↑ Medy Navani is the founder and CEO of Design Haus Medy and founder of INSTINKT, a UAE-based personal safety brand introducing a new category of “assurance wear.”
‘TREPONOMICS STARTUP SPOTLIGHT
45 Empowered Futures
A nation’s future transforms when women are trusted to lead, writes ALDHABI ALMHEIRI.
48 Visionary Leadership
Dubai’s enduring strength lies in its leadership and long-term vision, writes ALEX ZAGREBELNY.
50 Impact Building
How KARMA DEVELOPERS prioritizes community, sustainability, and long-term value in its projects.
54 Crafted Fragrance
ROJA LONDON highlights the artistry, heritage, and precision behind the world of luxury perfume.
61 Rethinking Personal Safety
Dubai-based architect and entrepreneur Medy Navani introduces INSTINKT
IN THE LOOP
66 Confidence Gauge
Dubai’s gyms offer a snapshot of the city’s economic resilience.
70 Growth Strategies
DUBAI CHAMBER meets 35 business groups and councils to discuss sector needs
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BUSINESS NEVER SLEEPS: A CROWDED PROPERTY LAUNCH AND THE QUIET STRENGTH OF THE UAE ECONOMY
Earlier this week, I attended the launch of Manchester City Yas Residences by Ohana, a new waterfront development on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The event was held at Etihad Park and marked the global debut of Manchester City’s first branded residential project.
The scale of the development alone says something about the ambition behind it. The project is a $4.1 billion (around AED 15 billion) master-planned community spanning roughly 1.67 million square metres, with more than 2,000 homes including apartments, townhouses, penthouses, and luxury villas. Prices range from about AED 2 million for apartments to more than AED 7 million for villas, with completion planned around 2029. ()
But what stood out to me wasn’t just the scale of the project. It was the crowd.
The room was packed with brokers, investors, and buyers studying floor plans, comparing unit types, and discussing payment plans. Conversations about canal views, villa clusters, and long-term investment value filled the space. It felt less like a cautious market and more like a marketplace in full motion.
That moment captured something important about the UAE today: business here simply doesn’t sleep.
For the past two weeks, global commentators have debated whether the UAE will “bounce back” from regional volatility. But standing in that crowded launch
event, one thought kept coming back to me.
You only need to bounce back if you’ve actually fallen.
The UAE hasn’t.
Look at the fundamentals. The country’s economy has been expanding steadily, with real GDP growth around 4 percent in 2024 and forecasts of roughly 4.9 percent growth for 2025. (
Even more telling is where that growth is coming from. Today, around three-quarters of the UAE’s economy— about 75-77 percent of GDP—comes from non-oil sectors, including finance, tourism, logistics, technology, and real estate. In other words, all the eggs are not in the oil basket.
Those sectors are growing fast. Non-oil activity has been expanding by more than 5 percent annually, reflecting the success of the country’s diversification strategy.
Meanwhile, the broader economic ecosystem continues to attract talent and capital. The UAE’s workforce has reached around 9.4 million people with unemployment near 1.9 percent, among the lowest rates globally.
These numbers tell a story that goes far beyond any single property launch.
They show an economy that has spent decades building resilience—through diversification, infrastructure, regulatory reforms, and a relentless focus on global competitiveness.
And real estate often reflects that confidence before the data does. Property markets are forward-looking by nature. Buyers invest not just in the present but in the future they believe is coming.
That’s why the crowded launch this week felt significant. It wasn’t just about one development or one brand partnership between a football club and a developer. It was about a mindset. People here continue to plan forward. They continue to invest. They continue to build.
So, when analysts ask whether the UAE will bounce back, they may be asking the wrong question. Because if you didn’t really fall, you don’t need to bounce back. You just keep moving forward.
And if the energy inside that crowded property launch is any indication, the UAE economy is doing exactly that.
Anil Bhoyrul Editor-in-Chief
Enlighten Your Eternal Beauty, Inside and Out!
@muarjewels www.muarjewels.com
info@muarjewels.com
Leadership
by TAMARA PUPIC AND AALIA AHMED
This International Women’s Day, Entrepreneur Middle East spotlights a female leader whose calm, principled voice has emerged as one of the pillars guiding the UAE through the current geopolitical tensions in the region.
Iwould like to emphasise that despite the intensity of the events, our stance remains measured,” Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, said during a media briefing with journalists in Abu Dhabi on March 3, 2026. "We do not seek to expand the circle of confrontation, and we do not believe that military solutions create permanent stability. Our region does not need this escalation. Returning to the negotiating table is the only rational way forward.”
Addressing the broader implications
of the current regional developments, Al Hashimy emphasized that the UAE’s response remains anchored in stability, diplomacy, and long-term prosperity. "With this balance between firmness and responsibility, the UAE moves forward with confidence and resolve, defending its security, safeguarding regional stability and affirming that a secure future is built not by force alone, but through dialogue, vision and shared aspirations for greater prosperity.”
"Let trust remain stronger than fear, and steady institutional action swifter than chaos, a calm and deliberate resolve amid the noise," she added.
H.E. Al Hashimy, who has been
serving as the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation since February 2016, also oversees the Political Affairs Office of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, a position she has held since her appointment as Minister of State in February 2008.
She was also instrumental in leading the UAE’s successful bid to host Expo 2020 Dubai, achieving a historic milestone by bringing the first World Expo to the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region. She previously served as Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai and currently leads the Expo City Dubai Authority as its CEO, overseeing the continued development of Expo City Dubai as a lasting legacy of the global event.
In September 2022, Al Hashimy made history when she became the first woman to deliver a speech for the UAE at the UN General Assembly
(UNGA). “We are on the cusp of a new phase in the international order. In the UAE, we are determined for this phase to be guided by peace, recovery, and prosperity as part of a global order based on solid international relations,” she had said during her speech at the 77th UNGA. “Through these ties, we can explore new paths for joint cooperation in the fields of economy, sustainable development, advanced technology, and research.”
Al Hashimy also chairs the UAE National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, which works to advance the implementation of the SDGs in alignment with the country’s national development priorities. In addition, she serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organization dedicated to expanding access to education in developing countries, and as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.
Beyond her formal titles, Al Hashimy has played a defining role in shaping the UAE’s approach to international partnerships at a time when diplomacy increasingly intersects with economic development, humanitarian cooperation, and global sustainability efforts. Through her work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has overseen initiatives that strengthen the UAE’s engagement with developing nations, particularly across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, while advancing the country’s commitment to collaborative global development. Her portfolio has often placed her at the intersection of diplomacy, economic cooperation, and international aid – all areas
“
With the balance between firmness and responsibility, the UAE moves forward with confidence and resolve, defending its security, safeguarding regional stability and affirming that a secure future is built not by force alone, but through dialogue, vision and shared aspirations for greater prosperity.”
where the UAE has steadily expanded its global presence over the past decade.
Al Hashimy’s leadership has also reflected the UAE’s broader diplomatic philosophy: one rooted in dialogue, multilateralism, and long-term cooperation rather than confrontation. Whether representing the country on the global stage or communicating with the public during periods of regional uncertainty, Al Hashimy
has consistently emphasized the importance of steady institutional leadership and constructive engagement.
In doing so, she has come to embody a leadership style that mirrors the UAE’s own positioning in global affairs—measured, forward-looking, and firmly anchored in the belief that sustainable progress is built through partnership rather than division.
Steadfast Leadership
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed reassures citizens and residents that the UAE will emerge stronger from current challenges.
UAE President His Highness
Sheikh Mohamed bin
Zayed Al Nahyan reaffirmed the country’s unity and resilience during a visit to civilians injured in recent events at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, stressing that the safety of both citizens and residents remains the nation’s highest priority.
→ His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is the third President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
“IN THE UAE, EVERYONE IS EMIRATI THROUGH THEIR LOVE FOR THIS LAND AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO IT.”
During the visit, the President praised the “heroic and distinguished” efforts of the UAE Armed Forces, the Ministry of Interior, security agencies, and civil defense teams, while also expressing appreciation for the expatriate community’s solidarity during challenging times. The visit marked his first public address since the start of the regional escalation.
He also pledged that the government would uphold its responsibilities toward everyone in the country, emphasizing that expatriates are valued members of society. “Residents in the UAE are our guests and part of our family,” he said, referring to the nearly 10 million foreign nationals who live and work in the country.
A single sentence from Al Nahyan’s address —“The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh,” which is an Arabic metaphor to signal the country’s toughness— quickly spread across social media, resonating deeply with both citizens and residents. Images of Sheikh Mohamed delivering
the remark during the live broadcast have since become symbolic, with individuals and businesses reproducing the quote on items ranging from vehicle spare-tyre covers and phone cases to artwork and everyday objects.
