only time must also be protected. Regular, non-negotiable periods focused solely on actions that advance strategic goals prevent organisations from drifting into crisis-seeking behaviour. Without this discipline, learning, development,
reputation, and long-term differentiation quietly wither.
The 8 Cs: reducing execution risk in practice
At Harris Hawkins Performance, we use the 8 Cs as a practical aidememoire for reducing execution risk:
}Calming – recognising and diffusing emotional escalation
}Curating strong relationships with trusted colleagues and allies
}Calling for advice from credible, experienced figures
}Calculating political and psychological risks explicitly
}Collecting facts and data rather than relying on instinct alone
}Calendar discipline that prioritises execution
}Catharsis through structured self-reflection and growth
}Compassion, handling mistakes fairly, including your own
In practice, high-performing executives benefit from refining skills across decision tempo, emotional regulation, bandwidth management, execution fluency, and succession capability. These are not soft skills. They are operational imperatives.
Execution improves when cognitive considerations are treated with the same technical competence as financial planning or capital allocation. The leaders who master this make execution look effortless, not because it is easy, but because it is practiced deliberately.
Dr Faisal TK Harris is a performance psychiatrist and founder of Harris
Hawkins Performance (HHP). Trained in medicine and psychiatry, with postgraduate study in leadership psychology at the University of Oxford, he works with senior executives and elite performers to strengthen decision-making and performance under sustained pressure. His work spans business, professional sport, and complex organisational environments globally.
BEYOND THE BAN
How the UAE’s 2026 Plastics Policy Enforces a Circular Reset Across Packaging and Retail by DR
MIKE CHEETHAM
Regulations not challenges, rather opportunities to lead in the economy. This is what I believed when the UAE enforced its nationwide ban on single-use plastics effective January 1, 2026. The announcement was widely framed as an environmental milestone.
incentive to innovate with purpose.
As the nation accelerates toward its Net Zero 2050 goals, the plastics ban reinforces a powerful message increasingly echoed across global markets: sustainability is no longer a compliance exercise. It is fast becoming a core business strategy.
From waste to resource:
Closing the materials loop
But for businesses operating across packaging, hotels, retail, and food service, this is not regulation as restriction. It is regulation as a roadmap. The policy signals something far more consequential than a list of restricted items. It represents a structural shift in how materials will be designed, consumed, recovered, and reintegrated into the economy.
The UAE’s phased approach, introduced gradually from 2024 and expanding through 2026, reflects a deliberate transition toward a fully circular economy, one where waste is designed out of the system and materials retain value beyond a single use. In doing so, the country is aligning environmental ambition with industrial transformation, offering manufacturers and retailers clarity, time, and
Central to circular economy thinking is a simple but powerful principle: materials should remain in productive use for as long as possible. When properly collected and recycled, certain plastics can deliver lower net emissions than many single-use alternatives that end up in landfill or incineration. In markets with strong recovery infrastructure, recycled plastics displace virgin materials, reduce energy consumption, and ease pressure on natural ecosystems. This is why the UAE is increasingly complementing product bans with broader structural reforms with the development of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks.
Under EPR models, manufacturers are accountable for the full lifecycle of their products, including post-consumer recovery and recycling. Early pilots in the UAE already target packaging alongside electronics and batteries, signalling a future where product design and waste management are inseparable. The direction is unmistakable: environmental responsibility is shifting upstream, embedding
circularity directly into manufacturing decisions.
A
policy playbook mirroring global trends
While the UAE’s plastics strategy is ambitious, it is far from isolated. Globally, advanced economies are moving rapidly toward circular regulation.
Innovation as the competitive advantage
Well-designed regulation doesn’t stifle business. It forces reinvention.
Clear timelines such as the UAE’s 2024–2026 rollout allow companies to rethink materials, redesign packaging formats, restructure supply chains, and invest in technologies that reduce waste while maintaining performance.
One area seeing rapid progress is high-recyclability polymer solutions such as advanced PET variants. These materials are compatible with existing recycling streams, lightweight, and capable of meeting food-grade and durability standards while supporting true circular recovery.
Rather than scrambling for short-term fixes, many manufacturers are now engineering products for recyclability from inception, simplifying material mixes, improving sortability, and increasing recycled content.
THE UAE’S 2026 PLASTICS BAN IS ULTIMATELY NOT ABOUT ELIMINATING A MATERIAL. IT IS ABOUT REDESIGNING AN ENTIRE ECONOMIC FLOW. IT REFLECTS A FUTURE WHERE SUSTAINABILITY, TECHNOLOGY, AND COMPETITIVENESS MOVE IN PARALLEL.”
At the same time, technology is reshaping how sustainability is delivered at scale. Across the UAE’s manufacturing sector, AI, automation, and robotics are being deployed to optimise material usage, minimise production waste, reduce energy consumption, and improve quality control. These advanced systems are not only boosting efficiency but also strengthening environmental performance, directly supporting the country’s Net Zero ambitions.
What businesses must do next
As circular regulation accelerates, retailers, foodservice operators, and packaging users can no longer remain passive participants. Several practical steps are becoming essential:
}Audit material flows across supply chains to understand usage, recyclability, and waste destinations.
}Demand verified recyclability and recycled content from suppliers — sustainability claims must be measurable and certified.
}Design for simplicity, reducing unnecessary components and improving compatibility with recycling systems.
Regulation as a catalyst for long-term growth
The UAE’s 2026 plastics ban is ultimately not about eliminating a material. It is about redesigning an entire economic flow. It reflects a future where sustainability, technology, and competitiveness move in parallel. It boosts environmental policy to drive innovation rather than constrain it, and where businesses that adapt early gain strategic advantage.
As the country continues its journey toward a fully circular economy and Net Zero 2050, one reality is becoming increasingly clear: when strong policy direction meets genuine corporate commitment, the outcome is not just compliance.
It is transformation. For packaging, retail, and manufacturing industries across the UAE and beyond, the era of linear production is closing. The circular economy is no longer an aspiration. It is fast becoming the operating system of modern business.
}Use monomaterials wherever possible, to ease single waste stream recycling.
}Build recovery partnerships with waste management and recycling providers to close the loop.
}Educate consumers, because even the best packaging fails if it is not correctly disposed of.
}Consumer participation remains the missing link in many circular systems. Clear labelling, awareness campaigns, and return incentives will be crucial in translating policy intent into real environmental outcomes.
