How to Maintain a Competitive Advantage in Dubai

El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what guidance they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Creator of Snoonu said it was "crucial to develop boundaries" between work and individual life and take short holidays to "disconnect" from the office.

Tariq Bin Hendi, CEO and Board Member of Astra tech, responded that "the best guidance is to constantly challenge yourself" while likewise ensuring a healthy sleep and exercise regimen. Mohamed Khadiri, CEO of Bank of Sharjah explained that to excel and "to be near to your client, you have to be enthusiastic about your work and comprehend customers' needs". Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, stated: "If you make the people you work with delighted, you will make the consumer pleased, who will then make the shareholders happy."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, stated the capability to "not worry" is the key to discovering a solution for issues.

Today, we're assembling more than 3000 conferences in between financiers and 119 Gulf-listed companies with a combined value of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're bringing together investors, companies, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is altering in the region, and what comes next, including the expansion and ongoing development of the Gulf's capital markets, and the region's growing function in international networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf area's economic growth in 2026, supported by strong private-sector performance, resilient domestic demand and restored investment momentum, according to the current ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is expected to surpass most international areas peers next year, with local GDP forecast to grow by 4.4%. Across the GCC, non-energy activity is predicted to broaden by 4.1% in 2026, driven by strong labour markets, improving credit conditions and rising investment in innovation and AI-related facilities.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Operational Excellence: a Key Driver for 2026 Growth

Oil profits will be under pressure in the first half of 2026, production is anticipated to rise once again in the 2nd half of 2026, supporting the area's medium-term outlook, it mentioned. Saudi Arabia will remain a significant contributor to GCC momentum, with GDP projection to grow 4.3% in 2026.

Growth will be supported by industrial expansion and policy reforms, consisting of alleviated foreign ownership guidelines that aim to promote additional investment. The financial deficit is projected to widen to 5.6% of GDP next year in the middle of softer oil rates, while the current five-year lease freeze in Riyadh intends to relieve inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future housing supply.

Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is likewise placed for another strong year of performance, with GDP projection to increase 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to broaden. Tourist, trade and financial services remain essential growth drivers, supported by population development and sustained domestic demand. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the first half of 2025, showing broad-based non-oil strength.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Oil production is anticipated to select up once again in the second half of 2026, matching continuous financial investment in facilities, technology and global trade collaborations. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, said: "This quarter's outlook reinforces how far the GCC has can be found in structure diverse, durable and worldwide competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Advisor, and Chief Economic Expert and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, said: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are going into 2026 with strong structures. Saudi non-oil activity is gaining pace, supported by robust need and rising investment, even as financial pressures increase.""The UAE continues to gain from solid domestic basics, a sharp uplift in government spending and sustained diversity efforts.

Reviewing New GCC Research for Strategic Insights

GCC nations are pivoting towards a technique of 'durability over expansion' entering 2026, as the area prepares for an international landscape specified by softer oil rates, geopolitical fragmentation, and the quick transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a brand-new local outlook by PwC, the GCC is relocating to insulate its development from external shocks by deepening international trade integration, securing commercial supply chains, and carrying out a definitive shift from innovation aspiration to operational application.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Negotiations free of charge Trade Contracts with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have actually gotten in last drafting stages. The region is significantly positioning itself as a central center for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC). To support domestic production, protecting crucial minerals has actually ended up being a strategic priority.