Reaffirming the nation’s determination to safeguard its stability and sovereignty, the President stressed that the UAE remains steadfast in the face of challenges and committed to protecting its people while continuing to move forward with confidence. “I promise everyone that we will emerge stronger,” he declared.
In a separate statement, released on social media platform X, addressing “all those who call the UAE home and guests in our beloved nation,” Al Nahyan reiterated the country’s resilience, the statement emphasized that the UAE will remain united, steadfast in defending its sovereignty, and committed to advancing toward the future. “In the UAE, everyone is Emirati through their love for this land and their contributions to it,” he wrote.
↓ H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, the Ruler of Dubai. Image courtesy Abu Dhabi Media Office
/
Dubai Remains Strong and Committed to Business Continuity, Says H.H. Sheikh Hamdan
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has reaffirmed the emirate’s commitment to economic resilience and business continuity following a meeting with leaders from Dubai’s business community.
The statement followed Sheikh Hamdan’s attendance of Dubai Majlis, organised by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, which saw 300 leaders from across the emirate’s business sector convene.
The private event aimed to strengthen cooperation with the private sector and enhance coordination across economic sectors.
The Majlis also saw the attendance of, and insights from, H.E..Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Major General Abdul Nasser Al Humaidi, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence; Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; as well as Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline.
In an official statement following the event, Sheikh Hamdan said the discussions
focused on accelerating Dubai’s development journey, strengthening economic resilience, and enhancing the emirate’s ability to adapt to current circumstances.
He noted that Dubai remains committed to ensuring the highest levels of business continuity while continuing to deliver world-class services.
“Our message to the world is clear: Dubai is strong, and the UAE is strong,” Sheikh Hamdan said on social media platform X.
The Crown Prince also emphasized how the UAE’s leadership has consistently demonstrated how challenges can be transformed into opportunities.
“As we have learned from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, challenges create opportunities, and we will emerge stronger,” he said.
The meeting comes as Dubai continues to engage closely with the private sector to reinforce economic stability and maintain confidence across its business ecosystem.
As we have learned from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, challenges create opportunities, and we will emerge stronger.” “
CODE MEETS REALITY
HOW THE CEO BEHIND THE MENA REGION’S FIRST NASDAQ-LISTED MUSIC STREAMING PLATFORM CREATED A REAL-TIME GEOPOLITICAL MONITORING PLATFORM THAT HAS HELPED MILLIONS UNDERSTAND MAJOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS IN REAL TIME.
by AALIA MEHREEN AHMED
When Elie Habib last spoke to Entrepreneur Middle East, in 2024, he’d made something of a personal declaration: that he was committed to “embracing the title of a builder.” Two years later, in a quiet continuation of that sentiment —one that has primarily defined his entrepreneurial journey as the co-founder and CEO of music streaming platform Anghami— he engineered World Monitor; a platform that users would go on to label as “a Bloomberg Terminal for geopolitics.”
→ Elie Habib is the co-founder and CEO of music streaming platform Anghami, CEO of entertainment platform OSN+, and the founder of geopolitical monitoring platform World Monitor
The geographic spread surprised me most. The US accounts for roughly 13% of traffic, Europe 20%, MENA 18%, Asia 35% (Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Korea all at an unexpected scale), across 174 countries total.”
Created as a real-time dashboard that brings together information from a plethora of sources to help people understand what’s happening around the world, World Monitor tracks data like news reports, military activity, ships and aircraft movements, internet outages, infrastructure like pipelines and data centers, and natural events.
But Habib admits he didn’t expect a project that he’d
“vibe-coded” over a weekend to take off at the rate that it did.
“I built World Monitor in a single day in early January 2026 as a personal learning exercise, posted once on LinkedIn, and then on Twitter on the same day, and then largely forgot about it.” Habib tells Entrepreneur Middle East today. “About 10 days later traffic exploded: 400,000 users in a week, which then kept climbing. The last 30
→ World Monitor is a real-time map that connects global news and data signals to reveal how major events may be unfolding and intersecting.
days reached over four million visitors, with 490,000 in a single day during the Iran strikes.”
Indeed, since the start of the regional conflict on February 28, 2026, World Monitor has become something of a digital staple for many across the world. But for Habib, it has meant iterating at a pace the platform had not originally been designed to handle. “Scaling under those conditions is a live engineering problem,” he says. “The core tension is refresh rate: real-time processing costs significantly
The regional escalations made World Monitor visible, not useful. The underlying function —aggregating and correlating open-source signals across 200+ countries in real time— is at least as valuable during stable periods, because that’s when early warning actually changes decisions.” “
more than five-minute intervals. During the Iran escalation I built a new incident-tracking map layer with severity badges, Telegram intelligence retrieval, real-time regional air raid siren alerts with Hebrew-to-English
translation, GPS/GNSS jamming detection, airport cancellation feeds, embassy risk advisories, a strategic risk score, satellite tracking, and stock market tracking, all in a (another) single day. The platform was never designed for this volume. Every spike was both a stress test and a forcing function.
By thus combining all this data on one interactive map, the platform helps users spot patterns—such as when multiple reliable sources report the same development, when markets react before news breaks, or when unusual activity appears in a specific region. In layman’s terms, World Monitor helps people see how global events might be connected by putting many different signals in one place.
But given the platform decodes such a vast amount of information at any given time, Habib took an explicit decision early on while creating World Monitor: no human editors. “Credibility is structural, not editorial,” he adds.
As such, every incoming article on World Monitor goes through three sequential classification passes. “A rules-based engine screens headlines against a severity hierarchy: major geopolitical events and nuclear
events at the top, routine diplomacy at the bottom,” Habib explains. “Compound detection catches escalation patterns single keywords miss: a military strike scores high on its own, but when the target is geopolitically significant the system escalates automatically. A Large Language Model (LLM) then refines categorization asynchronously: users see results from the faster passes immediately, the LLM corrects in the background.”
The credibility of these data sources is tiered, adds Habib. “Wire services and
official channels such as Reuters, AP, the Pentagon, and the United Nations sit at tier one,” he says. “BBC and Al Jazeera are tier two. Specialist outlets like Bellingcat follow. The system processes over 200 news feeds, representing more than 450 sources, with confidence scores weighted proportionally. A single niche blog triggers nothing. Breaking alerts require the article to be under fifteen minutes old, corroborated by at least two distinct sources, and pass deduplication. A thirtyminute cooldown per event prevents the same story flooding the feed.”
The final filter in this process of delivering information to the end user is what is known as the convergence layer. “The system triangulates eight independent signal types simultaneously: internet outages, military flight patterns, naval vessel movements, protest activity, shipping disruptions, satellite-detected fires, historical baseline deviations, and supply chain disruptions,” Habib explains. “When multiple signal types converge on the same geography, that convergence is what surfaces. A single-outlet claim generating no
WHETHER BUSINESSES CAN BE APOLITICAL IS SEPARATE FROM WHETHER THEY CAN AFFORD TO BE GEOPOLITICALLY UNINFORMED. THE LATTER IS CLEARLY NO LONGER VIABLE.”
corresponding movement across those eight channels gets treated as noise. This is what allows the platform to generate breaking news automatically, without human intervention.”
But in the absence of human verification, and in an era when there is an unspoken onus on the reader to corroborate news validity, one could be slightly dubious about “fake news” trickling into the platform. Habib, however, offers an assuring response. “The architecture itself is the primary defense,” he asserts.
“Two independent tier-rated sources must agree before the system acts. That eliminates the vast majority of singleoutlet fabrications. The convergence algorithm
→ World Monitor also helps businesses track geopolitical signals that could affect supply chains, markets, and investments.
adds a second layer. Any text-based claim that generates no corresponding movement across the eight signal types gets suppressed automatically. A false report about a country entering a conflict that appears only in text feeds but shows nothing in military flight tracking, naval movements, or prediction markets gets treated as low-confidence noise. Now, no automated system fully resolves this in genuinely novel scenarios: an event with no historical baseline, or one specifically designed to exploit the corroboration logic. That remains an open architectural question. But ultimately the goal is to be significantly more reliable than undifferentiated news aggregation; not to claim perfect accuracy.”
Perhaps the most direct reflection of how trusted the platform has become lies in the diversity of its user base. “The geographic spread surprised me most,” Habib says. “The US accounts for roughly 13% of traffic, Europe 20%, MENA 18%, Asia 35% (Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Korea all at an unexpected scale), across 174 countries total.”
But equally striking has been the behavioral diversity of World Monitor’s users, Habib reveals. “Some users track commodity impact on maritime chokepoints. Others monitor military flight patterns or energy infrastructure. Finance professionals use it alongside market data. Six segments have emerged organically: journalists,
security and risk analysts, traders, academic researchers, policy analysts, and the general
correlating open-source signals across 200+ countries in real time— is at least as valuable during
The platform works as ambient global awareness, not only as a reactive tool. That passive use case has the most untapped potential. The most interesting next step is separating signal from noise more precisely.” “
public. The one I’m focused on is the segment that gets value from signal distillation rather than data accumulation: analysts and decisionmakers who need to understand what matters, why, and what its impact is on them specifically.”