Dr. Mike Cheetham is the Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer at Hotpack. With a career that spans Medicine, Law Enforcement, and the global electronics supply chain, Dr. Cheetham’s diverse background has equipped him with a unique perspective on problem-solving in complex industries. A graduate of Leeds University, Dr. Cheetham transitioned to the UAE in 2005, and since joining Hotpack in 2016, he has led the company’s Global Business Development and Sustainability efforts. Under his guidance, Hotpack has become a major player in the Packaging industry with a product range exceeding 4,000 items.
For many business leaders in the UAE, e-invoicing still feels like a regulatory obligation, something for finance and IT teams to prepare for while the rest of the business continues as usual. That assumption is understandable, but it is also misleading. E-invoicing represents a structural shift in how commercial activity is recorded, verified, and trusted, with implications that extend far beyond a simple change in invoice format.
The UAE is in the midst of an ambitious digital transformation. The non-oil economy has already crossed the 3 trillion dirham mark and continues to grow rapidly, while the government has outlined plans for the digital economy to account for nearly a fifth of GDP by 2030, with artificial intelligence contributing a similar share. Within this context, e-invoicing is a vital part of the infrastructure that shapes growth, trust, and operational discipline across the economy.
E-Invoicing Will Test Which UAE Businesses Are Ready for the Future
by AMIT DUA
Invoices have long been treated as administrative documents, sent as PDFs by email, reconciled manually, and stored for audit purposes. That approach has persisted even as businesses digitized most other processes. E-invoicing changes that logic. Invoices will be structured, machine-readable, and validated in near real time by the FTA through accredited service providers before they are considered tax compliant. That shift transforms invoices from passive records into live signals of operational performance and financial reality.
The implications are profound. Structured invoices allow businesses to see patterns in cash flow, pricing, customer behavior, and supplier performance much more clearly. Payment delays, inconsistent pricing, and recurring disputes become visible quickly. This is not theoretical. In some Latin American countries like Mexico and Uruguay, where e-invoicing has been
mandatory for years, there has been a sharp rise in declared revenues and more effective VAT collection once electronic invoices became the norm. Businesses also reported fewer disputes, better visibility of receivables, and lower administrative costs. European experiences reinforce this, with midsized companies reducing the lag in understanding cash positions from weeks to a few days without changing strategy, simply by removing manual bottlenecks.
The operational impact extends beyond finance. Sales teams, procurement, operations, and customer service all interact with invoices, and e-invoicing requires these functions to align. Manual overrides, bespoke formats, and ad-hoc spreadsheet workarounds will no longer be tolerated without detection. Experience from other markets shows that human misunderstanding and misaligned incentives are often the biggest drivers of delays, more than technical issues. Preparing teams through structured training, scenario testing, and cross-functional alignment is as important as implementing the technology itself.
Security and governance are also critical. Every invoice carries sensitive information about pricing, tax positions, and counterparties. With invoices moving more frequently across systems and networks, controls over who can change master data, override tax codes, or
“THERE IS A BROADER STRATEGIC DIMENSION THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED. E-INVOICING IS A SOURCE OF GRANULAR, TRUSTED DATA THAT CAN INFORM PRICING STRATEGIES, DISCOUNT POLICIES, PROCUREMENT NEGOTIATIONS, AND CREDIT MANAGEMENT.”
access sensitive records become essential.
Accredited service providers in the UAE will meet strict security standards, but internal governance and culture will determine how well businesses manage risks. While encryption, access controls, and logging are critical, strong leadership in transparency and accountability ensures the integrity of invoice data.
There is a broader strategic dimension that is often overlooked. E-invoicing is a source of granular, trusted data that can inform pricing strategies, discount policies, procurement negotiations, and credit management. In an economy where capital allocation, investment, and competition increasingly depend on clarity and speed, having real-time insight into transactional behavior becomes a competitive advantage rather than a technical detail. Early engagement enables businesses to consolidate systems, clean data, and create a single, authoritative hub for invoice generation and reporting. Waiting until the last-minute increases risk and limits strategic options.
The UAE’s phased rollout reflects insights from Saudi Arabia, where e-invoicing
was introduced in two stages: first, invoice generation, followed by full integration with tax platforms. Larger taxpayers transitioned to real-time connectivity first, with smaller companies joining in later phases. Companies that engaged early navigated the change with greater ease and operational efficiency, while those that delayed faced rework, payment delays, and disruptions across their processes.
In practical terms, leadership should treat e-invoicing as core infrastructure and a longterm business priority. Boards should map existing systems, assess exceptions, define governance policies, train teams, and select partners capable of evolving with technical requirements. Metrics such as invoice rejection rates, days’ sales outstanding, and dispute frequency provide insight into whether the system is improving performance or simply shifting effort between departments. Companies that approach the mandate thoughtfully will emerge with stronger controls, faster cash conversion, and clearer visibility into their own operations.
E-invoicing may not capture headlines, yet it quietly
serves as essential infrastructure, steadily shaping the efficiency and transparency of businesses. In a rapidly growing economy like the UAE, these benefits compound over time, enabling leadership to focus on growth, strategy, and competitive positioning while minimizing compliance challenges. Meeting compliance requirements is just the beginning, while clarity, discipline, and actionable insight are where the true value lies. Companies that understand this will turn a regulatory mandate into a lasting strategic advantage.
Amit Dua is the President of SunTec Business Solutions. Based in London, he leads Sales, Business Development, Client Engagement, Alliances, and Industry Solutions functions for SunTec globally. Prior to joining SunTec, he served as Vice President & Regional Head for Europe, Americas and Australia, New Zealand as well as Head of Global Alliances for the banking product business of Infosys Limited, a $12 billion global firm. Over the last 26+ years, Amit has handled all the markets in advanced and emerging economies –Europe, Americas including LATAM, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa, interacting with global and local banks alike.
FUN COMES GUAR ANTEED
The Executive Selection
From better goods to better wardrobe bests, every issue, we choose a few items that make the approved executive selection list. In this edition, our picks are from Wheely, Tory Burch, and Harvey Nichols.
