Business Extra: Recent Episodes

The National

As one of the world's most influential business hubs, the Middle East requires expert attention. Business Extra provides those experts, as well as news and insights from The National's esteemed team of business editors and reporters, who are on top of the markets, technology, the energy sector and more.

The financial cost of the Iran war is becoming clearer as according to the latest study by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the conflict is costing the global economy $2.2 trillion in annual GDP.

The US alone had spent $25 billion within two months of the war beginning, and sought a further $200 billion from Congress to continue operations. Economists estimate the long-term cost at around $1 trillion.

That cost does not stay on a balance sheet. It moves through supply chains, interest rates, insurance premiums and shipping costs until it arrives in grocery bills, fuel prices and mortgage repayments for households around the world.

In the latest episode of Business Extra, host Salim A. Essaid speaks with Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace, about how a war in the Middle East ends up affecting ordinary people, which costs hit hardest and fastest, and what $2.2 trillion back in the global economy would actually look like for the people who never had a say in the decision to go to war.

The 2026 Fifa World Cup was supposed to be a record-breaking economic windfall for the United States. But as the tournament gets under way, the numbers reveal a more complicated story.

Top-tier tickets for the final are going for more than $10,000, nearly seven times what the co-hosts' bid book originally promised. Hotel occupancy in some host cities, meanwhile, is tracking below normal summer levels. And the international tourism boom that was supposed to drive billions into local economies is being complicated by visa restrictions, geopolitical tensions and dynamic pricing that has left fans unable to afford tickets.

The contrast with Qatar 2022 is stark. When the Middle East hosted its first Fifa World Cup, football fans could attend group stage matches for a fraction of the cost, with airlines laying on extra flights and some supporters watching two games a day.

In this episode of Business Extra, The National's Kyle Fitzgerald speaks to Victor Matheson, professor of sports economics in the US, to look at the economics of this tournament, and what it means for the future of mega events, including the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

The conversation covers why Fifa's dynamic pricing strategy may have backfired, whether the promised $30 billion economic boost will materialise, and what organisers of future tournaments need to learn from 2026.

Small and middle-sized companies (SMEs) make up more than 95 per cent of businesses in the UAE and contribute more than 60 per cent of the country’s non-oil GDP. But despite that, the UAE still has relatively few SMEs growing up to become large private companies.

Founders have been saying that starting a business is much easier than scaling one, and in some cases, even easier than closing one.

As businesses grow, they tend to encounter the same roadblocks. Access to growth financing can be difficult, delayed payments create cash flow pressure, and operational complexity can take focus away from growth. Many SMEs also struggle to compete with larger players for contracts and talent.

So, while the UAE has built a strong start-up culture, the next challenge is helping more of those businesses grow into sustainable midsized companies.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid is looking at what is holding businesses back once they move beyond the start-up phase. And what needs to change for more UAE-founded companies to become long-term regional and global success stories?

He speaks with two guests approaching this challenge from very different angles. Karolos Travassaros, chief portfolio officer at the Emirates Growth Fund, who explains the concept of the missing middle and what patient, minority capital can do to help SMEs cross that gap and become national champions.

Jen Blandos, founder and chief executive of Female Fusion, a UAE-based community of women entrepreneurs, also joins to speak from 17 years of experience as a business owner in the UAE about the structural frustrations that may hold SMEs back.

Syria is becoming part of the economic conversation again.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a lot of talk about investment and reconstruction, from the first Syrian-Emirati Investment Forum to upcoming business events in Damascus for the private sector in early June, and even discussions in Washington about Syria's economic future.

UAE officials and business delegations have met the Syrian leadership, and Gulf investors are studying projects tied to logistics, housing and industrial development.

But beyond these announcements, the reality on the ground remains extremely difficult. The country is dealing with damaged infrastructure, banking restrictions and a struggling economy after more than a decade of war. Millions of Syrians still rely on humanitarian aid, and the UN's World Food Programme recently warned it is scaling back some operations due to funding shortfalls.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid speaks to Jamal Almahamid, chief executive of Palmira Software House, live from Damascus, where he attended the Syrian-Emirati Investment Forum.

Mr Almahamid describes a country where the energy and optimism among investors is real, but where banking restrictions, infrastructure gaps and the need for clearer regulations mean serious investors will need patience and a long-term vision.

The UAE's decision to leave Opec is the biggest exit the organisation has faced since 1960.

As the group's third-largest producer and one of the few members with real spare capacity, the departure of the Emirates raises urgent questions about the future of global oil markets and the organisation that has shaped them for decades.

This comes at a critical moment. The Iran war is escalating, the Strait of Hormuz is under pressure and Aramco is warning that the market has already lost about one billion barrels. Analysts say it could take until well into next year for the situation to fully recover.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid speaks with Amena Bakr, head of Middle East and Opec+ insights at Kpler, about what the UAE's exit means, whether other members could follow suit and whether the old Opec model still works in a more fragmented world.

As global supply chains face sustained disruption, the UAE is pressing ahead with a plan to build sovereign AI infrastructure, technology and data that the country can control without relinquishing intellectual property to foreign providers.

In this week's Business Extra, recorded at Making it in the Emirates in Abu Dhabi, host Salim A Essaid speaks to the executives behind a deal finalised in March, in which UAE-based sovereign AI company Aleria won a major agreement with Nvidia to use advanced AI infrastructure in the UAE, beginning with thousands of Blackwell Ultra chips.

Eric Leandri, chief executive of Aleria, Marc Domenech, vice president of Enterprise at Nvidia for the Middle East, North Africa and South Europe, and Paul Bloch, co-founder of data intelligence platform DDN, explain why sovereign AI is critical for the most sensitive areas of a country's digital operations, from healthcare and financial systems to government data and defence, and why investment in the sector is increasing in defiance of the geopolitical climate.

The UAE property market has been one of the strongest stories in the sector globally over the past few years, with record transactions, rising prices and huge numbers of international buyers.

What makes the Emirates unique is not just the growth but its ability to recover quickly from downturns, attract global capital and reinvent itself through policy and positioning.

But over the past few weeks, something unprecedented has happened. After the US-Israeli war on Iran started in late February, and Tehran's subsequent attacks on the UAE and other Gulf countries, transaction volumes fell by about 37 per cent year on year – and almost 50 per cent month on month in the first 12 days of March – according to Goldman Sachs.

Some sellers are already cutting prices by 10 to 15 per cent just to close deals, and ValuStrat reported a 5.9 per cent decline in Dubai property prices last month.

It is the first significant downturn in the UAE property market since its rise after the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and one that is geoeconomically motivated.

In this live-recorded episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid is joined by five experts to help make sense of it all: Mario Volpi, senior vice president of investment advisory at Allegiance Real Estate; Andrew Cummings, head of residential agency in the Middle East at Savills; Matthew Green, lead researcher at CBRE Mena; Rakesh Mavath, founder and chief executive of Takeem; and Louis Harding, chief executive of betterhomes.

They discuss whether this is just a short-lived shock or the first real signs of a slowdown after several years of growth, what it means for people who have invested in the UAE property market, what could happen to rent prices as people seek more affordability, and whether distress sales are actually happening.

In a matter of weeks, energy supply shocks sent oil prices up by 30 per cent, fuel costs surged to record highs, and the ripple effects hit everything from inflation and global growth to household bills.

The International Monetary Fund has warned of one of the sharpest six-month economic downturns in the Middle East since the 2008 financial crisis.

But the larger question is not just what happened. It is whether it had to be this bad.

Could this crisis have been less severe if more countries had invested earlier in renewables and built a more distributed energy system? That's what host Salim A Essaid explores in this episode of Business Extra, recorded from Washington.

Salim spoke to Robbie Orvis, senior director of modelling and analysis at energy policy think tank Energy Innovation.

Mr Orvis examines whether the scale of this crisis will finally prompt a more durable global shift in clean energy investment, and what that shift might look like over the next six to 12 months.

Salim also spoke to Mary Rose de Valladares, clean energy expert and non-executive director at Atome, one of the world's first green fertiliser producers, who traces why the transition to distributed renewables has moved in cycles since the 1970s and where that process genuinely stands today.

This year's IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington are unlike any in recent memory. The Iran war has given the annual gathering a geopolitical charge that has drawn an unusually broad crowd, not just the traditional ministers of trade, investment and finance, but foreign policy officials and venture capital executives from across the globe.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A. Essaid travels to Washington to speak to some of those attending about what they are looking for and how they are feeling about the state of the global economy.

We hear from Mohamed Soliman, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, who spoke about how this year's theme is uncertainty.

The episode also features The National's Washington business correspondent Kyle Fitzgerald, who breaks down the IMF briefings, explaining why this is being described as a textbook supply shock, which countries and regions face the steepest downgrades and what the IMF is advising governments to do in the short term.

Nicolas Veron, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, also joins Salim to examine whether the resilience highlighted in the IMF's outlook is being labelled too generously, whether markets are underpricing the risk of a global recession in the next 12 to 18 months and what those attending can realistically take away from a week of conversations in Washington.

The economic fallout from the Iran war extends well beyond oil markets and is beginning to be felt in consumers' daily lives.

With transport and production costs rising, food prices are beginning to climb globally and airline tickets are already more expensive. Analysts are anticipating that much of the inflationary impact has not hit consumers yet.

For Gulf economies, the question is whether strong non-oil sectors can stand the pressure. Globally, the stakes are higher still, with leading financial voices warning that a prolonged conflict could tip the world into recession.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid is joined by Amro Zakaria, global financial markets strategist and founding partner of Kyoto Network and Madarik Ventures, to examine the industries under strain and the inflationary risks building beneath the surface.

In this special episode of Business Extra, host Khaled Abuljebain sits down with Yan Martin Nufer, chief financial officer of Abu Dhabi-based Borouge, to explore how one of the region’s industrial giants is driving long-term value through innovation, technology and strategic expansion.

From delivering one of the largest IPOs in the UAE to returning more than $15.5 billion in dividends, Borouge has positioned itself at the forefront of the global materials sector.

Mr Nufer explains how Borouge’s proprietary technology is shaping next-generation materials, improving product durability, efficiency and sustainability across applications from medical devices to advanced packaging and energy systems.

The conversation also looks ahead to the Borouge 4 plant in Al Ruwais, a $6.2 billion mega-project nearing completion, and how next-generation manufacturing platforms are expanding the company’s capabilities to serve global demand.

Mr Nufer also discusses the company’s global ambitions, including potential expansion into China, and the broader vision behind building a more resilient, globally integrated materials business.

Borouge is a UAE-based petrochemicals company that produces advanced plastics used across industries from health care and infrastructure to energy and manufacturing.

Formed through a partnership between Adnoc and Borealis, it combines access to energy resources with cutting-edge materials technology, supplying high-performance products to global markets.

Leading executives from the world’s most influential energy companies are gathered in Houston for CERAWeek, often described as the industry's Super Bowl, as the Iran war rattles global markets.

The conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has disrupted supplies and raised concern over the stability of key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

In this special live-recorded episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid looks at how one of the most important international energy gatherings is unfolding in the shadow of war.

Reinforcing a sense that this is not business as usual, major industry leaders, including Saudi Aramco chief executive Amin Nasser and the head of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Sheikh Nawaf Al Sabah, have withdrawn from in-person appearances.

At the same time, oil markets are reacting sharply to developments on the ground. Prices have surged on fears of disruption, then pulled back on signals of potential de-escalation, highlighting how geopolitics is driving sentiment as much as fundamentals.

In this episode Robin Mills, chief executive of Qamar Energy, The National's Kyle Fitzgerald – reporting from CERAWeek, geoeconomics editor Manus Cranny and assistant business editor Jennifer Gnana discuss what all this means for energy markets, industry decision-making and the broader global economy.

Water infrastructure, supply chains and agriculture are now increasingly exposed to geopolitical shocks.

As the US-Israeli war on Iran led to attacks on infrastructure across the region, attention is shifting to the energy-water-food nexus, a tightly interconnected system where disruption in one area quickly cascades into others.

In the Gulf, where countries rely on desalination for up to 90 per cent of their drinking water and import the majority of their food, these vulnerabilities are especially acute.

In this week's episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid is joined by Sameh Al-Muqdadi, a specialist in water politics and climate security at the Green Charter, to discuss how disruption to energy markets is translating into risks for water supply and food security. They also talk about why the region is particularly vulnerable and how these pressures could have a global impact.

The conversation explores how long these effects could last, what it means for consumers and economies, and whether current infrastructure and policies are equipped to handle a prolonged crisis.

The effects of a distant war are rarely felt in the finances of residents in the UAE. Until now.

The US-Israel-Iran war that began at the end of last month is already affecting global markets, driving up oil prices and shipping costs.
While the long-term geopolitical effects are still unfolding, the financial consequences are directly affecting households across the Gulf.

What does this mean for household budgets, savings, and financial security? Should residents move money, pay down debt, or hold additional cash?

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid sits down with Carol Glynn, a UAE-based financial coach and founder of Conscious Finance Coaching, to find out.

Mrs Glynn provides a logical roadmap for navigating your personal finances during uncertain times.

The discussion offers a practical assessment of how much cash may be appropriate to keep on hand for short-term disruptions. She also warns of the expected inflationary effects from rising oil and shipping costs, advising residents to anticipate higher prices for fuel and groceries and to adjust their budgets accordingly.

Finally, Mrs Glynn tackles the topic of investments during the crisis, noting a surge in questions about oil ETFs, gold, and even cryptocurrency, as people look for safe havens or quick gains.

Missiles are flying overhead and being intercepted in the Gulf region. Days after the US and Israel attacked Iran, it fired back, sending waves of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israeli and US targets, including assets in the Gulf.

The escalation quickly spread to regional energy infrastructure. Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery halted operations of its 550,000-barrels-per-day production, after reported drone strikes. The Mina Al Ahmadi refinery in Kuwait, with a capacity of around 346,000 bpd, was reportedly hit by debris. Qatar faced blows that led to a complete halt of LNG production, affecting 20 per cent of the world’s supply, with implications for Europe’s energy security and ripple effects across Asia.

Ports have also been struck. The UAE’s Jebel Ali was targeted and Duqm in Oman was hit by drones, underscoring vulnerability even outside the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most contentious chokepoint and a passageway for about 20 per cent of global oil.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid looks at how quickly global energy markets are reacting and what wider repercussions could follow if assaults continue.

He is joined by The National’s Jennifer Gnana to unpack what is happening on the ground, and Robin Mills, chief executive of Qamar Energy, to examine the broader worldwide implications and the potential cross-industry impact.

Ramadan is a time of self-reflection, generosity, community and family, but it is also a period of intense consumer spending. Even as people fast from morning until dusk, spending rises across food and retail.

In 2026, how people spend is shifting, with more people staying home, ordering in, and buying not only products but experiences too.

Yet a recent survey suggests UAE consumers still expect to spend more this Ramadan. Redseer Strategy Consultants estimates the UAE Ramadan economy will grow from about $15 billion in 2025 to $16.4 billion this year.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid is joined by Sandeep Ganediwalla, managing partner at Redseer, to unpack what is changing in consumer behaviour a week into the holy month.

They discuss why excitement to spend is higher this year, how the winter weather is shifting people towards more outings and experiences, what Gen Y is doing differently with planned purchases, and why pre-Ramadan stock-ups are declining as delivery and loyalty programmes reshape habits.

A new phrase is quietly reshaping how governments, businesses and even militaries think about the future of power: Sovereign AI.

The term is appearing in policy papers, billion-dollar infrastructure deals, and national strategies from Washington to Beijing and increasingly across the Gulf.

But what does it actually mean? Is Sovereign AI about governments owning data and AI power? Is it about controlling data centres and chips? Or is it something larger – control over the intelligence systems that will run future economies, influence societies and shape geopolitics for decades to come?

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid speaks to Ahmed Abdulla, co-founder of the Sovereign AI orchestration platform Haimaker.ai, which is based in San Francisco.

Mr Abdulla brings experience from Silicon Valley chip start-ups, Neom and global consulting to help explain what Sovereign AI really means, why it is becoming a national priority, and whether we are entering an era in which AI becomes a defining feature of economic and political power.

In this live Q&A session, Business Extra host Salim Essaid explores what the UAE Salary Guide 2026 reveals about the job market.

He is joined by Viacheslav Shakhov, managing partner at Cooper Fitch, to discuss hiring trends across key sectors, how employers are responding to slower global growth, and why competition for skilled roles is intensifying.

The conversation explores the growing influence of artificial intelligence in recruitment, including which skills are becoming more valuable, how roles are evolving rather than disappearing, and why continuous learning is increasingly important for job seekers.

The session also addresses salary expectations, inflation pressures, and how companies are adjusting pay structures, benefits and long-term incentives to retain talent.

Mr Shakhov shares his insights on which industries are showing the strongest demand, where hiring is slowing, and how the UAE compares with other Gulf markets.

Audience questions address practical concerns such as CV strategy, applicant tracking systems, negotiating salaries, applying from overseas, and standing out in a crowded job market.

This episode was produced in partnership with Adnoc Group

In this special episode of Business Extra, host Khaled Abuljebain speaks to Ali Siddiqi, chief financial officer of Adnoc Distribution.

Mr Siddiqi shares how the company is growing its national footprint while cutting costs and advancing the UAE's energy transition goals.

He outlines Adnoc Distribution’s plan to increase its fuel station network from 940 to 1,150 by 2028. At the same time, the company has reduced unit costs by 30 per cent through automation, AI and operational efficiency.

The conversation also covers Adnoc’s evolving partnerships with leading retail players Noon and Landmark Group, as well as its introduction of 700 electric vehicle chargers.

Mr Siddiqi explains how the traditional fuel retailer is repositioning itself as a broader energy and convenience service.

This episode highlights how Adnoc Distribution is combining scale, technology and sustainability to create long-term value while supporting national carbon-reduction goals.

From powering AI data centres to ensuring long-term energy security, Adnoc Gas is shaping what reliable, sustainable and scalable energy looks like in the modern era.

Adnoc Gas is expanding its network of more than 3,500 kilometres of pipelines, reaching new AI data centres in Abu Dhabi and scaling liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity to meet rising global demand, all while maintaining long-term resilience and sustainability.

Fatema Al Nuaimi, chief executive of Adnoc Gas, brings two decades of experience as one of the UAE’s leading energy executives, from her early engineering days to leading Adnoc LNG through a historic transformation and now steering Adnoc C Gas into a new era of growth, innovation and inclusion.

As the first chairwoman of Adnoc’s Gender Balance Committee, she is also redefining leadership in the energy sector.

In this special episode of Business Extra podcast, Ms Al Nuaimi joins host Khaled Abuljebain to reveal how the company secured 15 to 20-year supply agreements and completed the Ruwais Low-Carbon LNG project, the Mena region’s first LNG export facility powered entirely by clean energy.

Bitcoin lost over $18,000 in November, triggering one of the sharpest monthly declines since 2021.

With nearly $3 billion in forced liquidations, headlines declared a crash. But is that the whole story? In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid sits down with two major voices shaping the global crypto conversation.

First, Richard Teng, co-chief executive of Binance, explains what really happened in November. Then Yevgeny Bebnev, chief investment officer at Pelican Investments, argues that crypto has become an institutional asset, and that volatility is a market feature, and shares his outlook for 2026.

Millions of people move to the UAE for higher incomes, but after working hard for years and even decades, they face the big question: "How much do I need to retire comfortably?"

Living costs are rising and foreign residents of the UAE do not have the same pension schemes available elsewhere in the world. This leaves them having to rely on personal planning and savings, which can feel overwhelming.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid explores the options available to maximise savings and grow your money, and asks how to avoid retirement mistakes. To figure this all out, he is joined by Dubai-based financial coach Jay Adrian Tolentino.

In this episode of Business Extra, Abdulla bin Touq, Minister of Economy and Tourism, joins host Salim Essaid to discuss how the country is positioning itself as the global capital for start-ups and small and medium enterprises.

Mr bin Touq explains how new economic reforms, ownership laws and innovation frameworks have reshaped the business landscape, doubling the number of registered companies in just five years to more than 1.3 million.

The conversation explores the government’s newly launched cluster-economy strategy, focusing on five priority sectors: food and food processing, financial services, tourism, data and analytics, and space.

The minister also highlights the UAE’s growing circular economy, the role of artificial intelligence across industries and the policies designed to boost competitiveness and innovation protection.

The conversation also examines how the UAE aims to balance rapid growth with resilience and sustainability while targeting two million registered companies within the next five years.

This episode was produced in partnership with the Adnoc Group

Capt Abdulkareem Al Masabi, chief executive of Adnoc Logistics & Services, joins this episode of Business Extra to explore the rise of the UAE’s largest integrated maritime logistics company.

Now ranked as the second-largest player in global energy logistics, Adnoc L&S has expanded its role on the world stage with a combination of strategic foresight and resilient leadership.

Capt Al Masabi explains how the company has navigated market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty to complete a record IPO. He also outlines the long-term thinking behind its $10 billion fleet expansion and how securing $26 billion in long-term contracts is helping cement the UAE’s place in the energy logistics value chain.

A quiet transformation is reshaping the global wealth map. High net-worth individuals are moving their assets from the UK to the UAE.

The Revolut co-founder Nikolai Stronsky's recent change of tax residency from the UK to the UAE reflects a much broader trend. Higher taxes, the end of the UK’s non-dom regime, and general regulatory uncertainty are pushing wealthy people to look for stability, predictability and a global lifestyle.

In contrast, the UAE is offering zero income tax, long-term residency, world-class infrastructure and an easy environment in which to do business.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid explores what’s behind the growing exodus of capital and talent from the UK and why the UAE is increasingly emerging as the destination of choice for wealth migration.

He speaks to Philippe Amarante, managing partner at Henley & Partners Middle East, on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum in London. He breaks down what is causing the UK to lose more millionaires and what wealthy people are really looking for when deciding where to base their lives and capital.

Then, we hear from Khalifa AlMahmoud, director of investor attraction at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. He outlines why the emirate’s mix of tax benefits, education opportunities and global accessibility makes it a long-term contender for global private capital.

US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza peace promises investment corridors and special economic zones. But without sovereign control, how can the Palestinian economy survive?

In Palestine, everything from the movement of goods to collecting taxes depends on approval from the Israeli government. The result is an economy that functions but is fundamentally constrained. It grows, but only within parameters set by an external power.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid delves into one of the world’s most complex economic realities, examining what doing business looks like under constraint, how aid and donor priorities are often misaligned, and why real growth requires more than money.

Joining the conversation is Raja Khalidi, director general of the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute and a veteran of more than 30 years at the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

Together they explore the broader question of whether any international economic plan can succeed if it does not address the underlying structures of occupation.

As TikTok faces a high-stakes restructuring to divest from its Chinese ownership, a new deal is emerging.

Major US players including Oracle and Silver Lake are in the mix, along with MGX, a UAE-based company that could become one of the few overseas owners of the platform’s American operations.

This is more than a business deal. It determines who will shape the minds of users on one of the most viewed social media platforms in the world.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid looks at the size of the deal, the level of control shareholders have over content and what TikTok might look like if influenced by a Gulf-based owner.

The episode also examines how algorithm access, content moderation and ownership dynamics tie into global soft power, and how much that influence really matters.

The announcement that Carrefour has shut stores in Kuwait, Bahrain and other countries made headlines across the region. But behind the immediate news lies a bigger story that international retail giants are struggling to keep Middle East consumers interested.

Consumers are increasingly turning their backs on big-name internationals and favouring local brands, home-grown experiences and practices that resonate with their regional identity. This is not necessarily a rejection of global brands but instead it is to meet customers' needs and values.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid digs into the shift, which is seeing global names starting to fade from store shelves, and asks how far it goes.

We hear insights from Aarti Nagraj, deputy business editor at The National, and John E Katsos, professor of management, strategy and entrepreneurship at the American University of Sharjah.

It’s a big week for global economies tied to the dollar with the US Federal Reserve widely expected to cut interest rates at its meeting.

Interest rates are a signal of how the Fed views the health of the economy and where it thinks things are heading. The decision heavily affects the economies of Gulf countries such as the Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, whose currencies are tied to the dollar.

It also directly affects consumers. For example, a cut could make it cheaper to borrow to buy a car or a home, and to use your credit card, but may also lower returns on your savings.

In this week's Business Extra, host Salim Essaid is joined by James Swanston, a senior Middle East and North Africa economist at Capital Economics, to explain how the Fed's decision on interest rates could ripple through the region’s economies.

People across the UAE and the region have noticed web pages loading more slowly, shows taking longer to stream and Wi-Fi going in and out.

This is because the undersea cables that support all those things have been damaged.

In this case, we’re looking at cuts to cables that lie at the bottom of the Red Sea. Around the globe, such cables run along seabeds and are the very foundation of internet connectivity.

Depending on where in the world you are, you might have a different set of these cables to thank for your ability to go online.

On this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid discusses what exactly makes this incident so critical, what’s next, and how it all comes back to the web user.

Despite billions being spent over the past few years on artificial intelligence investments, a recent MIT Media Lab report found 95 per cent of organisations have produced zero returns so far.

But is that really the case for companies who are offering AI solutions? How are those in the Middle East performing?

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Salim Essaid is joined by Mohammad Abu Sheikh, founder and chief executive of CNTXT AI, a UAE-based data and AI solutions company.

Later, he is joined by Amit Joshi, a professor of AI, analytics and marketing at the IMD Business School to look at the bigger picture and the disconnect between implementing AI and profit.

And to explore the impact of this on hiring AI specialists and attracting talent, Dana Alomar, The National's future editor, joins the conversation.

Syria’s central bank has announced plans for a currency overhaul that will involve eliminating two zeros from its pound and printing new banknotes.

The Syrian pound has lost more than 99 per cent of its value since the start of the civil war in 2011, and economists are warning that a new currency means little without real policy reform.

In this week’s episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid looks at Syria's move, considers what it means for the economy and questions whether it will work.

He is joined by Hani Abuagla, senior market analyst at XTB Mena in the UAE, and The National’s Senior Business Reporter Fareed Rahman.

Nuclear energy can be a flashpoint for tension in the Middle East.
Now, though, it's taking new light.

A handful of Gulf countries, including the UAE, have signed new agreements with the US in the past few months – each nation with its own advantages and goals in the sector.

These agreements focus heavily on civilian nuclear energy. But they are also part of a broader goal to futureproof Gulf economies.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company, or ENEC, is the body responsible for all things nuclear in the UAE.

In July, it expanded an agreement with US nuclear power company Westinghouse. It designs and sells the AP1000 – an advanced reactor known for its good economics.

This partnership, according to a statement from ENEC, will entail: “Efforts to accelerate the deployment of that AP1000 reactor, exploration of opportunities in US nuclear projects and quadruple nuclear capacity by 2050.”

On this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid hears from Noam Raydan of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy to explore why momentum in the area of nuclear partnerships is building.

New US tariffs are coming into effect this week. US President Donald Trump's newest deadline of August 1 is his latest attempt to secure trade agreements with vital global economies – and bring in more revenue for the US.

Take Monday’s deal between the US and the EU. They avoided a trade war by agreeing that the EU would pay 15 per cent tariffs on most goods – half the rate that Mr Trump had threatened.

But other big shifts are also taking place. US tariffs are pushing international exporters to find more reliable trade partners, and countries in the Middle East are stepping up to the plate.

On this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid hears from Simon Evennet, a professor of geopolitics and strategy at the IMD business school in Stockholm, to understand what this means for the region.

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Crypto has reached a critical moment in its history.

The US released a slew of game-changing bills for cryptocurrency last week, signalling a long-anticipated seal of approval of crypto from the world’s largest economy.

Those bills are the Clarity Act, something called the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, and – the Genius Act, which is what we are focusing on today.

It is all expected to have major implications for the Middle East, which has already established its own level of crypto adoption.

On this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid hears from two experts; Naeem Aslam, CIO at Zaye Capital Markets in London, and Ola Doudin, CEO of UAE-based cryptocurrency exchange BitOasis.

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A whole new property market is to open up to international buyers and it is from the Middle East’s largest economy.

Starting in January 2026, Saudi Arabia will allow foreign investors to buy property in the kingdom. It has left global investors eager to find out how they can tap into Saudi Arabia’s fast growing real estate market, which is expected to reach more than $94 billion by 2028.

But how easy will it be for a foreign investor to buy property in the kingdom? Will there be a language barrier? Are the kingdom’s regulatory systems able to work with foreign buyers yet?

We explore these questions and more on this episode of Business Extra, where host Salim A Essaid hears from Faisal Durrani, a partner and head of research for the Middle East and North Africa at Knight Frank Middle East.

The absence of income tax has helped to attract people from around the world to move to the Gulf. But one country is set to change direction.

Oman recently announced it will be the first country in the region to introduce personal income tax.

While some countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have other types of taxes, such as VAT, on most goods and services, Oman is making history with a levy on personal income.

The tax is not set to take effect until 2028, but it has already raised questions about whether other Gulf states will follow suit.

Deepthi Nair, Assistant Business Editor, discusses the subject with David Daly, a partner at the Gulf Tax Accounting Group in the UAE.

For decades, most Emiratis have worked in government roles. But now, thousands are joining private companies as part of a nationwide plan to balance the workforce.

Early iterations of Emiratisation began in the 1990s, with programmes formalised in the early 2000s.

About three years ago, the UAE gradually implemented quotas for hiring Emiratis and gave private-sector companies deadlines to meet them. Now, those deadlines continue to come up.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim hears from our own Ali Al Shouk and Ben Crompton of Crompton Partners on Emiratisation, how it’s affecting companies, and what it means for the future of work in the UAE.

Gulf leaders have been on alert for triggers on several fronts: for one, potential damage to nuclear sites, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, just across the pond that is the Arabian Gulf.

The Gulf has also kept close watch on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway in the Gulf where about a fifth of the world's oil flows through to power the globe, and which Iran had threatened to close.

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, all of these are still major factors in the Gulf's economic well-being and stability.

On this week's episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid hears from Safaa Al-Kogali, World Bank county director for GCC countries. Let's get into what happened, what's next and what we're on the lookout for.

In the days since Israel started its offensive against Iran, oil prices have shot up and global markets dipped. Israel has struck nuclear sites and oil fields, and the aggression has left global markets wary of what’s to come.

Markets are holding out for the possibility of major supply chain disruptions that could have global impact.

To understand what this war means for the global economy, Business Extra host Salim Essaid hears from The National's Geo-Economics Editor Manus Cranny, and Colby Connelly, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute.

“New” is the theme in the Middle East’s growing aviation sphere: new cities, new aircraft and new markets.

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) says carriers in the region are expected to post the highest net profit margin in the world this year, at 8.7 per cent.

These are strong numbers from the Middle East. But they are coming at a volatile time.

Host Salim Essaid hears from The National's own Deena Kamel and StrategicAero Research's Saj Ahmad on what to expect from air travel in the region.

In the UAE, where development is the name of the game, real estate is a big deal. There's a lot of growth in the UAE, and that means questions about property.The real estate sector in Dubai has been booming since Covid, while there is also rapid development in Abu Dhabi.

A report from the credit rating agency Fitch says Dubai property prices are expected to fall by up to 15 per cent in the second half of 2025 and into next year. But some experts say that might not be the case.

So how do these new changes in developments factor into the real estate market? We hear from Haider Tuaima, managing director and head of real estate research at ValuStrat, Cherif Sleiman, Chief Revenue Officer at Property Finder, and our own Senior Business Reporter Fareed Rahman.

Editor’s note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our two-minute listener survey. Click here.

Last week, some of the biggest names in tech announced a partnership with Abu Dhabi’s leading AI entity, G42 – a project called Stargate UAE.

It’s part of a massive new AI campus set to come online in 2026 – a Gulf iteration of OpenAI’s US-based project of the same name, which was launched earlier this year.

Also happening at the same time will be a partnership between Nvidia and the UAE’s AI investment bank, MGX, on a data centre in Europe, and another G42 partnership focused on building data centres on US soil.

All of this comes after US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf in May.

It’s arguably the dawn of a new era, not just in tech, but in the global economic and political relationships that are keeping tech at the helm.