These demographics, however, aren’t by chance. Beyond the platform’s current major use to dissect geopolitical events, it offers insights that were intended right from the start. “The regional escalations made World Monitor visible, not useful,” Habib emphasizes. “The underlying function —aggregating and
and port conditions, not reacting after a disruption. The platform works as ambient global awareness, not only as a reactive tool. That passive use case has the most untapped potential. The most interesting next step is separating signal from noise more precisely.”
stable periods, because that’s when early warning actually changes decisions. For investors, the most actionable use case is monitoring structural shifts that precede market-moving events: shifts in military posture, regulatory signals, commodity infrastructure changes, or political instability moving from low to elevated before it becomes headline news. The Country Instability Index is most useful precisely when scores are rising quietly, not after a conflict has started. For supply chain managers, the value is continuous monitoring of chokepoints, shipping routes,
As such, Habib notes that a number of industries can benefit from real-time geopolitical signal tracking. “And that’s basically any organization whose operations, costs, or revenues are exposed to geography; that covers more industries than people assume,” he says. “Shipping and logistics companies track chokepoints and port risk in real time; a rerouting decision on a vessel can cost millions. Energy companies monitor pipeline integrity and political risk across producing regions. Financial institutions with exposure to Gulf FDI, emerging market equities, or commodities use geopolitical signals as leading indicators that precede price moves. Defence contractors need situational awareness as an operational baseline. Newsrooms use it for breaking event coverage. The category that interests me most is global supply chains: multinational manufacturers and retailers who assumed stability in their sourcing geography and are now discovering that assumption is expensive.”
But despite the economic potential World Monitor promises to unlock for businesses, the platform itself is not one that Habib
intends to profit off of. “I have two constraints. The hard one: I will not monetize war-related content,” Habib says. “The platform reached millions of people during an active military escalation. Putting advertising or a paywall on that access is wrong.”
Habib’s second, “soft” constraint is his own time and attention. “I am the CEO of a company that’s thriving, and World Monitor will not become a second full-time job,” he says.
That said, Habib believes the platform could eventually offer additional tools for professionals who rely on geopolitical intelligence in their daily work. “Within those constraints, a Pro tier is
the most coherent direction,” he says. “The features that create the most value for professional users are scheduled AI briefings via Slack, email, or WhatsApp; custom alert rules for specific countries, sectors, or threshold triggers; API access for organizations that want to integrate World Monitor data into their own tools; and advanced country intelligence briefs with deeper financial and security layers. The open-source community has absorbed a substantial portion of the development work: 36,000+ GitHub stars, 6,000 forks, 50+ code contributors, around 1,200 contributors across ideas and issues. The free tier stays free. The Pro tier funds the infrastructure that makes both possible.
A venture-backed growth model does not fit this.”
But the broader shift that platforms like World Monitor point to extends beyond business models or product features. At its core the conversation leads to a deeper question about business and geopolitics today: can companies still afford to remain apolitical?
“Whether businesses can be apolitical is separate from whether they can afford to be geopolitically uninformed,” Habib discerns. “The latter is clearly no longer viable. The former is a values question I won’t resolve for anyone. What has changed is the cost of information.
The tools that gave governments and large enterprises a structural information advantage
→
industries ranging from finance and energy to logistics and media to track geopolitical signals in real time.
were expensive because aggregating and correlating open-source signals at scale required significant human and technical infrastructure. AI closes that gap. A single person can now build a platform that does much of what expensive systems do. That’s a structural shift.The practical implication: the excuse of not knowing is gone. Real-time instability data, military movement tracking, prediction market signals, supply chain disruption indicators, all of it is accessible in a browser, free.”
“A company making sourcing, investment, or expansion decisions without this input is not apolitical. It’s uninformed. Those are different things,” Habib concludes.
World Monitor can be used by
The Resilience Issue part II
Inside the GCC’s Business Response to Heightened Regional Tensions — Live Updates
Despite the uncertainty caused by escalating regional tensions, the GCC’s private sector continues to press ahead.
In this live-updating feature, Entrepreneur Middle East tracks how founders, executives, and operators are navigating realtime challenges—sharing the obstacles they face and the practical solutions keeping their businesses running.
Scroll down to explore our Resilience Playbook—a curated collection of practical insights from GCC-based entrepreneurs navigating challenges on the ground.
“The UAE economy has proven its resilience in absorbing pressures generated by geopolitical and regional challenges,” H.E. Abdulla bin Touq
Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, said during a media briefing with journalists in Abu Dhabi on March 3, 2026.
H.E. Al Marri noted that the country has implemented proactive and flexible policies that have strengthened the economy and improved its ability to withstand external shocks, including past crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and other regional and global challenges.
The resilience demonstrated by the UAE government is also reflected across the country’s private sector.
From the top down, the same spirit of adaptability can be seen from the bottom up, as entrepreneurs navigate the challenges that have emerged since February 28, 2026.
CHARLIE AND MAX LOVETT
CO-FOUNDERS,
Charlie and Max Lovett, brothers and co-founders of Carabia, a Dubai-based peer-to-peer used car marketplace, shared that the reported AWS data centre fire incident on March 1, caught them in the middle of preparing an updated version of the Carabia platform.
“We made the decision to delay parts of our planned migration and rollout as a precaution,” Charlie says. “While our live platform has remained fully operational, the update timeline has been pushed back while we reassess resilience and sequencing.
Separately, we have observed that several competitor automotive marketplaces experienced partial or full outages during this period, which suggests heavier single-point reliance on the
same infrastructure layer. We did see a modest increase in inbound traffic while some competitors were down, but nothing materially out of the ordinary - more a temporary redistribution of user activity than a structural demand shift.”
Max said the company adopted an operationally focused approach to maintain stability. He adds, “On the customer side, we leaned more heavily into support and onboarding. We’ve been working closely with private sellers to ensure smooth listing experiences, providing step-by-step guidance and faster moderation to reduce friction during what is understandably a more cautious period for many users.
“Importantly, we avoided making reactive commercial changes, as underlying marketplace behaviour has remained broadly stable,” they add.
Resilience Playbook
“First, listen to official government guidance and avoid acting impulsively in response to fastmoving headlines. In the GCC especially, markets often remain more stable than initial sentiment suggests. Second, treat infrastructure resilience as mission-critical. Periods like this quickly expose hidden single points of failure, particularly during active migrations or product rollouts.
CARABIA
JADD ELLIOTT DIB
CEO, PANGAEAX
Jadd Elliott Dib, CEO of PangaeaX, a Dubai-based AI-driven platform connecting businesses with freelance data scientists and analysts, says the company was also among the businesses affected by disruptions at the AWS data centre, which took its platform offline for several hours and caused operational and commercial challenges as services were gradually restored over the following 24 hours.
“We were required to pause all marketing campaigns and client activity while systems were being reinstated,” Dib says.
“Beyond the short-term disruption, the incident is likely to prompt a broader shift in priorities among governments and large corporations, with increased focus on sectors such as logistics and defence. As a business operating at the intersection of technology and innovation, we are therefore reassessing our sector focus and strategic positioning in response.”
The company has
remained in close coordination with the AWS team to prioritize critical server infrastructure and accelerate the restoration of our core products and services.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to reassess the evolving landscape over the coming days and weeks,” Dibs says. “Given the fluid nature of the situation, our strategic focus may need to adapt quickly depending on how conditions develop.
Even once stability is restored, we anticipate a broader regional recovery phase, which we will factor into our operational and commercial planning.
Resilience Playbook
“The key is not to be afraid to pivot. Market conditions can shift rapidly, and businesses must retain the agility to adapt without overcorrecting or reacting impulsively. Strategic flexibility, grounded in data and clear scenario planning, is essential in times of uncertainty.
“Equally important is patience. Decisions should be driven by long-term logic rather than short-term emotion. For entrepreneurs, this means maintaining focus, continuing to build value and strengthening fundamentals while preparing for multiple contingencies. Having well-defined Plan B, C and even D strategies is not a sign of pessimism, but of prudent leadership, with the hope, of course, that they remain precautionary rather than necessary.”
AHMED ABDULHAKEEM
As founder and CEO of The Lab Holding, a Dubai-based hospitality group behind some of the city’s best-known restaurants, Ahmed Abdulhakeem says he remains unfazed by a slight slowdown in walk-ins since February 28, 2026, as people initially tried to understand what was happening. “For some residents and visitors, it was the first time they were hearing or experiencing sounds related to security activity
in the country, which naturally created some hesitation among people,” Abdulhakeem says. “However, what stood out was how quickly confidence returned. The response and communication from the UAE leadership and authorities were very clear, calm, and reassuring. Within a few days, businesses started returning to their usual rhythm. Guests began going out again, dining, and supporting local venues. Today, things are already moving back toward normal patterns.”