WHEELY
→
Wheely’s exclusive chauffeur card is the ultimate luxury gift for International Women’s Day
The ‘Wheely Card’ is hand-delivered by chauffeurs in a bespoke sandstone brown box with a black foil logo, complete with a leather luggage tag including an AirTag, making it a thoughtful International Women’s Day gift for women who value time, ease, discretion, privacy, efficiency, and uninterrupted moments. This International Women’s Day, celebrate the women who do it all by giving the gift of what is often in shortest supply: time. Wheely, the Swissfounded luxury British services company, is offering exclusive chauffeur gift cards for premium on-demand and pre-book journeys, with services covering everything from impeccable journeys across the city and country to seamless airport transfers. Every Wheely Card includes Wheely Membership, giving access to member-only benefits such as Chauffeur for a Day, Wheely Concierge, and exclusive privileges, offering flexibility, autonomy, and ease whether gifted or selfselected. Available in denominations of AED 5,000, AED 15,000, and AED 25,000, the cards provide credit for premium on-demand and pre-book journeys and are available to pre-order, with deliveries timed for International Women’s Day. Combining discretion with modern technology, the Wheely Card is presented in Wheely’s signature sandstone brown gift box with black foil detailing and a leather luggage tag housing an AirTag. Designed to suit different lifestyles, the Wheely Card caters to the social butterfly, ensuring smooth, stylish, and stress-free journeys between meetings and events, redeemable across all classes including Business Class city transfers, XL Class group travel, and SUV Class country escapes. For the traveler, the card takes the stress out of airport journeys with flawless transfers that include personal greetings, flight tracking, and pre-scheduled rides up to
three months in advance, with DXB transfers starting from AED 200. For a day designed entirely around her, a Wheely Card can be redeemed for Chauffeur for a Day, offering half-day or full-day access to a personal chauffeur so she can move through the city with confidence while every detail is taken care of. Full-day options are priced at AED 1,800 in Business Class and AED 3,000 in First Class, while half-day options are AED 1,050 and AED 1,650 respectively. Luxury vehicle options include the BMW 5 Series, the first-class Mercedes-Benz W223 S-Class with Acqua di Parma Buongiorno diffuser, Wheely Luxe featuring the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, as well as SUV and XL options. This International Women’s Day, elevate gifting with a Wheely Card—a sophisticated, thoughtful, and entirely practical way to give the gift of effortless time.
B/Gear
TORY BURCH →/
Exclusive Ramadan collection
Tory Burch has unveiled a Middle East–exclusive capsule collection created especially for Ramadan. The edit brings together a thoughtfully curated selection of handbags, footwear, ready-to-wear, and jewelry, available across Tory Burch boutiques and e-commerce platforms in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Egypt, as well as at select locations in Europe and Asia.
Inspired by the refined style of Middle Eastern women alongside the Tory Burch runway, the collection spotlights signature pieces such as the Mini Lee Radziwill Top-Handle Bag and the LeeLee Skinny Mule, presented in an elegant color palette of black, purple, and ivory. These accessories are paired with effortless dresses, as well as a silk shirt and matching trousers rendered in a distinctive floral print that also extends to the collection’s bespoke packaging. The capsule is rounded out with a selection of jewelry in bright gold and light brass, accented with luminous pearl details, along with a watch featuring a soft pale pink dial and a timeless two-tone link bracelet—considered finishing touches suited to iftar and suhoor occasions. This exclusive Middle East collection underscores Tory Burch’s longstanding commitment to the region, where the brand has established a strong footprint with 23 standalone stores since opening its first Dubai boutique in 2011.
→ HARVEY NICHOLS
New Ramadan campaign honors devotion and the artistry of self-expression.
This Ramadan, Al Tayer Insignia and Harvey Nichols – Dubai unveil Threads of Life, a seasonal campaign that honours devotion, reflection, and the artistry of self-expression, translating the spirit of the holy month into a story of light, connection, and modern elegance rooted in authenticity. Ramadan dressing is approached with intention, where softened silhouettes, muted tones, and meaningful details create a quiet balance between tradition and the present, designed for moments of gathering, pause, and celebration. Fashion narratives unfold through refined themes, beginning with Desert Rhythm, which draws on movement and heat through fluid silhouettes from COMMAS, paired with tailored pieces by Umit Benan and wave-printed separates from Frescobol Carioca in calming sand and chalk hues. 50 Shades of Blue explores layered tones from sky to dusk, with Stella McCartney and ROTATE offering fluid elegance, MCQUEEN introducing sharp definition, and jewelry from Missoma and Alan Crocetti adding subtle structure. Less Is More highlights the strength of restraint, as tonal neutrals from LE17SEPTEMBRE allow texture and cut to speak with quiet confidence. As the season moves into celebration, Eid Sparkle captures light and joy through shimmering pieces from ROTATE and Self-Portrait, complemented by jewel-toned accents from Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo. Desert Glow takes inspiration from golden hour, with a metallic kaftan from Taller Marmo balanced by sculptural heels from Malone Souliers for luminous evenings. Beauty completes the edit with an emphasis on radiant, hydrated skin, defined brows, and softly smoked eyes, led by Lancôme, Augustinus Bader, Oribe, Prada Beauty, and YSL Beauty, while fragrance becomes an expression of presence through a curated selection from Extravaganza, Clive Christian, EX NIHILO, Diptyque, Amouage, Maison Crivelli, and Roja.
The voice of entrepreneurship around the world
Homegrown Flow
Yara Salman on how she created Water By Yara as an amalgamation of her Bahraini heritage, evidence-based science, and a personal passion to build products that go beyond the status quo. by AALIA MEHREEN AHMED
→ Yara Salman is the founder of Water By Yara, a national water brand created in partnership with the Bahraini government.
Bahrain
Water by Yara is not positioned as ‘just another bottled water,’” Yara Salman, the brand’s founder, declares off the bat. “It is a wellness-led hydration brand built around intentional consumption, trusted sourcing, and thoughtful design. What truly differentiates the brand is that it was created specifically for our region. The packaging and bottle design were developed with the Middle Eastern climate in mind—durable, practical, and suited to extreme heat—rather than imported formats that don’t reflect how people here actually live or consume water.”
Indeed, with its BPA-free and heat-resistant packaging —which can remain unaffected even in 45°C heat— Water By Yara has been designed keeping in mind what day-to-day life in the humid and hot Gulf region entails. Formulating what constitutes the brand, therefore, has been an intentional blend of “local heritage with global scientific expertise,” says the founder. “The water itself is locally sourced from a well with over 70 years of history and is carefully balanced with select minerals sourced from Germany, ensuring consistency, purity, and a mineral profile aligned with wellness and hydration standards,” Salman continues. “Regional expansion is part of the long-term vision, but always guided by the same principle: building with cultural and environmental context first, not scale for the sake of scale.”
But Water By Yara isn’t Salman’s first entrepreneurial rodeo. In 2016, she launched Hospitalia By Yara, a luxury medical and aesthetic center which specializes in a wide range of fields including dermatology, endodontics and aesthetic dentistry, naturopathy, hair restoration, and hyperbaric oxygen, among others. It is one among a plethora of health, wellness and beauty brands that Salman would eventually go on to build. Currently, however, Salman’s focus is on Hair by Hospitalia: a pioneering haircare technology,
offered by Hospitalia By Yara, that merges medicalgrade science with everyday beauty.
