Opinion

Did you hear that? Why sound is the most underrated brand signal

There’s a familiar moment that rarely attracts attention, yet plays out countless times each day. You tap a screen and hear a restrained click. A notification arrives with a soft tone rather than a sharp interruption.

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Opinion

Six forces reshaping healthcare in the UAE and GCC

Healthcare in the UAE and wider GCC is growing up. And rather than just a growth spurt, this is an inevitable maturing.

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Opinion

How global investors can tap into the UAE’s startup boom

The UAE has bold ambitions for its startup ecosystem. The government has stated its intent to make the country the ‘startup capital of the world’ and has worked steadily to establish the necessary infrastructure.

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Opinion

Why the best setup is one foot in Europe and one foot in Dubai

The world is increasingly powered by mobility, flexibility, and global opportunity. But whether you can access these benefits depends on where you are located. This is why the concept of a ‘dual footprint’ has become so attractive to entrepreneurs and investors, as well as families and other professionals with a global outlook.

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Opinion

“That sure feels heavy”

There’s a familiar moment that rarely gets talked about, yet it plays out every day. You close a car door and pause, almost unconsciously. You lift a phone and register its density. You turn a lever or rest your hands on a steering wheel and feel resistance where you expect it.

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Opinion

The Gulf Century: Why the world’s capital is flowing to the Middle East

Few regions have drawn global capital at the pace seen across the Gulf. Sovereign funds are expanding their reach, foreign investors are backing new sectors and family offices are setting up regional bases.

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Opinion

Swipe, bite, buy: How influencers are rewriting F&B marketing

Scroll Instagram or TikTok at any hour, and you’ll see it: glossy close-ups of dramatic cheese pulls, slow-motion dessert breaks, creators taking outsized bites while nodding with exaggerated delight. This genre – once fringe, now mainstream – has become one of the most commercially effective forms of marketing in the entire F&B industry.

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Opinion

Opportunities for entrepreneurs in the marketing tech space

Marketing technology is a huge industry, with the number of martech tools and solutions increasing enormously over the last ten years. In 2014, there were estimated to be around 1,000 tools, rising to over 7,000 by 2019. As of this year, there are more than 15,000, according to McKinsey.

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Opinion

How to anticipate market shifts before they become mainstream

Describing a signal as ‘weak’ makes it sound ineffectual. It might be more helpful to talk in terms of ‘distant’ signals. But whatever phraseology you choose, these signals are what leading marketers are attuned to.

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Opinion

Is AI making us nicer?

If you spend enough time with AI – whether it’s ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or any of the customer-service bots we now meet on banking or telco sites – you start to notice something subtle. These systems respond better when you’re clear, polite and reasonable. They shut down, deflect or nudge you away when you use

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