On a broader level, he says the moment reinforced the strong sense of trust entrepreneurs have in the UAE. “For some people, this was the first time they experienced something unusual happening locally,” Abdulhakeem says. “But at the same time, they witnessed how the UAE leadership and institutions respond with calm, organization, and a clear focus on safety. This response created an even deeper sense of confidence among residents and business owners.”
Resilience Playbook
Moments like this remind entrepreneurs to stay grounded. The most important thing is not to react emotionally but to stay focused on your fundamentals: your team, your guests, and your operational discipline. Situations can arise anywhere in the world, but when you operate in a country with strong leadership, clear systems, and a stable environment, recovery happens quickly. For many of us, this experience simply reinforced why the UAE continues to be one of the most reliable and supportive places in the world to build and grow a business.
FOUNDER AND CEO, THE LAB HOLDING
NADIYA ALBISHCHENKO
FOUNDER, INAS EXIM
Nadiya Albishchenko, founder of INAS EXIM, a Sharjah-based international trade and sourcing company, says the escalation had a direct impact on one of the company’s shipments. On February 26, INAS EXIM dispatched a container of frozen food products from Odesa, Ukraine, bound for Jebel Ali in the UAE. While the shipment had already been confirmed and the Bill of
Lading issued, the company received an unexpected notice on March 2 from the shipping line introducing a US$4,000 war-related surcharge per container due to heightened security risks in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
Albishchenko explains that the challenge was that the notification arrived after the shipment had already departed under previously agreed freight terms, creating operational and contractual uncertainty. The carrier informed Albishchenko that the container would be discharged in Khor Fakkan and moved inland to Jebel Ali, adding further transportation costs. If the revised conditions were not accepted, the container would be returned to origin.
“Because the cargo consists of frozen food products that are part of regular supply flows into the UAE market, rejecting the shipment was not a practical option,” Albishchenko says. “Maintaining continuity of supply was the priority. We therefore continued negotiations with the carrier while securing confirmation that if shipping routes normalize and regional restrictions are lifted, the shipment could potentially be redirected without the additional surcharge.”
“For businesses involved in international trade, especially in food supply chains, the key lesson is that logistics conditions can change overnight during geopolitical disruptions. Entrepreneurs should pay close attention to the contractual terms governing shipments and maintain constant communication with carriers and logistics partners. Even when freight terms appear fixed, external events can lead to operational changes that require quick decisions.”
“Equally important is to build flexibility into supply chains wherever possible. Diversified logistics routes and contingency planning can help reduce disruption when unexpected geopolitical events affect transport corridors.”
Resilience Playbook
“In times of regional uncertainty, resilient businesses don’t pause — they adapt, support their customers, and build the foundations for the next wave of growth.”
GEORGE HOJEIGE
GROUP CEO, VIRTUZONE - AN ASCENTIUM COMPANY
As the Group CEO of Virtuzone, an Ascentium company and one of the region’s fastest-growing business setup operators, George Hojeige says his team quickly adapted to the current situation in the region by providing remote support to clients worldwide.
Lead with resolve and your team will follow. The strongest entrepreneurs are those who step up, protect their foundations, and act decisively when others hesitate.
“We aim to enable them to continue launching businesses, renewing licenses and visas, and staying compliant wherever they are,” Hojeige says. “Our team remains ready to support them as circumstances evolve.”
ASHOK KUMAR
FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, CRUISE MASTER
While airspaces were the most obvious routes of transport to be affected by the regional tensions, the water channels quietly felt the impact early on too.
Cruise Master, a Dubaibased B2B cruise agency with over four dozen cruise lines in its portfolio, was one such company. “Cruise Master works closely with international cruise lines that deploy ships in the Arabian Gulf during the winter cruise season, typi-
Resilience Playbook
cally from November through March,” explains founder and Managing Director Ashok Kumar.
“Operations in the Gulf continued smoothly until February 28, when the escalation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States created immediate uncertainty across the region. On that same day, one of the operators, MSC Cruises’ MSC Euribia had guests embark in Dubai, but the ship remained in port rather than sailing its scheduled itinerary. Passengers stayed onboard and continued enjoying the ship’s facilities until their originally planned disembarkation date on March 7.”
“Geopolitical developments can influence business sentiment very quickly, even when the operational impact may be limited,” Kumar adds.
But the road ahead is promising, he notes. “Long-haul cruise bookings for the upcoming summer season continue to progress normally, and so far, the regional tensions have not significantly affected forward booking trends,” Kumar says. “The Arabian Gulf has developed into an important winter cruise destination over the past decade, and the willingness of cruise lines to deploy ships here, even at significantly higher operational cost, reflects the long-term confidence the industry has in the region.”
“First, rely on verified information from trusted partners rather than reacting to speculation or social media narratives. Second, communicate proactively with customers and partners. Even when the message is simply that operations remain unchanged, timely updates help maintain confidence. Finally, maintain operational flexibility. External events are beyond any business’s control, but having strong partnerships and clear communication channels allows organizations to respond calmly and effectively when circumstances change.”
SONIA GOKHALE
CO-FOUNDER AND GENERAL PARTNER, VENTURESOUQ
Sonia Gokhale, co-founder and General Partner at VentureSouq, says that although the fund invests in early-stage technology companies, “ultimately, the most important assets we invest in are people: the founders building these businesses.” She adds that in recent weeks many founders and their teams have navigated significant uncertainty, with leaders managing heightened anxiety and stress while making clear-headed decisions for their companies. “Despite occasional disruptions, the vast majority of companies adapted quickly and continued running their businesses.”
What has stood out most, she notes, is the resilience of founders across the region. “The UAE and the broader GCC have long demonstrated an ability to maintain stability and continuity in the face of regional uncertainty. That same spirit of resilience is clearly reflected in the founders and companies we work with.”
Resilience
Playbook
“Our immediate priority was staying close to our founders. We initiated regular check-in calls to hear directly from them – not only about business operations, but also about how they were personally managing the situation. In times like these, one of the most valuable things an investor can provide is not just capital or strategic advice, but a calm and steady presence. My advice for entrepreneurs is to lean on your community. The UAE startup ecosystem is uniquely well-connected and supportive— make use of it.”
ANELLE BAKITZHANOVA
CO-FOUNDER, MINOA
Dubai-based sustainable home textile brand
Minoa’s latest shipment of sustainable bedding collections was recently caught in the Strait of Hormuz disruption.
“But we didn’t wait around,” says co-founder Anelle Bakitzhanova. “We got on the phone with affected clients personally and offered alternative designs from our available collections. Where that wasn’t enough, we made the call to airfreight new shipments and we absorbed the full cost ourselves. We didn’t raise a single price.”
Bakitzhanova and the Minoa team found respite through the UAE government’s response during the crisis. “When the airspace closed on February 28, it could have completely paralyzed us. But when the authorities began partially reopening operations on March 2, cargo and essential freight were among the first priorities, even before full commercial flights resumed,” Bakitzhanova says.
“That decision made a real difference for Minoa. It meant we could actually get our airfreighted shipments through once operations partially resumed, rather than being stuck indefinitely. Without that prioritization of cargo at Dubai’s airports, our plan
to absorb the cost of airfreight and keep serving our clients would not have been possible.”
Bakitzhanova then notes it is the UAE’s broader business environment that allows brands to remain resilient during disruption. “The economic stability, the logistics infrastructure, the ease of doing business here, none of that disappeared overnight. Our client base remains engaged, people are still furnishing their homes, still choosing quality, and that resilience comes from the foundations the government has put in place over years.”
Resilience Playbook
“If I could share one thing with fellow entrepreneurs, it would be this: know your non-negotiables before the crisis hits. For us, it was never going to be an option to compromise on sustainability or push costs onto our customers during a difficult time. That clarity made every decision faster.”
TEHZEEB AHMED
MANAGING PARTNER, BUZZY BEE COMMUNICATIONS
Tehzeeb Ahmed, Managing Partner at Buzzy Bee Communications, says the recent developments forced the sudden postponement of two major events her team had been organizing. Both events were called off despite venues, permits, and marketing already secured and more than 100 facilitators and vendors onboarded. Ahmed says the decision was difficult but necessary, requiring the team to notify stakeholders and begin issuing refunds while managing expectations across partners, vendors, and ticket holders. “From an operational perspective, the biggest lesson has been how quickly circumstances can change, and how important it is to remain calm and transparent with everyone involved,” she says. “In moments like these, communication becomes the most important tool you have. People understand uncertainty, what they need is honesty and clarity.”
Resilience Playbook
“My advice to fellow entrepreneurs would be threefold. First, always plan for contingency, particularly when working with large events or complex logistics. Second, communicate early and openly with your stakeholders as it builds trust even in difficult situations. And finally, try not to make decisions out of panic. Taking a moment to assess the bigger picture can often help you respond with greater responsibility and care.”