However the Bahraini businesswoman notes that plunging into entrepreneurship wasn’t an overnight decision, but more of a gradual realization. “Coming from healthcare, I was constantly exposed to how small, everyday decisions compound over time,” Salman says. “I naturally questioned systems, standards, and outcomes, and I found myself wanting to improve what already existed rather than simply operate within it. Entrepreneurship, for me, became a way to translate that mindset into action— building things that people interact with daily, and doing so with intention, responsibility, and long-term impact.”
Salman then notes that both the brands she’s currently helming were born out of similar thought processes. “Both brands are rooted in the same philosophy: elevating everyday essentials through science, intention, and trust – and thereby raising the standard of what people consume or interact with daily,” she adds. “Water by Yara began as a personal standard. Water is something we consume every day, yet rarely question. The vision was to create a hydration brand grounded in wellness, quality, and scientific integrity. Hair by Hospitalia applies the same evidence-based
mindset to hair and scalp care, translating medical insight and research into safe, effective solutions for daily use. While they serve different needs, both brands share one core principle: impact before scale.”
It is precisely this sentiment that Salman hopes to build on while growing her ventures. “Innovation, to me, isn’t about reinventing everything—it’s about elevating the ordinary. My approach is often rooted in biohacking: closely observing how small, evidence-based changes in daily habits can create meaningful improvements in health, performance, and well-being. Whether it’s healthcare or hydration, if something is in someone’s hands every day, it deserves a higher standard. Representing Bahrain through that lens—where science, intention, and lifestyle intersect—is something I take pride in.”
Currently, a large chunk of Salman’s focus is on scaling Water By Yara. But the Bahraini entrepreneur doesn’t intend to be hasty about the process. “Water by Yara has been intentionally built with a long-term, values-driven mindset,” she says. “The focus has been on foundation, quality, and purpose rather than aggressive fundraising. The brand was never designed to be a standard bottled water business. Its social responsibility is deeply personal and closely tied to my broader ecosystem of businesses, including Animalia by Yara, our
UNLIKE TREND-DRIVEN PRODUCTS, WATER BY YARA IS BUILT AROUND TRUST, CONSISTENCY, AND LONG-TERM WELLNESS. THAT MEANS RESISTING SHORTCUTS, OVEREXPOSURE, OR RAPID EXPANSION THAT COULD DILUTE THE BRAND BEFORE CONSUMERS FULLY UNDERSTAND IT.”
veterinary clinic. Through our ongoing support of Save-a-Stray Foundation [a community first non-profit initiative from Water by Yara], a portion of Water by Yara’s proceeds contributes to providing clean water for stray animals—an extension of the same care-driven philosophy that guides Animalia. Any future fundraising will be strategic and valuesaligned, supporting sustainable growth without compromising the brand’s mission or integrity.”
In the same breath, the founder is also quick to note that incorporating
↑ Water by Yara aims to bring together heritage, science, and the founder’s personal passion for better health and wellness products.
such a steady approach in a hypergrowth ecosystem has been quite challenging. “Water is one of the most habitual products people buy, and changing established behaviour –i.e. what brand they reach for– without thinking takes time,” she says. “Unlike trend-driven products, Water by Yara is built around trust, consistency, and long-term wellness. That means resisting shortcuts, overexposure, or rapid expansion that could dilute the brand before consumers fully understand it. The challenge hasn’t been demand, it’s been pacing growth in a way that allows the
philosophy, values, and standards behind the brand to mature alongside the market’s understanding. Choosing longevity over speed is not always the easiest path, but it’s the one that aligns with how the brand was designed from the start.”
As such, Salman is ready to move into the rest of the year fully confident in her vision and its scale of impact. “2026 is about thoughtful growth— strengthening distribution, deepening brand presence, and continuing to integrate Water by Yara into everyday wellness routines,” she shares. “Beyond expansion, a key focus is education: encouraging more intentional consumption and helping people look beyond labels or trends when choosing what they consume daily. I want consumers to understand the philosophy, values, and purpose behind the brand—not just recognize the name. As that understanding grows, the next step is to move further into sustainability—introducing more considered, long-term choices that align with both environmental responsibility and the brand’s core values. The goal is to build something people rely on daily, with trust and longevity at its foundation.”
Crafting Memories
How Anna Krejca co-founded Ithara as an experience gifting platform that enables seamless access to high quality wellness and self-care services across the UAE. by
It was on a flight back from Christmas holidays four years ago when Anna Krejca and her husband realized how complicated it was to gift “experiences” in lieu of the more traditional physical presents. “We spent the whole flight talking about it, and later we realized that many people faced the same challenge,” Krejca recalls. “So we decided to
→ Anna Krejca is the co-founder of Ithara. ae, a UAE-based experience gifting platform that curates thoughtful, nonmaterial gifts centered on meaningful moments rather than physical products.
AALIA MEHREEN AHMED
fix that. When it came to the name, we wanted a word that captures the excitement and emotion that experiences bring and that’s how we got to ‘Ithara’, the Arabic word for ‘excitement’. Even though many of our customers today are not Arabic speakers, I am proud that the brand clearly reflects where the business comes from and stays rooted in the region.”
Built as an experience gifting platform that curates thoughtful, non-material gifts, Ithara’s offerings range from fine dining and culinary journeys, arts and culture workshops, boutique travel and staycation experiences, as well as intimate, occasionled moments designed for birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations. “At its core, Ithara.ae is a marketplace; we connect customers who are looking for high-quality experiences, either for themselves or as a gift, with experience providers across the UAE,” Krejca adds. “Our partners pay us a commission for every booking we generate, which makes the model win-win. There are no fixed costs or upfront investments for partners, and they only pay when they
gain a customer. Our primary audience is expats living in the UAE.”
“While experiences are for everyone, we see that some cultures are more familiar with experience gifting, while others still lean towards physical gifts and their symbolic value,” Krejca adds. “That is slowly changing, and we hope Ithara.ae can play a role in shifting that mindset towards collecting memories instead.”
But regardless of who the end-user is, the onus of ensuring the services spotlighted by Ithara are of pristine quality is perhaps the most important aspect of Krejca’s job. “Experiences are deeply personal,” Krejca says. “Unlike products such as electronics, which can be compared through tech specifications, experiences are subjective. My favorite massage place or restaurant style may not
appeal to someone else. That is why we intentionally collaborate with a wide range of partners, from luxury hotel brands like Anantara or Kempinski to independent art studios in Al Quoz. What they have in common is not their size or price point, but the quality of the experience they deliver. We look for partners who genuinely care about their customers and focus on creating something memorable, rather than competing purely on discounts.”