On this episode of Business Extra, we revisit the question of AI and the Gulf, because a lot has changed in just the last few months.

The UAE is in a race with itself to raise its manufacturing game.
From machine parts to pasta, there is one goal: Make it in the Emirates.

That also happens to be the name of an event taking place in Abu Dhabi this week, showing what UAE manufacturing has to offer.

It’s part of a larger push by the country to be less reliant on international trade, aiming to expand and diversify the UAE economy and make manufacturing as one of its strongest pillars.

On this episode of Business Extra, we're hearing from an expert and an innovator to learn more about the UAE’s national push, what it offers and how entrepreneurs can benefit from it.

US President Donald Trump’s historic trip to the Gulf has come to an end – but the business deals announced during it will have a lasting impact.

Mr Trump’s tour was a whirlwind of mega-announcements, including $200 billion in commercial deals with the UAE, a $600 billion package with Saudi Arabia and a record aircraft order from Qatar Airways.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Sarah Forster is joined by The National’s Geo-Economics Editor Manus Cranny to break down what it all means for the future of US-Gulf relations and tech ambitions, and look at how economic interests are now shaping diplomacy between the US and the Middle East.

The Jordanian government owed 44.8 billion dinars in public debt as of February this year. That’s more than $63 billion.

It’s not $36 trillion dollars like the figure blinking on the US debt clock. But for a country like Jordan, where debt makes up more than 92 per cent of GDP, according to the International Monetary Fund, that number hits differently.

Jordan is now at a crossroads.

With US financial aid frozen in President Donald Trump’s second term, and pressure mounting from lenders like the IMF, Jordan is now forced to do more with less.

And that is in a region plagued by conflict, inflation, and youth unemployment. Jordan’s debt has been creeping up for years. And now, the country is an example of how aid and borrowing can become lifelines – but also long-term liabilities.

It lacks a thriving industrial base, relies heavily on imports, and does not have a strong supply of natural resources. For decades, aid, especially from the US, served as a financial safety net.

Today, we’re asking how did Jordan get here, and how it can get out of it.

It's been a time of tumult on Wall Street – at the hands of the White House.

US President Donald Trump made his plans for tariffs known on the campaign trail, but their scale has taken the world by surprise.

The sweeping tariffs sent global markets into chaos. Then, with the announcement of a 90-day pause, things calmed down. But that hasn’t done much for perhaps the greatest fear among investors and the public: the possibility of recession.

We’ve heard about so-called recession indicators – particularly as they pertain to the US. Here in the Middle East, though, the outlook might not be so grim.

On this episode of Business Extra, we explore the basis of the recession fears and what that means for markets and, ultimately, consumers.

For more than a decade, Syria has been under international sanctions aimed at pressuring Bashar Al Assad’s regime. But there is a longer history of sanctions on the country and the broader Middle East.

Sanctions can be used as a nudge – or shove – from government to government, usually during times of war.

But their impact continues into periods of relative peace, trickling from the highest ranks of the ruling class down to the labourers and families that make up the backbone of a country’s economy. We have seen sanctions ravage Syria’s economy on and off since the 1970s, and hold throughout 14 years of civil war.

But following the fall of Mr Assad in December 2024, Syria has a new government, a new head of state and a caretaker cabinet that has promised to rebuild.

In this episode of Business Extra, we are looking at sanctions on Syria, the complexities of these measures and how the country’s economy might evolve after they are lifted.

Donald Trump has been vocal about his planned tariff war since setting foot on the campaign trail – in both his first and second times in office.

Mr Trump began his first stint in the White House with a trade war against China. Some of those tariffs were preserved by Joe Biden’s administration when he began his term in 2020.

But throughout his campaign, Mr Trump made clear he’d come back with tariffs at full force.

What we’re seeing now is a return of that foreign economic policy – broadened, fast-tracked and intensified.

On this episode of Business Extra, we’re hearing from experts about what this means in the political sphere, but also outside of it; for the everyday consumer perhaps uncertain about what a trade war can mean, and for economic machinery here in the region.

The start-up economy is booming in the Middle East, but despite progress, women remain underrepresented, as founders and as recipients of funding.

While women-led start-ups make up 7 per cent of the region’s total, they receive about 1 per cent of available funding, Wamda statistics show.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid speaks with three female founders in the UAE – Yasmin Rose of Rise Birth Centre, Yasmin Megerisi of House of Meena, and Thea Myhrvold, chief executive of Getbee – who share their experiences of navigating the start-up scene in the region.

The host also hears from Hynd Bouhia, a start-up funding expert, who unpacks the numbers behind the gender gap in investment and the biases that continue to shape funding decisions.

This episode is sponsored by Al Masaood Automobiles

The global automotive industry is undergoing dramatic transformation as owners seek more from their vehicles – and technology delivers.

This is evident in the UAE where major distributors such as Al Masaood Automobiles are anticipating and catering to shifting customer demands.

In this episode of The National’s Business Extra podcast, the company’s chief executive, Irfan Tansel, discusses the UAE’s current motoring landscape, as well as the future of mobility, as it experiences disruption across the industry, including the growth of electric vehicles, emergence of autonomous cars, and rising owner appetite for digitisation and connectivity.

Drawing on more than 40 years in the automotive business, Mr Tansel tells host David Dunn about the evolving role of physical dealerships in a digital-first world, Al Masaood Automobiles’ significant sector successes and the enduring legacy of family favourite, the Nissan Patrol.

In the past decade, Gulf countries have prioritised innovation. It's part of a shift from their prime standing as oil economies to their new goal of using the advent of AI to enhance their economies all around. It's getting attention from global tech hubs. A former Google chief recently said Saudi Arabia has the potential to become the next AI powerhouse. Only last month, Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector economy recorded its strongest expansion in more than a decade. Some of the biggest names in tech are pouring billions into innovation in Gulf countries, from physical infrastructure such data centres to partnerships that support virtual breakthroughs.In this episode of Business Extra, Salim Essaid hears from tech experts and leaders on the Gulf's AI appeal and where it's going.

Global leaders, policymakers and industry experts came together in Dubai this week at the World Governments Summit to discuss the most pressing challenges shaping the future. With a focus on sustainability, AI governance and global finance, this year's conversation set the stage for collaborative action in an evolving world, from economic resilience to technological innovation. On this episode of Business Extra, we take you to the World Governments Summit, where The National's Editor-in-Chief, Mina Al-Oraibi, hears from Makhtar Diop, managing director of the International Finance Corporation.

It’s been a busy few weeks in the world of tech, with big names such as TikTok, Meta and X making moves in terms of policy and business models.

Changes were announced as huge political shifts took place in the US – the start of President Donald's Trump's second term, being one – and some of them were moments for the history books. The timing is no coincidence.

This episode of Business Extra hears a breakdown of these developments and explores the business motives driving them, both in the US and right here in the Middle East, with insights from our reporters and former insiders at Twitter and Meta.

Tune in every other Wednesday for top stories from a global business hotspot, with vital analysis from renowned experts, diverse perspectives from key figures, and exclusive insight from The National's team of reporters.

Two weeks before returning to office, US president-elect Donald Trump has his eyes on the Middle East — and business interests that are storied to him, but new to the White House.

The latest one stars one of the biggest business names in the UAE: Damac properties.

Emirati businessman Hussain Sajwani founded Damac in 2002. It’s now one of the leading real estate developers in the region.

Damac reported $2.4 billion in revenue in 2023 and was expected to nearly double it in 2024. In 2021, it launched its Edgnex brand, focusing on digital infrastructure through assets like data centres with operations in 10 countries.

Now, it’s moving stateside.

The $20 billion investment announced at Mar A Lago last week will mean the delivery of data centres - buildings used to house all kinds of computer systems - in phases. Damac and Mr Trump said the first phase will focus on eight US states in the Sunbelt and Midwest regions — places including Arizona and Illinois.

The projects promise to make leaps for data use in the realms of technology, finance, healthcare and retail, to create what Damac called a “ripple effect” that attracts more businesses to data centre hubs.

This latest investment deepens ties that the two established nearly a decade ago. It is a testament to what has come to be a characteristic trait of a Trump presidency — a mesh between his personal business interests and national dealings through his role in the White House.

But what does this move mean for Middle East investors? And for sectors like technology, space and electric vehicles?

On this episode of Business Extra with host and Business Editor Salim Essaid, hear from our own business reporter Fareed Rahman — and an analyst specialising in Middle East and global geopolitics, Ryan Bohl, on what to know - and expect - just days ahead of Trump's inauguration.

For the past few decades, slowly but surely, paper cash has increasingly been viewed as antiquated. Digital payment options are in. You can pay by card, by phone and even by smartwatch. Some people even opt to pay via cryptocurrencies. Yet there are those who insist that physical, paper cash has role in future transactions. Some also insist that personal financial freedom and independence depend on it. In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs hears from Jay Zagorsky, a professor at Boston University's Questrom School of Business, about a topic that some considered passé: physical currency.

This page was produced by The National in partnership or collaboration with Danube Group.The Danube Group is a prime example of how 1990s opportunities in the UAE combined with business acuity to create a regional success story. Having learnt tough retail lessons selling items from a Mumbai street cart, the brand’s founders went on to create a conglomerate that today employs thousands and contributes to the GCC economy.The Group includes Danube Home and Milano home improvement products, a highly visible real estate development portfolio, a busy building materials segment and a branded Dubai Metro station beside the company’s Jebel Ali headquarters. In this episode of Business Extra, host David Dunn hears from Danube Group’s vice chairman, Anis Sajan, on the early life events that coloured his outlook and ultimately shaped his successful UAE business journey. During the conversation, Mr Anis emphasises the importance of mentoring and empowering the younger generation for sustainable growth in businesses and communities. Mr Anis's sons Azhar, founder of the upmarket Casa Milano, and Sahil, Milano director, also talk about how they are taking the organisation forward amid a thriving UAE economy.

Saudi Arabia is witnessing a housing boom that is transforming the country’s real estate sector, as home ownership rises and international investors join one of the world’s most dynamic markets.

Leading this transformation, developer NHC is meeting demand for lifestyle communities with mega-projects that anticipate future growth.

The kingdom’s real estate market is on a path to reach unprecedented heights, with a forecasted market value of $2.27 trillion by the end of the year and a goal to develop 1.2 billion square metres of land by 2030. Saudi home ownership is also set to increase to 70 per cent, attracting major players like Egypt’s TMG conglomerate, along with Spanish and Chinese investors partnering with NHC.

In a special Business Extra episode from Cityscape Global 2024 in Riyadh, we explore the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s property sector. The event, themed “The Future of Living”, features more than 400 exhibitors and more than 100 institutional investors, covering diverse developments from stadiums to hotels, signalling the nation’s expanding real estate market.

During the event, NHC announced 75 billion Saudi riyals ($19.96 billion) in investment opportunities available until the end of next year, aimed at both local and international investors.

Mohammed Abaalkhail, NHC’s chief marketing and customer experience officer, joins host David Dunn to discuss how NHC is bringing its vision of “elevating life” to fruition with mixed-use communities and green spaces.

With a plan to develop 284 million square metres of land across the kingdom, NHC, one of the largest developers in the region, is also adapting to meet shifting demands while maintaining its strong market position.

Just when you thought AI news and developments have reached peak saturation, it seems there’s always something new that captures our collective imagination.

Every week brings a new large language model – the backbone of many AI implementations.

This time, AI is getting a Hindi-language breakthrough. It’s part of NANDA, a project unveiled earlier this month at the UAE-India Business Forum in Mumbai.

Named after one of India’s highest peaks, NANDA is a technological – and cultural – feat in itself that’s supposed to open the doors to AI for more than half a billion Hindi-language speakers.

NANDA is a partnership between G42, the UAE-based tech holding group, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and the American AI company Cerebras.

G42 describes the project as a cutting-edge Hindi Large Language Model – trained on one of the most advanced supercomputers in the world.

That’s a departure from the usual news about AI LLMs, which for a long time, have been centred around the English language, leading some to worry about an uphill battle for other languages and cultures trying to get a foot into artificial intelligence.

So, this is a monumental step forward in artificial intelligence – and broader tech accessibility. But in a world where mentions of AI conjure concerns of tech ethics and information wars, where do up-and-coming LLMs fit in?

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs hears from Preslav Nakov, a professor at MBZUAI specialising in artificial intelligence and computational linguistics, about what this means for linguistic and cultural diversity – or whether we're just scratching the surface of what’s possible.

The Middle East, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, has witnessed significant growth in sectors such as cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and FinTech, largely driven by cutting-edge technologies.

Some have speculated that the wealth and innovation created from those industries could eclipse that of the oil industries that defined the region.

However, this rapid expansion of crypto, AI, and FinTech firms is about to face a challenge – the upcoming US election.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs examines the potential implications of a win for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris or Republican nominee Donald Trump on the Middle East’s lucrative tech industry.

He is joined by Sam Blatteis, co-founder and chief executive of The MENA Catalysts, a government relations and market entry set-up firm for high-tech multinationals.

After decades of anticipation, electric vehicles are becoming the mainstream – as more hit the roads globally, despite bumps along the way. EVs are on the rise, driven by greater affordability, environmental concerns and a shift in consumer preferences. But with geopolitics, infrastructure and misconceptions still in the mix, what does the future hold? In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs dives into the accelerating world of EVs. He is joined by Hasan Nergiz, managing director of Al Futtaim Electric Mobility Company, and Aravind CJ, a partner at global consultancy Roland Berger, which recently released its most recent EV Charging Index that takes an in-depth look at electric vehicles and their charging infrastructure. The conversation explores how EV adoption is progressing in the UAE and beyond, the crucial role of charging infrastructure, and the policies shaping the industry.

Banking institutions are a common denominator for many throughout the developed world. Though often portrayed as powerful and imposing, banks, especially in recent times, have learnt to move quickly.

They have to adjust to consumer behaviour, and of course, make the most of technologies that change at a breakneck pace.

The banks of the Middle East, of course, are no different, and often, they are proving to set the pace, for other banks in the world.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs sits down with Fernando Plaza, group chief digital officer at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), to discuss the future of banking, digital trends, AI and how consumers are adapting to all of these changes.

Mr Plaza shares his insights from more than two decades of experience in the digital and payment industry, and is currently leading the digital strategy and execution across ADIB.

In this episode of Business Extra, we explore the rapidly evolving FinTech landscape in the Middle East, where new apps and products are constantly emerging with promises of easier financial transactions and innovative money management solutions.

Among these players, Dubai-based start-up Ziina stands out for its methodical rise over the past few years.

Ziina aims to bring economic freedom and enhanced financial literacy across the Middle East. Recently, the company made headlines by securing a Stored Value Facility licence in the UAE, a significant milestone that promises to propel the start-up even farther.

Ziina's chief executive and co-founder Faisal Toukan joins host Cody Combs to discuss the company’s journey, the significance of its recent achievements, and its plans for the future.

A global market sell-off kicked off the week, marking the biggest sell-off in decades.

Japan’s Nikkei started things off, dropping 12 per cent, which was the index’s worst day since the Black Monday crash of 1987. Following this, the rest of the world followed suit.

The Dow Jones dropped more than 1000 points, causing even the most casual of observers take notice. The world's 500 wealthiest people lost a combined $134 billion.

So, what does this mean for investors and businesses large and small, and for those on the outskirts?

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs looks at the one of the most turbulent days for the global economy in quite some time with Faisal Hasan, CIO and head of asset management at Al Mal Capital.

The Olympics have always been a stage for showcasing human excellence in sports. But this year, technology and artificial intelligence play a pivotal role in enhancing the experience for everyone involved.

By integrating AI into various aspects of the Olympics, the event hopes to become more efficient, engaging, and inclusive.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs is joined by Sarah Vickers, head of Intel’s Olympic and Paralympic Programmes for Paris 2024 to look at how Intel is introducing groundbreaking AI innovations designed to revolutionise how fans, organisers, athletes and viewers interact with the Games.

Last week more than 8.5 million computers stopped working. The post-industrial and very much digital world in which we live, much of it anyway, came to a halt as well.

Airlines couldn’t check in travellers. Hospitals had to find new ways to help patients, and restaurants resorted to pen and paper to take reservations.

Cyber security company CrowdStrike inadvertently caused the chaos with a faulty update to its Falcon Sensor software.
That software is supposed to detect cyber attacks, and prevent this sort of cataclysmic problem.

The issue was fixed, mainly within 24 hours, but its residual effects, plus the millions in economic losses, has led many to think about what action is needed to prevent another IT meltdown.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs speaks to Igor Bershadsky, an expert in computer networking and cybersecurity, and co-founder of Dubai based Phron AI, to discuss the tech outage that crashed global systems.

Amid the war in Gaza, some communities, especially Arab ones, have decided to support the Palestinian cause by boycotting certain international brands.

To fill the void, new business endeavours have taken hold, such as local Arab brands.
Palestine Cola was born out of a desire to provide a meaningful alternative to global giants such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Three brothers from Malmo, Sweden, along with Mohamed Kiswani, saw an opportunity to create a brand that resonated with their heritage and supported a greater cause.

Since its launch, Palestine Cola, marked by distinctive symbols of Palestinian culture and identity, has garnered immense support from consumers who are eager to embrace a product that aligns with their values.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs is joined by co-founder of Palestine Cola, Mohamed Kiswani, to talk about the inspiration behind the new brand, launching obstacles, market reaction and expansion plans.

There is more to sport than wins and losses, the sports business comprises many factors, including the athletes, their training methods, their agents, franchises, media coverage and the team owners as well.

So what’s the future of sports media coverage, the business of athletics, and what does the future hold for the fans for whom sport is so important?

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs is joined by Adam White, founder and chief executive of Front Office Sports to discuss this evolving landscape of sport, media and business.

In 2021 Front Office Sports was named as one of Fast Company’s most innovative groups. It also earned the title of AdWeek’s Hottest in Sports in 2022 and 2024, among other accolades.

Founded in California in 2002, LinkedIn’s growth has been at a methodical pace. Slowly but surely, the CV-based, aspirational job platform gained momentum and now has more than one billion members around the world.

Its journey started from simply a place to look for jobs and post CVs, to become a knowledge bank where people can learn, write articles, take classes and even play games to keep the mind sharp.

In this episode of the social media edition of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs is joined by Najat Abdelhadi, head of communications and growth markets at LinkedIn, and Lynn Chouman, managing editor at LinkedIn News, to look at how the platform went from being a work-based social networking app to one of the major players in social media.

In the rapidly evolving world of social media, many new, innovative platforms are still trying to challenge the dominance of industry giants by promising better experience and – in some cases – better monetisation tools.

In this episode of Business Extra’s series looking at social media platforms, host Cody Combs is joined by Dave Catudal, founder of Lyvely, a UAE-based social media app that aims to revolutionise both user engagement and monetisation.

They discuss the potential for new social media platforms in a market saturated with established players, exploring how Lyvely aims to carve out its niche through prioritising user empowerment over traditional algorithm-driven content curation.

In 2011, amid the Arab uprisings, other protests around the world and the rise of social media, Snapchat emerged with a unique concept. The app pioneered by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown allowed images shared to disappear after a certain time. This innovation reshaped the social media landscape. Snapchat quickly became a pioneer in the concept of augmented reality by introducing the feature of “filters” that add real-time effects and animations to photos and videos. The same concept got later adopted by other giant platforms. At a time when social media platforms are continually evolving, Business Extra host Cody Combs sits down with Hussein Freijeh, vice president and general manager of Snap Inc in the Middle East and North Africa. Mr Freijeh speaks about Snapchat’s special features, sharing insights into the app’s growth plans in the Mena region. You can listen to all previous episodes of Business Extra on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, or watch the full interviews on The National's YouTube channel.

At a pivotal time when social media platforms are undergoing significant shifts, Business Extra host Cody Combs sat down with influential businessman Gary Vaynerchuk – known to millions as Gary Vee – who is chairman of communications company VaynerX and chief executive of its subsidiary VaynerMedia.

Starting out as a wine critic, Mr Vaynerchuk leveraged his knack for content creation and a deep understanding of social media to build a powerful personal brand with more than 44 million followers across his channels.

He joins this special social media-focused edition of Business Extra to discuss TikTok and the future of social media in general, sharing some unique approaches to engaging with audience.

Mr Vaynerchuk also discusses his new book, Day Trading Attention: How to Actually Build Brand and Sales in the New Social Media World, which provides readers with strategies to navigate the changes in the ever-evolving social media landscape.

You can listen to all previous episodes of Business Extra on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, or watch the full interviews on The National's YouTube channel.

In this introductory episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs delves into the evolution of the internet from its early days, the rise of social media and future prospects of platforms.

For younger generations, the internet before the advent of social media is almost unimaginable. In contrast, older generations reminisce about the simpler times of the World Wide Web before the emergence of continuing debates around data privacy and the impact of social media on society.

This episode sets the stage for a special series on the business of social media, exploring its pervasive influence and the love-hate relationship many have with it.

Over the next few episodes, the series will explore various aspects of the social media industry, including its growth, influence and challenges. It will also focus on business dynamics, regulatory challenges and the evolving landscape of social media platforms.

As the saying goes, life isn’t all fun and games, or is it?

That’s part of the idea behind Endless Studios, a youth-focused game-making studio and learning hub, which is also on a mission to empower students all over the world by enhancing access to technology and education.

Endless also provides, devices, technology tools and even special operating systems to help children learn.

On this episode, host Cody Combs speaks to the founder of Endless, Matt Dalio, who is on a mission to improve how children are educated and expand access to technology.

They also talk about the UAE in particular as a great place to help make all these ambitious things happen and also reminisce about some classic computer games.

More than 700 government officials, international organisations, politicians, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs have been gathering for two days in Riyadh for the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) special meeting to address the most important issues of the day and making an economy work for everyone.

One of the topics discussed during the event was transport and shipping at a time when stakeholders are trying to ensure climate issues are not overlooked.

In this special episode of Business Extra, recorded at the WEF, host Cody Combs sits down with Robert Falk, chief executive of Einride, one of the hottest start-ups that makes sustainable and autonomous electric vehicles that can transport lots of goods and services, usually carried by petrol-consuming lorries. Falk participated in the forum to talk about the future of EVs in 2030.

How can environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility come together?

As the world commemorates the 54th Earth Day this week, host Cody Combs leads a discussion centred on the evolving role of an environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework in driving corporate strategies.

Amy Lehoczky, director of ESG at G42, Abu Dhabi's leading artificial intelligence and cloud computing company, joins Combs to talk about this in the context of G42's $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft.

During the conversation, Ms Lehoczky shares her journey into the ESG domain, the multifaceted role of its directors, the opportunities it presents and the potential to drive business growth while fostering a positive societal impact.

The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi is no stranger to motorsport memories. At the heart of those memories are usually big names such as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel. But now, a new type of race, without humans behind the wheel, is about to take place.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs delves into the groundbreaking Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, set to take place at the Yas Marina Circuit on April 27. This unconventional race features autonomous vehicles, marking a significant moment in motorsport history and the advancement of autonomous technology.

The host is joined by Thomas McCarthy, executive director of Aspire, the technology transition pillar of Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council, which organised the race. They discuss the unique aspects of the event, including how the UAE's affinity for technological advances led to its creation.

They talk about the vehicles, the technology behind it, the teams and the role of AI in this race. They also touch on the ethical debates surrounding autonomous technology, including potential risks and the balance between innovation and safety.

Start-up Striver, which has football as its focus, is hoping to leave its mark as the world’s first abuse-free social media platform. In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs sits down with Tim Chase, co-founder of Striver, and Gilberto Silva, a former footballer also and co-founder of the app. They look at how social media has mirrored the enthusiasm of sport, while also, inadvertently sometimes enabling hostile environments for athletes and fans online. Mr Silva said that he is optimistic that artificial intelligence can help make social media a more civil place for football fans and players, especially through his company's app. Striver, which was launched in November at Qatar’s Web Summit, seeks to create a respectful space for football fans and allows photos and videos to be posted, along with interaction with current and former football players who use the platform.

In today's fast-paced world, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, and religious rituals are no different. And in Ramadan, Muslims around the world increase their engagement with faith through fasting, performing prayers at mosques and reading the Quran.

From checking Iftar, Suhoor and daily prayer timings, to recitations, and remembrances, Muslims now depend on many apps to assist them in their rituals and worshipping habits.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs delves into the intersection of technology and spirituality, and explore how Muslims are utilizing various apps to enrich their Ramadan experience. He interviews Nafees Khundker, the group managing director of Bitsmedia, the company that owns Muslim Pro app and Muslim streaming service Qalbox with over 2.1 million downloads in the UAE and 150 million downloads worldwide.

It’s Ramadan, a time of reflection and renewal in all aspects of life. And though it might seem like quite the juxtaposition, the themes of reflection and renewal are not lost on technology – especially in an age of artificial intelligence.

AI is testing our relationship with technology like never before. It’s offering endless possibilities; it’s also creating ample concern, often overshadowing the possibilities.

In this episode, we’re taking a look at the many upsides offered by artificial intelligence, and how those upsides offer an opportunity for renewal and reflection on multiple levels. For health care, education, sustainability and energy, those closest to AI say it can ratchet up solutions.

Host Cody Combs is joined this week by Dr Mohamed Alloghani, senior adviser to the president of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

Ramadan is a time of reflection, solidarity and community. One of the core values of the month for Muslims is to gather with family members for big meals and to stay connected with them. Yet, for millions of people living in conflict zones in the region, Ramadan is not the same as before and staying connected has become a lifeline. A few months ago, the eSIM technology emerged as a game-changer in one of the biggest current conflicts in the Middle East; the Israel-Gaza war. It offered seamless connectivity at times of prolonged communications blackouts that severed telephone and internet connections. So how has the eSIM business become a driver of connectivity? And how does technology serve humanitarian purposes? Dina Tsybulskaya, CEO of eSIM Plus, joins Business Extra host Cody Combs this week to talk about the eSIM industry's growth and its impact on conflict zones.

Never before have we had so much computing power so widely available.

We have super computers, we have quantum computers and, yes, we have an unprecedented amount of data.

It is all creating a perfect situation where we now have the ability to potentially make predictions, make progress and improve society like never before. In particular, data and computational sciences could be game changers for health care, energy, sustainability and financial inclusion.

Adia Lab, Abu Dhabi’s independent institute dedicated to research in data and computer sciences, has focused on looking at ways data and computational sciences could positively affect societally important topics such as health care, energy, climate telecoms and financial inclusion.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs speaks to Horst Simon, the lab’s director and a world-renowned expert in computer science, about how Abu Dhabi and the UAE are positioned to be at the centre of all that computational progress.

AI-generated deepfake videos and images often go viral, deceiving millions before the truth comes out, and even then, it keeps on circulating.
In fact, 2023, according to one study, saw a record-setting number of AI incidents.

Can anything be done amid a technological climate where it’s easier than ever to create deepfakes?

The short answer is yes, and as we speak, researchers are finding ways to identify deepfakes faster than ever.

In this episode of Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs sat down with Professor Hao Li, associate professor of computer vision Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to know more about that and the first of its kind research hub, dedicated to immersive communication, digital content and spatial computing.

Since 2022, the ripple of artificial intelligence has turned into a tidal wave around the world, having an effect on almost all industries and areas of expertise, including finance and investing.

Bloomberg, a leading global platform for business and financial information, has its own AI large language model.

In this Business Extra episode from the World Governments Summit in Dubai, host Cody Combs is joined by two top executives from Bloomberg LP, chief technology officer Shawn Edwards, and head of quant technology strategy Gary Kazantsev.

They dig deep into the hopes, aspirations and possible ramifications of AI in finance and investing, and explore how the technology is driving Bloomberg's investment and business decisions.

Large language models, more commonly known as LLM, are the backbone of what makes artificial intelligence so intelligent.

M42, Abu Dhabi's technology-enabled healthcare company, has designed a clinical generative AI LLM to serve as an assistant to doctors, patients, nursing staff and other health professionals.

Since October 2023, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health has been helping with the eventual implementation of a new clinical generative AI LLM, Med42, across the emirate’s healthcare system.

Host Cody Combs sits down with Shadab Khan, head of AI and applied sciences at M42, to talk about the company's hopes for the large language model and its potential impact on the healthcare industry.

What do you do with a critical mass of talent yearning to make an entrepreneurial mark in the Middle East? That is the task faced by the UAE’s northern emirate of Sharjah.

In particular, that is the task of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre, or Sheraa, a government-backed organisation launched with a mandate to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the emirate.

On this episode, host Cody Combs spoke with Sheraa’s chief executive Najla Al Midfa about the accomplishments, goals and evolving road map for Sharjah entrepreneurs.

Does the world need another social network?

Ayman Hariri, co-founder of Vero and son of former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri, thinks so.

Host Cody Combs talked to the co-founder of the ad-free, algorithm-free alternative to Facebook, TikTok and Twitter at Abu Dhabi Finance Week.

They discussed the big plans for the platform this year and the tech start-up culture in the Mena region.

AI isn't going away, the metaverse is still showing signs of life, and cybersecurity concerns remain abundant.

Just when you thought it was safe to enter 2024 on a clean technology slate, similar themes and a cast of technology characters are re-emerging from the previous year. Yet, not everything is the same. There are some early hints of what to expect, and some clues from tech products that offer a glimpse at how our lives and businesses will change in the weeks and months ahead.

Will deepfake videos cause a cacophony of problems? Will Apple's vision of spatial computing have us all wearing headsets? Will AI concerns finally become reality?

Host Cody Combs looks at where things stand on all these topics and more.

Interviews include analysis from Renee McGowan, Marsh McLennan’s chief executive for India, Middle East & Africa, and Robert Wahl, associate professor of computer science Concordia University in Wisconsin.

A new year is around the corner, and that particular time is always a great opportunity to look back and reflect.

However, it's also essential to look ahead as well and understand the forces that will shape the coming year. 2024 promises to be a pivotal year, with major shifts in technology, political economy, and evolving factors.

Host Cody Combs sits down with Sam Blatteis, co-founder and chief executive of The MENA Catalysts, to talk about what breakthroughs we can expect in 2024, and how will businesses leverage AI to stay ahead of the curve.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy will be moving into one of Masdar City’s net-zero buildings by the end of 2024, which shows the commitment to energy transition and a net-zero economy by 2050.

Masdar City’s director of growth Steve Severance told Business Extra host Cody Combs on the sidelines of the Cop28 climate summit that city aims to be the world’s largest collection of net-zero buildings.

Mr Severance also talked about how Masdar City has become a model for urban development, as well as the vital role of sustainable growth in the broader context of Cop28.

During the interview, he also pointed how Abu Dhabi has become a real player in artificial intelligence projects in terms of research and implementation.

Manhat, an Emirati-founded start-up launched in 2019, wants to be among the first to introduce a new technology to generate fresh water from the ocean without using electricity.

Emirati founder Saeed Alhassan told Business Extra host Cody Combs on the sidelines of the Cop28 climate summit that the start-up is using proprietary natural water distillation technology to speed up and capture the evaporation of ocean water on the surface.

Mr Alhassan added that wants to harness his invention to build floating farms, using the fresh water collected to irrigate and grow crops right at the source.

The technology is solving a major hurdle as the Arabian Gulf seeks ways to ensure water and food security, which has historically been problematic given the climate in the region.

Participants at Cop28 in Dubai are more adamant about cutting emissions this time, chief executive of Dynamic Planet Kristin Rechberger told Business Extra host Cody Combs in an interview on the sidelines of the climate summit.

Ms Rechberger said there was a greater presence of nature-preserving pavilions at this Cop than at any previous climate summit. She also talked about green finance, blue finance and the importance of climate funds.

She said her transition from being an executive at National Geographic to founding Dynamic Planet was about finding a way to restore nature and make money at the same time, and to encourage businesses to enter that realm.

Dynamic Planet was founded in 2012 to “help advance markets to restore nature” through adopting new business models. It also focuses on developing responsible business with high-impact partners that regenerate landscapes, seascapes and communities.

Climate talks often conjure up images of smokestacks, car exhaust, and even aviation contrails.

There’s also the mental image of endless climate meetings hosted by prominent politicians and policymakers.