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The future shifts when a nation trusts its women. by ALDHABI
ALMHEIRI
Leadership is tested in practice rather than in theory during times of economic recalibration and regional unpredictability. When the world seems to be changing under our feet, a country’s strength is demonstrated by its leaders.
As a young Emirati girl who grew up surrounded by the aroma of brand-new books and the buzz of lofty aspirations, I’ve discovered that a nation’s trust in its women is far more powerful than its economy.
Our reality is defined by these questions. In the United Arab Emirates, we are shown that we have to be leaders, not just that we can. This trust keeps everything together and enables the plot to proceed, much like the spine of a book. It’s more than just being fair or compassionate when a country has faith in its women. It’s being astute. Instead of using half of
its brainpower, it is opting to use all of it.
As I started a business, I came to the realization that being a girl or “the youngest” didn’t mean I had to keep quiet. It was an excuse to talk more loudly. I learned from our leadership that a “vision” is a blueprint you create while awake, not merely a dream you have while you’re asleep.
When a girl is trusted with a pen, she creates a future rather than just a story.”
When a girl is trusted with a pen, she creates a future rather than just a story.
When a woman is trusted with a business or a government agency, she does more than just oversee it, she transforms it.
During times of change things can feel unsure, Women have a special kind of understanding that helps guide us. We
look at the world. See people, not just numbers. We think about how our choices will affect people in the run. When women lead during these times a nation can make progress and build strong foundations. We bring a perspective of sustainability, which means building something today that our grandchildren will be proud of tomorrow.
I often think of empowerment like a chimney. It takes our ideas. Turns them into something bright that everyone can see, For that to work we need trust. We need to start trusting girls. We shouldn’t wait until they’re grown to tell them they’re leaders. We should tell them when they’re young, like six, ten or fifteen. If we trust them with things now, they’ll be ready to handle big things later. The future is already being written in classrooms, libraries, startups, and boardrooms where women’s voices are heard. We are moving toward a time when the phrase “woman leader” will simply mean leader. A world where women are naturally part of every conversation, Because when leadership believes in women, something powerful happens. The future does not simply continue; It changes, when leadership chooses to trust.
AlDhabi AlMheiri is a young Emirati columnist, entrepreneur, and publisher
When a woman is trusted with a business or a government agency, she does more than just oversee it, she transforms it.”
making her a role model for young aspiring business leaders.
as well as a Guinness World Records titleholder. As the founder of Rainbow Chimney Bookstore and Publishing House, she is committed to empowering young writers and promoting cultural diversity through the transformative power of storytelling and publishing. AlDhabi firmly believes in the power of stories, providing children with a chance to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences through books. As the author of two books and the publisher of over 52 works by children from diverse backgrounds, AlMheiri’s mission is to promote education,
sustainability, financial literacy, and emotional resilience through narrative. Her initiatives, such as “Books from Children to Children,” foster creativity and self-expression among youth while addressing crucial social issues like diversity, inclusion, and emotional well-being.
In addition to her work in literature, AlMheiri is a passionate advocate for children with additional needs, ensuring that their voices are amplified and their unique talents are recognized and nurtured. Her enthusiasm for finance has also driven her entrepreneurial ventures,
AlMheiri’s commitment to education and personal development is exemplified by her academic achievements. She graduated as a Fellow from Georgetown University’s School of Business in 2024, in collaboration with the US Mission to the UAE, and successfully completed the Entrepreneurship Program offered by Google and the UAE Ministry of Economy. Through her work and vision, AlMheiri is leaving a lasting impact on young people, advocating for a future where education, storytelling, financial literacy, and sustainability are the cornerstones of societal progress. Her initiatives are deeply aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting her dedication to creating a better world for future generations.
/Dubai
Dubai’s Strength Has Always Been Its Leadership and Vision
by ALEX ZAGREBELNY
There are moments when a city is tested. When residents pause and reflect on what makes it strong in the first place. This past week has been one of those moments for many of us living in Dubai.
Yet if there is one thing that defines this city, it is resilience. Dubai has never been built on short-term reactions. It has always been shaped by long-term vision, confident leadership, and the belief that the future can be designed deliberately.
For those of us building businesses here, that vision is both a responsibility and a privilege.
Cities do not become global hubs simply through infrastructure or economic opportunity. They become global hubs when
people trust the leadership guiding their future.
Dubai has consistently demonstrated that trust.
From its economic agenda to its long-term urban planning strategies, including the ambitions set out through Dubai
Vision 2030, the city has been built around a simple but powerful philosophy: think decades ahead, not years.
For those of us developing projects here, that vision matters enormously.
Real estate in Dubai has never been about building for the next cycle. It is about contributing to a city that is shaping the future of urban living.
That responsibility was very much on our minds when we began developing Eywa.
From the outset, we believed that a project built in Dubai
should reflect the same ambition the city itself embodies: innovation, sustainability, and a focus on improving the quality of life for residents.
These are exactly the principles that underpin Dubai Vision 2030 - a roadmap designed to ensure the city continues to evolve as one of the most forward-looking global destinations.
Because when a city has a clear vision for the future, every building becomes part of that story. And Dubai’s story continues to be one of resilience, confidence, and long-term thinking.
In Dubai, the Future of Real Estate Is HumanCentric
In moments when global headlines can feel uncertain, living in Dubai offers a powerful reminder of what strong leadership and clear vision can achieve.
This city has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to remain a safe and stable environment for residents, businesses, and investors alike.
But Dubai’s strength does not only lie in stability. It lies in the city’s ability to constantly evolve.
Today, the conversation around cities is changing. People are no longer evaluating real estate purely by location or size. Increasingly, they are asking deeper questions about how buildings influence well-being, health, and everyday quality of life.
How does a building support the people who live inside it?
How does it affect the air
IN MOMENTS WHEN GLOBAL HEADLINES CAN FEEL UNCERTAIN, LIVING IN DUBAI OFFERS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF WHAT STRONG LEADERSHIP AND CLEAR VISION CAN ACHIEVE.”
we breathe, the way we sleep, and the environments where families spend their lives?
Dubai’s long-term urban planning vision increasingly reflects these questions. Through initiatives such as Dubai Vision 2030, the city is investing heavily in sustainability, smarter infrastructure, and communities designed around the human experience.
For developers, this shift is both exciting and necessary.
Buildings should not simply exist within cities; they should actively contribute to how people feel, live, and thrive.
This philosophy guided the thinking behind Eywa.
Rather than just focusing solely on luxury or aesthetics, we approached the project from a different starting point: how can architecture improve the daily well-being of residents?
From advanced air and water systems to naturedriven design and biophilic environments, every element of Eywa was conceived around human well-being.
Dubai has always encouraged developers to think boldly.
And today, that bold thinking is increasingly aligned with the ambitions
of Dubai Vision 2030, building cities that are not only impressive but truly livable.
Eywa and the Future Dubai Is Building
One of the reasons Dubai continues to inspire confidence around the world is its remarkable ability to remain both ambitious and confident about its future.
For residents and investors alike, the city represents something increasingly rare: a place where safety, opportunity, and visionary leadership exist together.
That environment creates a powerful foundation for innovation.
Dubai has always believed that the future should be actively built, not simply anticipated. From its infrastructure to its urban planning, the city consistently pushes forward with ideas that shape how people will live in the decades ahead.
Much of this direction is captured in Dubai Vision 2030, which outlines a future where sustainability, innovation, and quality of life become central pillars of the city’s development. For developers, this creates an important responsibility. Projects built in Dubai are not just commercial ventures. They contribute to the broader vision of what the city is
becoming.
When we began developing Eywa, we wanted to ensure that it reflected this forward-thinking spirit.
For us at R.Evolution, building Eywa in Dubai has been both an opportunity and a responsibility.
The idea was simple but ambitious: create a residential environment designed around human well-being, sustainability, and a deeper connection between architecture and nature.
Today, the real estate industry globally is evolving toward developments that prioritize health, longevity, and environmental responsibility.
Dubai has recognized this shift early. The city’s long-term strategies, reflected in Dubai Vision 2030, increasingly focus on creating vibrant communities, expanding green spaces, and ensuring that development enhances residents’ quality of life.
Eywa was designed with those same principles in mind. In many ways, it represents a small example of the larger transformation happening across Dubai, where architecture, innovation, and well-being come together to shape the future of urban living.
And Dubai’s story continues to be one of resilience, confidence, and long-term thinking.
Building With Purpose: How Karma Developers Steps Up to Support the Dubai Community
by WISSAM YOUNANE
In a city known for ambition and innovation, Karma Developers has quietly built its identity around a simple but powerful philosophy: development must create value not only for investors and residents, but for society as a whole.
The leadership of Karma Developers pools more than seventy-five years of combined experience across global markets, real estate, maritime leadership, and technology-driven ventures.