Now, while one may be led to believe that the latest online trends would deeply influence the portfolio of services on a platform like Ithara, Krejca is quick to denounce that. “For me, the only trend that matters is what our customers and partners tell us, not what is trending on social media,” she declares. “We have learned this the hard way. For example, in the past, we tried organizing our own events. While they were enjoyable, they were extremely demanding operationally and nearly stretched us too thin. That experience was an important lesson. It helped us clearly define who we are. Ithara.ae is a discovery platform that exists to provide access to premium experiences across the UAE, and do that with the best customer service in the market. Staying focused on that mission has been key.”
When asked what the most validating aspect of her entrepreneurial mission so far has been, Krejca says: “Knowing that our work helps people create happy memories, explore something new, and spend quality time with their loved ones is what makes the journey worthwhile!”
Emboldened by that sentiment, Krejca now moves into 2026 with bigger goals. “We have a strong pipeline of projects focused on improving the customer experience,” she says. “Recently, we launched features that remind customers about expiring vouchers and allow them to reactivate vouchers even after they have expired. The project I am most looking forward
WHILE EXPERIENCES ARE FOR EVERYONE, WE SEE THAT SOME CULTURES ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH EXPERIENCE GIFTING, WHILE OTHERS STILL LEAN TOWARDS PHYSICAL GIFTS AND THEIR SYMBOLIC VALUE. THAT IS SLOWLY CHANGING, AND WE HOPE ITHARA.AE CAN PLAY A ROLE IN SHIFTING THAT MINDSET TOWARDS COLLECTING MEMORIES INSTEAD.”
to in 2026 is the introduction of our Best Experience Awards Program. This will create a more considered way of identifying and highlighting truly exceptional experiences on the platform. By recognising outstanding experience partners through a credible evaluation process, we make it easier for customers to discover quality offerings while giving providers meaningful recognition for the standards they uphold.”
The Big Picture
Utopia Capital Management and QVenture Capital Association’s Alina Truhina shares insights on Qatar’s venture capital ecosystem (and what makes an idea more “fundable” than others).
by AALIA MEHREEN AHMED
Alina Truhina is today the Founding Partner at Utopia Capital Management, a UK-headquartered global investment management company that operates across Southeast Asia, the GCC, Levant, Türkiye, and Pakistan, and co-Chair and Board Director of the QVenture Capital Association (QVCA), a Qatar-based emerging industry body committed to strengthening the venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) ecosystem in the country. But even before Truhina had delved deep into these roles, she’d amassed a wealth of VC experience as the co-founder of Founders
Factory Africa which invested in early-stage startups across Africa. It was a tenure during which she invested in over 100 ventures across fintech, healthtech, and agritech. As such, she doesn’t mince her words when asked what startup founders —particularly those in Qatar— should avoid while trying to raise funds. “Too many founders try to sound fundable instead of building something exceptional and scalable,” she says. “Artificial intelligence (AI) means anyone can write a business plan or have a fundable concept. But do you have an unfair advantage, a unique experience, network, or technical niche? What real world leverage sets you apart? My advice: Don’t copy the playbook. Define your edge, and build your moat from day one.”
To ensure her work offers better support to entrepreneurs across the Global South, Truhina offers her expertise across all three branches of Utopia Capital Management: A-typical Ventures, an early-stage Middle East fund; The Radical Fund, a Southeast Asia–focused climate-tech venture fund; and The UTOPIA Studio, a venture builder creating AI-native, AI-optimized companies designed to
scale. “A-typical Ventures is the Middle East arm of UTOPIA Capital, a fund that backs regionally rooted, globally relevant ventures in sectors that don’t fit traditional playbooks but hold systemic potential,” Truhina explains. “Our name is intentional: we look for “atypical” opportunities in sovereign infrastructure, industrial resilience, vertical AI, or cross-border systems, and we invest early, often as the first institutional check. Our capital strategy spans Pre-Seed to Series A and leverages the broader UTOPIA platform: from technical and go-tomarket support via the Studio, to downstream risk capital via follow-on investment. Many of our deals emerge directly from problem-oriented deep dives (PODs), where we align capital, infrastructure, and ecosystem partners around a defined opportunity space. We look for domain experts and we aim to turn regional complexity into commercial advantage.”
On how this translates into UTOPIA Capital’s investment focus, Truhina explains: “UTOPIA is purposebuilt for the early stage because that’s where structural gaps are most visible, and where long-term value is
→ Alina Truhina is the Founding Partner of UTOPIA Capital Management (consisting of: A-typical Ventures; The UTOPIA Studio; and The Radical Fund) as well as the Co-Chair and Board Director of QVenture Capital Association (QVCA)
Investors Insights
Alina Truhina on the trends or technologies that will define the next wave of investable startups across Qatar and the broader Global South
“The next generation of Global South ventures will embrace complexity to scale across verticals and geographies. At the moment, we are excited about the following:
}1. INFRA INTELLIGENCE: Ventures enabling energy grid optimisation, VPPs, digital twins for data centres, and intelligent retrofits for industrial performance.
}2. DECARBONISING INDUSTRY: Platforms optimising cross-border logistics, low-carbon materials, and manufacturing efficiency through agentic AI.
}3. SOVEREIGN SYSTEMS: Technologies enabling sovereign data, disaster risk infrastructure, national energy stacks, and domestic control layers.
}4. FLOW RAILS: Infrastructure for programmable settlements, cross-border money flows, tokenisation, and SME finance layers.
}5. VERTICAL AI COMPANIES: Domain-specific AI for health productivity, education infrastructure, and food security resilience. Each of these categories represents a POD within UTOPIA, and each is an investable thesis grounded in the real needs of the regions we operate in.”
VALUE IS CREATED BY BUILDING REAL DEFENSIBILITY EARLY, THROUGH DOMAIN EXPERTISE, PROPRIETARY DATA, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND CLOSE PROXIMITY TO CUSTOMERS. IN EMERGING MARKETS, SUCCESS COMES FROM PLATFORMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT LOWER THE COST OF BUILDING, SCALING, AND LEARNING, AND NOT JUST ACCESS TO CAPITAL.”
developed. Across A-typical Ventures in the Middle East, The Radical Fund in Southeast Asia, and The UTOPIA Studio, we invest from Pre-Seed to Series A. Our Studio co-builds companies from the idea stage, often before incorporation, while our funds deploy capital. We back domain experts sourced through curated networks or our Fellowship, and focus on high-leverage, underbuilt sectors such as infrastructure intelligence, sovereign systems, industrial decarbonisation, financial rails for crossborder economies, and vertical AI ventures in health, education, and food security. Each of these sits within a POD — a focused, pre-researched venture cluster with pre-aligned partnerships and technical infrastructure designed to accelerate execution.”