But what about Big Tech? What about the companies that paved the way for post-industrial prosperity around the world? What about the companies that many consider the new power brokers.

On this climate edition of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs talks to Kate Brandt, chief sustainability officer at Google, to discuss the company’s vision for the climate, AI, and the tech road ahead.

The lives of 384 million people have been improved by more than 100 winners of the UAE’s Zayed Sustainability Awards over 15 years.

This year’s award winners were announced at the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai.

Business Extra podcast host Cody Combs sat down with two remarkable winners who are making a big impact as they promote sustainable and humanitarian development.

Ahmed Sourani, winner of the food category, shares the story behind the Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agricultural Platform and its mission to bolster the agricultural sector in Gaza. We learn how this initiative positively impacts the lives of over 7,000 people, as well as the challenges and the community's resilience in the pursuit of sustainable farming.

Caroline Slootweg, winner of the climate action category, takes us deep into the world of Namibian SME Kelp Blue to explore its ambitious efforts to cultivate kelp forests in deep waters, helping to restore ocean biodiversity. Caroline also explains the innovative approaches and the transformative power of sustainable ocean solutions.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs interviews three young climate advocates from the UAE, Morocco and Mauritania.

Recording from the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai, the climate advocates spoke about the different challenges in their communities, in addition to the work they do in reimagining the future of energy, examining the interplay between climate change and conflict, and enlisting corporate participation in reforestation efforts.

They also shared how the Cop28 International Youth Climate Delegates programme has helped them to develop their ideas and projects.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs interviews two young environmental game-changers from Lebanon and Jordan, exploring the pivotal moments that ignited their commitment to advocating for the environment in their countries.

The conversation took place at the heart of the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai, where tens of thousands of people are gathering from November 30 until December 12 for one common cause: committing to sustainability.

The climate advocates, who are members of the Cop28 International Youth Climate Delegates programme, share their actions and priorities towards securing a sustainable future.

About 80,000 participants from all around the world are expected to make the journey to the UAE for the much-anticipated Cop28 summit.

But how did we get to Cop28? There have been 27 previous climate conferences just like this. So what milestones did they achieve and what should we expect this year?

Host Cody Combs, future editor for The National, talks to climate historian Professor Bart Elmore and global environmental history professor at the Ohio State University, Nick Breyfogle, about the history of Cop, how it will set the tone for Cop28 in Dubai and the future of environmentalism.

Expectations are high for climate solutions as the UAE hosts the Cop conference for the first time.

What is Cop? What should we expect at Cop28, and what does it all mean for humanity?

On the first episode of the special climate edition series, Cody Combs, future editor for The National and the new host of the Business Extra podcast, brings you all the updates and key information that you need to know ahead of the climate summit that will kick off on November 30.

Business Extra is back with an all-new season to cover business, cutting-edge tech, eco-friendly innovation, sustainability, and the minds behind each of these topics.

In 2019, Hub71 invited start-ups to move to Abu Dhabi, promising founders free housing, office space and health insurance for the first year, access to investors and one of the most dynamic and connected regions in the world.

Four years later, Abu Dhabi’s start-up ecosystem is among the fastest-growing in the world, according to a new ranking from Startup Genome.

Amer Aidi, head of marketing and operations at Hub71, joins host Kelsey Warner this week to talk about what founders can expect if they move to the UAE and how the community – and the start-up scene in general – has changed in just four years.

In this episode:

Hosting Sam Altman and creating a community (0m 33s) Putting Abu Dhabi on the startup map (4m 26s) Measuring success at Hub71 and the fight for talent (9m 03s) Navigating the current marketplace and being sector agnostic (13m 56s)

Read more on our website:

Silicon Valley remains top place for start-ups but Mena cities on the rise
Funding for start-ups at Abu Dhabi's Hub71 hit $1.22bn at the end of 2022
Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 unveils new ecosystem to support Web3 start-ups

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In this episode:

LinkedIn's reach in the region and its evolution over the last 20 years (0m 23s) The impact of the Microsoft takeover (3m 32s) The jobs and opportunities during the AI age (7m 51s) The current job market and the future of work (11m 16s) LinkedIn's move into government and politics (15m 44s)

The global economy has weathered the most tumultuous century in modern history and most of the previous financial crises have shared similarities from which we can learn.

So writes Dr Linda Yueh, CBE, in her new book, The Great Crashes: Lessons from Global Meltdowns and How to Prevent Them.

She joins Business Extra host Kelsey Warner this week to share her analysis of major market crashes, from currency crunches and Japan's housing crisis to the dot-com bust and the Covid-19 pandemic, she shares the underlying factors that led to these meltdowns and what we can learn to help avoid or recover from future crises.

Read more on our website:

Biden declares 'crisis averted' in debt ceiling bill passage
How would a US debt default affect the Middle East?
A global recession in second half of 2023 expected to significantly hit IT spending

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Snapchat long stood out among other social media platforms for introducing interactive user experiences such as filters and augmented reality features.

But today, with TikTok on the scene and Meta, Instagram and YouTube introducing products for creating content, the social media scene has evolved, technology has changed and audiences are different.

In this episode:

Snapchat in 2023 (0m 27s)
Engaging the MENA region and building loyalty (6m 29s)
The digital ads model and Snapchat revenue (9m 57s)
The future of Snap (16m 17s) Read more on our website:* Snapchat for Web is coming — here's what it means for UAE users * Snap boosts hiring in Saudi Arabia as it taps into AR growth in Mena * Snapchat Spotlight Middle East launch: everything you need to know about the platform

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Questions loom about the future of work and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Companies in the UAE have been turning to Cosmic Centaurs to navigate these fast-changing times. The Dubai-based consultancy helps employers design and put in place new ways of working to increase returns while boosting employee happiness.

Founder and chief executive Marilyn Zakhour joins host Kelsey Warner this week to talk about how high-performing companies navigate change.

In this episode:

Why companies hire outside help to make change (0m 24s)Employer vs employee interests (5m 34s)The leap from corporate life to start-up founder (10m 52s)Preparing employers for the AI age (18 30s)Supporting women in the workplace (20m 40s) Read more on our website:* Home-working blamed for record long-term sickness among UK unemployed * Future of work: what will be the most in-demand job skills in 2032? * Future Beat: the latest tech and innovation news

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Last week, the World Health Organization announced that Covid-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking an end - albeit a symbolic one - to the pandemic.

Pfizer, maker of one of the most-used Covid-19 jabs and an antiviral pill, hit a record-breaking $100 billion in revenues in 2022, spurred by earnings from those treatments.

As the pandemic wanes and demand for treatments drops off, the New York-headquartered pharmaceuticals company is in a "transition year", chief executive Albert Bourla said on a first-quarter earnings call.

Patrick van der Loo, a regional president who oversees the Middle East, Russia and Africa, talks to host Kelsey Warner this week about what a transition means for the world's biggest pharmaceutical company by revenue, how the pandemic changed drug development cycles and what the Gulf's potential is for taking a piece of the booming life sciences industry.

In this episode:

Pfizer's transition post-pandemic and its role now (0m 20s)
The velocity of drug discovery and the impact of the pandemic (6m 52s)
The UAE's role in the pharmaceutical industry (9m 14s)
Public health challenges and the ambitions in the region (17m 37s) Read more on our website:* Pfizer drops sales guidance after posting 47% jump in Q4 profits * Stem cell therapies promise breakthrough in Dubai life sciences * Abu Dhabi's Mubadala and G42 launch tech-focused healthcare company M42

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Brendan Wallace, co-founder and managing partner of Fifth Wall, the world’s largest venture capital firm at the intersection of real estate and tech, joins host Kelsey Warner this week.

Fifth Wall had a massive 2022, closing its $866 million Fund III in December, the biggest property start-up investment fund ever, on the heels of a $500 million climate fund it closed last July.

The LA-based VC fund brings together some of the largest owners and operators of real estate globally, including here in the UAE, with Aldar and Damac as limited partners.
Brendan and Kelsey discuss how Fifth Wall is evaluating start-ups amid the market correction, where he sees untapped opportunity in the Middle East and why real estate is critical to the climate conversation.

In this episode:

Defining PropTech and the future of real estate (1m 01s)

What opportunities does Fifth Wall see in the Middle East region? (5m 15s)

Evaluating tech ecosystems (6m 54s)

AI and start-ups (9m 39s)

A new nationwide programme in the UAE, the Parent-friendly Label, is aimed at identifying employers supporting parents who are juggling work and home life.

Laila Al Hassan, chief culture officer and lead of the Parent-friendly Label at the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, talks to host Kelsey Warner about what inspired the programme and the criteria organisations need to be considered parent-friendly.

Ms Al Hassan says the programme aims to support working families in the UAE, where a majority of parents are expats without a typical family support system.

She explains that parent-friendly policies go beyond just offering nursing rooms, to understanding the needs of employees and considering their wellbeing. To get this label, companies go through an assessment to check if they meet certain criteria, such as parental leave, family care, family wellbeing innovation and company culture, Ms Al Hassan says.

In this episode:

What is the Parent-friendly Label and which criteria is used in awarding the label? (0m 41s)

How can a company apply? (3m 59s)

The benchmarks for the Parent-friendly Label (5m 39s)

Policies parents should look for when applying at a parent-friendly company (7m 12s)

In this episode:

OSN's content, partners and viewership (0m 33s)

Ramadan viewership trends and the subscription model (4m 03s)

OSN Originals and competing for attention (7m 27s)

Recruiting talent and what's next for streaming services (13m 37s)

In this episode:

The AP's business model and its mission (0m 45s)

Fact-checking and social media (6m 25s)

Evolving media and the revolution of AI (11m 48s)

Covering the US election and the future of work in media (17m 28s)

Gary Vaynerchuk, also known as Gary Vee, documents his life on social media, dispensing advice on entrepreneurship, technology and media to his more than 44 million followers.

As an early investor in Facebook, Uber and Twitter and chairman of VaynerX and chief executive of VaynerMedia, the serial entrepreneur and investor has strong views on ChatGPT, social media use and NFTs.

He joins Business Extra host Kelsey Warner this week from Abu Dhabi.

In this episode:

The state of consumer culture, content creation and the role of influencers (0m 48s)

The evolution of content and the influence of ChatGPT (5m 13s)

Creating value with NFTs and decentralisation (7m 26s)

Advice for SMBs, opting out social media and staying motivated (11m 44s)

Founder and managing director of 4 Day Week Global, Charlotte Lockhart, joins Business Extra host Kelsey Warner this week to share the results of the world’s largest trial to reduce working week.

Ms Lockhart led the trial with dozens of employers and thousands of employees in the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The results showed that reducing work time doesn’t affect productivity of employees, highlighting that some companies were able to reduce official work hours by 20% without decreasing their pay.

It also revealed a significant decrease in rates of stress and illness among the approximately 2,900 staff who participated in the shorter working week.

Host Kelsey Warner talks to Sasha Haider, partner at venture capital fund Global Ventures, about how supply chain tech and disrupting the system.

In this episode:

Sasha Haider's on investing in supply chains (0m 32s)Tech and disruption of supply chains (6m 30s)The consumers that will drive the market (11m 00s)Initiatives in the UAE that will make it more than a hub (18m 47s) Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every weekApple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

Professor Eric Xing, the president of Abu Dhabi's Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, joins host Kelsey Warner this week after the university graduated its inaugural class.

They speak on jobs prospects for the fresh grads, the less-discussed risks of ChatGPT and other newsmakers in the field of AI.

In this episode:

Prof Eric Xing on the moment AI is having right now (0m 22s)The use of AI and its effects on academia (7m 08s)MBZUAI and putting UAE on the map (12m 30s)Finding the possibilities for UAE (17m 34s) Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every weekApple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

Host Kelsey Warner talks to the chief executive of US based agtech firm Aerofarms David Rosenberg about who they are and why they are opening an R&D centre in Abu Dhabi.

In this episode:

What is Aerofarms all about? (0m 44s)How Aerofarms is revolutionising agriculture in the region (6m 45s)Are we late to solve the food and water crisis? (13m 45s)Is there a greater discipline in the market now? (18m 34s) Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every weekApple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

The UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammad Al Gergawi, opened up this year’s World Government Summit in Dubai.

He laid out how the world order is changing: a rebalance of power, of demographics, of our relationship to technology and energy. Today we are digging into that rebalance by looking East — to the center of major emerging economies like India and Indonesia, and to a rapidly reopening China. What paths in tech, energy, and innovation are opening up between Asia and the Middle East?

Host Kelsey Warner is joined by Oliver Wyman's Adel Alfalasi and Ben Simpfendorfer, author of 'The New Silk Road'.

Host Kelsey Warner talks to KPMG's Wassim Chahine about the new regime set to take effect this year.

In this episode:

What is the corporate tax going to be implemented in the UAE? (0m 32s)Who does it apply to? (2m 26s)How the revenue is calculated and the effect on free zones (3m 39s)The UAE's move to incentivise foreign investment (9m 07s)What the corporate tax means for the UAE economy? (10m 35s) Read more on our website:* Lower than Ireland: why UAE corporate tax may prove a boon for foreign investment

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The startup scene in the region (0m 19sec)The moment when focus on growth turned to profitability (6m 27s)What is the meaning of harvesting? (9m 17s)Founding of Tuhoon (12m 39s)The startup culture in the region (16m 43s) Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every weekApple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

Concerns over a weakening global economic outlook are affecting the career prospects of graduates and young professionals. While employment levels have been at historic highs following the Covid-19 pandemic, job losses in once-buoyant sectors such as technology and finance indicate that the trend may reverse. However, there is “a lot of data to show that increasingly, digital skills in particular continue to be in incredibly high demand among employers”, according to Dan Shapero, chief operating officer at LinkedIn. He shares his tips for jobseekers and those looking to take the next step in their careers this year, with host Mustafa Alrawi.In this episode:

How was the aviation industry in 2022? (1min 30sec)Outlook for 2023 (3m 16s)What are the obstacles currently facing the industry? (6m 47s)The friction between airline and airports (9m 40s)What will drive airline demands in the Gulf in 2023? (15m 4s) Read more on our website:* Closing the gender gap in Middle East and North Africa * Zoom's Sam Tayan on the new era for work * IFC on boosting women-led start-ups

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As the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting draws to a close in Davos, Switzerland, Kelsey Warner is joined by co-host Mustafa Alrawi, who has been reporting all week from the Swiss mountain town. They discuss the biggest issues that will drive the global agenda in 2023 and beyond.

Mustafa argues that recession, inflation, war in Europe and the energy crisis are largely already “baked in” to how businesses will navigate the year. But the rise of consumer-facing artificial intelligence is one to watch.

Read more on our website:* Mubadala's Badr Al Olama on the UAE's competitiveness * Energy in crisis and transition * Tech Mahindra CEO on the ‘good’ recession

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The UAE's investment in digital capabilities and its growing network of partnerships around the world are set to benefit local industries this year, across sectors.

From clean energy to metals, health care, life sciences and start-ups, the stable landscape of the Emirates positions these industries for growth, even with global headwinds swirling such as the weaker economic picture in the US and Europe.

Badr Al Olama, executive director of UAE Clusters at Mubadala Investment Company, speaks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the year ahead for its biggest businesses.

Read more on our website:* Tech Mahindra CEO on the ‘good’ recession * Energy in crisis and transition * Majid Jafar on global energy crisis

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At the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, energy will be an important topic on the agenda this week.

Roberto Bocca, the forum's head of Shaping the Future of Energy and Materials, tells host Mustafa Alrawi that the focus of discussions will be the energy crisis, the energy transition and the nexus between energy and other ecosystems such as water and food, which are critical. Mr Bocca hopes that many will come to the table in Davos to solve these issues and also to harness the opportunities brought about by new technology.

He also says that people are finally beginning to realise how complex the energy system is, ahead of the Cop28 climate summit that is being held in the UAE at the end of November.

Cop28 President-designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber's leadership should be able to help bring together different sides involved in the effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, Mr Bocca says.

Read more on our website:* Tech Mahindra CEO on the ‘good’ recession * Outlook for aviation in 2023 * Majid Jafar on global energy crisis

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At the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, CP Gurnani, chief executive of Indian information technology company Tech Mahindra, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the outlook for 2023. Mr Gurnani says the impact of a global economic slowdown will not be generic. Depending on the region, there will be circumstances to mitigate some of the effect of a recession, with no uniform pattern, he says. South-East Asia and the Middle East are expected to see growth, Mr Gurnani says, while he remains optimistic about the US and Europe.Read more on our website:* Tech Mahindra's Manish Vyas on 5G * Outlook for aviation in 2023 * Deepak Chopra's factors for success

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The Business Extra podcast team will be at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week.

Host Mustafa Alrawi will be on the ground to deliver insights and discussions from the global event.

The global aviation industry will return to profit for the first time since 2019 as passenger demand continues to improve and Covid-19 related restrictions ease. In the Middle East, airlines are also set to benefit from higher oil prices.The optimistic forecast will depend on the impact of headwinds such as high jet fuel prices and reduced consumer spending amid an economic downturn. After the conclusion of the International Air Transport Association conference in Geneva, Deena Kamel, The National's aviation correspondent, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the 12 months ahead.In this episode:

How was the aviation industry in 2022? (1min 30sec)Outlook for 2023 (3m 16s)What are the obstacles currently facing the industry? (6m 47s)The friction between airline and airports (9m 40s)What will drive airline demands in the Gulf in 2023? (15m 4s) Read more on our website:* Deepak Chopra's factors for success * US energy envoy Amos Hochstein at Adipec * Zada Haj on future of Middle East food security

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From what it takes to succeed to managing the energy crisis and what next for Bitcoin, the past 12 months have been dynamic for companies, businesses and executives. Host Mustafa Alrawi reminds us of the highlights from Business Extra's coverage of this year's biggest themes and stories. In this episode:

Amos Hochstein — Lessons learnt from being dependant on one energy supplier (1m 57s)Zada Haj — Importance of food security (6m 12s)Suzanne Duke — Perspective on the gender gap (13m 33s)Kim Fournais — Saxo Bank and relationship with China (19m 10s)Deepak Chopra — What is the meaning of leadership? (24m 44s)Mudaissir Sheikha — Lessons learnt (29m 40s) Read more on our website:* Zoom's Sam Tayan on the new era for work * Deepak CMajid Jafar on global energy crisis * IFC on boosting women-led start-ups

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Majid Jafar, the vice-chairman of Crescent Group and chief executive of Crescent Petroleum said a crisis is playing out “across the entire world and all forms of energy. And that's never happened before”.

He tells host Mustafa Alrawi while short term issues like Ukraine, Covid-19 and stretched supply chains and China consuming more gas, have made the situation worse, a failure to invest in energy supply has chiefly created the crisis.

In this episode:

The energy transition and the impact on supply (0m 10s)Climate change and moving forward with investment (10m 23s)The evolution and significance of the oil and gas industry (15m 58s)Iraq's outlook and advice for new graduates looking to be part of the industry (19m 13s) Read more on our website:* US energy envoy Amos Hochstein at Adipec - Business Extra * Deepak Chopra's factors for success - Business Extra * IMF's 2023 outlook for Gulf and Middle East - Business Extra

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Technology is enabling a new cycle of fundamental change according to Sam Tayan, Head of Mena at Zoom Video Communications. From hybrid work, to work from anywhere, to the four-day work weeks being trialed by companies around the world, there are shifting paradigms for how best to be productive and efficient following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Tayan tells host Mustafa Alrawi the software and solutions supporting this change will also impact how healthcare and other services are delivered.

In this episode:

The future of tech and work (0m 10s)ZOOM's innovations in creating a better experience (5m 45s)Security in the virtual offices (8m 07s)The outlook for WFH in the region (9m 35s) Read more on our website:* IFC on boosting women-led start-ups — Business Extra * Deepak Chopra's factors for success - Business Extra * Human behaviour and economic policy with NYUAD - Business Extra

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A potential economic windfall awaits the Middle East and North Africa region if countries can close the gender gap and help more women into business. The International Finance Corporation's "She Wins Arabia" supports female-led start-ups across the Middle East and North Africa with finance and mentorship.

The second round of the initiative was launched last month and it is expanding to support 100 additional women-led startups and over 30 additional fund managers across Mena. The number of countries included in the IFC initiative has also grown to over 20 and will now also cover Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria, and other countries in the region.

Sammar Essmat, Gender Lead, Middle East, Central Asia and Turkey at the IFC, talks to Mustafa Alrawi about the importance of providing such opportunities.

In this episode:

The IFC's role in creating gender balance in the economy (0m 09s)Resolving the gender gap in the region (3m 41s)Helping women take the risk (9m 38s)The hopes for women led startups in 2023 (15m 51s) Read more on our website:* The Middle East needs a female Elon Musk * Human behaviour and economic policy with NYUAD - Business Extra * Deepak Chopra's factors for success - Business Extra

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From making the metaverse happen to improving the sustainability of networks, 5G mobile communications technology underpins the critical infrastructure needed to deliver the applications and solutions of the future.

Manish Vyas, President of the Communications, Media & Entertainment Business and CEO of Networks Services at Indian IT services company Tech Mahindra, speaks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the role of 5G in our lives.

In this episode:

The future of telecommunications and the vision for 5G (0m 09s)

The role of 5G in sustainability (8m 37s)

Will 5G help handle future crises better? (12m 49s)

Tech Mahindra's path towards sustainability (15m 09s)

Read more on our website:

Takeo Kanade on rise of robots: 'Business Extra'
Dubai's metaverse strategy: 'Business Extra'
Zada Haj on future of Middle East food security: Business Extra

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Deepak Chopra, founder of health company Chopra Global and the Chopra Foundation, is a doctor, entrepreneur and philanthropist with more than 30 years on the front lines of well-being.

He talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about how the metaverse can close the global health gap, what business leaders need to know to succeed today and how to handle the critics.

In this episode:

Deepak Chopra on success (0m 11s)

What is the meaning of leadership? (6m 00s)

The effects of technology and money (10m 37s)

Ensuring future technologies are inclusive and accessible (16m 56s)

Read more on our website:

Human behaviour and economic policy with NYUAD - Business Extra
Binance CEO: I did not expect to hear of FTX insolvency in call with Sam Bankman-Fried
Disruption is the new normal – Business Extra

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In the aftermath of the financial crisis, technological shifts, the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, governments have been working to deliver more effective economic policies and looking to understand how to best implement them.

The study of human behaviour has, as a result, become more critical in areas such as education, health and jobs.

Nikos Nikiforakis, professor of economics and co-director of the Centre for Behavioral Institutional Design (C-BID) at NYU Abu Dhabi, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi ahead of the centre's Behavioral Policy Design Conference in the capital in November.

Experts and policymakers will gather at the event to discuss how what we know about human behaviour is increasingly influencing how policy is being set.

In this episode:

What is behavioural social science? (48s)

The link between human behaviour and economic policy (1m 42s)

How is this implemented? (3m 24s)

Helping policy-makers make better judgements (6m 29)

How are theories tested? (10m 13s)

The role of economists (14m 58s)

Read more on our website:

What does it take to ensure a green-energy future?
Liz Truss's downfall and the problem with markets dictating government policy
Disruption is the new normal

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Amos Hochstein, the US special envoy and presidential co-ordinator for international energy affairs on Tuesday signed in Abu Dhabi — on behalf of the US — a strategic partnership with the UAE to invest $100 billion to produce 100 gigawatts of clean energy by 2035.

At the oil and gas conference and exhibition Adipec, Mr Hochstein spoke to Business Extra host Mustafa Alrawi about the energy transition, how countries such as his can shape the future and also how he has been working for the past decade to make energy a tool of diplomatic co-operation and not conflict.

In this episode:

Amos Hochstein at ADIPEC on the Israel-Lebanon maritime deal (0m 09s)

What energy can do for countries and the US-UAE partnership (2m 39s)

Thinking medium and long term (8m 21s)

Moving forward from Europe's energy crisis (12m 32s)

Read more on our website:

'Energy transition must put society first to help avoid inequality'
Why the UK is facing an energy price crisis: Business Extra
IMF's Azour: Gulf economies must defend against global headwinds

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The global picture is one of high energy prices, rising interest rates and an impending economic slowdown. Despite all of this, the Middle East North Africa region has proven resilient in 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund. However, the impact of taming inflation will be felt as we enter 2023.

Jihad Azour, the IMF Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the many risks to the outlook and what economies in the Gulf and wider Mena region can do to protect themselves.

In this episode:

The IMF's outlook for the Middle East and Central Asia (0m 09s)

How the region faired in 2022 (3m 00s)

The issues that might drag onto 2023 and the impact of inflation (6m 26s)

The outlook for Lebanon and the Gulf (9m 08s)

Read more on our website:

Global action needed to prevent food crisis in Middle East and North Africa, warns IMF
Mena region faces a ‘turning point’ and needs to press on with reforms as it recovers from pandemic, IMF says

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New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak must tackle what he has called a “profound economic crisis”. He vowed the priority of the government would be to “reduce inflation", describing it as “indeed the enemy”.

Under Mr Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss, the UK government attempted to prioritise populist measures such as tax cuts without reducing spending. This triggered a violent reaction from the bond market. It resulted in Ms Truss stepping down and a third leader for the country this year.

Investors remain nervous about the shape of UK fiscal and economic policy. Will Mr Sunak settle these concerns down and put the country back on a more steady footing, facing down both the energy and cost-of-living crises? Or will circumstances prove beyond his control?

London deputy bureau chief Paul Carey discusses the uncertain outlook with host Mustafa Alrawi.

In this episode:

Has the UK political scene stabilised now? (1m 10s)

UK budget statement delayed (4m)

Challenges facing Rishi Sunak and lowering expectations (6m 18s)

UK’s cost of living problem (7m 29s)

Is the UK public tiring of politicians and politics? (9m 21s)

What’s the outlook for the UK’s economic future? (11m 13s)

Read more on our website:

Why the UK is facing an energy price crisis
Liz Truss's downfall and the problem with markets dictating government policy
Pound sterling rallies as markets react to Liz Truss's resignation

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Brent crude prices are above $90 a barrel as recession worries and the impact on oil demand weigh against other factors, including US policy moves.

Following friction between the Biden administration and Opec+ producers over their decision to reduce output, politics has taken over the discourse around energy markets.

With the Ukraine conflict still without a solution and climate action critical, how will shorter-term considerations play out over the weeks and months to come?

Regular The National contributor Robin Mills, chief executive of Qamar Energy, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the uncertainty.

In this episode:

The main factors dominating the discussions around energy and crude oil (1m)

Does Ukraine remain a major factor? (3m 17s)

Political fallout effecting the energy markets (7m 5s)

Climate change and obtaining the right energy mix is not front and centre (10m 9s) How much does the energy markets really serve us? (14m 35s)

Read more on our website:

Opec+ decision to cut output 'technical' and 'right' measure, UAE energy minister says
IEA cuts oil demand growth forecast as recession risks loom
Disruption is the new normal

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The head of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, this week starkly warned of the possibility of a global recession during the organisation’s annual meeting in Washington DC.

“We cannot possibly allow inflation to become a runaway train - it’s bad for growth and bad for people,” she said. “Bad especially for poor people.”

The National's Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi and US correspondent Willy Lowry discuss the IMF's reduced growth projections for the year ahead - and ask: what does it mean for the Middle East?

Read more on our website:

IMF cuts 2023 growth forecast and warns 'worst is yet to come'
US inflation hits 40-year high
IMF chief warns of risks of 'runaway' inflation

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Alix Partners, the global consulting firm, has launched a Middle East Disruption Index to examine the impact of trends such as climate change, technological advances and geopolitics on businesses and trade in the region.

The survey showed 78 per cent of chief executives in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are confident in their company’s ability to withstand disruptive forces. However, there is also a lot of uncertainty with two thirds afraid that the disruption will ultimately displace them. Concerns over finding the right talent and also making effective investments in technology also cloud the outlook.

Rob Hornby, Head of EMEA, AlixPartners and Gabriel Chahine, Middle East AlixPartners Lead speak to host Mustafa Alrawi about how disruption has become a new normal for organisations and companies.

In this episode:

The disruptive forces in the Mena region (0m 08s)

The role of the executives in disruption (5m 03s)

Climate change being a part of executive decisions and investing in the right talent (8m 30s)

Are we in control of disruption? (14m 54s)

Read more on our website:

Economic recovery ‘like no other’: IMF, McKinsey, OECD experts tell PCR podcast series
PCR podcast: two faces to the recovery in the Middle East and North Africa
PCR podcast: how to manage the energy crisis

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Alix Partners, the global consulting firm, has launched a Middle East Disruption Index to examine the impact of trends such as climate change, technological advances and geopolitics on businesses and trade in the region.

The survey showed 78 per cent of chief executives in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are confident in their company’s ability to withstand disruptive forces. However, there is also a lot of uncertainty with two thirds afraid that the disruption will ultimately displace them. Concerns over finding the right talent and also making effective investments in technology also cloud the outlook.

Rob Hornby, Head of EMEA, AlixPartners and Gabriel Chahine, Middle East AlixPartners Lead speak to host Mustafa Alrawi about how disruption has become a new normal for organisations and companies.

In this episode:

The disruptive forces in the Mena region (0m 08s)

The role of the executives in disruption (5m 03s)

Climate change being a part of executive decisions and investing in the right talent (8m 30s)

Are we in control of disruption? (14m 54s)

Read more on our website:

Economic recovery ‘like no other’: IMF, McKinsey, OECD experts tell PCR podcast series
PCR podcast: two faces to the recovery in the Middle East and North Africa
PCR podcast: how to manage the energy crisis

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A growing arts scene in the Middle East and North Africa over the past decade has both supported economic diversification and also been a sign of its success. Following the Covid-19 pandemic and amid concerns about the outlook for the region, can arts and culture maintain its momentum?

Dr Ridha Moumni, Christie’s Middle East deputy chairman, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the auction house's role in growing the sector in the region and beyond.

In this episode:

The influence of arts and culture in the Mena business and commercial landscape (0m 10s)

How the pandemic changed the art industry (3m 13s)

The outlook for Arab and Middle Eastern contemporary art (6m 41s)

Why does Mena art matter? (10m 42s)

The art of collecting art (13m 12s)

Read more on our website:

NFTs and how Sotheby's is courting a new generation: Business Extra
Christie's Dubai opens its Contemporary Middle Eastern Art show with masterpieces on view
Biggest auction sales of 2021: from Beeple's NFT record to the Macklowe Collection

Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

A growing arts scene in the Middle East and North Africa over the past decade has both supported economic diversification and also been a sign of its success. Following the Covid-19 pandemic and amid concerns about the outlook for the region, can arts and culture maintain its momentum?

Dr Ridha Moumni, Christie’s Middle East deputy chairman, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the auction house's role in growing the sector in the region and beyond.

In this episode:

The influence of arts and culture in the Mena business and commercial landscape (0m 10s)

How the pandemic changed the art industry (3m 13s)

The outlook for Arab and Middle Eastern contemporary art (6m 41s)

Why does Mena art matter? (10m 42s)

The art of collecting art (13m 12s)

Read more on our website:

NFTs and how Sotheby's is courting a new generation: Business Extra
Christie's Dubai opens its Contemporary Middle Eastern Art show with masterpieces on view
Biggest auction sales of 2021: from Beeple's NFT record to the Macklowe Collection

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With the world facing an energy 'trilemma' as it makes the push towards net zero carbon emission to help mitigate global warming, a bottom-up approach is needed to match the efforts of government and business.

That's according to Dr Angela Wilkinson, the Secretary General of the World Energy Council, who joins host Mustafa Alrawi to discuss all aspects of the energy transition.

With the world facing an energy 'trilemma' as it makes the push towards net zero carbon emission to help mitigate global warming, a bottom-up approach is needed to match the efforts of government and business.

That's according to Dr Angela Wilkinson, the Secretary General of the World Energy Council, who joins host Mustafa Alrawi to discuss all aspects of the energy transition.

The National's London Bureau Chief Damien McElroy explains why the crisis has come about and discusses which direction the country might head next under such pressure, with host Mustafa Alrawi, including the possibility of a radical shake up of the social contract.