Capt. Pradeep Singh, founder and Chairman, brings decades of maritime command, international business acumen, and disciplined leadership that shape Karma’s long-term vision and values.
Navneet Mandhani, founder and CEO, contributes deep expertise in real estate development, strategic growth, and innovation, driving the company’s expansion across multiple sectors. He also brings a strong global technology background and international expansion experience across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
While Karma’s projects continue to grow in scale and reach, the leadership’s guiding belief has remained unchanged: that real estate is ultimately about people, communities, and the legacy we leave behind.
This belief finds its truest expression not only in the company’s developments but also in its philanthropic and social initiatives.
The Heart of Giving: Karma Outreach Foundation
At the centre of Karma’s social impact initiatives stands the Karma Outreach Foundation, the
“MOMENTS OF UNCERTAINTY REMIND US OF THE STRENGTH OF LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY. THE UAE HAS ONCE AGAIN DEMONSTRATED CLARITY, COMPASSION, AND FORESIGHT — QUALITIES THAT MAKE DUBAI ONE OF THE WORLD’S SAFEST AND MOST DEPENDABLE CITIES. AT KARMA DEVELOPERS, WE ARE PROUD TO ALIGN OUR VALUES AND ACTIONS WITH THIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AND STAND WITH OUR COMMUNITY
← Capt. Pradeep Singh, founder and Chairman, o f Karma Developers
organization’s humanitarian arm and a reflection of its belief that compassion is the strongest foundation of progress.
The Foundation focuses on supporting individuals and families who often remain unheard, unseen, and unsupported.
One of its most heartfelt initiatives is helping young girls from financially challenged families begin their married lives with dignity. For many families, arranging even the simplest wedding essentials can be an overwhelming burden. Standing beside them during such moments is not charity; it is humanity.
Education is another cornerstone of the Foundation’s work. By supporting school fees, providing essential learning resources, and ensuring continuity of education for underprivileged children, the Foundation helps open doors to opportunities that might otherwise remain closed.
Women empowerment remains central to its mission. Through financial assistance, community support programs, and resource initiatives, the Foundation aims to help women gain confidence, independence, and the ability to shape their own futures.
Every life touched, every opportunity restored, and every family supported represents the real impact of Karma’s work beyond construction.
At Karma, social responsibility is not a corporate obligation; it is a moral commitment.
Partnerships That Strengthen Communities Supporting Inclusion: Dubai Autism Center
Karma’s association with the Dubai Autism Center reflects a commitment to inclusivity and understanding.
Autism is not a limitation but a different way of experiencing the world. By supporting the Center’s programs, Karma contributes to initiatives that help children develop essential life skills while also supporting families navigating the challenges of autism.
As part of this support, Karma Developers contributed to the renovation of the Center’s gymnasium, creating a safe, sensory-friendly environment where autistic children can develop physical skills, participate in therapy, and engage in activities that support their overall wellbeing. Through therapy programs, early intervention initiatives, and inclusive education, the Center provides children the tools to thrive and parents the reassurance that their journey is supported by a compassionate community.
For Karma Developers, this partnership represents a deeper commitment to empathy and inclusion.
Protecting Our Planet: Emirates Environmental Group
Sustainability is deeply embedded in Karma’s philosophy of responsible development. As an Associate Partner of the
“DUBAI’S LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO SET A GLOBAL BENCHMARK FOR DECISIVE GOVERNANCE AND LONG-TERM VISION. THEIR ABILITY TO LEAD WITH BOTH RESOLVE AND EMPATHY REINFORCES THE CONFIDENCE PEOPLE PLACE IN THIS NATION. AT KARMA DEVELOPERS, THIS INSPIRES US TO BUILD AND OPERATE WITH THE SAME SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE,” NAVNEET MANDHANI
→ Navneet Mandhani, founder and CEO of Karma Developers
Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), one of the UAE’s most respected environmental organizations, Karma actively participates in initiatives that promote ecological stewardship and community engagement. The partnership involves participation in several impactful programs, including:
Tree Planting and Urban Greening Drives - Supporting afforestation efforts that enhance biodiversity and contribute to long-term carbon reduction.
Recycling and Waste Reduction Campaigns - Participating in initiatives such as Can Collection Day and Paper Walk programs that promote responsible consumption and waste reduction.
Environmental Awareness and Education - Encouraging sustainability awareness among youth and communities.
Community Volunteerism - Employees actively participate in environmental campaigns that bring communities together around a shared purpose. Through these efforts, Karma reinforces its belief that responsible development must protect the environment for future generations.
Responsible Business: A Global Commitment
Karma Developers is also a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. By aligning its operations with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, the company integrates responsible practices across human rights, labour standards, environmental responsibility, and anticorruption. This alignment strengthens Karma’s governance systems and reflects its belief that businesses play a vital role in shaping a more equitable and sustainable world.
In parallel, the company continues to strengthen its operational systems through internationally recognized frameworks, working toward ISOaligned management processes, LEED Goldcertified developments, and future progression toward LEED Platinum and wellness-oriented building standards.
These initiatives ensure that sustainability is not simply an aspiration, but a measurable and accountable practice embedded within every development.
Expanding Horizons
Karma Developers first established a strong reputation within the affordable luxury residential segment, delivering
thoughtfully designed homes that balance quality, accessibility, and long-term value.
Building on this success, the company is now expanding into mixed-use developments and Grade A commercial office spaces designed for evolving work patterns.
One such upcoming development will introduce a modern commercial environment in a rapidly growing district of Dubai, strategically positioned within a high-density residential catchment and supported by strong connectivity to key transport corridors. The project aims to create a dynamic live-work ecosystem that reduces commute times while enhancing productivity and quality of life.
Karma is also advancing plans to enter the hospitality sector, with a luxury hotel concept currently in advanced design stages, marking another milestone in its diversified growth strategy.
Rising in Times of Need
Beyond development and philanthropy, Karma Developers believes that true responsibility is demonstrated during moments of crisis.
In recent challenging circumstances affecting travel and movement across the region, the company stepped forward to support stranded residents and visitors in Dubai, arranging temporary accommodation and assistance across several properties.
Families from multiple nationalities were able to access safe and comfortable
stay arrangements during uncertain times, a reflection of Dubai’s own spirit of compassion and unity.
Karma’s leadership personally supported these efforts, reaffirming the company’s belief that businesses must stand alongside the communities they serve.
A City That Inspires Confidence
Dubai remains one of the world’s most resilient and forward-looking cities, guided by visionary leadership, strong governance, and a commitment to safety and stability.
Karma Developers expresses its sincere gratitude to the UAE leadership whose decisive actions and proactive governance continue to ensure that Dubai remains a secure and welcoming home for residents and visitors from around the world.
In a city that represents opportunity for over 200 nationalities, Karma remains proud to contribute to its growth and to the wellbeing of its diverse communities.
Building More Than Buildings
At its core, Karma Developers is driven by a belief that development must serve a higher purpose. Every project, partnership, and philanthropic effort is guided by values of empathy, responsibility, and integrity. Because true success is not measured only in square feet. It is measured in the communities uplifted, the lives supported, and the legacy created.
The world of luxury fragrance, where new brands launch almost daily and celebrity names dominate headlines, few houses command the level of reverence reserved for Roja Dove’s fragrance house, ROJA London. Since its debut in 2011, the brand has positioned itself not merely as a perfume company,
A MISSION TO ELEVATE PERFUMERY
For Roja Dove, the origins of ROJA London were rooted in a deeper purpose than simply launching another luxury brand. “I embarked upon this journey to launch ROJA with a singular vision, one rooted in knowledge, and my will to pass on the mastery of perfumery to the next generation,” he explains. “We launched the brand in Harrods in 2011—the home of British luxury—to educate clients on the quality of precious ingredients and the artistry of British craftsmanship.”
From the outset, the house positioned itself within the rarefied world of haute perfumery. Dove’s approach has always centered on using the world’s most precious raw materials, paired with a creative philosophy that prioritizes imagination and complexity above all else. This dedication to quality helped establish ROJA London as a pioneer in ultra-luxury fragrance—a category where artistic integrity matters as much as commercial success.
DEFINING TRUE LUXURY IN FRAGRANCE
In an industry where the term “luxury” is often diluted by marketing language, Dove believes the distinction
but as a guardian of haute perfumery—where craftsmanship, rare ingredients, and storytelling converge to create olfactive works of art. Today, under the leadership of CEO Audrey Minard, the house continues to expand its global presence while preserving the uncompromising philosophy that defined it from day one.
“
In ROJA London, exclusivity is expressed through exceptionally high fragrance concentrations and the use of the world’s rarest and most precious raw materials.”
between premium and truly luxurious fragrance lies in authenticity.
“A luxury fragrance is determined by craftsmanship and the prestigious ingredients used within the perfumery houses we work with,” he says. “Legitimacy comes from creativity and quality being of paramount importance.”