With Utopia Capital Management offering such a wide-ranging suite of services and support, Truhina has but one underlying criteria when it comes to choosing startups to invest in: “I look for businesses that can take advantage of our expansive geographic and technical capacity!”
This condition is particularly applicable to her work within Qatar, she notes. “I believe that Qatar is not the
“middle;” but the center of an emerging unified venture economy across the Global South,” Truhina continues. “Our model seeks out entrepreneurs that can break through verticals and borders to build a new generation of infrastructure and innovation. By investing early we can work hand-in-hand to broaden and accelerate the entrepreneurs vision and by providing frictionless capital, tech stack, and local-global network we significantly derisk and accelerate the time to market.”
For Truhina, that conviction is reflected most clearly in the entrepreneurs she backs. “As a passionate embracer of fearlessness in the face of complexity, we seek out entrepreneurs that have hyper technical or jurisdictional knowledge,” she says. “This is executed through technical thematics that we call ‘PODs’, as mentioned earlier. Each POD is a cluster of five to seven Global South entrepreneurial technical experts looking to solve problems that are often unseen, overlooked, or discarded. Today, we are looking for entrepreneurs interested infra intelligence, decarbonising industry, sovereign systems, flow rails, and vertical AI companies”
Moving into 2026, Truhina advises founders and entrepreneurs to focus on long-term impact instead of quick wins. “Founders should focus on solving structurally hard problems with patience and depth, rather than optimizing for speed or short-term traction,” she adds. “Value is created by building real defensibility early, through domain expertise, proprietary data, infrastructure, and close proximity to customers. In emerging markets, success comes from platforms and partnerships that lower the cost of building, scaling, and learning, and not just access to capital.”
“AI
MEANS ANYONE CAN WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN OR HAVE A FUNDABLE CONCEPT. BUT DO YOU HAVE AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE, A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, NETWORK, OR TECHNICAL NICHE? WHAT REAL WORLD LEVERAGE SETS YOU APART? MY ADVICE: DON’T COPY THE PLAYBOOK. DEFINE YOUR EDGE, AND BUILD YOUR MOAT FROM DAY ONE.”
Invests In Entrepreneurs
In The Loop / Sebastian Vettel and Khabib Nurmagomedov Headline
Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026
Event Continues to Support Local Entrepreneurs with New AED 1,000 Startup Licenses
The ninth edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF 2026) took place from January 31February 1, 2026 at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK) with a staggering 14,000+ attendees.
OPENING CEREMONY
Organized by Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) under the theme “Where We Belong”, the opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations; H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy & Tourism; Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak,
UAE Minister of Climate Change and the Environment; H.E. Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, the UAE’s first female minister; H.H. Sayyida Dr. Basma Al Said, Founder of Whispers of Serenity Clinic; H.E Badr Jafar, Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy for the United Arab Emirates; H.E. Najla ِAhmed Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of Sheraa; and H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa,
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alongside government officials, business leaders, and media representatives.
“Sharjah measures time not in months, but in generations; success not in returns, but in people and their well-being,” H.E. Al Midfa noted in her keynote speech. “Today, more than 17,000 SMEs serve the city, a testament to seeds sown decades ago, when the emirate nurtured institutions, welcomed enterprise, and allowed ventures to take root and thrive. Many of those early initiatives have since grown into some of the region’s and the world’s most prominent names.”
RENOWNED GLOBAL ATHLETE-PRENEURS HEADLINE SEF 2026
Two names that created a buzz at SEF 2026 much before the event
UNLIKE THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY, WHICH VALUES EXPERTISE AND UNIFORMITY, THE CREATOR ECONOMY REWARDS UNIQUENESS AND EMOTIONAL CONNECTION. IN THIS SPACE, CREATORS WHO BLEND AI WITH AUTHENTICITY TO ENHANCE THEIR UNIQUENESS STAND OUT.”
kicked off were Four-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel, and UFC Hall of Famer, undefeated former UFC Lightweight
Champion (29–0) and mixed martial artist champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In a session moderated by Emirati racing trailblazer Amna Al Qubaisi, Vettel drew on both his championship career and life beyond the track to challenge conventional ideas of achievement. He reflected that the most meaningful lessons from Formula One are rooted not in speed but in purpose, noting that society’s definition of success does not always align with personal values. ““If you step in the car and say, I just want to win, of course everybody wants to win. But how society defines success might not be how you define success for yourself,” he said.
Vettel also reflected on how true success in motorsport, despite its individual image, is built through teamwork, clear vision, and shared belief, noting that even the best drivers depend on the people around
them — an analogy that can easily be applied to entrepreneurs and startup founders too. “I decide when to brake and when to accelerate. But you need the people around you,” he said. “If you can explain your vision clearly, belief becomes contagious inside the team.”
Meanwhile, during what marked his first visit to Sharjah, mixed martial arts legend Nurmagomedov reflected on the journey behind his undefeated
mental and emotional commitment, with every hour of training and every journey carefully planned with purpose. He also added that his motivation was never fame or money. “Honestly, I never thought this would happen. I was just following my dream to show my dad that I could be the best student he ever had,” Nurmagomedov said.
Apart from these sessions, audiences were also given an intimate
personal reflections on fear, faith, discipline, and the emotional resilience required behind the scenes of their historic journeys, from summiting Everest and Antarctica’s highest peak to crossing thousands of kilometres on a motorcycle across continents.
SPEAKERS SPOTLIGHT STARTUP FOUNDERS’ RESILIENCE
Having brought together more than 300 global and regional speakers,
29–0 record, emphasizing that his success was built on years of discipline, sacrifice, and relentless training that began in his childhood and carried him to the global stage.
Speaking at a fireside chat hosted by popular Arab podcaster Anas Bukhash, Nurmagomedov explained that discipline for him goes beyond physical preparation to include
glimpse into the lives of three trailblazing Arab female athletes— Manal Rostom, Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi, and Fatima Alloghani—who have redefined endurance, leadership, and courage through their pioneering achievements in sport and adventure. Speaking during the session “Discussion with firsts: Pioneering in sports and athletics,” they shared powerful
SEF 2026 offered 250 talks, workshops, and experiential sessions across 10 purpose-built zones focused on entrepreneurship, investment, creativity, impact, and community.
A number of panels and fireside chats in particular delved into the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and startup founders in the current ecosystem.