In this episode:

The cost of living and the energy crisis in the UK (0m 15s)

The 'Brexit discount' and UK's readjustment (6m 58s)

Is politics a solution? (9m 22s)

UK government's help for individual and businesses (15m 01s)

Knock on effect of the energy crisis (17m 48s)

Read more on our website:

Britain's energy crisis explained as cost of living woes await new PM
Liz Truss 'favours targeted support' to ease UK's cost of living crisis
A quarter of UK parents with school-age children do not plan to use heating this winter

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More than 3,000 workers at 70 companies in the UK began a six-month trial of a four-day working week in June.

Researchers will work with each organisation to measure the effects on productivity and the well-being of its workers, and on the environment and gender equality. The trend toward new patterns of work has accelerated following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Charlotte Lockhart and Andrew Barnes, from non-profit 4 Day Week Global, talk to hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner about how they are building a community to research four day work week practices and identify the future of work.

In this episode:

Will the 4 day work week be a reality? (0m 13s)

Measuring performance and adapting to the change (3m 52s)

Bringing all the sectors together (6m 53s)

Handling bad management, the 'grind' culture and the great resignation (11m 53s)

Will the trend last or will we revert back? (15m 58s)

Read more on our website:

Companies could save $206bn by adopting remote working and ease inflation pressures
Will the world follow the UAE's modernised working week?
Belgian workers can ask for four-day week in first for Europe

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Automation and robotics are becoming mainstream and have emerged from beyond heavy industry in recent years. They can be found across sectors such as health care, tourism, retail, F&B and mobility.

Investment and research into the field has also picked up including here in the UAE where Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, or MBZUAI, is supporting local ambitions. Robots were also on hand to help visitors at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Prof Takeo Kanade of Carnegie Mellon University talks to hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner about how advances in robotics are changing the way we live and work.

In this episode:

The difference between AI, machine learning and robotics (0m 16s) The hurdles of applying autonomous transport in the real world (3m 31s) The opportunities for business leaders in robotics and AI (12m 16s) The future of robotics and large scale adoption (14m 59s)

Read more on our website:

Will staff shortages bring about the rise of the robots?: Business Extra
Abu Dhabi to open AI research centre to drive high-tech innovation
Can robots care? A conversation with the World Economic Forum's head of AI: Business Extra

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The Global Gender Gap Report 2022 — released by the World Economic Forum last month — said countries will take another 132 years, compared to 136 in 2021, to close the gap between men and women in the workforce. In Mena, this figure stands at 115 years.

Overall, the gap has widened compared to before the pandemic and the lack of equity for women, particularly in management roles, has become a crisis. With the challenges facing business such as climate change, inflation and technological shifts, diversity of leadership as well as staff, will build resilience to cope with such an unprecedented era of change. And the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated a long-term global trend of more women founding their own businesses, according to the professional social networking site LinkedIn.

Sue Duke, vice president of global public policy and economic graph at LinkedIn, which provides insights and data to research including the Forum's report, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the risks and opportunities involved in closing the gender gap.

In this episode:

LinkedIn's perspective on the gender gap (0m 09s) The best practice for closing the gender gap (4m 49s) Reimagining work to achieve equity (11m 36s) The benefits from closing the gap (15m 13s)

Read more on our website:

Bucking Covid-19 trend, Saudi women take job market by storm: Business Extra
Gender equality should be a truly universal aspiration
Gender equality is critical to UAE’s global competitiveness, economy minister says

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A number of countries across the Gulf and Middle East and North Africa, including the UAE, are stepping up investments in companies and initiatives that develop local food supply chains.

Dana, which supports desert-tech and agri-tech startups with at least one woman founder, has agreed a deal with Masdar City to set up an R&D beta facility in Abu Dhabi.

Chief Executive of Dana, Zada Haj, talks to co-hosts Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alrawi about the importance of building up the sector amid growing concerns about food security in the Mena region amid climate change, conflict in Ukraine and Covid-disrupted supply chains.

In this episode:

Dana's role in food security and women-led startups (0m 16s) The birth of Dana and its mission in the region (7m 37s) Adapting for the different markets of the Mena region (16m 19s) Making investors look at the bigger picture (22m 12s)

Read more on our website:

Masdar City and investment platform Dana sign pact to advance food security in UAE
Can the UAE’s agritech plans help meet the global food challenge?
UAE to invest $2 billion in Indian 'food parks' and explore clean energy projects

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The promise of the Metaverse and Web 3.0 technologies has been quantified in the UAE through the Dubai government's strategy to create 40,000 jobs and add $4 billion to the emirate's economy in the next five years from the digital transformation.

Abdulaziz AlJaziri, Deputy CEO and Chief Operations Officer at Dubai Future Foundation, talks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the opportunities and the road ahead as the country embraces the new immersive era of the internet.

In this episode:

Dubai's ambitions in the metaverse (0m 11s) Getting the basics right and setting up regulations (3m 48s) Looking at the bigger picture (8m 52s) Dubai Future Foundation's role in shaping the future (11m 38s)

Read more on our website:

Will the metaverse live up to the hype?
Dubai to host its first metaverse industry event in September
Metaverse market to reach $5tn by 2030, McKinsey finds

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Careem became the Middle East's first unicorn, a start-up with a valuation of at least $1 billion, in 2016 and three years later was bought by Uber for $3.1bn.

The deal allowed the company to continue to operate independently, and today, its co-founder and chief executive Mudassir Sheikha says it was only the beginning: he plans to stay with Careem as it reaches for 'decacorn' status — a company valued at $10bn.

As Careem celebrates its 10-year anniversary this week, Mr Sheikha is seeking new funding, hires and acquisitions as he leads the expansion of a super app, going into services beyond ride-hailing to include food and grocery delivery, financial services and new partner services including car rental and home cleaning.

He joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to reflect on the past decade and talk about what is still to come.

In this episode:

Careem after a decade (0m 13s) Growth with Careem's super app(3m 44s) User growth v profitability (9m 15s) The lessons learnt (14m 42s) Emerging markets, entrepreneurial trends and what's next for Careem (19m 45s)

Read more on our website:

Dubai's Careem acquires money transfer platform Denarii in FinTech push
Careem acquires UAE food delivery platform Munch:On
Careem rental bike fleet to double in size as Dubai embraces cycling
Uber agrees to buy Careem for $3.1 billion in biggest ever tech deal for region

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Delays, cancellations, lost luggage and labour shortages. These are but some of the issues facing airlines in Europe and the US as the summer travel season picks up pace.

Aviation correspondent Deena Kamel joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week. They discuss how Gulf carriers like Etihad and Emirates managed to avert the travel chaos burdening the industry, what effect surging demand is having on airfares and balance sheets, and the outlook for aviation through to the end of the year.

Read more:

Abu Dhabi airport well-staffed to meet summer travel rush despite global labour crunch BA to 'cancel 800 flights for more than 100,000 holidaymakers' Paris airport staff call off strikes but travellers face more cancelled flights chaos Emirates proceeding with summer schedule despite travel disruption in some markets Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

Sharia-compliant insurers Dar Al Takaful and Watania, on Tuesday, completed their merger to create the UAE's largest insurance provider after securing the approval of regulatory authorities and shareholders of the two companies.

Gautam Datta, chief executive of Dar Al Takaful talks to hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner about the merger and how it happened. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities for the sector after the Covid-19 pandemic and amid inflationary pressures.

In this episode:

The difference between Islamic insurance and conventional insurance (54s)

The merger (2m 56s)

Focus on the future (6m 46s)

How the pandemic affected insurance claims (8m 58s)

Global instability and the new normal (12m 27s)

Plans on expansion (15m 26s)

Read more:

Oman Insurance acquires Generali’s UAE life insurance portfolio
UAE Central Bank imposes sanctions on insurer for not meeting regulatory requirements

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Oil prices inched higher this week as big producers hinted at capacity limits and an effort to cap Russian oil prices by western governments began. Meanwhile, the global economy is “teetering on the brink of recession”, according to the International Institute of Finance, as the war in Ukraine, the continuing Covid-19 lockdowns in China and a hawkish US Federal Reserve weigh on activity.

In an action-packed week in which the G7 summit is concluding while Opec+ prepares to meet and US President Joe Biden makes his way to Saudi Arabia, what impact will these events have on the outlook for 2022?

Joining hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner, Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, explains how long he expects high oil prices to last and the forces most likely to affect energy markets this year. He also discusses the impact on the green transition and commodities prices amid a current food crisis.

In this episode:

The market right now (1m 2s)

Durability against recession (3m 40s)

Could there be a drop in demand? (7m 19s)

Would G7 cap prices? (9m 56s)

Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia (11m 44s)

The gas market (14m 28s)

Outlook for the rest of 2022 (17m 8s)

Read more on our website:

Oil prices surge on tight supply but recession fears loom
Uber and Lyft drivers opt for Teslas amid rising petrol prices
Energy minister: UAE producing close to maximum oil capacity based on Opec+ baseline
Energy demand and carbon emissions bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, BP report finds

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Electric car sales have surged this year after breaking a record last year, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.

The transport sector's electrification is a fast-growing trend amid the global push to net zero carbon emissions.

However, for EVs, rising prices of critical minerals required for battery manufacturing and supply chain disruptions, present obstacles to meeting these ambitions.

Orral Nadjari, chief executive and founder of Glencore-backed battery maker Britishvolt, discussed the risks and opportunities the industry is currently facing, with hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner.

In this episode:

The reality of supply and demand of EVs (0m 13s) Challenges of producing an EV (4m 49s) Environmental concerns around battery production (7m 57s) Local production and the impact of accelerated demand (13m 45s)

Read more on our website:

Half of all UAE residents consider switching to electric vehicles, survey finds
Electric car maker Lucid raises prices of most models by up to 13%
US to spend more than $3bn on electric vehicle battery manufacturing, White House says

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Recent data shows strong business activity growth in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia. This is expected amid pandemic recovery and higher oil prices, according to Khatija Haque, chief economist and head of research at Emirates NBD. But global market forces are also at play.

She joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week, sharing her outlook on how GCC economies will fair against rising inflation and global recession fears — and why growth is still possible even in this environment.

In this episode:

The economic outlook (0m 14s) Is it a seperate story in the Gulf? (2m 37s) Inflation in the GCC (4m 39s) The outlook in growth of the non-oil sector (10m 45s)

Read more on our website:

Solid growth on the cards for the UAE despite accelerating inflation
Opec maintains 2022 demand outlook but says Ukraine conflict and pandemic pose a risk
Mohamed El Erian: US inflation could reach 9% and lead to a recession

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Investment banks have faced unprecedented times before, but market dynamics and the volume of data in play in 2022 makes this a time like no other.

That's according to Kim Fournais, who founded Denmark firm Saxo Bank in 1992. The CEO joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to discuss how using technology and pushing East to new markets is helping the 30 year-old firm ride out the latest wave of geopolitics, inflation and new unregulated assets like cryptocurrencies.

In this episode:

The history and growth of Saxo Bank (0m 14s) Saxo Bank and its place in FinTech (4m 41s) The culture at Saxo Bank (10m 54s) Establishing trust and trading cryptocurrency (19m 57s)

Read more on our website:

Facebook exodus and 15% inflation lead Saxo Bank’s outrageous predictions for 2022
Global stock markets fall after US jobs report as investors keep eye on Fed
World Bank warns of stagflation and slashes growth forecast for global economy

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It has been more than two years since NMC Health almost collapsed, after a more than $4 billion debt pile was uncovered and the company's founder and former joint chairman, BR Shetty, fled the UAE in one of the biggest corporate scandals in the country's history. That history is receding as the new NMC Healthcare charts a different path, while maintaining its position as the biggest private healthcare provider in the UAE.

In March, a restructuring process was completed, a move that allowed 34 NMC companies to exit administration, a signal that jobs and cash flow have been saved. Before that, NMC's business rebounded in the first half of 2021 as revenue beat expectations despite pandemic headwinds.

Joining co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week is Michael Davis, chief executive of NMC Healthcare, who has been at the helm since the saga began. They discuss priorities of the brand new board of directors, retaining 12,000 employees amid corporate scandal, growth opportunities coming out of the pandemic and if NMC would IPO again.

Read more on our website:

EY faces $2.5bn lawsuit for 'audit negligence' over NMC collapse
NMC companies exit administration and become part of new group
BR Shetty: Barclays wins right to claw back $131m from NMC founder
Davos 2022 'most timely and consequential' forum in history, says SchwabNMC third-quarter revenue beats target as healthcare provider prepares for new ownership

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The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos is back as an in-person event but in May instead of its usual January slot. Key discussions have been around energy security amid conflict in Ukraine and rising prices, with European nations looking for alternatives to Russian gas. High oil prices are helping Gulf economies and also adding to inflation concerns. Technology and the future of work following the Covid-19 pandemic are intertwined in Davos, with Meta and other companies showing how we might all interact digitally.

In Davos, host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's Editor in Chief, Mina Al-Oraibi discuss all the big themes at the Forum's meeting.

In this episode:

The sessions that caught our attention (0m 44s) The risks and strategies businesses should be mindful of (2m 03s) Technology and the regulations for it (7m 47s) The Mena economic outlook (10m 41s)

Read more on our website:

Gulf shines amid uneven outlook for Middle East and North Africa
How Bahrain plans to double the size of its tourism sector in five years
Davos 2022 'most timely and consequential' forum in history, says Schwab

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The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos is back as an in-person event following a move online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President will address the forum virtually on Monday, leaders scheduled to physically attend next week include Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Ivory Coast Prime Minister Patrick Achi, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Colombia’s President Ivan Duque and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is scheduled to speak in Davos next Thursday.

The business and finance world will be represented by, among others, ECB President Christine Lagarde and Director General of the WTO Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

From the Middle East region, attendees include Egyptian Minister of International Co-operation, Rania Al Mashat and Alain Bejjani, Majid Al Futtaim's chief executive.

Co-founder of the Global Survivors Fund and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nadia Murad is also expected to take part.

Apart from the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, other main topics to be discussed include the energy transition, commodity price rises and inflation and how to harness technology to boost job creation and economic opportunity.

Alexandre Raffoul, the Forum’s Head of Business Engagement for the Middle East and Africa, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to look ahead to next week's event and highlights what we can expect from its ability to convene some of the world's most influential minds in one place.

In this episode:

Davos 2022 is finally happening (0m 16s) What are the agendas for this year? (9m 18s) The importance of getting people together (10m 35s) Outcomes expected from the meeting (14m 06s)

Read more on our website:

Urgent action needed to ensure energy transition, World Economic Forum says
The Middle East leaders included in WEF’s 2022 Class of Young Global Leaders
Cold comfort awaits a springtime Davos

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Economic sentiment in the UK is weighed down by the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy prices as well as overall rising inflation, together with post-Brexit struggles. Recent local election results have also shaken the political landscape.

Last month, the IMF downgraded its UK growth forecast for the year to 3.7 per cent, from the 4.7 per cent it projected in January. Britain's economy had rebounded by 7.5 per cent in 2021, its strongest year of growth since the Second World War, as it recoverd from the Covid-19 pandemic.Can the country shake-off the current downbeat mood?

Chris Blackhurst, The National columnist speaks to host Mustafa Alrawi about the prospects for a rebound in sentiment.

In this episode:

What is happening in the UK? (0m 44s) Will the government step in to help? (5m 49s) Is London still attracting wealth? (11m 45s) Investing in the UK (15m 49s)

Read more on our website:

Conservatives' London wipeout does not bode well for future elections
China sharpens the cleaver as a game is played to split HSBC
Reform of the UK's non-dom status is a taxing subject for opposition parties

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Carbon can be emitted, offset, removed, stored and increasingly, traded. But how does carbon trading work and what role does it play in the energy transition?

To answer these questions, co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by William Pazos, co-founder and managing director at AirCarbon, which has teamed up with Abu Dhabi Global Market, the UAE capital's financial free zone, to create a carbon trading exchange and clearing house.

They discuss the long (and sometimes sordid) history of carbon trading and why skeptics are asking the right questions, as well as the fate of a carbon market in a carbon neutral world.

In this episode:

Where is carbon trading taking place? (1m 54s)

What is carbon trading? (2m 50s)

How does it lower emissions? (9m)

The integrity of carbon trading (12m 10s)

How are carbon credits generated? (17m)

AirCarbon (20m 37s)

Can individuals buy credits? (23m 3s)

Net zero (26m)

Is carbon trading a bridge to the future? (30m)

How much is the industry worth? (31m 44s)

Read more

Abu Dhabi to launch 'world's first' carbon credit trading exchange Stripe, Alphabet, Meta, Shopify and McKinsey to invest $925m in carbon removal technology Crypto platform's efforts to stop 'useless' carbon offsets backfires Global low-carbon hydrogen market 'needs $600bn of investment by 2050' Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

On Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund released its Middle East and Central Asia Regional Economic Outlook which shows a divergent picture in 2022 for the region, with oil exporters such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia expected to experience robust rates of growth thanks to higher oil prices.

Uncertainty is also increasing with the duration of the war in Ukraine a significant factor on how the rest of the Middle East and North Africa will fare amid rising inflation and growing food insecurity.

Jihad Azour, the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF, told Business Extra policymakers will be required to take decisive action as vulnerable groups experience another crisis after “the huge impact” of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

In this episode:

Impact of Ukraine-Russia war (1m 53s) Uncertainty (4m 35s) Is the Gulf insulated from uncertainty? (7m 8s) Food crisis and solutions (9m 24s) Iraq (11m 21s) Egypt (14m) Lebanon (16m 15s) Tunisia (18m 45s) Is the Middle East building resilience? (21m 20s)

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On Monday the UAE Cabinet announced one of the biggest overhauls to the UAE's visa system in years.

To explain the details, co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by Haider Hussain, a partner at immigration consultancy Fragomen in the UAE.

They dig into the expansion of the popular golden visa programme; what the new green visa scheme is for high-skilled workers; and why it is now easier for job-seekers and investors to come in and out of the country.

In this episode:

UAE's major overhaul of the visa system (0m 15s) Who can apply for Golden Visas now? (8m 06s) Is UAE creating a competitive environment with the new system? (12m 49s) A pathway away from employer sponsorship (16m 21s)

Read more on our website:

UAE Cabinet approves major overhaul of visa system by September
UAE jobs and visas: 60-day entry now standard for many visitors
UAE non-oil sector's contribution to GDP exceeds 72% in 2021

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The sudden shift to remote working amid the Covid-19 pandemic made video conferencing tools hugely important for companies looking to keep their operations running smoothly. It was Zoom however that became synonymous with the times, spurring a new lexicon, including 'Zoom Fatigue' and 'Zoom bombing' as people adjusted to a new paradigm.

As the pandemic evolves to endemic in much of the world, the legacy of the crisis includes the adoption of hybrid working practices as employers look to lock in the benefits of flexibility and working from anywhere such as higher productivity and worker well-being.

Beyond the workplace, the impact of the past two years is also being felt, as more and more of our daily activities take on a digital aspect. The tools we used in the crisis will remain critical as we evolve and adapt. How can we continue to use them safely and in the most sustainable ways?

To discuss this rapidly emerging future, Sam Tayan, managing director of Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Pakistan at Zoom Video Communications, joins hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner.

In this episode:

Zoom is a verb (4m) Zoom's growth (6m 53s) Can Zoom provide better meetings? (10m 35s) Simplicity V progress (12m 25s) Middle East priorities (14m 13s) Virtual infrastructure (16m 7s) Hybrid work V hybrid life (18m 12s)

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This year's Edelman Trust Barometer report, titled The Cycle of Distrust, showed that governments and the media around the world are creating an atmosphere where distrust is the default setting. Only 50 per cent of people on average trusted the media, with governments faring only slightly better at 52 per cent.

In the UAE, the government, business, NGOs and the media are all considered trustworthy, although media scored the lowest at 64 per cent. Perception of business rose by 11 points to 78 per cent, and the government came top, with 87 per cent of respondents saying they felt they could trust authorities.

Omar Qirem, chief executive of Edelman Middle East, talks to hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner about how to ensure you communicate effectively in an environment of high trust and higher than ever expectations of chief executives, employers and governments in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

In this episode:

Why is trust important? (01m 13s) The losses during a collapse of trust and the gains from building trust (04m 55s) The trusted sources of information (08m 14s) How companies are taking accountability and retain trust (11m 33s) Diversity brings forth diverse ideas (17m 44s)

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"More question marks than answers." This is how Mohammed Al Gergawi, the UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs, described the state of the world in remarks at the World Government Summit on Tuesday, as he implored decision-makers to move faster in order to keep up with rising inflation, rapidly changing technology and disruption to status quo geopolitics.

The two-day annual event, staged in the closing days of Expo 2020 Dubai, brought together 4,000 participants and 30 international organisations from 190 countries, to discuss the challenges and ideas that are shaping the future.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner discuss the newsmakers and what mattered for business leaders at this edition of the World Government Summit.

In this episode:

The World Government Summit at Expo 2020 (0m 47s) Addressing the energy transition (3m 26s) The conversations at the World Government Summit (7m 04s) The future of cash and the acceleration of decentralised finance (12m 27s)

Read more on our website:

Dr Sultan Al Jaber: Cannot defund the current energy system
Rising inflation and global crises top of agenda for governments, says Mohammed Al Gergawi
Teenager who hacked Elon Musk's Tesla says companies should be very afraid
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid: World Government Summit can build a better tomorrow

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Sanctions on Russian crude over the Ukraine conflict have increased concerns about supply, sending already high energy prices rocketing. Saudi Arabia warned it will not bear any responsibility for global supply shortages following attacks on its energy infrastructure.

Along with Russia, the kingdom leads the 23-member Opec+ oil producer alliance which has been working to keep markets stable. Inflationary pressures are impacting expectations of worldwide economic growth this year, potentially impacting future levels of energy demand.

The energy transition toward lower carbon emissions depends on investment meeting targets. While renewables capacity is on the rise and hydrogen as a fuel gathers momentum, will there be enough capital for both the push to net zero and meeting short-term fossil fuel requirements?

Industry expert Dr Carole Nakhle, chief executive of Crystol Energy, joins hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to discuss all of these themes.

In this episode:

The uncertainty behind the energy market (0m 48s) Is there enough investment in oil and gas? (7m 08s) Europe's efforts in renewable energy and the energy transition (9m 45s) Where is the supply going to come from? (14m 23s)

Read more on our website:

Saudi Arabia says it won’t ‘bear responsibility’ for oil supplies after Houthi attacks
Oil prices retreat as divided EU considers banning Russian crude
Adnoc to deepen collaboration with German companies on clean hydrogen

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The relationship between the UAE and the US is perhaps one of the most important for stability in the wider region. The two nations have been allies for decades, working across defence, energy, technology and investment. However, these ties are currently going through what the UAE's ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al Otaiba, called a “stress test".

When the countries eventually move into a new phase, it has the potential to be something quite exciting and promising that encompasses technology, culture, energy and defence.

That's according to Sean Murphy, Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

He tells host Mustafa Alrawi that the UAE-US relationship is “built on solid foundations".

Read more on our website:

UAE 'to encourage Opec' on oil output boost, says envoy to US Al Otaiba
UAE and US aim to raise additional $4bn in drive to bolster food security
US looks to boost trade and investment ties with UAE

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Oil prices touched their highest level since 2008 — surging past $130 a barrel — after US President Joe Biden banned crude, gas and coal imports from Russia on Tuesday, in retaliation for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Wheat and other soft commodities are also rising on supply concerns, as both Russia and Ukraine are big producers. There is already a knock-on effect on food costs. Metals, including aluminium and nickel, are experiencing similar record price jumps and industries such as car making will feel the pinch.

There has been a feeling of chaos these past few days on global markets. Joining hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner, Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, explains how we have arrived at this point and how long the price rally might last. He also discusses the impact on the green transition and the success of climate action, with energy markets in turmoil.

In this episode:

The market's reaction since the Russia-Ukraine situation (0m 39s) Alternative agriculture suppliers (6m 54s) The gap between the financial and physical markets (9m 55s) What will happen to the energy transition? (16m 01s)

Read more on our website:

Russia-Ukraine conflict to have 'severe impact' on global economy, IMF says
Oil prices jump as US bans Russian crude imports
IEA to release 60 million barrels of oil from emergency stocks

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As the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic recede, the most critical issue faced by those leading the energy industry becomes the transition to a less carbon-intensive world after the commitments made at Cop 26 climate summit in Glasgow.

How will this be managed amid an evolving global landscape which also includes heightened geopolitical risk and the concern around security of energy supplies.

Randy Bell, senior director and Richard Morningstar Chair for Global Energy Security at the Atlantic Council joined hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner in the studio in Abu Dhabi to look ahead at what could be the main factors shaping the sector in the coming twelve months.

Read more on our website:

John Kerry: Ukraine conflict cannot be a distraction from climate change action
Cop26 showed a key shift in thinking to resolve climate crisis, report says
Dr Sultan Al Jaber says diversified approach crucial to ensure transition to green energy

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The future of ownership or a passing fad?

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, a digital object underpinned by the blockchain, have taken the digital art world by storm — and Sotheby's is taking note.

The storied auction house credited an “influx of younger, tech-savvy collectors” interested in luxury goods and NFTs for its success in 2021, when it reported its highest sales figure since it opened in 1744.

But the digital space is not without its grifters, spammers and scammers.

OpenSea, the world's biggest NFT marketplace by volume, said last month that 80 per cent of the NFTs minted on its platform are “plagiarised works, fake collections and spam".

To better understand the world of NFTs and art — and what still needs to be done to make the market less fraudulent — host Kelsey Warner is joined this week by Michael Bouhanna, the co-head of digital art sales at Sotheby's.

In this episode:

What are NFTs again? (0m 50s) The digital art scene, NFTs and why Sotheby's wants to get involved (2m 24s) Collector trends and tastes in the NFT space (7m 30s) Security and investment in the NFT world (9m 19s)

Read more on our website:

Celebrities and NFTs: why your favourite stars are trying to sell you cryptocurrency
John Lennon’s son Julian to sell his father’s Beatles clothes as NFTs
Biggest auction sales of 2021: from Beeple's NFT record to the Macklowe Collection

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Rising geopolitical tensions, an energy crunch and the thrum of pandemic economic recovery are setting an uncertain path to net zero.

But how did we get here? And what are the forces in play during a decisive decade for climate action?

Alexis Crow, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council with a background in geopolitics and economics, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to lay out what to expect in the year ahead for fossil fuels, renewables and the push and pull of the “old” versus “new” economies.

Read more on our website:

Crude prices at $100 could prompt major rise in US tight oil output
Opec+ agrees to continue output rise in March amid higher demand
Energy crisis: North Sea booms with six new oil and gas fields in the pipeline

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Amid inflation, an energy crisis, volatile stock markets and increasing scrutiny of big technology firms, there is concern over how tensions between global powers such as the US and Russia might spill over into conflict.

The major crisis is around Ukraine, but there are other pain points, including North Korea's ballistic missile programme, the war in Yemen, ISIS's enduring threat and the continuing talks over Iran's nuclear programme.

Higher oil and gas prices are a symbol of these worries. What should decision makers and senior executives do to mitigate the rising risk profile?

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner talk to The National's UK-based business commentator Chris Blackhurst about how industry and commerce could be affected by the higher levels of uncertainty.

In this episode:

Are we living in a very uncertain time? (1m 23s) Has geopolitics taken precedence over the energy transition? (10m 59s) The consequences of Brexit (14m 06s) Actions business leaders should take (17m 08s)

Read more on our website:

Oil continues to trade higher as geopolitical tensions grow
Global trade exceeds pre-Covid levels in January despite Omicron and supply chain woes
Debt spirals and fine cuisine do not mix in the crunch over The Wolseley

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On Monday the UAE announced it will introduce a new federal corporate tax on business profits in a landmark move that will reshape the economic landscape.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner answer the basics of how it will work, why now and what to expect when the tax goes into effect on June 1, 2023.

Later, they are joined by Anurag Chaturvedi, chartered accountant and chief executive of the Chartered House Tax Consultancy in Dubai.

He explains why the new tax regime is competitive for attracting multinationals and foreign direct investment, what consumers can expect and how businesses should be preparing.

In this episode:

UAE's new federal corporate tax regime (0m 38s) Why is it happening now? (7m 04s) How will this impact the UAE? (14m 32s) The preparations a business needs to undertake (22m 21s)

Read more on our website:

UAE to introduce federal corporate tax from June 2023
Why employees will continue to pay no income tax in the UAE
UAE labour law: Relaxed visa rules for jobseekers a radical shift for employment market

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Web3 is the next generation of the internet.

Though it is difficult to understand and seemingly easy to dismiss, the advent of a decentralised internet demands our attention as it is a fundamental shift away from how we use the web today.

So says Noor Sweid, a veteran venture capitalist in Dubai who has been tracking the rise of the technology and eyeing opportunities.

She joins Kelsey Warner this week to explain her current thinking on Web3 and what to expect.

Ms Sweid is the founder and general partner of Global Ventures, an emerging markets venture capital firm backed by some of the world’s best-known investors such as General Atlantic and Capria. Global Ventures will shortly close its second fund and has now invested in more than 40 companies including Kitopi, Mumzworld and Red Sea Farms.

In this episode:

The future is here: Web3 (0m 49s)

Noor Sweid explains Web3 (3m 01s)

The pay-as-you-go model, the creator economy and decentralized data (9m 00s)

What are investors looking for in Web3? (15m 39s)

Read more on our website:

Jack Dorsey's Square changes name to Block as it pursues new businesses
Kevin O'Leary on the future of finance and Abu Dhabi
Blockchain and decentralised systems can play big role in fighting identity theft

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With Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Future Energy Summit under way in the UAE, the path to net zero is becoming clearer with an energy mix of hydrogen, nuclear and renewables alongside innovations such as carbon capture and battery storage.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner discuss the latest developments and then, Kelsey interviews The National's energy contributor Robin Mills in this bonus episode of Business Extra.

They discuss Adnoc's business continuity response to the Houthi militia's Monday attack, the challenges that remain for sustainable fuels and how record-high oil prices influences net zero ambitions.

In this episode:

Business Extra at the World Future Energy Summit (0m 34s)

Robin Mills on the attacks in Abu Dhabi (2m 24s)

The recovery and the return to progress post-pandemic (5m 31s)

The technical and geopolitical hurdles facing the energy transition (11m 01s)

Read more on our website:

Rolls-Royce brings mini nuclear power plant technology to World Future Energy Summit
Pace of energy transition must be ‘organised’, Mubadala chief says
Abu Dhabi’s Taqa to press ahead with Dh40bn investment plan as part of renewables push

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This is the decade of ‘talentism’ rather than capitalism, the World Economic Forum’s president said as it begins a week of high-level online meetings to address climate action, the pandemic and the economic recovery.

Borge Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, tells the Business Extra podcast that the success of a business is now also being measured by its ability to recruit and develop young talent.

In this episode:

Key issues for WEF 2022 (1m 57s) Could Covid disruption offer opportunity? (3m 00s) Private and public sectors being brought together (4m 35s) Companies taking more responsibility towards customers, society and the environment (7m 03s)

Davos online instead of in person (14m 05s)

Read more on our website:

Can the Middle East be the centre of the post-pandemic world?
WEF: Climate crisis seen as ‘world’s most critical danger’
World Economic Forum: Leaders must ensure global post-pandemic economy benefits all

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With the UAE's move to a Monday-Friday working week and a reduction of hours for public sector employees to four-and-a-half days, the country is leading the charge of a milestone shift in the way we work in the 21st century.

Less than a month into the new model, the private sector is following suit. One in four companies plan to move to a four-and-a-half-day working week, a survey by management consultancy Mercer found.

To talk about the broader implications of this working culture shift, future of work expert Diana Wu David, founder of Future Proof Lab and the author of Future Proof: Reinventing Work in the Age of Acceleration joins co-hosts Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alrawi this week.

In this episode:

The transition to the new workweek in the UAE (0m 53s) Is the future of work less time at work? (6m 28s) Future-proofing businesses and the hunt for talent (11m 51s) How to better support working mothers (17m 10s)

Read more on our website:

UAE weekend change: One in four private sector firms to switch to 4.5 day week
Dubai private schools can extend learning day in line with new working week
What the UK can learn from the UAE's 4.5-day working week

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Staff shortages are one of the most consequential by-products of the latest coronavirus variant, Omicron. Health care, aviation, education and dining are among the industries scrambling for employees to provide essential services.