That philosophy extends to how the brand approaches growth. In a global market driven by scaling pressures and cost efficiencies, Dove maintains that creativity must remain untouched by financial constraints.
“As an ultra-luxury brand, my thoughts are always on the creativity of a fragrance and how we tell stories through the language of ingredients,” he says. “If you begin with budget considerations, creativity and artistry are stifled.”
BRITISH HERITAGE AS CREATIVE IDENTITY
Dove’s role as a Cultural Ambassador for the UK Government’s GREAT Britain Campaign underscores the strong relationship between the brand and British identity.
“I am tremendously proud to be recognized for contributing to British luxury,” he says. “To travel the world and fly the flag for modern British haute perfumery is an enormous honour.”
For ROJA London, British heritage is not simply an
aesthetic reference—it is embedded in the craftsmanship, storytelling, and design language that defines the brand’s identity on the global stage.
THE CEO PERSPECTIVE: SCALING WITHOUT COMPROMISE
When Audrey Minard stepped into the CEO role in 2021, she inherited a house already synonymous with artistic excellence. Her challenge was to guide the brand’s global growth without compromising its exclusivity.
“The priority is always the brand,” she explains. “Protecting its exclusivity and reinforcing its ultra-luxury positioning at every touchpoint.”
For Minard, exclusivity is not about limiting access arbitrarily—it is about cultivating desire through rarity, discernment, and uncompromising excellence.
“In ROJA London, exclusivity is expressed through exceptionally high fragrance concentrations and the use of the world’s rarest and most precious raw materials,” she says. “These ingredients are often reserved for the most discerning connoisseurs.”
The result is a fragrance experience defined not only by longevity and complexity, but by an immersive scent trail that feels personal and opulent.
A GLOBAL STRATEGY ANCHORED IN CULTURE
Minard notes that one of the brand’s most influential markets is the Middle East—a region where fragrance is deeply woven into cultural identity.
“The Middle East plays a pivotal role in our growth,” she says. “Fragrance there is an essential part of daily life and personal expression. Clients in the region are highly discerning and deeply invested in scent as part of their identity.”
At the same time, ROJA London continues to expand in Western markets such as the United States and Europe, where consumers often gravitate toward fresher lifestyle fragrances that still carry the complexity and richness associated with the brand.
Minard describes ROJA fragrances as “olfactive objects”—creations that capture personality and emotion within a bottle.
“They are pieces of artistry,” she says. “They are not simply perfumes. They become part of a person’s wardrobe, a reflection of mood, identity, and self-expression.”
CREATIVITY, COMMUNITY, AND CULTURAL COLLABORATION
Despite operating at the pinnacle of the luxury market, Minard believes the brand’s success lies in
maintaining a deeply human connection with its clients.
“Our clients begin a personal relationship with their chosen ROJA fragrance,” she says. “That relationship has created a global community of perfume connoisseurs.”
The brand’s collections— from the escapist inspirations of the Isola Collection to the artistic explorations within its Art Collection—demonstrate how fragrance can evoke travel, emotion, and imagination.
In a surprising move that pushed the brand beyond its comfort zone, ROJA London introduced two Harry Potter-inspired limited-editions.
“For us, it was about expressing the magic of perfumery,” Minard explains. “Fragrance, like magic, has the power to evoke emotion and transform how we feel.”
STANDING APART IN A CROWDED INDUSTRY
With celebrity brands and influencer-driven launches flooding the fragrance market, ROJA London has maintained its authority by focusing on craftsmanship rather than trends.
“There is not another ultra-luxury niche brand at our level,” Minard says.
“We don’t look at trends or analyse what other brands are doing. We stay true to our DNA.”
That DNA is built on British craftsmanship, artistic storytelling, and a relentless commitment to quality.
Looking ahead, Minard
says the brand’s focus is on revealing more of the artistry behind each fragrance—opening the doors to the creative process and celebrating the precision and craftsmanship that define ROJA London.
At the same time, the brand is undergoing a refined rebranding effort aimed at making its identity clearer and more engaging for a new generation of luxury consumers.
“Through refined storytelling and a more modern voice, we are connecting timeless luxury with contemporary relevance,” she says.
CRAFTING A LASTING LEGACY
For Dove, the ultimate ambition for ROJA London extends beyond building a successful luxury house. It is about shaping the future of perfumery itself.
“Legacy is enormously important to me,” he says. “I wanted to create a brand that immerses you in uncompromising quality and absolute luxury.”
More than a decade after its founding, ROJA London continues to redefine what luxury fragrance can be—not merely a product, but a cultural expression of artistry, heritage, and imagination.
And in doing so, it has carved out a rare position in the global fragrance industry: not just as a brand, but as a benchmark for the art of perfumery itself.
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UAE MAP NECKLACE ↑↓
By
Piece of You, founded by entrepreneur Amreen Iqbal, has seen a strong response to its UAE Map Necklace from the UAE Pride Collection in recent days. What began as a simple jewelry piece has quickly evolved into a meaningful symbol of solidarity and pride, with many residents purchasing it to express their connection to the UAE and appreciation for the sense of safety, belonging, and stability the country represents. The response highlights how a local brand can become a touchpoint for community sentiment during moments of uncertainty. www.pieceofyou.ae
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 Piece of You,
CELEBRATE EID IN STYLE WITH ANTHROPOLOGIE ↑
Anthropologie brings effortless elegance to Eid with a curated edit of flowing kaftans, coordinated sets and statement pieces in soft ivory, cream and jewel tones. Exclusive capsules from Elissa Studio, Kaftish and Panizsima celebrate regional craftsmanship with satin florals, sheer silhouettes and tasselled designs. www.anthropologie.com
KIBSONS CELEBRATES RAMADAN WITH EXCLUSIVE OFFER ←
Kibsons is adding extra joy to the tradition of Eidhiya this year with a limited-time reward campaign. From 3–21 March, customers who purchase an Eidhiya e-gift card via kibsons.com or the Kibsons app will receive matching reward points equivalent to the gift card value, capped at 1,000 points per order. www.kibsons.com
Piece of You
Rethinking Personal Safety
Dubai-based architect and entrepreneur Medy Navani introduces INSTINKT, a brand focused on bringing design-driven personal safety solutions into everyday life. by
TAMARA PUPIC
← Medy Navani is the founder and CEO of Design Haus Medy and founder of INSTINKT, a UAE-based personal safety brand introducing a new category of “assurance wear.”
For more than two decades, Medy Navani has built a career designing spaces that shape how people live, work, and interact with their surroundings. As the Founder and CEO of Dubai-based architecture and interior design practice Design Haus Medy, established in 2006, Navani has long approached the built environment through the lens of functionality, aesthetics, and human experience.
Yet through years of working on projects across the region, he began to notice a recurring gap in how safety is addressed within physical spaces which led him to launch his first product innovation venture, INSTINKT.
Founded in the UAE, INSTINKT is a UAE-based personal safety brand that creates a a new category of everyday safety tools designed to integrate into modern living and working environments. “The timing felt right because of a disconnect I kept noticing. The way we live has transformed dramatically, how we build, how we power our homes, how we move through cities,” Navani says. “Lithium-ion batteries are now everywhere, in EVs, e-scooters, energy storage systems, personal devices, and
they carry fire hazards that simply didn’t exist a decade ago. Cities are denser, buildings are taller, and the way people live day-to-day looks nothing like it did even thinking back to ten years ago.
“Yet if you look at how personal safety is approached, almost nothing has changed. The model is still a fire extinguisher on a wall. Everything around us has evolved except the tools we rely on to protect ourselves in an emergency. That felt like a problem worth solving.”
INSTINKT’s debut product is the EV1 Fire Escape Kit that contains a Fire Escape Hood Mask certified to EN 403 standards, providing up to 15 minutes of breathable air in thick smoke and up to 30 minutes in light smoke,
CITIES ARE DENSER, BUILDINGS ARE TALLER, AND THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE DAY-TO-DAY LOOKS NOTHING LIKE IT DID EVEN THINKING BACK TO TEN YEARS AGO. YET IF YOU LOOK AT HOW PERSONAL SAFETY IS APPROACHED, ALMOST NOTHING HAS CHANGED.”
an Emergency Whistle for use in low-visibility conditions, and Fire Escape Towels for immediate protection against smoke and fumes.
The kit is designed to sit in a bedroom, a hotel room drawer or a desk rather than mounted on a wall, reflecting the brand’s belief that the instinct to reach for protection begins with making it something you would naturally keep close. The kit is priced at AED510, and INSTINKT will donate US$1 for every product sold during its first year to organizations working to create safer environments for those most at risk.
Educating the market has been one of the central challenges of launching INSTINKT, Navani admits, particularly when introducing an entirely new product category.
“The biggest shift we had to make early on was in how we framed the conversation,” he explains.