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For example, during the session “Lessons Startups Can Borrow from the Giants,” speakers urged founders to stop viewing growth as a straight-line race and instead approach scale as a series of deliberate, disciplined choices grounded in what truly works. Featuring Ryan Restell of Yango Play, Saman Darkan of Kitopi, Shukri Eid of IBM, and moderated by Olivia Dufour, the discussion highlighted how chasing expansion across every part of a business often creates distraction rather than progress. Restell emphasized that not all parts of a company are meant to last, and that decisions must be driven by customer behavior, data, and economics rather than emotion. On the other hand, Darkan shared how Kitopi’s early financial pressure forced the team to rethink its model, ultimately leading them to build their own technology when off-the-shelf systems failed to support their complex operations. Eid warned that many organizations undermine themselves by adding layers of internal complexity, arguing that real scale comes from the ability to choose and execute priorities wisely.
The speakers also reflected on the oftenoverlooked role of long-term relationships between founders and partners, before closing on the idea that as companies grow more woven into people’s lives, leaders must be ready to shoulder the
weight of that responsibility.
In a separate session titled “Path to the Top: Leading a Brand Into the Future,” Rania Masri El Khatib, CEO
of The Giving
Movement, challenged founders to rethink what real growth looks like, arguing that lasting businesses are built through patience, focus, and local strength rather than a rush for global
validation. Speaking alongside Bain & Company’s Anne-Laure Malauzat, she urged entrepreneurs to prioritize depth over distance, saying, “The real value addition and expansion is local” and warning, “Stop trying to win New York before you have won your own neighborhood.”
Masri El Khatib also reflected on how a purpose-driven, viral brand becomes enduring, questioning why homegrown companies chase the US before fully owning their own region. Drawing on her 24 years in the UAE across luxury, media, and transformation, she described being local as a competitive advantage, “It’s never been more powerful to be homegrown,” she said. “No international brand can compete with us on our own turf when it comes to culture… There’s no better place to be an entrepreneur. The energy of this place is unbelievable.”
NEW LOW-COST STARTUP LICENSE UNVEILED
SEF 2026 also announced the launch of a new commercial licence priced from Dh1,000 to support aspiring entrepreneurs and startups, with the initiative unveiled during the festival’s ninth edition. The Business Establishment licence was introduced for the first time and made available exclusively throughout the event for eligible early-stage companies operating across six priority sectors— sustainability, creative
IN ESSENCE, CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION DRIVES INNOVATION. IT ALLOWS US TO BLEND THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - COMBINING CUTTING-EDGE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES WITH INSIGHTS ROOTED DEEPLY IN LOCAL MARKETS.”
INVESTOR INSIGHTS
In a session titled “The Hard Work Starts After Close: Creating Value After the Deal,” founders, investors, and operators explored how real value is built long before and long after funding lands, with Carta’s Peji Kanani setting the tone by reminding the audience that “The hard work starts after the close” and that “Fundraising is a milestone. Not the goal.”
Emirates Growth Fund’s Karolos Travassaros argued that “People think value creation is what happens after closing” but that it actually begins from the very first meeting, when alignment around culture, decisions, and partnerships is formed. “In reality, it’s a mental shift that starts from the first meeting,” he said. “By the time the deal closes, you
industries, education technology, advanced manufacturing, health technology, and transport—as part of the emirate’s broader push to lower barriers to entry and strengthen its innovation-driven economy.
should already have a clear roadmap for how culture, decision-making, and partnership will work.”#
Meanwhile, Juliet Zhu of Constellation Ventures echoed this, saying, “When I was a VC, we had a
playbook about adding value in the first 90 days. Looking back, that was silly. The real value creation happens during the deal process from the first meeting through diligence, because that’s where you align how decisions will be made.”
Founder Brooke Bellamy of Brooki, whose brand recently closed a $25 million round with UAE developer Arada, described how the shift plays out in practice.“They spoke about building communities,” she said of early conversations with investors.
“And for us, we’re building a brand people want to belong to, not just a product they want to buy. I walked out and told my husband: “this is it.”
That conversation took place a year before the deal closed, when Brooki ran a pop-up in Abu Dhabi that drew hour-long lines. Three months after the investment, Bellamy’s focus is less on expansion than on discipline. Rather than rush into permanent stores, the company is experimenting with pop-ups across the UAE.
“Lower spend, higher value. We’re learning directly from customers before we scale.”
As such, there was one warning repeated across the panel: money in the bank can create a dangerous illusion of progress. “Capital amplifies discipline,” Zhu added. “Be very careful with money.”
SEF 2026 BRINGS AI AND DATA TO THE FOREFRONT
Meanwhile, in a session by bestselling author and popular Egyptian tech entrepreneur Mo Gawdat, a clear warning was delivered: that as artificial intelligence moves into emotionally intimate spaces, founders must be fully accountable for how these technologies are created, controlled, and used.
Appearing on the Impact Platform in a session moderated by Sanad Yaghi (co-founder of DTEK.ai and emma. love), Gawdat offered the first public insight into Emma, an AI platform designed to support human relationships ahead of its February 14
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launch, explaining how it was deliberately built with boundaries and ethical safeguards.
As a four-time bestselling author and co-founder of emma.love, Unstressable, and One Billion Happy, he
IN ESSENCE, CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION DRIVES INNOVATION. IT ALLOWS US TO BLEND THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDSCOMBINING CUTTINGEDGE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES WITH INSIGHTS ROOTED DEEPLY IN LOCAL MARKETS.” “
explored both the promise and the dangers of emotionally aware AI, stressing that when technology begins to interact with people on a deeply human level, responsibility, transparency, and careful governance become just as important as innovation itself. “Most people are worried about the future of humanity in the age of artificial intelligence. There is nothing inherently good or evil about AI itself. The danger comes from allowing powerful intelligence to serve greed and the pursuit of power. That will not serve humanity”, Gawdat said.
In a separate session titled “WHOOP – Building a Brand Around Community,” John Sullivan, CMO of WHOOP, shared how the company has grown from a niche performance tracker into a global, data-driven health membership built around behavior change and community. WHOOP’s performance model is anchored by its “WHOOP Age” metric, which combines data from sleep, recovery, physical strain, fitness, and daily habits to provide a science-based picture of how healthy a person’s body is relative to their actual
age, using a validated algorithm that factors in both environmental and lifestyle inputs. “It’s not about living longer. It’s about living fuller,” Sullivan said.
While AI and analytics power the platform, Sullivan emphasized that culture fuels adoption. “You can’t manage what you can’t measure,” he said. “When people see their data, they immediately start improving outcomes. But community, storytelling, and self-expression are what turn that data into a lifestyle.”