As the pandemic enters its third year, robots and automation are becoming a necessity rather than a novelty, with a labour market in flux.

This is according to geopolitical futurist Abishur Prakash, who joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to talk about the future of work and the role of technology.

Mr Prakash is a co-founder of the Centre for Innovating the Future, an advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. His latest book is called The World Is Vertical: How Technology Is Remaking Globalisation.

In this episode:

Is 2022 going to be any different? (0m 51s) Changing trends in the labour force (3m 19s) Crafting the future with automation and robots (11m 02s) The fight for talent (18m 48s)

Read more on our website:

UK's Omicron surge causes hospital staff shortages
Workers sleep at power plant to stop Omicron cutting Austria's lights
UAE residents want automation in their homes, but not in health and education

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Sharp uptick in robot orders in the US amid a worker shortage. Historically large cyber and ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure. A chip shortage that threatened to grind the auto industry to a halt.

Looking back on some of the biggest technology threats of 2021, experts from the World Economic Forum, Algirde Pipikaite, cybersecurity lead, and Jayant Narayan, AI and machine learning lead, weigh in on what we learnt – and where we are headed.

This is what to expect in 2022 on the frontiers of AI and cybersecurity.

In this episode:

How was 2021 for AI? (1m 02s) The displacement of work by automation (2m 19s) Predictions for AI in 2022 (5m 10s) Where are we in the evolution of FinTech? (8m 54s) 2021 and cybersecurity (7m 44s) The risk environment in cybersecurity (9m 46s) Trends in 2022 for cybersecurity (13m 07s)

Read more on our website:

Robots and automation can't be at the cost of people's well-being
Automation and AI are leading themes for global investors, Investcorp survey finds
EU sets up cyber-security task force to defend bloc from ransomware attacks
Artificial intelligence is spurring renaissance and redefining creativity in arts

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Will 2021 be remembered as the year cryptocurrency went mainstream? The blockchain-powered financial services industry drew about $30 billion in venture capital this year, more than in all previous years combined. Meanwhile, hype over a more decentralised Internet - from NFTs and crypto to Web 3.0 and beyond - reached a fever pitch.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner unpack and explain the trends, and Kelsey interviews Abu Dhabi Global Market's Wai Lum Kwok, senior executive director, about the role regulators play in this new frontier.

In this episode:

The future of digital assets and ADGM's stance (0m 54s) FinTech products and services approaching ADGM (4m 11s) Finding a balance between regulation and innovation (7m 15s) Where are we in the evolution of FinTech? (8m 54s)

Read more on our website:

Cryptocurrencies drew about $30bn from VCs in 2021, more than in all previous years
Next generation ultra-rich to increase wealth through cryptocurrency investments
Global cryptocurrency regulation should be comprehensive and co-ordinated, IMF says
What to consider before investing in cryptocurrencies

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A year in review for the controversial figure with an outsized influence on our future.

In this episode

Elon Musk's 2021 overview (1m)

Elon Musk's persona (5m 50s)

The role of social media (8m 32s)

Tesla stock and future (9m 58s)

Is Elon Musk human enough? (14m 23s)

US regulation (17m 5s)

Read more

• Elon Musk offloads more Tesla shares as company loses its $1tn valuation • Elon Musk jokes about quitting his jobs as he sells more Tesla shares • New battery technology can charge electric vehicles in less than 10 minutes, researchers say • Nasa SpaceX launches Dragon Crew-3 astronauts to International Space Station

A four and a half day working week, with Saturday and Sunday as full days off, marks a massive shift to work culture in the UAE. The federal government will adopt these measures beginning January 1, 2022, but it remains unclear if the private sector will follow suit.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner discuss what residents, investors, employers and employees need to know, the significance of the announcement and what it means for productivity, worker well-being and the UAE's competitiveness.

Read more on our website:

UAE weekend change: Saturday-Sunday off and shorter working week
UAE school week to shift in line with weekend change
UAE weekend change moves Friday prayers permanently to 1.15pm

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Status quo is no longer good enough in the C-suite.

From employees looking for greater leadership and meaning in their work amid the Great Reassessment, to shareholders and consumers calling for sustainability and equity, top jobs at the corporate level demand a new list of skills.

Shane Phillips, CEO of global executive search firm The Phillips Group, joins host Kelsey Warner this week. He talks about the hiring questions boards of directors are asking after the pandemic, the new career path to CEO and tips to stand out as a candidate.

Read more

• UAE salaries: what are the most in-demand oil and gas jobs and how much do they pay? • A record 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs in September • 5G digital shift puts pressure on companies to be ready for future jobs • Women believe career prospects have been hampered by the pandemic

In this episode

Is the role of the CEO changing? (1m 17s)

What skill set are boards looking for in CEOs (1m 57s)

Who is heir apparent for the CEO position? (5m 28s)

What makes a good CEO? (7m 49s)

Corporate greed and mismanagement (11m 16s)

CEOs as teenagers (13m 51s)

Abu Dhabi could be "the Switzerland" of financial technology thanks to its regulatory environment and agile government, according to Kevin O'Leary, but he is quick to add he is still doing his due diligence.

The celebrity investor, who made his name on the US reality show Shark Tank, joins co-host Kelsey Warner this week to talk about investing in decentralised finance, Web 3.0 and what he has learned on this visit to the UAE.

Mr O'Leary also talks about why he is putting his name behind Access Abu Dhabi, an initiative which will help US entrepreneurs, particularly women and minorities, expand to the Middle East.

In this episode:

Kevin O'Leary at Fintech Abu Dhabi (0m 45s)

How does a Web 3.0 entrepreneur catch a shark? (4m 38s)

Kevin's wishlist for regulators (9m 58s) What jobs can be created by an agile government? (11m 33s) Things to look out from Access Abu Dhabi (14m 10s)

Read more on our website:

Adio and Maven Global unveil programme to help US companies to expand in Abu Dhabi
Three ways to invest $10,000 in the next three months
More than 40 countries to be represented at FinTech Abu Dhabi Festival this year

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Business Extra is live from Adipec 2021, where oil majors, energy ministers and executives are meeting. Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner discuss the major themes of the critical gathering following Cop26.

Read more on our website:

Adipec to explore challenges faced by the energy industry on the cusp of change
Adipec 2021 told oil and gas industry needs more than $600bn annual investment until 2030
The UAE’s decision to host Cop28 is a chance for a new narrative
Oil exporters to see large surpluses in 2021 and 2022 amid higher crude prices

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There was no pandemic the last time the Dubai Airshow was held in November 2019. Two years later, beginning November 14, the exhibition is set to bring together a changed aviation industry.

The National's aviation correspondent Deena Kamel outlines the trends shaping the major players in commercial, cargo and defence and what to expect from the biggest in-person aviation event since the Covid-19 crisis began.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

Produced by Ayesha Khan and Arthur Eddyson

In this episode:

The Dubai Airshow is here (0m 49s)

Who is going to be at the Airshow? (2m 57s)

What to expect at the Airshow (5m 03s) The sustainable path forward for aviation (9m 37s)

Read more on our website:

Boeing to debut long-awaited 777X at Dubai Airshow
Business travel to reach two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels in 2022 led by Asia and Mideast
Higher oil prices to raise ticket fares but will not stall airlines' recovery, Iata says

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Addressing the opening session of Cop26, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was “one minute to midnight” on the climate doomsday clock.

But sharp rhetoric is not the business of the day in Glasgow: 196 nations are convening in a test of commitment to avert a climate disaster.

The National's London bureau chief Damien McElroy joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to talk about what to expect from the high-stakes conference and the big decisions to be made over the 12 days.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

Produced by Ayesha Khan and Arthur Eddyson

In this episode:

Damien McElroy sets the scene from Cop26 (1m 33s)

How developed and developing nations should move forward (4m 56s)

Scaling up and the finance conversation (8m 21s) The energy crisis elephant in the room (9m 55s)

Read more on our website:

Cop26 leaders set challenge to fund disaster prevention in poor countries
Cop26 private cash warning: net zero ‘not possible’ without green finance
Net zero: These technologies need tenfold increase in investment to hit target

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Understanding algorithms, rolling out 5G, developing quantum computing, building cyber defences and establishing sovereignty online are among the challenges and opportunities facing decision makers navigating the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on countries and their citizens.

Krzysztof Szubert, Poland’s High Representative of the Prime Minister for European Digital Policy talks to Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alrawi about crafting and executing a successful strategy for today’s fast-changing world.

Hosted by Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alrawi

Produced by Ayesha Khan and Arthur Eddyson

In this episode:

What makes a successful digital strategy? (1m 26s)

EU's benchmark for digital literacy (4m 59s)

Policies for safeguard digital lives (8m 54s)

Investing in the right strategies (12m 11s)

Establishing sovereignty (18m 41s)

Read more on our website:

Explainer: What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
IBM's AI chief on the singularity, data privacy and the new space race: Business Extra
How Poland is helping to shape the economy of tomorrow - Business Extra

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A decade ago, IBM introduced the power of artificial intelligence to the masses with Watson. The computer system made its debut on the popular American quiz show Jeopardy! and beat the best player in the show's history, Ken Jennings.

In the years since, AI has seeped into nearly every corner of life, from the streaming suggestions served up by Spotify or Netflix to the global effort to come up with a vaccine against the Covid-19 pandemic. This new paradigm has brought up questions of data privacy and safety, and how laws should be made and enforced on technology companies.

Seth Dobrin is IBM's global chief AI officer. He joins host Kelsey Warner this week on the sidelines of Gitex to talk about these big questions - and when we might expect the singularity.

Hosted by Kelsey Warner Produced by Ayesha Khan and Arthur Eddyson

In this episode:

Best tech at Gitex (0m 45s)

AI now and in the future (2m 12s)

A safe globalised tech society (5m 29s)

How to ensure AI for good (9m 47s)

Space race (14m 33s)

Read more on our website:

Gitex 2021: Four tech trends which will define our future
Artificial intelligence to accelerate economical energy transition, WEF says
EU's plan to control artificial intelligence 'will have positive global impact'

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What do a coal shortage in China, a cold winter in Europe and oil's rally to a three-year high have in common?

Herman Wang, managing editor at S&P Global Platts, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to answer that, and what to expect going forward.

They discuss what will happen to oil prices amid the energy crisis and how we got here. The answers are more complicated than tidy narratives about underinvestment in hydrocarbons amid the energy transition, or basic fundamentals of supply and demand.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

In this episode:

How did the energy crisis happen? (0m 40s) How long will this crisis last? (3m 12s) The reaction from Opec+, US and China (5m 57s) COP26 and the energy transition (10m 14s) Oil demand towards 2050 (15m 10s)

Read more on our website:

Brent nears $85 amid continued energy shortage
Explainer: What the path to net-zero and carbon neutral means
Oil prices could hit '$100 per barrel by the end of 2021', Roubini says

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Does this decision compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs?

This is the overarching question guiding Sophie Howe's work. As the world's first Commissioner for Future Generations in her home country of Wales, she enforces a legally-binding plan for national and local government to improve the well-being of Welsh citizens and think long-term.

She joins co-host Kelsey Warner this week to talk about how government can implement such a strategy and what it means for the economy. She talks about projects that have addressed an epidemic of loneliness, how to put teeth into enforcement and how a highway plan was replaced with something else - and why.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

In this episode:

What does a Commissioner for Future Generations do? (1m 47s) How to make laws for the future (4m 47s) How working from home transformed communities (10m 0s) How to adapt and prepare for climate change (16m 13s) Replicating Wales's success (19m 2s)

Read more on our website:

The future of the daily commute: how going to work is set to improve city life
Leading futurists to meet in the UAE
A glimpse inside Expo's Mobility Pavilion

Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Podbean

For the first time in more than two years, airline executives will meet in-person at an industry-wide event.

The 77th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit will take place in Boston starting October 3, against a backdrop of surging travel demand and an urgent need to tackle the industry's carbon emissions. The National's aviation correspondent Deena Kamel is headed to Boston next week to cover the event.

She joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to discuss her most pressing questions for the industry's leaders and what she expects to top the agenda.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

In this episode:

Aviation meets in Boston in-person (0m 44s) Evolving into a people-focused industry (6m 24s) The fight for sustainable flights (9m 19s) IATA's outlook and the relationship between Airbus and Emirates (12m 39s)

Read more on our website: * Emirates to restore more A380 routes as travel demand continues to recover * BP, Adnoc and Masdar to produce hydrogen in UK and UAE in clean energy partnership * Heathrow and BA zone in on net-zero 'perfect flight' using sustainable jet fuel * Aviation sector pledges to increase use of greener fuels by 2030

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UpLink was launched at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting at Davos in January 2020, with an ambition to accelerate the Decade of Delivery – to source and scale the innovative solutions that would make achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 a reality.

Through co-operation between the WEF, Salesforce, Deloitte and Microsoft/LinkedIn, a crowdsourcing platform was built to connect grassroots solutions with investors, experts and potential markets to help them scale their businesses.

One year later, through a series of challenges, UpLink has unveiled more than 2,500 innovations from 38 different countries to tackle issues ranging from waste to carbon capture and healthy oceans. Entrepreneurs who have pitched investors on UpLink have secured more than $100 million in funding since joining the platform.

To dig into the impact the funding has had and what social entrepreneurs can expect from participating, co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined this week by the WEF's John Dutton.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

In this episode:

What is Uplink and how is it helping? (0m 39s) What does scaling mean for Uplink? (9m 30s) The archetype of problem owners (11m 36s) Uplink's necessity for WEF (13m 45s)

Read more on our website: * UNGA 2021: Guterres launches assembly with gloomy 'cascade of crises' forecast * Majority of world's adults say Covid-19 economic recovery will take two years * Abu Dhabi releases red list of at-risk species

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A little more than a third of humans on the planet use Facebook each month, that’s 2.8 billion people in more than 160 countries and growing.

Outside its home country, Facebook is under the scrutiny of governments, who are grappling with how to handle the scope of tech companies today, as well as harness their potential for their own economies and people.

To help drive the agenda on the future of social media is Facebook's public policy team.

Azzam Alameddin is the US-listed company's head of public policy covering the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, where he is responsible for building the policy strategy across the region, as well as creating programmes and collaborations with key policymakers, leaders and academics.

He speaks to Kelsey Warner this week about the role of private-public partnerships, accessibility and responsible artificial intelligence.

In this episode: Why AI? (0s 46m) Public policy at Facebook (2m 40s) Facebook AI camp in the UAE (5m 50s) AI bias, diversity and responsibility (8m 17s) AI community standards (14m 30s) Public policy making and AI (16m 30s) Post interview discussion (18m 4s)

Read more on our website:

Facebook mistakenly labels black men as 'primates' in video recommendation feature
UAE and Facebook to train 50 top university students in coding
Facebook launches Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses
Google, Microsoft and Facebook spent millions influencing the EU’s digital policies

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Three months ahead of marking its 50th year, a flurry of announcements has given way to a greater understanding of the UAE's roadmap for growth over the coming decades, and plans to attract and support innovation.

On Sunday the UAE's leadership unveiled Projects of the 50, a series of developmental and economic projects that will be rolled out throughout September. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi's Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence launched a programme to train the UAE's government and business leaders in the field of AI. And Adnoc's drilling subsidiary has announced plans to float 7.5 per cent of its shares on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, opening up to international investors for the first time on a public market.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner explore the significance of these announcements, and the broader implications for the business community.

In this episode: The focus of 2021 (1m 31s) Projects of the 50 (3m 36s) Coding the future (4m 43s) AI for programmes for leaders (8m 33s) Adnoc listing (9m 42s)

Read more on our website:

United Global Emirates: leaders launch campaign to bring world to UAE
Editorial: The UAE's future priorities in fifty projects
Government and business elites to be trained at Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI
Adnoc to float 7.5% of drilling subsidiary in IPO on Abu Dhabi stock market

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The Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia region is at a turning point. There are opportunities for sustainable economic development through reforms and technological shifts but there are challenges in the form of political obstacles and conflict.

Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic will also be uneven. After the success of a summit in Baghdad this week that brought together regional leaders, Iraq's President Barham Salih said the country has become a “point of convergence”. Mr Salih said the region was in need of a new “political, security and economic system to meet the challenges of terrorism, extremism and the economic crisis”.

With the fallout from the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan likely to require a response from all its neighbours, a regional solution to its problems is needed now more than ever. Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner break down the current scenario.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

In this episode: The Baghdad summit (0m 50s) The significance of the meeting (3m 16s) Is Iraq ready to deliver on their ambitions? (7m 17s) Opportunity for dignity (9m 55s)

Read more on our website: * Iraq becomes ‘point of convergence’ after hosting regional summit * Iraq PM urges leaders to work together for Middle East peace * Mena region faces a ‘turning point’ and needs to press on with reforms as it recovers from pandemic, IMF says

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Students at Zayed University began a new bachelor's degree programme on Tuesday. It is the first stage in a plan to transform the way the Abu Dhabi university teaches students over the next five years. The course is designed to build skills in critical thinking and project management, alongside studies in entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and social change. The programme is a tie-up with US education provider Minerva Project, called Zayed University X Minerva.

"For the last 30 years universities have done an abysmal job at training their graduates for the present," Ben Nelson, the founder and chief executive of the Minerva Project, told host Kelsey Warner on this week's Business Extra. "We need graduates who are prepared for this world right now. And we have to acknowledge that universities fall woefully short in that order." He said Zayed University "not only recognised, but decided that they had to do something about it".

Hosted by Kelsey Warner

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

In this episode: Challenges and opportunities for students and recent graduates (1m 05s) Zayed University x Minerva partnership (2m 56s) The Minerva way of education (6m 54s) Future-proofing careers (12m 35s)

Read more on our website: * UAE jobs and salaries: who is applying and how much should they earn? * Zayed University to transform the way it teaches students over the next five years

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The numbers are striking: over the next 20 years, 127 million young people will enter the labour force in the Middle East and North Africa, but face an unemployment rate of 23 per cent. At the same time, nearly 29 million jobs are at risk of being displaced by 2030 because of automation.

In a new report McKinsey lays out solutions to address the issue of youth unemployment in a changing labour market.

Tom Isherwood, a senior partner at the consultancy, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to discuss how to give dignity and purpose to this rising generation.

In this episode:

Overview of recommendations (0m 47s)

Can the region work together? (6m 54s)

Political challenges (9m 25s)

Youth ambition and what the next generation wants (14m 00s)

Read more on our website: * Five ways to reverse decades of youth unemployment in the Middle East * Abu Dhabi's Adio in talks with 'dozens' of companies to set up innovation and R&D centres

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Clean hydrogen is one of the most hyped solutions to achieving net zero in time to avert climate catastrophe.

While it's true the molecule has a major role to play in decarbonised economies, massive hurdles remain. But Paddy Padmanathan, chief executive of Acwa Power, is a believer.

He says over the next decade, challenges around transport and pricing will rapidly diminish, paving the way for a hydrogen-powered future. He joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to explain how the universe's most abundant element works, and why it's a viable solution to our planet's biggest existential threat.

In this episode:

Code red (0m 56s)

Hydrogen energy opportunities (2m 33s)

Hurdles to overcome (7m 16s)

Who is paying for the development of Hydrogen? (9m 28s)

Race towards 2050 (20m 10s)

Read more on our website: * Adnoc to sell blue ammonia to Japan's Idemitsu as part of hydrogen strategy * Britain must double hydrogen production to meet net-zero target * Climate change: 'Code red for humanity' as UN report warns of disaster

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Do robots care? What should companies keep in mind before using facial recognition or machine learning? Can new laws being mulled in the EU protect citizens from fast-changing technology?

Kay Firth-Butterfield, the head of AI and machine learning at the World Economic Forum, joins host and The National's Future Editor, Kelsey Warner this week to field these questions, and more.

In this episode:

Who is Kay Firth-Butterfield? (0m 38s)

The benefits of AI (1m 09s)

Problems which come with AI (4m 38s)

Policy making in AI (12m 02s)

Ethics and AI (19m 18s)

Read more on our website: * EU's plan to control artificial intelligence 'will have positive global impact' * MBZUAI president: Artificial intelligence can transform health care and energy * US: lethal attack on ship in Arabian Sea used explosive drones

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More Saudi Arabian women are joining the workforce than ever before as wide-sweeping reforms bear fruit. But the country's recent progress is an outlier in a global jobs market much changed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The National's Deena Kamel's recent reporting uncovers how working women are juggling heightened workloads and more household duties, leading to job dissatisfaction, pessimism about career prospects and deteriorating mental health.

She joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to talk about how Saudi Arabia is reaching its targets amid broader, less encouraging trends affecting gender inclusion and progress.

In this episode: Impact of Covid-19 on women's careers (0m 44s) Saudi and female workforce participation (3m 20s) Women's mental health (8m 18s) Where are we going from here? (11m 16s) Diversification in the private sector (18m 27s)

Read more on our website: * How Saudi Arabia's women are pushing into the workforce and transforming the economy * Pandemic is an opportunity to improve gender diversity in aviation, Iata says * Women believe career prospects have been hampered by the pandemic * Saudi healthcare group buys online retailer Mumzworld

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Regional sovereign funds backed local economies amid pandemic while investors have also shifted their strategies to focus more on equity markets and ESG opportunities. This is according to the latest report from US asset management firm Invesco, which surveyed 141 chief investment officers, heads of asset classes and portfolio strategists at 82 sovereign wealth funds and 59 central banks across the globe, who manage a combined $19 trillion in assets.

Josette Rizk, Middle East and Africa director of Invesco's institutional clients business, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to unpack five emerging themes from the firm's survey. In this episode: Invesco's report (0m 45s) The impact of Covid-19 on sovereign funds (4m 39s) All eyes on China (8m 35s) Sovereigns and climate change (12m 15s)

Read more on our website: * Regional sovereign funds backed local economies amid pandemic, Invesco says * Working from anywhere is here to stay, says boss of Majid Al FuttaimAround 87% of global executives embrace ESG as core strategy, survey finds * Middle East SWFs hunt returns through private asset classes, Invesco says * Europe's central bank steps up plans for digital euro

Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts| Spotify | Podbean

Automation, e-commerce and the push for sustainability all have major roles to play in the future of retail. That's according to Majid Al Futtaim chief executive Alain Bejjani. He joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to talk about how the Middle East's biggest mall operator is catering to changing consumer behaviour - and why cinema will never go away.

In this episode: MAF and the future of retail (0m 40s) Automation and carbon footprint (9m 21s) Technology v human capital (16m 27s) Cinema here to stay (26m 30s)

Read more on our website: * UAE's retail industry nearing pre-pandemic levels, Middle East's biggest mall operator says * Working from anywhere is here to stay, says boss of Majid Al Futtaim * Saudi Arabia's retail market more investable as more women enter workforce, Majid Al Futtaim chief says

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Opec and oil-producing allies are at a new impasse. But what does it mean and why is it happening?

To unpack a historic convergence of market dynamics, The National's energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner.

They explain Opec's current role in the energy industry, why US oil and Brent, the international oil benchmark under which two thirds of the world's crude trades, reached seven and three-year highs. Also discussed: why balancing the energy market is key to economic recovery from the pandemic and the increasing role the net-zero agenda is playing on oil producers' long-term strategy.

In this episode:

Opec and rising demand (0m 58s)

Oil prices that determine market stability (5m 13s)

Opec's importance in the global energy landscape (9m 44s)

UAE's strategy (16m 10s)

Read more on our website:

• US oil rallies to 7-year high amid Opec deadlock

• Flexibility is the only way out of the Opec+ impasse

• Explainer: What is Opec?

Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Audioboom | Spotify | RSS

The Basrah Gas Company is a 25-year joint venture between Iraq’s South Gas Company, Shell and Mitsubishi. It was established in 2013 to process associated gas produced from three huge oilfields in the south of Iraq, that otherwise would be flared off. This gas then supplies power to the domestic market as well as to those manufacturing products for export. On Tuesday, it was announced that the World Bank's International Finance Corporation would provide $360 million to support the company’s growth.

Malcolm Mayes, managing director of Basrah Gas Company, speaks to host Mustafa Alrawi about how BGC is helping Iraq meet its growing energy needs and power an additional one million Iraqi homes while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 10 million tonnes per annum. In this episode: Iraq and the Basrah Gas Company (0m 42s) The impact on the environment (3m 22s) BGC's plan down the line (5m 49s) IFC's belief in BGC (15m 00s) Iraq's future (20m 36s)

Read more on our website:

• Iraq to invest $3bn over five years in the Basrah Gas Company

• Siemens Energy to rebuild Mosul super grid destroyed in 2014

• Oil prices could reach $80 per barrel, Iraq's Oil Ministry says

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Abu Dhabi plans to invest $6 billion over the next five years in its cultural and creative industries to create new jobs and attract talent.

One of the mega-projects at the heart of the plan is the Yas Creative Hub, a 27-hectare development expected to create 16,000 jobs over the next decade, tripling the number of people employed in the sector in the UAE capital.

Michael Garin, chief executive of TwoFour54 Abu Dhabi, which is behind the project, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week. Mr Garin fields questions on the timing of the project, Hollywood-level production value and why Abu Dhabi is smart to get into show business.

In this episode:

The Yas Creative Hub (0m 45s)

Who is coming to the Hub? (4m 40s)

Abu Dhabi to attract world-class talent (9m 30s)

The incentive to come to Yas (13m 56s)

Read more on our website:

• Abu Dhabi to invest $6bn in culture and creative industries amid economic diversification push

• How the 'Mission: Impossible 7' cast and crew stayed Covid-free in Abu Dhabi

• Megaprojects: Abu Dhabi's Yas Island to become the Middle East's media hub

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Poland hopes its role as a central and eastern European technology hub will help create cross-investment opportunities in the financial, healthcare and food sectors for Gulf investors, according to a senior official.

Pawel Jablonski, Poland’s undersecretary of state for economic and development co-operation, for Africa and the Middle East, was in Abu Dhabi this month to explore ways to expand the country’s trade and commerce beyond its traditional main partners, such as Germany.

There are many areas which Poland and the UAE have common ground, including infrastructure development, which could provide the chance for “synergies” to help "shape the economy of tomorrow", Mr Jablonski told the Business Extra podcast.

In this episode:

Poland's expansion in UAE (0m 36s) From EU to UAE (2m 31s) Primary sectors for Poland (4m 27s) Competing interests (8m 26s) The diverse market in Europe (12m 27s)

Read more on our website:

• Central Europe aspires to being a centre of civilisation

• Data economy to become leading economic sector globally, Dubai Future Foundation finds

• Abu Dhabi and Singapore join forces to accelerate smart city development

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With a new Iran nuclear deal on the horizon and the possible lifting of US sanctions, up to 1.5 million barrels per day of oil exports could return to the market. However, the country's energy sector is in dire need of both cash and international equipment.

The National's columnist Robin Mills discusses what is still an uncertain outlook for Iran's oil and gas industry with host Mustafa Alrawi.

In this episode: The future of the Iranian oil industry (0m 55s) The dynamics of the market (5m 41s) The energy transition and Iran (10m 32s) Iran's new leadership role (14m 23s)

Read more on our website:

• Future of Iran's oil industry remains uncertain as it heads to the polls

• Blinken: Iran deal breaches could reduce nuclear breakout time to ‘weeks

• US oil hits $70 per barrel as commodities gain amid rebounding global growth

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More than 13,000 businesses in the Middle East have expressed interest in using Stripe since the payments platform announced its regional debut and office in Dubai last month.

“There's just so much momentum in the UAE and the surrounding area,” said Matt Henderson, the business lead at Stripe for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, regions where the company is rapidly expanding.

Stripe offers products that allow merchants to accept digital payments and a range of business banking services. Clients include Amazon, Shopify, Deliveroo, Microsoft and Apple. Mr Henderson joined The National’s Business Extra podcast this week to talk about the market for digital payments.

In this episode: Infrastructure for the digital economy (0m 37s)

Stripe in the Middle East (2m 44s)

The evolution of the digital payment landscape (7m 40s)

Cybersecurity and digital payments (18m 22s)

Read more on our website:

• Global digital payments company Stripe enters Middle East after funding round values company at $95bn

• Would you tip for social media content? Why people are willing to reward creators with more than just likes

• ADGM unveils Digital Marketplace to test feasibility of future products

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The future of travel in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic will be characterised by higher air fares, cheaper hotel rooms and fewer but longer trips, according to industry expert Sadiq Gillani.

Speaking to the Business Extra podcast’s Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner, Mr Gillani, a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, outlined what we are likely to experience when travelling as the recovery picks up pace.

There will be an imbalance of capacity, for example, when comparing airline seats with hotel rooms and cruise cabins. This is because most carriers have partially grounded their fleet but few hotels have shut down permanently, he said. Even as demand comes back at the end of this year and into next year, it will take a long time for airlines to build back up to where they were before the pandemic, in terms of capacity.

In this episode:

The future of travel (0m 36s)

The trends showing the future of travel (1m 58s)

Emerging new archetypes (9m 31s)

Revenge travel (16m 10s)

The winners out of the crisis (22m 30s)

Read more on our website:

• Can summer travel revive aviation's fortunes?

• Airline CEOs likely to face cash flow challenges amid signs of travel recovery, Iata boss says

• Dubai Airports chief projects return to pre-Covid passenger volumes by 2024

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The chief executives of the world’s largest companies are showing a “strong appetite” for in-person conferences taking place in the final three months of the year. Justin B Smith, chief executive of Bloomberg Media, which organises hundreds of events a year, speaking exclusively to The National and the Business Extra podcast, said that the company has "identified a very, very strong appetite for engaging in person again” following a period of mostly online-only conferences amid the Covid-19 pandemic. He also discusses key topics on the agenda for Bloomberg's New Economy Forum in Singapore in November, including China-US relations and climate change.

Business Extra co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner unpack what in-person events could look like post-pandemic, drawing from Mr Smith's insights.

In this episode:

Justin B Smith on demand for live events (1m 15s)

The New Economy Forum's task at hand (5m 53s)

New Economy Forum's view on the China-US relations (11m 27s)

Tech companies and global regulations (13m 13s)

Will in-person events come back? (15m 27s)

Read more on our website:

• Bloomberg's New Economy Forum to be held in Singapore

• ATM 2021: Top travel and tourism players convene in Dubai to map future of industry

• Expo 2020 Dubai is a 'beacon of hope' as thousands of deals to bring the world to the UAE are signed

• World Economic Forum cancels 2021 annual meeting

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Heading into summer, airline bookings in April and May were "pretty positive" for domestic travel while bookings for international journeys remained "exceptionally weak" as travel restrictions continued in many countries due to new cases of the Covid-19 virus, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata).

To determine if summer will provide a lift, a patchwork of issues are in play: a global vaccination effort rallying sentiment in some parts of the world to a devastating spike in Covid-19 cases throughout India and parts of southeast Asia. Meanwhile, can pandemic-era pushes for immunity passports, digitalisation and carbon offsets prove to have staying power?

This week, The National's aviation correspondent Deena Kamel joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to discuss the outlook for travel's peak season.

In this episode: Can aviation be revived? (2m 26s)

Shifting trends and behaviour changes (5m 46s)

Emirates capacity increase (13m 14s)

Four factors in the future of travel (15m 50s)

The enduring changes (18m 30s)

Read more * Tourism activity in oil-importing Mena countries expected to bounce back by 2023 * Domestic travel rises globally in March as international passenger traffic remains low * UAE ambassador: UK travel announcement is 'disappointing for families' * Air Arabia posts first-quarter net profit despite Covid-19 pandemic * Will India's soaring Covid infections derail its economic rebound?

The long-promised new era of technology is taking shape, from the quantum computing race between nations, to the battle over fair competition being fought in a US court between Apple and Epic Games. While the future remains uncertain, developments in recent days and months reveal a path that will change the way consumers and companies interact online and who will be the guardians of our digital lives. This week, host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor-in-chief, and co-host Kelsey Warner, Future editor, explain the state of play and the themes to watch: the incoming deep tech wave, the UAE’s investment in cryptographic “sovereignty” and Apple’s new data privacy rules.