“If you walk up to someone and say “buy this emergency kit,” their instinct is to think “that’s not for me, I live in a safe building.” And they’re right, we are in one of the safest places in the world.
“But that does not take away from each of us
being prepared and accountable for our own lives. In the case of a fire emergency, the sprinklers, the alarms, the fireproofing, all of that buys you time, but what we’re addressing is what you do with that time. How do you actually get yourself and your family out safely when a corridor is filled with smoke?
“Once you reframe it that way, it stops being difficult for people to understand, that assurance wear is an essential category we need as we move through life. The awareness clicks almost immediately.”
In a highly competitive and brand-conscious market like the UAE, Navani chose not to rely on
fear-based messaging to promote the product, instead focusing on patiently building trust and credibility with consumers. “In practical terms, credibility for us has been about showing, not telling,” he explains. “We let people handle the product, see how it works, and understand the quality of what’s inside the kit. We were also fortunate to be named Intersec Innovation Champion 2025 [one of the world’s largest trade exhibitions focused on security, safety, and fire protection technologies, held annually at the Dubai
EVERYTHING AROUND US HAS EVOLVED EXCEPT THE TOOLS WE RELY ON TO PROTECT OURSELVES IN AN EMERGENCY. THAT FELT LIKE A PROBLEM WORTH SOLVING.”
World Trade Centre, Dubai] before we even launched commercially, which gave us third-party validation from the industry’s most respected platform. That kind of recognition carries weight that no marketing campaign can replicate. We’re still in the early stages, but the foundation is genuine, the product born out of care, and I think people can feel that.”
In addition, Mavani adds,
launching a personal safety brand in the UAE required careful attention to regulatory and operational details. “When you’re importing specialized safety equipment, there’s a layer of due diligence that goes beyond a standard consumer product,” he says. “Making sure certifications are recognized, that documentation is in order, that your supply chain meets the right standards, all of that takes time and attention.
Navani also says that building a reliable supply chain proved to be one of the biggest challenges when launching the brand. “As a new brand in a niche space, you don’t have leverage with manufacturers yet,” he explains. “We had to build relationships from scratch, vet partners carefully and prove that we were serious before the right suppliers were willing to work with us. It took longer than expected, but we made the decision
← INSTINKT is a brand focused on bringing design-driven personal safety solutions into everyday life.
early on not to launch until the supply chain was strong. When you’re building a safety product, you can’t afford to improvise on that.”
Going forward, Navani says ensuring product availability will be a key operational priority. “We stock locally to make sure we can deliver quickly, because the nature of this product means demand can be unpredictable,” he says. “If there’s a fire incident in the news, or a conflict, people want access immediately, not in two weeks. Getting that logistics aspect right was a constant focus for us.”
While traditional safety manufacturers have long focused on supplying institutions, Navani sees a shift underway toward individual preparedness. “What we didn’t see, regionally or globally, was anyone approaching personal safety as a consumer responsibility,” he says. “No one was asking how you make a fire escape kit, something a person actually keeps in their bedroom rather than something a compliance officer orders in bulk. That’s a design problem as much as a safety problem, and it’s a part of the gap we’re focused on.”
In conclusion, Navani notes that the conversation around safety must also be linked to a broader discussion about resilience, explaining that “a truly sustainable society is also a resilient one.” He adds, “Personal and community safety, the ability to act and survive in all types of situations, is the missing piece of that conversation.
With the world evolving so much, we wanted to be a part of shaping how we protect ourselves.”
Medy Navani’s Tips on Launching a Personal Safety Brand
}Prioritize quality above everything. “When you’re dealing with products that could save someone’s life, there is no room for compromise. Standards, certifications and material integrity are the foundation of your credibility.”
}Define your message before you go to market. “People need to clearly understand why your product matters before they care about what it does. Lead with the problem you’re solving.”
}Use e-commerce strategically. “It gives you fast market access, a direct line to your customers and real-time feedback. For a new category, that speed and control are invaluable.”
}Think beyond the business. “In the safety space, your mission has to be about creating real value for society. If the purpose doesn’t drive the decisions, people will see through it.”
}Lead with trust, not fear. “Education and empowerment will always be more powerful than fear-based messaging. You want people to feel capable and prepared, and assured, not anxious.”
In The Loop/
Dubai’s Gyms Offer a Snapshot of the City’s Economic Resilience
by TAMARA PUPIC
With sensational international headlines amplifying concerns over tensions in the UAE questions have arisen about how quickly Dubai’s economy would rebound from any temporary disruption. One sector offering a clear snapshot of the city’s resilience is fitness.
According to Loren Holland, founder of GymNation, the company experienced a brief dip in attendance across its locations at the start of the escalation. “There was a short-term impact over the weekend (Feb 28 – March 1) and into Monday (March 2), where check-ins across our gyms dropped by around 25–30%,” Holland says.
“As the week has progressed and confidence in the safety and security of the region has grown, we’ve seen members quickly return to their normal routines — including their gym visits,” Holland adds.
GymNation reports that attendance has already rebounded significantly. “As of today, check-ins across our clubs are already back to around 90% of normal levels, which is a strong
indicator that people are resuming their everyday habits. We’re also continuing to see the typical Ramadan patterns, with post-iftar remaining our busiest time.”
A similar trend has been observed at Wellfit. Gareth Jones, Chief Operating Officer at Wellfit, who explains that Wellfit’s data shows only a temporary fluctuation in member behavior. “The data paints a measured picture. Daily check-ins showed an initial slight drop compared to our normal day-of-week baseline, recovering steadily to normal levels by Wednesday, March 5,” he says.
Two other fitness operators report similar trends, pointing to only minor and temporary shifts in member behavior.
Kate Milewska, Chief Operating Officer at
AS
THE WEEK HAS PROGRESSED AND CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE REGION HAS GROWN, WE’VE SEEN MEMBERS QUICKLY RETURN TO THEIR NORMAL ROUTINES — INCLUDING THEIR GYM VISITS.”
FitnGlam, says the women-only fitness brand has continued to see strong engagement from its members despite small fluctuations in attendance.
“As a women-only space, FitnGlam naturally experiences seasonal attendance patterns.
Ramadan brings its own rhythm, and the shift to school-from-home meant many mothers reprioritized their days,” she explains.
“Usage has fluctuated very slightly over the course of recent days. Some hourly attendance patterns shifted, largely due to work-fromhome, but members have continued to book classes, engage with personal training, and show up.”
→ Gareth Jones, Wellfit’s Chief Operating Officer
→ Sarah Lindsay
In The Loop/
At boutique performance training studio ROAR Fitness, founder Sarah Lindsay says operational changes have been minimal, with the main impact stemming from family logistics rather than safety concerns.
“We have lost some sessions due to home schooling mostly and lack of last-minute childcare,” Lindsay says. “More clients are training off-peak hours during the day as their working and childcare routines have changed.”
Despite these small adjustments, she notes that demand for fitness remains steady. “I think people feel quite comfortable and confident that they are safe and want to keep up with their fitness routine.”
WHAT THE DATA REFLECTS, MORE THAN ANYTHING, IS TRUST IN THE UAE’S RESPONSE AND IN THE INSTITUTIONS MANAGING THE SITUATION. MEMBERS CONTINUED TO ATTEND OUR FACILITIES, AND THAT IS A MEANINGFUL SIGNAL.”
→ Loren Holland – Founder and CEO at GymNation
→ Kate Milewska, FitnGlam’s Chief Operating Officer
In The Loop/
Growth Strategies
Dubai Chamber meets 35 business groups and councils to discuss sector needs
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce recently held 35 meetings with Business Groups and Business Councils to discuss the current business landscape and sector outlook.
H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, stated, “The strong partnership between the public and private sectors is a decisive factor
in ensuring sustainable economic growth, enhancing global competitiveness, and reinforcing the international business community’s confidence in Dubai as a leading hub for growth and high-value investment opportunities.”
“Dubai Chambers remains committed to strengthening collaboration with the private sector, providing the necessary support to enhance the resilience of the local business
ecosystem, and enabling companies to operate with greater flexibility and efficiency. We are dedicated to safeguarding the interests of the business community in a way that supports the long-term growth and competitiveness of the national economy and reinforces Dubai’s pivotal role in the global trade and investment landscape, in line with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). At Dubai Chambers, we work to communicate the challenges facing the private sector to the relevant government authorities and help identify solutions that ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of the business community.”
The meetings included sessions with Business Councils representing companies and investors from countries including the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Greece, South Africa, Pakistan, India, China, and the Philippines, as well as Business Groups representing sectors such as real estate, construction, retail, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, education, food manufacturing, recycling, and advertising.
Representatives of participating Business Groups and Councils expressed confidence in the resilience of Dubai’s economy and highlighted the strong partnership between the public and private sectors in strengthening the emirate’s business environment.