ENTREPRENEUR MIDDLE EAST AT SEF 2026
The SEF 2026 panel “What Happens When Two Worlds Collide: The Story of Athletes Turned Founders” offered a candid look at how elite sports experience can translate into entrepreneurial success. In a discussion moderated by Tamara Pupic, Managing Editor of Entrepreneur Middle East, Vadim Fedotov, co-founder and Chairman of Bioniq, and Idriss Al Rifai, co-founder and CEO of Flow48, traced their journeys from professional sport into high-growth business building.
Meanwhile, in a fireside chat titled “Where Commerce Meets Culture: The New Playbook for RegionBorn Global Icons,” Nadine Kanso, founder and Creative Director of Bilarabi, shared her journey from photography to jewelry, exploring how identity, memory, and visual
culture shaped the foundations of her creative business. Hosted by Aalia Mehreen Ahmed, Features Editor of Entrepreneur Middle East, the discussion moved through the role of Arabic calligraphy as both a cultural language and a commercial design system, before turning to the brand’s global expansion — including its landmark collaboration with Berluti — and the tensions between
scaling, capital, and cultural perception.
Kanso reflected on the vulnerability required to create, the discipline needed to run a creative business, and the difficult choices between commercial opportunity and artistic integrity. The dialogue also examined how Bil Arabi has protected Arabic calligraphy as intellectual property while
preserving its meaning, the milestones that affirmed the brand’s direction, and the lessons learned over nearly two decades at the intersection of art and entrepreneurship. Finally, the session looked to the future, with Kanso sharing her perspective on artificial intelligence and how creative founders can navigate technological change without losing their distinct voice.
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Amazon’s Ronaldo Mouchawar and Global Ventures’ Noor Sweid
Declare Human Talent Must Be Supported More Amid AI-Driven Shifts
by AALIA MEHREEN
On February 11, 2026, a panel at Step Dubai 2026 saw Noor Sweid, founder and Managing Partner of Global Ventures, and Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President – Middle East, Africa and Turkey of Amazon, share insights on how the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has changed over the past two decades.
Titled “20 Years of MENA Startups: Lessons, AI Horizons, and the Next Chapter,” the session was moderated by Tamara Pupic, Managing Editor of Entrepreneur Middle East.
Very early into the panel, both panelists surmised that even as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to permeate through different factions of business operations, it is human-centricity that will create sustainable companies.
“When I look at AI, I see another revolution,” Sweid said. “Think about the industrial revolution 100-plus years ago. It shifted us from using our bodies as our main source of output and income to using our minds. Our minds became our most powerful tool. Today, AI may render the computational use of our minds obsolete — similar to how the industrial revolution rendered physical labor obsolete. So what happens if our minds can’t generate
AHMED
income because AI can do that better? Where are we going? I want to be hopeful and say the answer is spirit. How do we move from mind to spirit, the same way we once moved from body to mind? At the beginning of the industrial revolution, if you told someone they wouldn’t use their body to be productive anymore but their mind instead, they would ask, what could my mind possibly do? Today we ask: isn’t spirit just something aspirational? Probably not. It’s something we need to uncover and learn.”
When asked how she would approach launching an AI business in today’s landscape, Sweid replied: “If I were starting in AI today — not 20 years from now when this is obvious — I’d begin with what all of us fundamentally are: human. Human connectedness. Spiritual connectedness. What makes us human — our mind, body, being. How can AI encourage people to become more human, more connected, more in community, and more in touch with their spirit? That’s a company that, over the next 20 years, would have real tailwinds and benefit society as we move from mind to spirit.”
When posed with a similar question Mouchawarn noted that his approach would’ve been more operational. “When I started my first company, we hired engineers first and built an MVP,” he recalled. “I remember here, actually. I think this building or the building next door. I had a desk this way. My developers were in Amman, but the customer service people were sharing a round table. So if I’m going to start that journey again, I think I would keep my customer service people next to me because I feel they would give me daily feedback on how our customers were using our product and what was working and not working. I was hearing some of that as I was managing the product life cycle. So I think that’s non-negotiable — staying close to customers. Building the core early-on customer base of any product is super important. They’re usually early adopters. They’re very loud in terms of their needs. And because the number is small, you can really get the pulse of your product and how you’re doing. AI can help accelerate product development through prompting and automation, but I would still prioritize human interaction early on. You can’t outsource understanding your customer’s psychology to a chatbot.”
“And I wouldn’t raise money too early,” Mouchawar added. “Today you can build cheaply. Go to your seed round with a working product and real users. That changes everything.”
The conversation, while still rooted in addressing customer needs and human talent, then moved towards what constitutes a viable business idea. “When building products, build something people want to use — not something you personally think is cool,” Sweid advised. “It’s easy to build what you’d use and discover no one else cares. Be attached to the problem and the customer, not the product. Use AI for
what it does best: repetitive, menial tasks. Draft emails. Automate workflows. Create first versions. But you still need human quality control. AI can give you a strong first draft in half the time, freeing you to focus on the things only you can do.”
As such, Sweid pointed out that there are two trends she believes will determine the business landscape for the next 10-20 years. “First is energy,” she shared. “Not just moving to solar — but energy creation and consumption. Hundreds of millions of people still lack reliable power, particularly in fast-growing regions across the Middle East and Africa. Historically, civilizations rose on the back of cheap energy. The next era may belong to those who can democratize access to energy, through software, hardware, and new infrastructure. Second is the future of work. For most of human history, people had multiple jobs. The fixed 9-to-5 model is relatively recent. Over the next decade, work will likely fragment again. People will hold multiple roles. They won’t be attached to one title or one company. Platforms that enable skill development and multiple income streams represent significant opportunity — especially in a region where half the population is under 30.”
As the panel came to a close, Mouchawar offered his insights on what resilience truly means for founders in the region. “There’s a lot going on globally; you just have to be resilient,” he said. “Trends are developing faster than ever, and the ability to spot them early is critical. In this region, one of the biggest challenges is fragmentation — many countries, many currencies, many regulations. We talk about a 700-millionperson market, but it’s fragmented. Unlike China, India, Europe, or the U.S., we don’t have unified scale. That’s still a major issue for founders. Another challenge is the limited collaboration between government, private sector, and academia. In some countries it works well. Here, it’s improving, but it’s not seamless. Talent mobility is harder. Internship pipelines are less fluid. There’s room to improve. In India, for example, payments are democratized through UPI. Regulatory barriers are being lowered. That creates scale. These are things within our control — regulators, businesses, ecosystem players — to bring together.”
In The Loop / Entrepreneur Middle East At Step Dubai 2026
A long-time supporter of STEP Dubai, Entrepreneur Middle East had two dedicated booths on-site at the 2026 edition of the annual event. These proved to be spaces that provided visitors with the opportunity to engage directly with readers, founders, and startups from across the regional tech ecosystem.