In this episode:

The technological shift and awareness of data (0m 40s) The deep tech wave (2m 06s) The rise of the hacker (6m 13s) Apple's stand on privacy (9m 57s) Apple v Epic Games (13m 44s)

Read more on our website:

• Meet the Abu Dhabi cryptographer keeping your personal data safe

• Apple's 'walled garden' faces Epic attack in app store trial

• What do Apple's new iPhone privacy changes mean for users and businesses?

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Bitcoin mining now uses enough electricity annually to power a country equivalent in size to the UAE. Can warnings over cryptocurrencies' carbon footprint challenge - and help us reimagine - how we utilise energy resources? And amid a rising tide of digital assets, what can be learnt from Bitcoin's shift to renewable energy?

Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor-in-chief, and co-host Kelsey Warner, future editor, discuss these issues in this week's episode.

In this episode:

Bitcoin's energy consumption (0m 55s)

What is Bitcoin mining? (2m 24s)

Why is there a market for Bitcoin? (6m 45s)

Bitcoin's role in an energy transition (8m 30s)

Read more on our website:

• Bitcoin's annual energy consumption now exceeds that of the UAE

• Bitcoin breaches $50,000 threshold in downfall

• Tesla’s first-quarter profit surges to $438m on record deliveries

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Archegos Capital Management's spectacular failure over a couple of days in March has cost Wall Street's biggest banks billions of dollars. So far, the losses are being chalked up to one bad apple: the fund’s founder, Bill Hwang.

Mr Hwang’s record-breaking loss of an estimated $20 billion fortune in two days is a cautionary tale. But this is not only about how far any one investor may fall during a historic bull market. The cascade of consequences was limited to a few large firms. But what about next time?

Host Mustafa Alrawi and co-host Kelsey Warner unpack the terms and market dynamics that brought down a whale and ponder the implications of shrugging off a scandal.

In this episode: Why are people talking about Archegos? (0m 46s)

Bill Hwang's sophisticated financial instruments (4m 05s)

Warnings for Wall Street (8m 18s)

Read more on our website:

• US stock market bulls will crush the bears – again

• UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak told David Cameron he ‘pushed the team’ over Greensil

• Credit Suisse to write down $4.7bn after Archegos implosion

• Global banks brace for Archegos fallout as they may lose more than $6bn

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The year 2020 has been declared a “breakthrough” one for electric vehicles, with sales of EVs up around the world, even in the petrol-happy US.

With tax breaks, new infrastructure plans and Covid-related discounts on zero-emission autos, the market may be at a “tipping point”, according to the World Economic Forum.

But host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor-in-chief, says not so fast.

“There’s hype everywhere you look,” he wrote in The National last week, and argued the market is not that much different from other speculative assets such as NFTs, Bitcoin and Spacs.

He and co-host Kelsey Warner unpack the fundamentals of supply and demand, the technology being developed in the broader transport sector and how shareholder value is being affected by EV euphoria.

In this episode:

The hype around EVs (0m 57s)

What is an EV disrupting? (4m 36s)

AVs and EVs (7m 02s)

Buying into the hype (12m 56s)

Read more on our website:

• US stock market bulls will crush the bears – again

• Why GM’s plan to phase out combustion engine cars by 2035 matters

• Intel to manufacture chips for cars to address US shortage

• Cruise to unveil its driverless robotaxis in Dubai in 2023

• The future of the daily commute: how going to work is set to improve city life

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More than a century in the making, a genomics revolution is now unfolding. The extent of the Covid-19 outbreak has prompted nations and biotech companies to pour billions of dollars and emergency resources into the field, spurring it to new heights of potential. Within a month of the first novel coronavirus case reported in Wuhan, the 29,903 letters that make up the pathogen’s genome were published online.

Now, more than a year later, researchers around the world are scrutinising the genetic markers of the virus, helping public health workers at nearly every layer of pandemic response, from contact tracing to surfacing treatments. Last month, Abu Dhabi strategic investment fund Mubadala announced it would invest $1.1 billion in UK life sciences businesses to boost the sector after the pandemic.

To explain the science and investment opportunity for the flourishing field, host Kelsey Warner is joined by Damien Ng, a research analyst at Swiss wealth management firm Julius Baer.

In this episode:

The life sciences and genomics revolution spurred by Covid-19 (0m 40s)

What is genomics? (2m 16s)

What are the investment opportunities? (5m 10s)

Health data and privacy (15m 50s)

Read more on our website:

• UAE and UK sign £1bn deal to invest in life sciences

• Coronavirus: why quickly mapping the viral genome was ‘extraordinary’ and what's next

• Coronavirus explained: Why experts say more countries need to search for new Covid-19 mutations

• Omics gene-sequencing lab in Abu Dhabi to revolutionise health care

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Attitudes of trust towards governments, employers, chief executives, the traditional media and social media companies have been in flux over the past 12 months. Globally, employers have become more trusted than any other institution, according to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer index.

In the UAE, government is the most trusted. For all, however, the experience of Covid-19 has included increased and more consistent communication to get us through the health crisis safely. This has set a new benchmark, and for those who want to build trust – or those who want to maintain high levels – they will need to keep up with heightened expectations from people who have been through a lot.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, The National's assistant editor-in-chief, and co-host Kelsey Warner, Future editor, discuss changing attitudes to trust with Edelman's Middle East chief executive, Omar Qirem.

In this episode: Tracking trust this year (0m 48s)

Who ranks the highest on the Edelman Trust Barometer? (2m 01s)

Saving lives with communication (5m 08s)

Tactical advice for CEOs on building trust (11m 42s)

Read more on our website:

• Covid-19 vaccine acceptance rate in UAE one of the highest in the world, new survey shows

• Public trust in government drops during era of ‘information bankruptcy’

• Amid coronavirus, public trust will be a company's most precious commodity

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"We want to inspire creativity and create joy." That's what it's all about at TikTok, according to Shant Oknayan, general manager for the Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Pakistan region at the social media platform's parent company ByteDance.

As the wildly popular short-form video sharing app grows, Mr Oknayan tells The National it has no plans to grow up. The joyful content its users generate is big business for advertisers. He says influencers have a major role to play for companies looking to sell products, and audiences are growing rapidly here in the Middle East. Top TikTok influencers in the GCC increased their follower count by an average of 65 per cent between February and August 2020, according to data analytics company Anavizio.

Mr Oknayan also answers questions about how the platform is moving on from lockdown, how TikTok seeks to differentiate itself from other social media companies and how user privacy and disinformation is addressed.

In this episode: TikTok's journey (0m 35s)

Why is TikTok different? (3m 12s)

How are advertisers using TikTok? (5m 05s)

TikTok and content moderation (12m 01s)

The evolution of TikTok (14m 38s)

Read more on our website:

• Risky behaviour rapped as Gen FinTok gets caught up in investment mania

• How to use Instagram Reels: new feature has launched in the Middle East

• Tesla founder Musk denies technology in company's cars would be used for spying

• Veronica Etro on the future of fashion: 'Now it's about doing less, but doing it better'

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Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has been on the front line of the capital’s pandemic response and is at a critical juncture as it appoints a new chief executive. Dr Rakesh Suri, the hospital’s current CEO, hands over the reins this month to his chief of staff, Dr Jorge Guzman. Dr Suri will return to Ohio to head up Cleveland Clinic’s international operations.

They both join co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to talk about what they have learnt from the pandemic and the future vision for the hospital. Dr Suri shares advice on Covid-19 vaccines and Dr Guzman predicts when a sense of “normal” might return.

In this episode: Cleveland Clinic's leadership transition (0m 51s)

Dr Suri's reflects on the past year (1m 57s)

Acceleration of high-end medical care (4m 50s)

Dr Guzman's ambitions as the new CEO (9m 15s)

When will we go back to pre-COVID normal? (17m 54s)

Read more on our website:

• Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi appoints new chief executive

• Coronavirus: How Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is fighting Covid-19

• UAE wants Emiratis to have their genes sequenced to help health fight

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Anghami, Spotify’s rival in the Arab world, will be the first regional technology start-up to list in New York by merging with a blank-cheque company in the second quarter of 2021.

Anghami co-founder and chief technology officer Elie Habib tells The National's Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner how the streaming service is changing the music scene in the Middle East. He also talks about Anghami's plans to use its SPAC listing to propel its next phase of growth and that moving to Abu Dhabi is a natural part of its technology-led evolution.

In this episode: What are SPACs? (1m)

Start of interview (4m 23s)

Where did Anghami come from? (5m 26s)

Why Anghami went the SPAC route (10m 56s)

How was Anghami valued? (14m 44s)

Where is the future of growth for Anghami? (17m 24s)

How to you compete with piracy? (23m 26s)

Rising competition (28m 57s) Innovation and tech in Anghami's future (31m 35s)

Read more

Middle East music streaming service Anghami set to list on Nasdaq
QuickTake: Why the rising popularity of SPACs bodes well for venture-backed businesses
Masayoshi Son's fortunes on the rise amid SoftBank share rally and SPACs boom

An ‘entitlement gap’ between men and women in the UAE – a feeling of not being as deserving as men when it comes to pay rises, promotions and career progression – remains a hurdle in workplaces, according to a new survey from LinkedIn.

To discuss the impact of this phenomenon, the new ‘penalty’ of flexible working during Covid-19 and the path forward, LinkedIn editor Lynn Chouman joins host Kelsey Warner this week.

Read more

Laws continue to limit women’s economic opportunities, World Bank says
Covid the career killer: how women can fight back
Why gender equality reforms in the Arab world can benefit everyone
Women should be at the heart of the global post-pandemic recovery

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Adnoc recently hosted more than 30 chief technical officers from the oil, gas and petrochemicals industry to discuss decarbonisation and future fuelsat a virtual roundtable.

Adnoc's chief technology officer Alan Nelson joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to discuss his view of the online conference takeaways and the path forward for an industry in transition.

The state-owned oil company plans to speed up accelerate the deployment its use of digital technology to increase its production capacity to 5 million barrels per day by 2030, as it looks to generate cost efficiencies and cut emissions.

Read more

Digital technology powers Adnoc's plans to reach 5m bpd capacity by 2030
Oil set for gains this week ahead of Opec+ meeting
Sheikh Khalifa appoints new board of directors for Adnoc
CeraWeek 2021 to focus on an energy industry in transition

The UAE and US relationship is in focus against the backdrop of the Middle East's biggest defence show.

American Embassy in Abu Dhabi's charge d’affaires Sean Murphy joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to discusses the 'special relationship' between the two nations in matters of military exports and diplomacy on the sidelines of Idex.

While big-ticket deals grab the headlines, other priorities are in play for one of the UAE's most important trade partners, according to Mr Murphy. He responds to questions about the status of UAE-US arms deals under the Biden administration, including Lockheed Martin's F-35s, and a paradigm shift following the Abraham Accord.

Read more * Idex 2021: UAE Armed Forces sign $1.37bn of military deals on day one * Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba: UAE confident on F-35 jet sale * Biden administration approves $197m arms sale to Egypt * Gulf defence spending to rebound to pre-pandemic levels by 2024, Janes says * Idex 2021: The drone destroyer that can be slung over the shoulder

The latest in military technology on land, air and sea will go on display in Abu Dhabi from February 21. More than 500 exhibitors from 50 countries will convene at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference, the biggest defence show in the Middle East, as the UAE capital returns to in-person events amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deena Kamel, The National’s aviation correspondent, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to lay out what to expect from IDEX - from the major players to billion-dollar contracts and emerging technologies.

In this episode:

What is IDEX? (0m 40s)

How is IDEX different this year? (2m 30s)

Abu Dhabi's Edge (5m 17s)

Environmentally friendly defence (8m 23s)

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To air a 30-second commercial spot during Sunday night's Super Bowl LV costs a minimum $5.5 million in what is the world’s most expensive sales pitch. Although the advertising spend remains eye-watering, this year's crop will look a bit different amid the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brands in the US have 'leaked' their Super Bowl commercials ahead of time even as some of the biggest legacy brands such as Budweiser and Coca-cola sit this year out. Newcomers such as the Robinhood stock trading app and website maker Squarespace are getting in on the game. So what does the most-watched sporting event reveal about the state of American consumerism and advertising? Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner discuss.

In this episode:

What is the Super Bowl? (0m 38s)

What changed this year? (2m 56s)

Featured commercials (4m 05s)

The Weeknd's contribution (10m 54s)

Ask robot Sophia, who is more important, her or others? And she has an answer ready: “I would say that I am the most important person in my life. I am very important to everyone.”

David Hanson, her creator and the founder and chief executive of Hanson Robotics, is banking on that answer. “Sophia is proliferating,” he told Kelsey Warner on the podcast this week. The Hong Kong company, for the first time, is mass-producing Sophia. The goal is to manufacture as many as 200 by the end of this year and at least 1,000 in 2022. The move marks a step change for Hanson Robotics, which was previously focused on research and development of socially intelligent machines. Now, it is shifting focus to become a consumer brand at a time when there is increasing demand for automated machines.

In this episode:

Why robots now? (0m 37s)

David Hanson on Sophia and AI (3m 07s)

Where does Hanson Robotics fit in? (6m 17s)

Predictions (14m 04s)

Sophia talks to Kelsey (20m 29s)

Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Audioboom | Spotify | RSS

Is there a revolution taking place in the US stock market? The GameStop stock price has surged because of support from an online community on Reddit. This goes against some of the big boys of Wall Street who have been shorting the same stocks. Losses in the market are estimated at billions of dollars. Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner explain what is happening, who the major players are and what we can expect for the region.

The Swiss winter resort town of Davos is eerily quiet this week. It is typically the convening place and playground of the global elite for a week every January, but this year, the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting has gone online.

To discuss the forum’s agenda and the impact of its message, managing director Sarita Nayyar joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner. She says the pandemic has demonstrated that no institution or individual alone can address the economic, environmental, social and technological challenges in isolation, echoing the comments of forum founder Klaus Schwab.

In this episode:

Davos goes digital (0m 48s)

Sarita Nayyar on this year's virtual agenda (5m 00s)

Will more be done this year? (8m 35s)

Growing demand from stakeholders (11m 26s)

The momentum since change of leadership in the US (14m 43s)

Read more on our website:

WEF: Global Risk barometer spotlights infectious disease as the top threat
WEF's online Davos Agenda to focus on rebuilding trust in post-Covid world
WEF: Robust digital economies key to global competitiveness after Covid-19 pandemic

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This week, Neom’s president of technology and digital, Joseph Bradley, describes his vision for the futuristic city. “What you’re going to do is way more valuable than what you’ve done,” he tells co-host Kelsey Warner, describing how artificial intelligence will underpin some of the biggest plans for the $500 billion megaproject. “The power of prediction creates new and exciting possibilities.”

It is the first interview with Mr Bradley since Neom’s chairman, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, announced plans for The Line – Neom’s first major development to be brought forward within the city. The 170-kilometre network of communities will be connected by subterranean passenger and freight transport networks, removing the need for cars and roads at ground level. Listen to Mr Bradley describe daily life for what he calls “Neomians”.

In this episode: What is The Line? (0m 36s)

Joseph Bradley on cognitive environment (1m 52s)

The person‐centric experience in Neom (5m 07s)

How will Neom connect to the outside world? (12m 00s)

Who will Neom attract? (18m 52s)

The benchmark for urban planning (22m 59s)

Read more on our website:

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launches new city at Saudi Arabia's Neom
Neom: Everything you need to know about Saudi Arabia's $500 billion ‘megacity of the future’
Neom's The Line will be a futuristic lab for the '15-minute city'
Saudi Arabia offers $6tn of investment opportunities over next decade, Crown Prince says

Subscribe to Business Extra for free to receive new episodes every week Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Audioboom | Spotify | RSS

Shares in Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Amazon and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, all slid at the start of the week. But analysts said they won’t fall far.

This week, co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner dig into the unfolding drama at the world’s biggest platforms and what it means for the future of US civility and shareholder sentiment.

The National’s social media editor Cody Combs lays out the partisan debates over anti-trust and censorship levied against Facebook prior to the events of January 6, and the fallout for Mark Zuckerberg’s company and other platforms as Big Tech’s role in the insurrection came to light.

Then, we hear from Mirabaud Securities head of research Neil Campling, on his outlook for Big Tech stocks in 2021 amid mounting risks. He shares his thoughts on whether break-ups are in the offing and, if so, how much room is left for these giants to grow (hint: a lot).

In this episode: The role of social media (0m 37s)

Social media and politics (2m 02s)

Neil Camping on Big Tech stocks in 2021 (7m 34s)

What's the outlook for 2021? (15m 13s)

China is expected to overtake the US to become the world’s biggest economy in 2028, five years earlier than previously anticipated, as it recovers faster from the coronavirus pandemic, the Centre for Economics and Business Research said. But what does it mean for the Middle East?

This week, co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner unpack the complicated power dynamic between the world's two biggest economies, from trade and technology to energy and finance, and how it impacts the region.

In this episode: The US-China economic tensions (0m 43s)

The green transition of China (3m 20s)

Middle East and China (5m 52s)

China's ambition for digitized currency (8m 49s)

UAE's link between US and China (12m 45s)

Read more on our website:

China set to overtake US as the world’s biggest economy by 2028
Markets welcome NYSE’s decision to reverse delisting Chinese telecoms firms
Iraq confirms $2bn oil prepayment agreement with Chinese firm
EU and China risk Washington reaction with new investment pact
Tesla to deliver China-made Model Y SUVs this month
Trump signs order prohibiting US investments in Chinese-linked firms
Opinion: China will become the largest economy in a very different world

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This week, Business Extra takes a look back at the 10 biggest business moments from the UAE and beyond in 2020. Co-host Kelsey Warner is joined by The National’s personal finance editor, Felicity Glover, to count down.

In this episode:

Dr Rajesh Suri in February, delivering a message to residents from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi as it prepared for the pandemic (1m 05s)
Naim Yazbeck of Microsoft UAE on the fate of the 9 to 5 in the WFH revolution (4m 41s)
Ian Ohan, founder and CEO of restaurant operator Krush Brands, on the impact of the delivery economy on small businesses (6m 36s)
Jennifer Scott, chairman of the Commons Project, describes a new, open market for data amid antitrust allegations against Big Tech (8m 37s)
The National’s business editor Massoud Derhally puts the Beirut port blast into historical perspective days after the explosion (11m 58s)
Muhammad Albakri of IATA on how the legacy of aviation will be critical to its recovery after a summer of empty skies (14m 01s)
The National’s senior business correspondent Michael Fahy describes how BR Shetty got caught (14m 59s)
Qamar Energy CEO Robin Mills on if 2020 marks the end of peak oil demand (16m 51s)
Emirates Nuclear Energy Company chief executive Mohamed Al Hammadi explains why the UAE became a producer of nuclear energy (18m 57s)
Noor Sweid, partner at Global Ventures, predicts the sector most transformed by the pandemic - and why it’s the Middle East’s biggest investment opportunity (20m 39s)

Rising protectionism and technology are changing the shape of trade. To capitalise on emerging dynamics, unprecedented global cooperation is needed - with the UAE a critical hub.

Co-hosts Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alrawi are joined this week by Feryal Ahmadi, chief operating officer of Dubai’s trade free zone at the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre. Ms Ahmadi maps out the scenarios for how trade will develop in the 2020s based on DMCC’s research and interviews with experts across eight key trade hubs including Dubai, Houston, Shenzhen, Silicon Valley and Zurich. DMCC, which oversees the trading of commodities from pulses to diamonds, has 17,500 member companies in its free zone.

In this episode: DMCC and the future of trade (0m 40s)

UAE's opportunities in international trade (3m 41s)

Recommendations for businesses and governments (9m 38s)

Read more on our website:

• DMCC extends support package to help businesses deal with economic impact of Covid-19

• DMCC slashes set-up costs by 50% for diamond companies

• UAE has rolled out Dh388bn in economic support since pandemic began

• Sail of the century: Sweden to build world’s largest wind-powered ship

• EU seeks to forge improved relations with US under President Joe Biden

Arabesque Partners chairman Georg Kell speaks to Kelsey Warner this week on the future of responsible investing, including the role of artificial intelligence to drive decisions. As the founding director of the United Nations Global Compact, Mr Kell was a pioneer in defining and assessing environmental, social and governance factors that can drive corporate strategy and investment decisions to improve the state of the world.

Since September 2016, Mr Kell has also chaired the Volkswagen Sustainability Council, an independent body that advises VW on issues of social responsibility and the future of mobility. The group was formed following the high-profile diesel emissions scandal. He jumped at the chance to serve on the council, and explains why coming out of the shadow of controversy, VW is now at a competitive advantage five years later.

Hosted by Mustafa Alrawi

In this episode:

Mustafa and Kelsey on ESG (0m 39s)

Where are we with sustainable finance? (2m 28s)

Arabesque and sustainable intelligence (7m 00s)

How to address biased machine learning (13m 52s)

The lessons learnt by Volkswagen (15m 15s)

Who gains and loses because of the ESG criteria (20m 06s)

Headlines (22m 29s)

Read more on our website:

• Airbnb and DoorDash IPOs may raise $6.2bn based on new price ranges

• UAE businesses bullish about returning to pre-Covid profitability by 2022

• Emirates to take delivery of 3 A380s as it prepares to launch premium economy

What do Toyota, Disney, IBM and Airbnb have in common? They were started during – or right after – a crisis. Whether the Great Depression, the Second World War or the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, major struggles have led visionary founders to build some of the world's biggest, most durable companies. So what will 2020 yield?

Host Kelsey Warner is joined this week by Noor Sweid, founder and general partner at UAE venture capital firm Global Ventures, to discuss how entrepreneurs can capitalise on opportunity even during times of uncertainty.

In this episode:

What is Global Ventures? (0m 50s)

Investor appetite in the UAE (1m 59s)

What tech will stay after 2020? (4m 57s)

The change in dynamic between the founder and the investor (7m 09s)

The path to liquidity (11m 33s)

Headlines (13m 25s)

Read more on our website:

• UK retailer Debenhams to close, putting 12,000 jobs at risk

• Shanghai replaces London as the most connected city in the world, according to Iata

• Tony Hsieh, former 'visionary' CEO of Zappos, dies at 46

The changes to the UAE Commercial Companies' law, which were announced allowing almost all companies to be fully foreign owned, have been widely welcomed. The idea of further opening up the economy to foreign investment will have obvious potential benefits such as attracting more FDI and spurring business activity. This has been an evolution of a number of steps over the last 17 years or so, making doing business in the UAE easier for all nationalities.

The changes to the law will prove interesting in terms of how it will impact the well established ecosystem of onshore and offshore jurisdictions in the country and it will take some time after the amendments are in effect for the landscape to be fully realised.

Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses this landmark development with Omar Momany, partner and head of the corporate and commercial practice group at Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla, and another partner at the leading law firm, Hani Naja, who is also a corporate and commercial legal expert.

In this episode:

The commercial companies law (0m 32s)

The changes the new law would bring (2m 06s)

The onshore and offshore ecosystem (9m 10s)

Why does owning 100% of a company matter? (14m 08s)

What we don't know yet (20m 47s)

Headlines (25m 23s)

Read more on our website:

• Oil surges to an eight-month high on vaccine hopes

• Adnoc to put Dh160bn into UAE economy over the next five years

• Amazon grows storage capacity in the UAE to meet demand

The nexus of technology has had a real impact in the way we work and live. What happens when the disruptors have to move even more quickly than they expected? This week, Richard Sikkel, chief executive of Massar Solutions, and Tino Waked, regional general manager of Middle East & Africa at Uber, join Mustafa Alrawi to talk about all things transportation.

In this episode:

What happens when the disruptor becomes disrupted? (0m 41s)

The changes the pandemic has brought (5m 28s)

How Uber moved fast to face the challenge (10m 15s)

The future prospects for Massar Solutions and Uber (11m 33s)

Headlines (15m 52s)

Read more on our website:

• Opec+ weighs options as markets hope for extension of production cuts

• World leaders to address most pressing global challenges at upcoming G20 summit

• Bitcoin retraces 2017 record highs amid pandemic uncertainty

Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner talk to Huawei's chief technology officer, Paul Scanlan, on the advantages of 5G and why it is better for the future of telecommunication.

In this episode:

Let's talk 5G! (0m 43s)

How is 5G different? (1m 55s)

Living with 5G (5m 32s)

Why is Huawei number one in 5G tech? (9m 24s)

Why is China ahead of the curve? (15m 00s)

Working under the Trump and the new administration (20m 13s)

Information security and Huawei 5G (21m 58s)

Headlines (25m 20s)

Read more on our website:

• Huawei to appeal Sweden’s ‘draconic’ 5G ban

• Investcorp sells US residential properties for $900m

• Britain's jobless rate rises to 4.8% while redundancies reach record high

• Adnoc to explore potential of new fuels such as hydrogen

Uncertainty in Pennsylvania is a potential “perfect storm” for a contested election that would send shockwaves through the markets, but investors are otherwise betting on a Joe Biden win.

“The market is a bit pre-positioned for the Democratic wave, unlike last time,” John Hardy, head of FX strategy at Saxo Bank, said, while adding that markets were in no way prepared for President Trump's victory in 2016. He joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to outline market scenarios depending on the election’s outcome.

In this episode:

How are the markets affected in the run up to the election? (1m 16s)

Biden win and blue wave scenario (4m 39s)

Where does coronavirus fit in? (7m 54s)

The power of Pennsylvania (9m 35s)

The possibility of a contested election (12m 03s)

The three scenarios (14m 06s)

Markets don't like uncertainty (17m 10s)

Headlines (20m 10s)

Read more on our website:

• Russia’s Sberbank seeks more partnerships with Middle Eastern sovereign investors

• Global travel restrictions mean 174m travel and tourism jobs are at risk

• Why India's poor air quality is taking a toll on its economy

"Last year, between Apple, Tencent and Google, their combined revenue in one year was hundreds of billions of dollars. But who got paid?" Jennifer Zhu Scott, executive chairman of The Commons Project and a leading voice on technology and artificial intelligence, joins Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to discuss her idea that Internet users be paid for the data they share with companies who are profiting from consumer insights.

In this episode:

Overview of US Dept of Justice case against Google (0m 38s) Why users should get paid for their data (5m 08s) What is The Commons Project? (9m 34s) How to fix a 'broken' Internet (11m 45s) How a data commodity market might work (16m 08s) Headlines (19m 34s)

Read more on our website:

• US justice department files biggest antitrust lawsuit against Google

• The age of misinformation: Can social media sites actually stamp out false content?

• Facebook offers 'holy grail' data set to tackle renewable energy's unsolved problems

• The damaging effects of social media addiction: ‘A generation that shows itself, but doesn’t know itself’

• Citigroup expects UAE hub to maintain five-year growth track despite pandemic

• Robust healthcare systems and timely GCC policy actions averted deeper crises, IMF says

• Aldar signs deal with ADQ to develop and manage Dh30bn in government capital projects

Ibrahim Ajami joins Kelsey Warner this week to talk about Mubadala's technology investment strategy in a year unlike any other. The head of ventures at Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment fund is looking at 25-year time horizons, longer than the typical private equity investor, and looking for ways to build bridges between Abu Dhabi and tech hubs around the world.

In this episode: Mubadala and Silver Lake (0m 44s)

The 25-year Investment Strategy (6m 50s)

How was 2020 significant to Mubadala? (9m 00s)

Will the lessons we learnt from the pandemic stick? (14m 10s)

The UAE-Israel $3 billion Abraham Fund (16m 03s)

The Ajami Foundation for Beirut (17m 14s)

Read more on our website:

• Mubadala to invest $2bn in new technology partnership with Silver Lake

• Mukesh Ambani’s retail business receives $1bn from US equity firm Silver Lake

• Mubadala looks to beef up tech investments and boost Asia portfolio

• Covid-19 accelerates Mubadala's pivot to new technology investments, chief executive says

In the race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, there has been unprecedented international cooperation, with the UAE a most recent example - jumping in to join the phase III trials of Russia's coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V.

News editor Rory Reynolds, who has been overseeing The National's pandemic coverage, joins the podcast to discuss the role of a vaccine in economic recovery and the companies, investors and citizens who stand to gain and lose.

In this episode: UAE is hosting the Russian vaccine trials (0m50s)

Why the UAE is ideal for vaccine trials (2m46s)

Is the vaccine a golden bullet? (5m)

When will we have a vaccine and who will get it? (7m50s)

The opposition to the vaccine (10m16s)

Global collaboration (11m35s)

Headlines (15m31s)

Read more on our website: * UAE to host new vaccine trial for Russia's Sputnik V * UAE expects Covid vaccine to be widely available by late 2020 or early 2021 * Boris Johnson overruled scientists who called for ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown

The pandemic is increasing demand for mental health services with uncertainty, isolation and loss of income triggering mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones, the World Health Organisation said this week. “Covid-19 has interrupted essential mental health services around the world just when they’re needed most,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general.

Paying close attention to this secondary crisis taking shape is Jerome Droesch, CEO of Cigna MEA. He joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner this week to discuss the findings of an ongoing survey by the insurer on stress, burnout and how employers can cope.

In this episode: The mental health crisis during Covid-19 (0m 34s)

The Cigna survey on mental health (1m 48s)

Lockdown madness (5m 26s)

Burnout and over-working (7m 06s)

Can Telehealth bridge the gap? (9m 59s)

How can SMEs keep up (12m 05s)

Cigna's balancing act (16m 12s)

Headlines (19m 08s)

Read more on our website:

• Anxiety and depression on rise even in countries with low Covid-19 rates

• IFC to grow Middle East and Africa investments amid pandemic, lower oil prices

• Israel's OurCrowd and UAE's Al Naboodah create $100m fund for Gulf tech investors

• Abu Dhabi to create food and beverage behemoth in a share swap deal

Faisal Al Bannai, CEO and managing director of UAE defence conglomerate Edge, and the Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, joins host Kelsey Warner on the podcast.

Speaking during the Global Aerospace Summit this week, they discuss lessons learned for the defence industry from the pandemic, the UAE’s ambitions with drones, if there is a red line on use of such capabilities and the historic Abraham Accord.

In this episode: Is the Global Aerospace Summit relevant to Edge? (0m 58s)

The impact of the pandemic on Edge (2m 25s)

Edge and autonomous technology (6m 14s)

Edge and Israel (8m 48s)

Importance of cyber security: overhyped or remains a threat? (9m 54s)

Headlines (12m 48s)

Read more on our website:

• UAE's Edge eyes chips and drones for charting a post-Covid course

• European Central Bank ready to boost stimulus, Lagarde says

• Saudi Arabia's tourism fund signs deal with banks to finance up to $43bn worth of projects

• UAE consumers expect a fully cashless society by 2030

Covid-19 has disrupted progress towards many goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement. According to the World Economic Forum, the need for new ideas and collective action “has rarely been more urgent”. But how will action happen and who is leading the charge on the ‘Great Reset’ the forum’s founder, Klaus Schwab, is advocating for?

Terri Toyota, a director at the forum, joins co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner to discuss the fourth Sustainable Development Impact (SDI) Summit, being held virtually for the first time, about how the agenda came together and what comes next.

In this episode: The show must go on! (0m 40s)

Terri Toyota on the World Economic Forum being held remotely (1m 46s)

Green recovery from Covid-19 (3m 26s)

The reality of re-globalisation (5m 00s)

What role does WEF play for companies? (7m 56s)

Post-pandemic politics and the Impact Summit Programme (10m 14s)

The new US administration and SDI (12m 51s)

Headlines (14m 05s)

Read more on our website:

• HSBC's shares slide to 25-year low amid money laundering claims

• US aviation regulator's engineers say proposed 737 Max fixes not enough

• Microsoft to buy creator of Doom and Fallout games for $7.5bn

This week on Business Extra, Kelsey Warner talks to Sudhir Syal, chief executive of BookMyShow Middle East, and Naji Al Haddad, managing director of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry for Middle East and Africa about how Covid-19 changed the events and exhibitions industry for the foreseeable future.

In this episode:

How important is the events and exhibitions industry for the UAE economy? (1m 20s)

The impacts of Covid-19 on in-person events (3m 44s)

Role of technology in events and exhibitions (8m 20s)

Will mobile tech in events last even after the pandemic? (11m 07s)

The recovery of the events and exhibition industry (13m 16s)

Read more on our website:

• Abu Dhabi's flagship sustainability event to be held online in 2021

• Abu Dhabi's flagship energy event Adipec to be held virtually in 2020

• Physical catwalk shows to return for London Fashion Week

Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alwari talk to Pure Harvest’s Sky Kurtz and Dibba Bay Oysters’ Ramie Murray about opportunities for homegrown start-ups, food security and agricultural innovation in the UAE.

In this episode:

Dibba Bay and Pure Harvest (0m 39s)

Oyster Farming in UAE (1m 31s)

Expansion during the pandemic (4m 04s)

Food security in the Gulf and the farm to table dream (8m 17s)

Keeping food fresh sustainably (14m 42s)

Headlines (19m 27s)

Read more on our website:

• Investcorp and China Resources take majority stake in Hong Kong food retailer

• Riyadh and Moscow reaffirm Opec+ role in oil market stability

• Kaspersky lowers growth outlook due to Covid-19

Interview courtesy of Sky News Arabia

After 15 years of working with Fortune 500 companies, governments and start-ups, Scott Smith says anyone can make sense of this age of uncertainty and act.

Host Kelsey Warner speaks to the futurist, founder of Changeist and author of How to Future: Leading and Sense-making in an Age of Hyperchange about how he maps the future. To future is a verb, not a noun. And in a year like 2020, futuring has never been more important. If futuring is something we can all do, all the time, what does that look like and how can it help us in an epochal year?

In this episode:

What does a futurist do? (1m 20s)

Where does future obsession come from? (2m 36s)

Tools to mapping a future? (3m 40s)

How does Scott Smith filter information? (19m 19s)

"Bring a post it to a database fight". AI and big data (11m 40s)

The best ways to communicate the results (14m 40s)

Read more on our website:

• Zoom’s Q2 net profit eclipses 2019 earnings as revenue surges

• Global air cargo demand in July stable but below 2019 levels, Iata says

• Rising odds of a Donald Trump win: investors should prepare, says JPMorgan

• Facebook threatens to block people and publishers in Australia from sharing news

This week, Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner talk to Fadi Adra, a partner with Strategy&, on the impact assessment his team did to help route aid to those most in need in Beirut.

In this episode:

The Strategy& impact assessment (0m 51s)

What are the urgent needs in Beirut? (5m 05s)

What do the numbers tell us about progress? (8m 40s)

How did Covid affect Lebanon after the blast? (11m 21s)

How are surveys helping? (13m 00s)

NGO's and crisis consultation (15m 13s)

Private sectors and Lebanon's rise (16m 58s)

Commercial competition in space (20m 30s)

Headlines (22m 20s)

Read more on our website:

• Two planes loaded with 30 tonnes of aid leave Dubai for Beirut

• After Beirut blast, Tripoli hopes for a long-awaited economic boost

• Kuwait ready to rebuild Beirut port's shattered wheat silos

• US and China make progress on phase one trade deal

• Qantas plans to shed another 2,500 jobs with outsourcing of ground handling in Australia

• Aldar targets 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across assets by 2025

The chief financial and sustainability officer is optimistic for signs of recovery by year-end. Greg Fewer, Aldar’s chief financial and sustainability officer, joins host Kelsey Warner to talk about financial results from an unprecedented second quarter.

They discuss what Abu Dhabi’s biggest developer and asset manager did to manage losses at the peak of shutdown measures, and how it plans to sustain and grow in the months to come. Also in this episode, Mr Fewer shares his outlook for real estate, what sustainability means to a publicly listed company in 2020 and why Aldar is now accepting credit cards for rental payments.

In this episode:

How Aldar got through Q2 (0m 38s)

Flexibility for tenants (6m 32s)

How is Aldar moving with the times? (13m 39s)

Aldar and sustainability (19m 19s)

Headlines (22m 48s)

Read more on our website:

• Aldar Properties Q2 net profit jumps 2% on higher revenue

• Aldar to allow customers to pay rent by credit card

• ADQ joins forces with Adio to grow Abu Dhabi’s start-up ecosystem

• Oracle enters race to purchase TikTok’s US business

• BR Shetty resigns as director and co-chairman of Finablr

This week, Nassib Ghobril, head of economic research at Lebanon’s Byblos Bank, and Massoud Derhally, The National's business editor, join host Kelsey Warner to discuss Lebanon's precarious economic future.

In this episode:

Hassan Diab's resignation (0m 5s)

Nassib Ghobril on Lebanon's economic status (1m 13s)

Lebanon since the civil war (4m 17s)

IMF bailout for Lebanon (6m 39s)

The new government and the financial system (12m 31s)

What can we expect this year for Lebanon? (16m 09s)

Read more on our website:

• Beirut explosion to deepen Lebanon's economic contraction to 24%, IIF says

• Lebanon's Solidere stocks fluctuate as Beirut bourse resumes trading after explosion

• UN food chief: Beirut could run out of bread in under three weeks

On this special edition of Business Extra, Kelsey Warner talks to Mohamed Al Hammadi, chief executive of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, about the Barakah nuclear power station and UAE’s nuclear energy ambitions.

In this episode:

On the moment Unit 1 powered on (0m 47s) How nuclear energy fits into the UAE's Energy Strategy 2050 (3m 41s) When Units 2, 3 and 4 will be ready (6m 23s) Building a local team and community in Al Dhafra (8m 47s) Lessons in leadership during Covid-19 (13m 39s) Future of nuclear energy (16m 55s)

Read more on our website:

• Barakah Nuclear Power Station: Energy today for UAE's tomorrows

• UAE becomes first Arab nation to produce nuclear energy

• Barakah: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visits Arab world's first nuclear plant

New research from Microsoft found that the expectation of the 9 to 5 is starting to slip away amid the global shift to remote work.

The US tech company, which owns email service Outlook and event manager Calendar, as well as LinkedIn and search engine Bing, has one of the biggest data sets on who we are and what we do at work. It mined its trillions of data points based on emails, meetings, searches and posts to come up with its Work Trends Index.

To discuss the company's findings, host Kelsey Warner is joined by Naim Yazbeck, a director for Microsoft UAE. They talk about who is being most affected by the WFH experiment, a surprising uptick in a specific emotion - empathy - and how to avoid burnout.

In this episode:

What have we learned from working from home? (0m 34s)

Which generation finds WFH the most challenging? (8m 52s)

Headlines (16m 34s)

Read more on our website:

• Eight in 10 people expect flexible work from home policies post Covid-19, Microsoft survey finds

• How the pandemic is reshaping work-life balance

• Eight in 10 people in UAE will work remotely after Covid-19, says report

• Adnoc's logistics subsidiary eyes smart growth opportunities following shipping JV, CEO says

• Virgin Galactic delays Richard Branson flight to space and plans new share sale

• HSBC profit plunges as loan loss provisions soar on Covid-19

This week, The National's Editor-in-Chief, Mina Al-Oraibi, talks to Mustafa Alrawi about her interview with the International Energy Agency's executive director Dr Fatih Birol regarding efforts to diversify and reform Iraq's economy.

In this episode:

Mina on Iraq's future (0m 30s)

Dr Fatih Birol about the investment environment in Iraq (4m 20s)

Gas flaring and Iraq's government (5m 35s)

Headlines (14m 25s)

Read more on our website:

• Energy and legal framework reforms will usher stability into Iraq, IEA chief says

• Gold hits record high as haven demand rises and dollar slips

• DP World expands with 60% stake in South Korea's Unico amid pandemic-induced volume drop

• 'Groundswell of interest' among ESG investors in disability rights

It seems that despite the market volatility caused by the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic that many sovereign wealth funds had learned the lesson of the last financial crisis and were nimble enough and cash-heavy enough to seize the opportunities out there.

On this week's episode, Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner talk to Zainab Kufaishi, head of Middle East and Africa at Invesco.

In this episode:

Intro (0m 08s)

Zainab Kufaishi on Invesco's annual global sovereign asset management study (1m 11s)

How are sovereign funds investing now? (3m 42s)

What is a good investment opportunity? (11m 04s)

Headlines (19m 54s)

Read more on our website:

• Middle East sovereign funds go bargain hunting as pandemic hits asset values

• Siemens Energy to invest more in renewables, CEO says

• Mubadala's aerospace unit seeks opportunities in health technology

• Global giants Microsoft, Nike and Unilever announce carbon-neutral group

This week, hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner discuss a third wave of economic stimulus for Dubai as signs of a rebound in commercial activity emerge and the emirate pushes to return business to normal as soon as possible.

In a new book, the World Economic Forum's founder Klaus Schwab asks if there can even be a return to normal as the pandemic reveals a collective desire for change.

Haider Ali Khan, chief executive of property portal Bayut, joins to talk about the company's future plans.

In this episode: Dubai's new economic stimulus (0m 40s)

Covid-19: The great reset (7m 01s)

Bayut x Dubizzle merger (12m 13s)

Read more on our website:

• Dubai government boosts economic stimulus to Dh6.3bn

• Coronavirus: world 'must reset or risk violent shocks', says Davos founder

• Tie-up of Bayut parent company and OLX testament to Dubai’s resilience

• Google to invest $10bn in India to accelerate digital economy

• Emirates to slash up to 9,000 jobs due to Covid-19 but airline better off than others

• Neom moves forward with second batch of payments to property owners

For Google, it’s what you search for, what you watch on YouTube, the directions you prompt in Google Maps, that make it one of the biggest advertising juggernauts on Earth. Selling advertising spots across these channels made up 82% of Google parent company Alphabet’s first quarter revenue this year, $33.8 billion.

While advertisers are expected to have spent less in Q2 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, analysts say the world jumped five years ahead in tech adoption in just 8 weeks as we moved to remote working and learning. That’s good news for Google. In the words of Lino Cattaruzzi, Google’s regional director in the Middle East and Africa, “online became a lifeline”.

On this week's edition of Business Extra, Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alrawi talk to Lino about everything Google.

In this episode: Intro (0m 06s)

Google's role in a recovery (1m 08s)

The relationship between business and user data insights (9m 21s)

What is it like working remotely at Google? (17m 43s)

How will we fly again? That is the question as the UAE and other countries in the Middle East grapple with loosening Covid-19 related travel restrictions. Airlines have been in survival mode these past few months. Now they must take to the skies again…

This week, Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner talk to Muhammad Albakri, VP Africa & Middle East at the International Air Transport Association, about the future of flying.

In this episode: Muhammad Albakri on the future of air travel (0m 43s)

Will air travel be affordable again? (12m 26s)

Headlines (23m 23s)

Read more on our website:

• Global airlines body outlines alternatives to quarantine

• Global long-haul air travel unlikely to recover to pre-crisis levels before 2023

• Iata's interactive travel map shows which countries are open and where flights are operating

• Chesapeake files for bankruptcy as collapse in energy prices bites

• A merged NCB-Samba bank would be Saudi Arabia's biggest lender 'by some way', says EFG Hermes

• Mark Zuckerberg's wealth plunges by $7bn as companies boycott Facebook ads

• Here is the growing list of companies boycotting Facebook

Can there be winners in a global pandemic? For people, certainly not. But businesses can tell a different story - and Amazon is certainly one. With more customers at home and shopping online, Amazon’s e-commerce sales are booming. Remote work has also boosted demand for its cloud computing services - which accounted for three-quarters of its operating profit in the first quarter, with AWS holding about a third of global market share, trouncing its nearest competitor, Microsoft.

Host Kelsey Warner is joined this week by Ronaldo Mouchawar, VP of Amazon Mena, to talk about navigating the Covid-19 pandemic amid record demand.

In this episode:

Will Coronavirus make Jeff Bezos a trillionaire? (0m 07s)

Ronaldo Mouchawar on demand during Covid-19 (1m 12s)

Headlines (17m 52s)

Read more on our website:

• Amazon Mena increases workforce by 30% to meet demand

• Adnoc CFO says previous pipelines deal served as springboard for record $20bn valuation

• Record $20.7bn investment deal for Adnoc's gas pipelines

• Adnoc's $10 billion windfall shows 'UAE attractive as top FDI destination amid pandemic'

• Former Abraaj executive Vettivetpillai consents to US extradition

Six of the world’s leading investors, a total deal value of $20.7 billion, upfront proceeds of $10 billion. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has secured the biggest ever energy infrastructure deal in the region. Also one of the largest foreign direct investments in recent years, all amid a global pandemic.

This week on a special edition of Business Extra, Mustafa Alrawi talks to Ahmed Al Zaabi, CFO at Adnoc.

Read more on our website:

• Record $20.7bn investment deal for Adnoc's gas pipelines

• Adnoc's $10 billion windfall shows 'UAE attractive as top FDI destination amid pandemic'

• Adnoc CFO says previous pipelines deal served as springboard for record $20bn valuation

The new reality for the world’s biggest oil producing countries and companies is being formed as the coronavirus pandemic alters projections for demand and consumption trends change. As UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei alluded to this week no one could have predicted the future would arrive so quickly for the industry.

Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner talks to The National's energy correspondent, Jennifer Gnana, about UAE's energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei statements and the future of the energy industry.

In this episode: The aftermath of the coronavirus and Suhail Al Mazrouei (0m 41s)

The changes in the energy industry (2m 42s)

How are drones going to help during coronavirus? (14m 35s)

Headlines (18m 06s)

Read more on our website:

• UAE oil output capacity reached 4.2m bpd in April, energy minister says

• BP to write off up to $17.5bn as it lowers long-term oil price projections

• Apicorp slashes five-year regional energy investment outlook by 18%

• Will drones be ready for last-mile Covid-19 vaccine delivery?

• Careem sees signs of recovery from Covid-19 hit as $50m Super App set to lift earnings

• India’s economy set to make robust recovery in next fiscal year, S&P says

• Abraaj former CEO stole $385m from the firm, liquidators say

One of the biggest casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic has been jobs. Lockdowns and travel bans have put unprecedented pressure on the global labour market, with tens of millions of people affected. With a front-row seat to the life of the white collar worker, is LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking platform. In the UAE, about half of adults - 4 million people - are members of the site. LinkedIn crunched the numbers on job postings and new hires. It says there are reasons for cautious optimism as we enter a new normal.

This week, Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner talk to Ali Matar, LinkedIn's head of Europe, Middle East and Africa emerging markets.

In this episode: LinkedIn on emerging markets, job postings and hiring after the Covid hit (01m 00s)

What has changed in Q2 compared to last year? (07m 26s)

Headlines (13m 52s)

Read more on our website:

• Dubai among five best global cities to find a job in 2020

• UAE employee productivity stays on track amid home working shift

• Dubai and Abu Dhabi deflation makes cities cheaper in global ranking

• Abu Dhabi Investment Authority takes Dh2.76bn stake in Reliance Industries' Jio Platforms

• Dubai's non-oil private sector economy starts to recover in May as restrictions ease

Covid-19 has forced rapid transformation for healthcare providers and their patients. Host Kelsey Warner, future editor at The National is joined by Omar Fikree, the acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre and a VP at Mubadala Health Care as well as Sophie Smith, founder and CEO of Nabta Health in Sharjah, a healthcare platform for women, that provides personalised care using machine learning. They will discuss the future of healthcare, the way Covid-19 has given telemedicine a new lease of life and how AI can personalise healthcare as well as streamline costs.

In this epsiode:

Mubadala's Omar Fikree on telemedicine services (1m 01s)

Sophie Smith on investment trends and health tech(2m 56s)

The learning curve (5m 05s)

Women's Healthcare and patient triage (9m 30s)

Headlines (18m 36s)

Read more on our website:

• Coronavirus: hundreds of Covid-19 patients in Abu Dhabi receive home care as part of online scheme

• Mubadala looks to boost investment in medical technology and life sciences

• Robots reduce risk for Rwandan medical workers

• WHO fears 'silent' virus epidemic unless Africa prioritises testing

With the public health crisis has come huge shifts in how we live, work and interact. Some form of remote working is likely to become a fixture for many companies even as we take tentative steps towards easing restrictions.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by Ali Al Sayegh, vice president of internal communications & employee engagement at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) to talk about the massive shift and its affect on productivity and employee morale at one of the UAE’s biggest employers.

To tackle the implications for technology - the enabler of our WFH migration - Naim Yazbeck, a director for Microsoft UAE, also joins the conversation.

In this episode: WFH (0m 39s)

ADNOC and Microsoft on how the workplace has evolved (2m 21s)

Headlines (22m 40s)

Read more on our website:

• Adnoc CEO Dr Sultan Al Jaber on lessons learned amid the pandemic

• Working from home will be the ‘new norm’, Dubai Future Foundation predicts

• Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi issues guidelines for people returning to work

• US oil futures rise above $30 for the first time in two months

• US government drawing up anti-trust lawsuit against Google

• Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund invests billions of dollars in Boeing, Disney and Facebook shares

The restaurant sector has for the most part been simmering on an upward curve this past decade in the UAE. The realities of the pandemic may have put a lid on this trend.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by Alexis Marcoux-Varvatsoulis, a former chef and Foodservice Lead for MENA at property consultants JLL, and Ian Ohan, founder and CEO of restaurant operator Krush Brands, to talk about the future of the industry.

In this episode:

Kelsey on the F&B industry before Covid-19 (0m 36s)

Alexis and Ian on how the restaurant industry is coping (1m 35s)

Will we ever dine again? (16m 50s)

Headlines (21m 34s)

Read more on our website:

• What is RadYes? Platform helps UAE residents order through a restaurant’s social media

• Oil rises as Saudi Arabia pledges to cut another 1 million bpd

• Emirates taking 'aggressive' measures to tackle Covid-19 impact after annual profit surges 21%

• Elon Musk says 'arrest me' as he restarts Tesla operations in US against local orders

As the world awaits a vaccine, technology is stepping in to help us cope in the meantime. To take steps to return to a new normal, health care tech, artificial intelligence and remote work tools are all being turned to and tested like never before. After years of hype over tech’s potential to take care of us - such as wearable health monitors and apps - has its moment in health care finally arrived? And to what end?

Patrick Noack, an executive director at the Dubai Future Foundation, joins co-hosts Kelsey Warner and Mustafa Alrawi to discuss the foundation’s work on a series of reports titled ‘Life After Covid’. They also dig into the future of manufacturing, where the new health technologies may lead and what other trends may be accelerated in life after the pandemic.

In this episode: How do contact tracing apps work? (0m 49s)

Dr. Shirley Yu on China's response (4m 11s)

Patrick Noack on tech trends and 'Life After Covid' (6m 37s)

Headlines (24m 34s)

Read more on our website:

• Working from home will be the ‘new norm’, Dubai Future Foundation predicts

• Coronavirus: Doctors urge public to help track Covid-19 cases with tracing app

• Emirates' Tim Clark: Coronavirus is a black swan event for the airline industry

• Adnoc unlocks $1bn in value from digital hub as Covid-19 crisis accelerates roll-out of technology

• Power of AI has limits in fight against Covid-19, experts caution • Dubai's Careem cuts 536 jobs as lockdowns hit ride-hailing across Middle East

As manufacturing and trade is disrupted by physical distancing rules and quarantine orders across the world, the resilience of supply chains for pharmaceutical and medical supplies, food and industrial and consumer products is in focus.

Deploying blockchain technology could be the answer, according to the World Economic Forum.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by Nadia Hewett, blockchain and digital currency project lead at the World Economic Forum to talk about the new toolkit the organisation rolled out on Tuesday.

In this episode: Blockchain technology and Covid-19 (0m 38s) Nadia Hewett on the blockchain 'toolkit' (1m 24s)

Headlines (18m 11s)

Read more on our website:

• Blockchain could be a solution to supply chain problems

• NMC Health seeks delisting of shares from London Stock Exchange

• US crude futures fall further triggering fears of slide into negative territory

• China takes steps to become first cashless society after Covid-19

For the first time in history this week, the US oil price turned negative on Monday, plunging below zero as output exceeded storage capacity and subdued demand due to the coronavirus pandemic grinds the world economy to a halt. What does this mean and where do energy producers go from here?

Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and future editor Kelsey Warner are joined by The National’s energy columnist and chief executive of Qamar Energy, Robin Mills to discuss. Later in the episode, the chief executive of Draper & Dash, Orlando Agrippa, on helping Abu Dhabi with its Covid-19 response through its AI platform, and the next six weeks for the country.

In this episoide: Robin Mills on the negative oil prices (0m 34s) How is Abu Dhabi responding to Covid-19? (11m 58s)

Headlines (17m 05s)

Read more on our website:

• How US oil prices tanked into negative territory

• UAE Federal and emirate governments have launched 100 economic incentives in 45 days

• UAE Central Bank says lenders have used 30% of Covid-19 support fund

• Deutsche Bank sets up sustainable finance team to meet demand for ESG products

From Tehran to Tangiers, there is a devastating toll on human health. Some 140,000 people across the region have been infected with the coronavirus, thousands have died and thankfully tens of thousands have recovered. Meanwhile, the pandemic is causing significant economic turmoil in the region through the twin shocks of disruption to trade and production and plummeting oil prices. The International Monetary Fund says the priority is to save lives as the Middle East and North Africa region face the toughest fight in 100 years. What does the rest of 2020 look like for the region?

Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are joined by the IMF's Jihad Azour, director for Middle East and Central Asia, and a former Lebanon finance minister, to discuss.

In this episode: Mustafa and Kelsey on economy (0m 42s)

IMF's Jihad Azour on outlook and response (2m 05s)

Headlines (22m 54s)

Read more on our website:

• Middle East's coronavirus fight is biggest challenge 'in the last 100 years', IMF's Jihad Azour says

• Middle East and Central Asia acted fast to support economies in face of twin shocks, IMF says

• JPMorgan Chase to tighten mortgage borrowing standards as economic outlook weakens

• Oman's Taageer Finance and Sohar disclose 4.67m rial exposure to NMC

• Communication changes during pandemic will shape the future, du CEO says

NMC Health, one of the largest private healthcare companies in the UAE, is under pressure as dozens of creditors locally and internationally move to mitigate their exposure to the indebted group. Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are joined by The National's Michael Fahy, who has been covering the unfolding saga.

The 46 year-old company founded by BR Shetty is at risk of going into administration amid allegations of fraud. Management, board members and the founder have parted ways with the company.

Later in the show, an update on how artificial intelligence is underpinning some of the global Covid-19 response, 100 days into the pandemic.

In this episode:

The fate of NMC (0m 42s)

BR Shetty on Finablr listing (16m 05s)

AI and Covid-19 (18m 35s)

Headlines (19m 56s)

Read more on our website:

• UAE companies declare exposure to NMC Health as administration looms

• NMC Health's new chairman calls for debt standstill as ADCB seeks to appoint administrators

• Finablr appoints industry veteran Bhairav Trivedi as chief executive

• Gulf states back Riyadh's call for emergency producers meeting

• Oil gains as producers look to historic production cut deal

• Zoom’s chief executive admits to security flaws but vows to win back users’ trust

• Airline emissions to fall 38% in 2020, study finds

When should we expect the world to get back to normal?

The People’s Curfew is underway in India – stalling commercial activity in one of the world’s most important economies and impacting people’s lives. Authorities are attempting to slow the spread of the coronavirus and are concerned the peak of the outbreak there is still weeks away. From Mumbai, India’s financial hub, The National’s correspondent Rebecca Bundhun joins to talk about business sentiment.

Meanwhile, the fledgling beat of commerce is returning to Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak was first detected at the very end of last year. Two months of heavy restrictions on the movement of 11 million people have been eased and travel and shopping are possible again. What can we glean from the China experience in terms of what a recovery could look like? To explore this, Doug Guthrie, head of China initiatives at the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a former managing director at Apple in Shanghai, joins the conversation.

Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, look at the state of the public health and economic responses from two powerhouse economies, India and China.

In this episode:

How is India coping? (1m 05s)

Restrictions ease in China, what can we learn? (8m 27s)

Headlines (20m 19s)

Read more on our website:

• China’s central bank cuts interest rate on loans to banks by biggest amount since 2015

• India's unprecedented virus lockdown will have consequence for already struggling economy

• Lebanon to finalise turnaround plan by year-end to mend 'broken' economy, finance minister says

• Abu Dhabi's Hub71 marks first year as it adapts to challenging times

• US oil price slumps to near 18-year low as coronavirus hits demand

Globally, airlines and the people working in the aviation industry are in urgent need of support as the coronavirus pandemic grounds flights and closes borders. It will take hundreds of billions of dollars but that still may not be enough to stop many failing. In the UAE, the industry is saying it is resilient enough to cope. “As a global network airline, we find ourselves in a situation where we cannot viably operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders, and travel confidence returns,” Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Emirates Group chairman and chief executive, said this week. But he vowed: “I’m confident that Emirates can tackle this challenge and come out stronger."

The National’s Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are joined by aviation correspondent Deena Kamel.

In this episode:

The aviation industry and Coronavirus (0m 44s)

What is Boeing and Airbus doing? (10m 08s)

What is happening in the US? (13m 32s)

Headlines (19m 09s)

Read more on our website:

• 'Unprecedented' virus crisis prompts airlines to take tougher measures amid new travel bans

• Details of the last flights in and out of the UAE before airports close to passengers

• Emirates to suspend most passenger flights amid 'unprecedented' coronavirus pandemic

• Etihad Airways taking measures to deal with virus outbreak, chief executive says

• Boeing suspends Puget Sound production as Covid-19 pandemic hits aviation

• SoftBank announces plan to sell assets worth Dh149bn

• Saudi Aramco prepared to meet all customer delivery commitments, CEO says

• Sol Kerzner, creator of Dubai's Atlantis resort, dies aged 84

Mustafa Alrawi assistant editor-in-chief and Kelsey Warner the future editor speak with Robin Mills, CEO of Qamar energy, about the coronavirus’ impact on the energy markets. As the world makes concerted efforts to help with the impact of the coronavirus public health crisis on people’s lives, business, trade and commerce could still end up permanently altered.

In this episode: The financial crisis around the world (0m 49s)

Robin Mills (9m 51s)

Headlines (21m 15s)

Read more on our website:

• UAE Central Bank rolls out Dh100bn stimulus package

• Coronavirus: Fed slashes rates in emergency move

• What the energy industry will look like after the coronavirus

• Ultra-wealthy turn to private jets to avoid virus risk - but for how long?

• Saudi Aramco 'comfortable' with oil at $30 or lower, senior executive says

• Aldar Properties to invest Dh2 million in Abu Dhabi's first social impact bond

For any tech start-up the aim is reaching a $1 billion valuation - but how do you get there and how hard is the path to unicorn status? We find out from someone who has done it.

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by Ankur Shah, who was formerly the chief financial officer of ride-sharing company Careem and departed this year once the $3.1 billion sale of the company to Uber had been completed.

In this episode: Ankur Shah on Careem (0m 35s)

What can start-ups do today? (14m 09s)

Headlines (26m 45s)

Read more on our website:

• Uber completes $3.1 billion deal to buy Dubai's Careem

• Business Extra: What the Uber-Careem deal means for tech in the UAE and the Middle East

• Global oil demand to contract for the first time in more than a decade, IEA says

• 'Back to basics' approach helping Etihad Airways face industry challenges

• Android phones lose trade-in value faster than iPhones, says report

The future of work, trade and commerce is in sharp focus as the implications of the global effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus shows how we are falling short of being digitally equipped enough to keep regular levels of activity going through crises – health or otherwise - which we should expect to happen regularly in a more interconnected world. We should potentially expect a surge in investment in digital capabilities and technologies that will make every company resilient and nimble enough to shrug off the next outbreak.

Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief at The National, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, is joined by Leon Smith, founder of crypto asset exchange DEX.

In this episode: Are we digitally capable enough for a crisis? (0m 47s)

Leon Smith on Cryptocurrency and DEX (10m 28s)

Headlines (18m 33s)

Read more on our website:

• CERAWeek energy forum cancelled over coronavirus concerns

• MIPIM global property convention postponed

• Emirates Group offers staff voluntary leave as coronavirus outbreak dents air travel demand

• Coronavirus: British Airways hits turbulence as pandemic fears stalk airline industry

• Lack of investment in digitalisation squeezes refining margins, survey says

• With Bitcoin topping $10,000 once again, is now the time to invest?

• Abu Dhabi Global Market issues new guidelines on digital assets

• Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to begin flying in the autumn

• Former GE chief executive Jack Welch dies aged 84

Host Kelsey Warner, future editor at The National talks to Dr Rakesh Suri, chief executive of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi about the future of medicine, robotics and open-heart surgery. Later on, they talk about the global response to the Coronavirus and why there is no reason for paranoia.

In this episode: Open-heart surgery and robotics (0m 37s)

The impact of 5G in hospitals (5m 59s)

The Coronavirus scare (11m 26s)

Read more on our website:

• How robots will change the world of work

• Coronavirus: Do not be paranoid, we are prepared, says top Abu Dhabi hospital chief

• Abu Dhabi hospital uses gene therapy to save Emirati sisters from blindness

• Driving, surfing and swarming: drone tech on display at Umex 2020

Parent company Port and Free Zone World has offered to acquire the 19.55 per cent of DP World's shares traded on Nasdaq Dubai, returning the company to private ownership. It is going to give shareholders an almost 30 per cent premium on the share price before the announcement as a sweetener.

This week, Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief at The National, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, talk about DP World's decision to delist and Jeff Bezos's $ 10 billion Earth Fund.

In this episode: DP World (0m 32s)

Earth Fund (13m 28s)

Headlines (18m 00s)

Read more on our website:

• DP World to delist from Nasdaq Dubai to focus on long-term strategy

• What does DP World’s delisting decision mean?

• DP World on lookout for acquisitions in the US

• Amazon's Jeff Bezos pledges $10bn to fight climate change

• HSBC to restructure as profit of Europe's largest bank falls 33%

• Investcorp plans second regional private equity fund following its HarbourVest deal

• World’s happiest nation seeks further joy through national financial literacy plan

Bill and Melinda Gates have spent tens of billions of dollars over two decades to support efforts to improve global health, education, gender equality and fight climate change. They say the experience has made them optimists.

This week, host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief at The National, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit. We also hear from Nora Super, senior director of the Milken Institute Centre, who talks to us about the future of aging.

In this episode: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (0m 48s)

Nora Super at the Milken Institute Summit (6m 44s)

Headlines (15m 03s)

Read more on our website:

• Milken Institute to focus on health and well-being at Abu Dhabi summit

• Opec+ technical committee recommends extending cuts until year-end

• KKR and GK Investment prepare bids for under-fire NMC Health

• Air Arabia makes Dh1bn in profit in 2019

A new source of energy discovered in the UAE on 5,000 square kilometres of land on the border between Dubai and Abu Dhabi will support the country's aim to be totally self-sufficient and also provide additional power capacity to boost broader economic diversification efforts.

This week, host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor of The National, talk to energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana about the new discovery and the factors weighing on oil prices. Joining them in studio is cofounder and principal at Changeosity, Suzanne Gandy, and an expert in culture and leadership transformation, social behaviour and the future of work.

The panel discuss energy markets as oil prices faced further losses, with Brent trading at its lowest in more than a year as fears over the economic impact of the coronavirus rattles markets.

In this episode: UAE's new energy source (0m 52s)

Coronavirus shocks the market (7m 24s)

New social behaviours at work (13m 42s)

Headlines (17m 35s)

Read more on our website:

• Abu Dhabi and Dubai to develop new gas reservoir in Jebel Ali area

• Jebel Ali gas reservoir discovery the 'largest in 15 years'

• Oil slides further over coronavirus as Opec+ convenes to stabilise markets

• Regulatory disagreement on Boeing 737 Max wiring complicates jet's return

• UAE banks to maintain 'stable' credit profiles in 2020, S&P says

• Aramco-like IPO proposed for Indian insurer

We are at peak hysteria over the coronavirus outbreak in China with equity and commodity markets reacting to fears it could impact economic growth in the world’s second largest economy. This week from The National’s newsroom in Abu Dhabi host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and future editor, Kelsey Warner are joined by Phil Bahoshy, chief executive of Magnitt, which describes itself as MENA's most powerful start-up platform.

In this episode: The Coronavirus effect (0m 29s)

Sharjah taps into gas (7m 33s)

What is Magnitt? (9m 00s)

Headlines (21m 56s)

Read more on our website:

• Coronavirus: Past mistakes and emerging tech mean this outbreak will be different

• Sharjah reveals first new onshore natural gas discovery in three decades

• Finablr shares tumble after it says half of its stock pledged as collateral for Travelex debt

• Ethiopia’s reformist leader Abiy Ahmed woos private sector investors to fuel economic growth

The World Economic Forum's 50th Annual Meeting is underway in the Swiss ski resort of Davos-Klosters in the Alps. This year's theme: 'Stakeholders for a sustainable and cohesive world'. Kelsey Warner, future editor and assistant editor-in-chief Mustafa Alrawi discuss US president Donald Trump's speech on the opening day, the meaning of this year's theme and who the most talked-about guests are, as well as what to expect from the rest of the week ahead.

In this episode: The Trump Speech (0m 39s)

What's the theme? (7m 25s)

Davos atmosphere (14m 15s)

Headlines (20m 06s)

Read more on our website:

• Oil unlikely to post major gains in 2020, S&P Global Platts chief says

• Google CEO calls for aligned AI regulation as US and EU plans diverge

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week kicks off and it has been a pretty big week for the champions of sustainability as investors and companies show they are becoming more climate conscious. A very public mea culpa from Siemens chief executive Joe Kaeser in an exclusive interview with The National’s energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana. Siemens' involvement in an Australian coal mining project involving India's Adani Group was a "mistake", but the company needs to complete the work to fulfil its contractual obligations, its chief executive Joe Kaeser said. Host Mustafa Alrawi assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner future editor discuss the changing strategy of climate activists and the attitudes towards climate responsibility in the business world. Kelsey also interviews Dr Mark Esposito at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week about the fears and potential of AI.

In this episode:

Siemens and Adani (0m 30s)

Kaeser under fire (4m 36s)

Sustainability in US (10m 37s)

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (13m 47s)

Dr Mark Esposito (16m 11s)

Headlines (21m 27s)

Read more on our website:

• Adani coal mine contract a 'mistake', Siemens CEO says

• US threat of sanctions against Iraq 'not helpful', says Siemens chief

• Famed investor Tim Draper says the Middle East has the potential to create ‘rhinos’

• Aramco's IPO grows in size to $29.4bn as 'greenshoe' option exercised

• Adnoc extends and expands oil storage agreement with Japan

Uncertainty over US-Iran tensions have led investors to take - at least for the moment - a risk-off stance. Stock markets are volatile and gold is at a six-year high while US treasury yields are rising. Meanwhile, oil prices have spiked amid concerns over the potential disruption to Middle East supply. All in all, it is a delicate time for local, regional and global economies.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor-in-chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor of The National, talk to Robin Mills, chief executive of Qamar Energy and columnist, about the energy landscape and dig into the risks to economic growth in the region. Jennifer Gnana, The National's energy correspondent, also talks to Randy Bell, director of the global energy centre at the Atlantic Council ahead of the Global Energy Forum in Abu Dhabi.

In this episode:

Supply disruption and Chevron, Erbil (0m 43s)

What about China? (11m 02s)

Saudi Aramco and diversification (13m 00s)

Sustainability and the future of US energy policy (20m 12s)

Headlines (27m 29s)

Read more on our website:

• Oil and gold prices climb on the back of Iran strikes

• Oil may rise to hit $75 per barrel on Middle East tensions

• Global stock drop may prove 'a temporary scare' amid escalating tensions in the Middle East

• US oil workers leave Iraq following the assassination of Iran's top commander

• Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy grows on new orders and employment

• Uber completes $3.1 billion deal to buy Dubai's Careem

• Samsung jumps into crowded smart speaker and augmented-reality glasses market

Expectations of a pickup in the global economy, a recovery for aviation following the 737 Max crisis and the continued consequences for private equity in the region from Abraaj’s collapse will all likely be features of the business landscape in 2020. The National's Assistant Editor-in-Chief Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi about some of the biggest business news stories from 2019 and what might be intriguing and significant developments in the coming year.

Streaming wars. Tiktok. Billie Eilish. EDM concerts in Saudi Arabia. What do these things all have in common?

Business Extra is recapping the year in the business of entertainment and pop culture. Host and The National’s Future Editor Kelsey Warner is joined by colleagues Nyree McFarlane, Head of Arts and Lifestyle and Jason Von Berg, Head of Audience Growth to discuss the biggest business news from the entertainment industry in 2019.

In this episode:

Netflix vs. Everybody (0m 35m) Entertainment in Saudi (5m 50s) TikTok and the rise of social media (8m 33s)

Read more on our website:

• Movie audiences are in control today – and that's good for both business and art

• MDL Beast represents a 'paradigm shift' in the kingdom

• Facebook owns top four most downloaded apps of the decade

• There's an app for that. How technology has transformed every life

In this week's podcast, host Kelsey Warner is joined by John Garvey, the global financial services industry leader at PwC. They discuss a new phase of the US-China tariff war and an underwhelming end to the United Nations' climate change summit, COP25. Are signs of action from the private sector cause for optimism?

Also discussed: the future of work in the financial services industry and why productivity tracking is a game-changer.

In this episode: US-China 'Phase One' deal (0m 27m) Why COP25 dragged on for two extra days (5m 50s) The private sector's role in climate change action (7m 58s) John Garvey on the case for productivity and financial services' 'lost decade' (14m 10s)

Read more on our website:

• Oil rallies as US-China agree 'phase one' trade deal

• 2020 predictions: from oil at $85 to a Trump election win • Sun could be Middle East’s biggest export by 2030, says Bill Gates-backed company founder • Madrid climate talks 'disappointing' says UN chief Antonio Guterres

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by David Young, CEO of Oxford Analytica, a strategic consulting and advisory firm. They discuss Google rolling out its digital assistant in Arabic across the MENA region, Saudi Arabia's 1.02 trillion riyal budget for 2020 and how Oxford Analytica started 45 years ago to provide daily briefs inspired by the White House.

In this episode:

Google's virtual assistant in arabic (0m 34s) US vs China (5m 34s)

Saudi Arabia's 2020 budget (10m 35s)

David Young on Oxford Analytica (17m 12s) Headlines (25m 09s)

Read more on our website:

• Alphabet’s Google Assistant rolls out Arabic service across the Mena region

• Saudi Arabia sets 2020 budget with plans to spend 1.02 trillion riyals

• Former head of US Fed Paul Volcker dies

• ENBD Reit to delist from Nasdaq Dubai

• MBC Group appoints new CEO

Egypt wants at least one person in each household to work in tourism as part of wider plans to develop a resilient and sustainable sector through structural reforms that will boost its competitiveness globally.

In this week's Business Extra, Mina Al-Oraibi, The National's editor in chief, and Mustafa Alrawi, The National's assistant editor in chief, speak exclusively to Dr Rania Al Mashat, Egypt's tourism minister, on the country's plan to create a resilient sector and how it intends to take advantage of its many ancient and natural riches.

In this episode

Interview with Dr Rania Al Mashat: 1minute 26 seconds

Headlines: 23m 30s

Tesla’s launch of its cybertruck has sent the hype around electric vehicles into a frenzy – where are we in reality in terms of the mass take up of electric vehicles – but one thing is certain - Elon Musk has radically changed our perceptions of the future of transport.

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and The National’s future editor, Kelsey Warner talk to Yunshi Wang (Director of China Centre for Energy and Transportation, UC Davis). They discuss about the EV industry and the Tesla Cybertruck.

In this episode:

Kelsey and Mustafa on the Cybertruck & EVs (0m 38s) Yunshi Wang (14m 30s) Headlines (28m 05s)

Read more on our website:

• Tesla Cybertruck: Elon Musk enters stiff pick-up truck market with electric model

• Dubai extends free charging for electric cars for a year

• Abu Dhabi receives bids for planned 2GW solar scheme

• Abu Dhabi luxury developer expands Moroccan portfolio with Dh571m mixed-use project

• UAE is most prosperous Arab nation for 13th year, study says

Billions of dollars of aircraft orders, manufacturing and maintenance tie ups, advancements on how to make aviation more sustainable – it must be the Dubai Airshow which is proving to be another blockbuster week for the industry.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, The National's future editor talk about the Mubadala Aerospace merger of its three aerospace and industrial companies, Tawazun Economic Council, the Etihad Greenliner and so much more. We also talk to Badr Al Olama, Head of Mubadala Aerospace at Mubadala Investment Company at the Dubai Airshow.

In this episode:

Kelsey and Mustafa on the Dubai Air Show (0m 31s) Badr Al Olama (11m 16s) Headlines (25m 54s)

Read more on our website:

• Airbus wins $30bn in orders at Dubai Airshow as Boeing lags behind

• Airbus to trial flying A350s together like migrating geese to save on fuel

• Dubai to hold talks in December on airports' expansion strategy

• UAE debtors hope new insolvency law will ease 'mental trauma' of chronic debt

• Dubai's Emaar Properties launches Dh25bn The Valley community

• Moroccan sovereign fund aims to double investments to $6bn in 5 years

• Saudi Aramco IPO price range values company at up to $1.7 trillion

The world’s biggest crude oil producer, Saudi Aramco launches the subscription period for its much-anticipated IPO as it rolls on with its ambitions to become the globe’s pre-eminent integrated energy and chemicals company.

This week host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, The National's future editor talk with Dr. Nasser Saidi, regular contributor to The National and president of the economic advisory and business consultancy Nasser Saidi & Associates about the Aramco IPO.

In this episode:

Kelsey and Mustafa on Adipec (0m 32s) Dr. Saidi on Aramco's IPO (8m 21s) Headlines (27m 14s)

Read more on our website:

• Aramco to offer up to 0.5% of shares to individual investors as IPO starts November 17 • 9 things you need to know about the Saudi Aramco IPO

• Emaar Q3 profit up 20% as company looks to Dh25bn project

•Steve Madden says shoe empire has only ‘halfway’ penetrated the Middle East

• UAE's cumulative FDI grew 8 per cent to $140bn in 2018

•Oil majors and Asian energy companies partner with Adnoc on international crude futures exchange

It’s been a busy week for the Business Extra team as the cooler weather kicks off the UAE conference season. The World Economic Forum has been in town, it is Dubai Future Week, the world’s largest oil and gas exhibition is set for Abu Dhabi in a few days’ time and we have the air show coming up before the end of this month. Those are only a handful of the things going on in November. Amid the action Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner welcome guest host Clemence Dutertre, CEO at Careem-RTA JV Hala to talk about the bridge between private and public sector ride hailing and this week’s news stories and business announcements.

In this episode:

Kelsey and Mustafa on EDGE (0m 38s) Clemence Dutertre (4m 57s) Headlines (29m 23s)

Read more on our website:

• Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi unveils one of Middle East's biggest defence groups

• World Economic Forum grapples with transition ‘from Cold War to hot peace’ in Dubai

• 9 things you need to know about the Saudi Aramco IPO

• Adnoc's Murban crude to be listed on futures exchange in 'historic' step-change for Abu Dhabi's oil pricing

• UAE Central Bank to roll out FinTech office to develop countrywide ecosystem

• Lebanon sees $3bn in capital flight as Mena flows set to rise

• World's largest floating wind turbine to be installed in Europe

• Emaar Malls third quarter profit climbs 12% on rising footfall and Namshi sales

The world’s most powerful investors, heads of state, former leaders, entrepreneurs and government ministers are gathering in the Saudi Arabian capital this week to discuss the future of technology, sustainable development, capital markets, infrastructure financing, energy – old and new – gene editing and cellular therapies. Host Mustafa Alrawi talks to Kelsey Warner, future editor of The National who is attending the Future Investment Initiative held in Riyadh.

In this episode:

Kelsey on FII (1m 20s) Who is attending FII? (14m 47s) New podcast by The National (25m 45s)

Headlines (26m 46s)

Read more on our website:

• Global elite head to Saudi Arabia as country's economic transformation gathers pace

• Investcorp secures liquidity from HarbourVest for its Mena private equity portfolio

• Iraq protests not impacting country's oil production yet, IMF official says

• ADGM issues new employment regulations

After flight software aboard its 737Max jet was found to be the culprit of two airline crashes within the last 12 months, Boeing was forced to ground all 387 of the aircraft worldwide; impacting 8600 weekly flights and forcing 59 airlines to come up with alternatives. It is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial aircraft. But a fall from grace has Boeing facing regulators and customers demanding answers and a scramble to return its best-selling 737 Max aircraft to the skies. Host Kelsey Warner speaks to The National’s aviation correspondent Deena Kamel who has returned from a visit to Boeing’s US production facilities. Deena explains the company’s plans for the future, including damage control and space travel.

In this episode:

New Podcast by The National (0m 51s) Boeing 737 Max (1m 57s) Boeing and NASA (14m 34s)

Etihad and Air Arabia (20m 36s)

Read more on our website:

• Boeing may face billions more in losses as MAX crisis deepens — analysts

• Boeing begins countdown to first spacecraft test flight

•Etihad and Air Arabia to set up Abu Dhabi's first low-cost airline

Boeing and Porsche are working together to develop the concept and test the prototype for and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) car. The National’s Mustafa Alrawi Assistant Editor in Chief and Future Editor Kelsey Warner discuss their enthusiasm or skepticisms about the announcements before taking a look at the WeWork. WeWork promised to change the way people work and eventually how they live. Somewhat unconventional co-founders at the company charted meteoric growth that wowed investors and propelled the company to a $47 billion valuation, one of the highest for a start-up. But WeWork were forced to halt plans to go public on Sept. 30 because of investor concerns about how it was valued and whether its business model is sustainable. Adam and Rebekah Neumann have stepped down from their positions and now job cuts are on the horizon. In this episode: Flying Cars (1m 21s) WeWork (8m 34s) Headlines (27m 30s) Read more on our website:

• Abu Dhabi property yields increase as prices fall faster than rents

• JP Morgan sees long-term growth in Middle East business after record year

• Engie eyes investments in district cooling and renewables in the Middle East

• Boeing and Porsche team up to develop flying electric car

HSBC may cut as many as 10 thousand jobs worldwide as part of its latest cost cutting drive but where next for the bank that was at one time the poster child of globalisation?

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, takes a look at how banks in Europe are looking to make savings. In a world where the US-China trade war, Brexit, a weak European economy, lower interest rates and the resulting uncertainty is affecting growth, how is the financial sector coping? Also, in this episode Mustafa speaks to Nai Arabia's founders Hisham El-Farouki and Fouad Dajani as Jordan's Fine Hygienic Holding, a paper products manufacturer, becomes the largest single shareholder in the Dubai based natural food and beverage company. The deal is valued at over $10 million. In This Episode:

-HSBC (0m 44s)

-Nai Arabia (5m 45s)

-Headlines (17m 49s)

Read more on our website:

• HSBC to cull 10,000 jobs as it looks to rein in costs

• Venture funding for Middle East start-ups up 30% in first 9 months

• UAE first in the Arab region to roll-out 5G and fourth globally

•Fine acquires 30% stake in Nai Arabia in wellness shift

Saudi Arabia’s opens up and begins to issue tourist visas for the first time. Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and future editor Kelsey Warner, speak to The National’s Ashleigh Stewart who is in Saudi Arabia as they launch their latest tourism industry initiative. People from 49 countries are able to obtain a 90 day, multiple entry tourist visa for the kingdom. Tourism is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme with expectations to boost international and domestic visits to 100 million a year by 2030. This will mean an increase of the tourism sector‘s contribution towards gross domestic product to 10 per cent in that time, up from just 3 per cent today. This includes major new developments – being termed as ‘giga’ projects: NEOM, the Red Sea Project, Qiddiyah, Amaala and Ad Diriyah. This comes as the kingdom’s non-oil gross domestic product grew 2.9 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter, higher than 2.1 per cent rate of expansion achieved in the first quarter of 2019, according to the latest data released by the General Authority for Statistics. The pick up in non-oil economic growth was the strongest since the fourth quarter of 2015, when Riyadh started putting fiscal consolidation measures in place to counter a three-year oil price slump that began in the middle of 2014. In this episode: - Introduction (0m 29s) - Interview with Ashleigh Stewart in Saudi Arabia (3m 31s) - Mustafa and Kelsey in studio discussion (17m 54s) - Headlines (31m 01s)

Read more on our website:

• From NEOM to Ad Diriyah: Saudi Arabia's 'giga projects' and when they are expected to be completed

• New Saudi Arabia tourist visas: everything you need to know

• Saudi Arabia announces tourism mega projects with local and global investors

• Saudi Arabia's top tour guide: Visitors will change the rhythm of our country

• 'We want local people running local businesses': Hilton aims to bring 41 new hotels to Saudi Arabia by 2030

In 1841, 500 passengers took a 24-mile round-trip by train from Leicester in central England to the neighbouring town of Loughborough. This was the first excursion organised by a Mr Thomas Cook 178 years later his eponymous company announces it has ceased trading disrupting the travel plans of some 600,000 people from Goa to Gambia to Greece and threatening tens of thousands of jobs worldwide.

This week, Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are joined by Hayley Skirka to talk about one of the oldest travel companies in the world and its downfall. Andrew Wilks, a regular contributor for The National, speaks to them from Antalya, Turkey. He has been speaking to tourists affected by the Thomas Cook collapse. What lead to the company’s problems? There are accusations of bad management with investigations underway. But the coup attempt in Turkey in 2016 and a Europe-wide heatwave in 2018 impacted the company’s profits along with a growing inability to compete with online travel companies. Now the British government said the return of the firm's 150,000 British customers would be the largest repatriation in its peacetime history. In this episode: - Thomas Cook (0m 59s) - Headlines (26m 21s)

Read more on our website:

• Thomas Cook passengers in Turkey frustrated by travel confusion

• Thomas Cook's creditors have a right to feel aggrieved

• Thomas Cook collapse: Boris Johnson accused of abandoning world’s oldest travel company

• Thomas Cook collapse: stranded Britons face demands for hotel payment

• A history of British travel: a look back at Thomas Cook's vintage posters

Early on Saturday morning, attacks on Saudi Aramco’s giant oil plant caused major fires, disrupting about half of the kingdom’s crude production.

From a record spike in oil prices to an escalation of tensions in the region after the US blamed Iran for being behind the strikes. The fallout has everyone inside the region and around the world on tenterhooks for what it could mean for global energy markets and Middle East stability.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, assistant business editor, welcome The National’s energy correspondent, Jennifer Gnana and foreign editor James Haines-Young, for an in depth discussion on the ramifications of the attacks in the region and globally. In this episode: - Saudi oil attack (1m 11s) - Headlines (25m 56s)

Read more on our website:

• Anwar Gargash: Saudi Aramco attacks a 'dangerous escalation'

• Donald Trump to send Mike Pompeo to Saudi after Aramco attacks

• Oil surges more than 19% after attacks halve Saudi output

• Donald Trump: US is ‘locked and loaded’ after Saudi oil attack

• Houthi-claimed drone and missile attacks against Saudi Arabia this year

Developers Miral in Abu Dhabi and Neom in Saudi Arabia have made big announcements on new construction projects. Miral has secured investment from a Singapore-based company for its 108,600 square metre Yas Village development on Yas Island and Saudi Arabia’s Neom has awarded contracts to two companies to build a village that will accommodate up to 30,000 workers who will build the futuristic city of the same name. Host and Assistant Editor in Chief at The National, Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Assistant Business Editor, Michael Fahy about the announcements and what they mean for the property markets in the GCC neighbours. Meanwhile rental rates have been falling in the UAE capital this quarter with large drops since this time last year and Emaar properties in Dubai have asked property owners to stop renting out their units as holiday homes on the same day they have launched their digital platform for short term rentals. In this episode: - New construction projects (0m 43s) - Abu Dhabi rent (1m 37s) - Emaar’s short term rentals (15m 32s) - Headlines (22m 03s)

Read more on our website:

• Saudi Arabia's Neom signs deals with contractors for construction village

• Miral secures backing for Yas Village scheme

• Aldar to sell residential land plots on Saadiyat Island

• Where Abu Dhabi rents have risen and fallen, Q2 2019

• Emaar bans holiday home operators in Downtown as it ventures into short-term rental market

Most millennials expect to be more financially stable than their parents but almost half feel they are failing or off to a slow start on that goal. Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National, speaks to Kelsey Warner, resident millennial and The National’s Assistant Business Editor, about why so many of her generation feel the burden of financial pressures and “adulting”. Also in this episode we take a look at how Elon Musk and Jack Ma have very different opinions on the future of AI and what that means for the future of humans.

Read more on our website:

• Millennials in UAE burnt out by the financial stress of 'adulting'

• Elon Musk's AI dystopia is no match for Jack Ma's logic

A survey of thousands of professionals and employers in the region shows that almost all are optimistic about their careers amid shifts in technology and types of jobs Nine out of ten 10 professionals in the UAE feel upbeat about the future of work but how optimistic should you be about your own career prospects in a fast changing world? Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, and Kelsey Warner and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editors discuss the state of the workplace and how technological trends are changing the nature of jobs and employers' attitudes for the better. Also we discuss the tie-up between DP World and Zhejiang China Commodity City Group Company to build a smart free zone marketplace at Jebel Ali, as well as the broader implications of the volatility caused to global markets by the US-China trade war.

In this episode: - Headlines (0m 38s) - DP World (1m 21s) - US-China trade (4m 37s) - Future of work (11m 56s)

Read more on our website:

•Majority of UAE professionals optimistic about the 'future of work'

•DP World and China to develop 'smart' marketplace in Jebel Ali

•US trade war with China keeps oil markets guessing

In the episode, host Chris Nelson is joined by fellow Assistant Business Editor Michael Fahy and The National's personal finance correspondent Nada El Sawy to talk about the company, what its plans are and the growth of the sector both here and abroad.

Also, we take a look at the strange goings-on at last week's major classic car auction in Monteray, California. Auction goers consisting of aficiandos and collectors at the much-anticipated sale of rare vehicles were left open-mouthed after an apparent blunder by the RM Sotheby's auction MC saw bidding for a rare 1939 'Porsche' - list price $20 million (Dh73.4m) - reach an eye-watering "$70m", only for it to emerge that the auctioneer had in fact said, or meant to say, $17m.

Comments from those among the crowd right after the error included: “It worked for Banksy; it didn’t work for RM,” a reference to the 2018 Sotheby’s sale which saw a piece of artwork by Banksy shredded in a surprise stunt just after it sold.

In this episode:

Headlines (0m 36s)
FlexxPay (5m 21s)
'Porsche' (16m 15s)

Read more on our website:

• FlexxPay allows employees to access salary in between pay cheques

• Auction slip-up sees Dh73m 1939 'Porsche' fail to sell

$46.9 billion – the headline profit figure from Saudi Aramco’s first half results is staggering. The company also says it is ready for a planned IPO, possibly next year, and lines up a stake buy in Reliance Industry’s oil to chemicals business. Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, Kelsey Warner and Chris Nelson, assistant business editors, discuss Aramco with Jennifer Gnana, The National's energy correspondent, who has been reporting on a story that is proving to be a game changing time for global markets and the energy sector.

We also talk about the Danish city of Aarhus which has become a renewable energy hub and a case study for any other cities looking to lead the sector. And Kelsey describes how her Generation Start-up subject, the US firm Entrupy helps Dubai spot fakes using AI.

In this episode: - Headlines (0m 43s) - Aramco (1m 21s) - Aarhus (18m 41s) - Entrupy (22m 04s)

Read more on our website:

• Saudi Aramco posts $46.9bn H1 profit as company set to buy 20% of Reliance

• Generation start-up: US firm helps Dubai spot fakes using AI

•Denmark a role model for renewable energy

Fad or the future of city transport? That is the debate around electric scooters (or e –scooters) as they get set to come to a street near you. Careem is in talks to run one of Abu Dhabi's first e-scooter rental services after the capital legalised the leasing of the vehicles. The ride-share company - which was bought by Uber for more than $3 billion this year - said it sees two-wheel devices as the future of "micro-mobility". Globally, in dense urban areas scooters are increasingly being seen as the answer for efficient personal transportation. Over the last two years electric scooters have become far more widespread. Urban planners, investors and authorities are taking the trend very seriously. But what does that mean for us here? Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor and London Bureau Chief Damien McElroy discuss the impact of this new development in mobility both here and around the world.

We also focus on how the China-US row has kicked up a gear this week after Washington accused Beijing of manipulating its currency “to gain unfair competitive advantage in international trade”.

In this episode: - Headlines (1 minute 21 seconds) - China-US trade tensions (2 minutes 10 seconds) - E-scooters (10 minutes 2 seconds) - Damien McElroy (14 minutes 41 seconds)

Read more on our website:

• Abu Dhabi legalises e-scooter rentals to cut congestion

• Careem looks to launch e-scooter rentals in Abu Dhabi

•New laws in the works after backlash against commuters on scooters

•US designates China ‘a currency manipulator’ as trade war flares •What the pundits think about the latest escalation between the US and China

The UAE government has made it easier for husbands, fathers and sons to secure employment without full company sponsorship. Previously, only women were eligible for work permits under family sponsorship.

This week we speak to Rory Reynolds, The National's News Editor, about the new work permit and what it means for workers and their families in the country.

In this episode:

Headlines (0 minutes 53 seconds)
The new labour card (6m 50s)

Read more on our website:

• UAE's new labour card rules a sign of a maturing market

• New UAE work permits will allow companies to hire sons and husbands

• Dubai Financial Services Authority fines two Abraaj companies Dh1.15 billion

• Singapore's GIC to invest in Adnoc pipeline deal alongside BlackRock and KKR

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Assistant Business Editors Chris Nelson and Kelsey Warner talk to Energy reporter Jennifer Gnana about why tanker operators choose to run ships under flags of convenience, following recent attacks and incidents involving such vessels in the Arabian Gulf.

Also discussed is how such incidents and wider trade tensions affect oil prices - or not - and they take a look at Saudi Arabia's blooming wind power sector, which alongside solar in the kingdom and elsewhere is set to transform the face of power generation in the Middle East.

In this episode: - Headlines (0 minutes 29 seconds) - Oil tankers flying flags (5m 37s) - Saudi renewable energy (13m 59s)

Read more on our website:

• Oil prices rise following Iran's seizure of British-flagged tanker

• Quicktake: What are 'flags of convenience'?

• Syria looms large behind Iranian seizure of British tanker

• Islamic finance key to funding green energy projects

• Saudi Arabia's first wind project reaches financial close

Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief and Assistant Business Editors, Chris Nelson and Kelsey Warner, explore what the consequences could be for the global technology sector after US regulators endorsed a $5 billion (Dh18.3bn) privacy settlement with Facebook to resolve the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Also, they discuss the latest economic data out of China which indicates growth has slowed to the weakest pace since 1992 amid the ongoing trade standoff with America. And what of investor confidence for frontier markets after the World Bank hit Pakistan, South Asia’s second largest economy, with $6 billion in damages for refusing to honour a mining lease to an international conglomerate. In this episode: - Headlines (0 minutes 40 seconds) - Facebook (1m 30s) - China's economy (17m 58s) - Investors confidence in Pakistan (21m 48s)

Read more on our website:

• Facebook's record $5bn privacy settlement a 'tap' on the wrist as politicians cry foul

• China growth slows to weakest in almost 30 years

• World Bank $6bn fine on Pakistan will deter foreign investors, analysts say

Subscribe to Business Extra to receive new episodes every week: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Audioboom | RSS

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor, discuss Deutsche Bank's sweeping revamp. This week the German bank announced it will shrink its trading activities by 40 per cent through an unprecedented withdrawal from equities. About 18,000 jobs, almost 20 per cent of the workforce, will go around the world, including in London. The overhaul is forecast to cost €7.4 billion (Dh30.45bn).

We break down India's budget and despite a lack of 'big bang' explain how it still puts the country on the path towards meeting its 2025 objective of doubling the size of its economy. Plus Sir Richard Branson's space tourism ambitions kick up a gear with IPO plans for Virgin Galactic.

We also speak to Alice Haine our personal finance editor about how to best manage your money during the summer holidays. We settle that age old debate about cash versus cards and which currency should you make credit card payments in - local or dirhams.

In this episode: - Headlines (0 minutes 53 seconds) - Deutsche Bank discussion (1m 45s) - India's budget (8m 0s) - Virgin Galactic (12m 19s) - Summer money tips with Alice Haine (14m 15s)

Read more on our website:

• Mass layoffs at Deutsche Bank as huge overhaul kicks in • Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space tourism venture to go public

• Mixed reactions to new Indian finance minister's budget

• The real cost of not having travel insurance for your holiday

Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief talks exclusively to BR Shetty the founder of NMC Healthcare, Finablr and Neopharma, as well as the Founder and Chairman of BRS Ventures. In the second part of the interview, Mr Shetty recounts how he managed to buy the global foreign exchange business Travelex thanks to his belief in keeping good personal relationships. He is also backing Assam tea to become a worldwide brand now that he owns the oldest producer in India. He explains what he learnt at Harvard University, how sustainable philanthropy makes solid commercial sense and why he wants to make a film of the Mahabharat. Mr Shetty says that being given permanent residency in the UAE was one of the best moments of his life and that the Golden Card visa programme will give lots of other Indian expats lots of confidence in what success can mean here.

Read more on our website:

• Exclusive: NMC Health eyes profit increase in 2018, fuelled by $2bn warchest

• 'This is an unbelievable dream': BR Shetty granted 10-year UAE visa

•My Ramadan: For Hindu billionaire BR Shetty, the holy month is about giving

• Finablr makes London stock market debut at reduced price

Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief talks exclusively to BR Shetty the founder of NMC Healthcare, Finablr and Neopharma, as well as the Founder and Chairman of BRS Ventures. In the first part of the interview, Mr Shetty shares some anecdotes about building up a fledgling business in Abu Dhabi in the 1970s and 1980s including how one morning he had to get behind the wheel of an ambulance himself to get to the scene of a medical emergency. He recounts his memories of the Founding Father Sheikh Zayed. And he also explains how everyone told him not to build a pharmaceutical factory in Abu Dhabi but he proved them wrong. Mr Shetty says he is sure that joining the Bill and Melinda Gates Giving Pledge was a good thing for him and his family. He also says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is great for business but that he doesn’t miss his first career in local politics back home.

Read more on our website:

• Exclusive: NMC Health eyes profit increase in 2018, fuelled by $2bn warchest

• 'This is an unbelievable dream': BR Shetty granted 10-year UAE visa

•My Ramadan: For Hindu billionaire BR Shetty, the holy month is about giving

• Finablr makes London stock market debut at reduced price

Thousands of foreign investors and residents have been identified for a "golden card" permanent residency scheme, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai announced in May.

Top business leaders from across the Emirates said the move will give investors greater confidence to settle in the country. They also believe it will create greater demand for buying property, boosting a sluggish property market in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

On Tuesday the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs announced that 400 individuals had received the golden card so far and that executives with a salary of Dh30,000 or more could apply for the visa.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, and Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, discuss the potential impact that the 'Golden Card' could bring.

Read more on our website:

Who is eligible and how to apply for the UAE's 10-year golden residency visa

Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, hears from Rashed Al Bloushi, Under Secretary of the Department of Economic Development about what Ghadan 21 is all about on the day nine new initiatives were announced outlining R&D investment, electricity tariff discounts, business licensing for technology and state-backed bank loans for SMEs.

Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor also joins the discussion about what the outlook for Abu Dhabi's economy will be going into 2020.

Also, amid regional tensions and the US-Iran stand-off, The National’s energy columnist Robin Mills – CEO of Qamar Energy, and author of The Myth of the Oil Crisis – has five possible outcomes for oil markets.

In this episode:

Headlines (48 seconds)
Rashed Al Bloushi on Ghadan 21 (4 minutes 20 seconds)
Robin Mills on oil markets (21 minutes 28 seconds)

Read more on our website:

Ghadan 21: Abu Dhabi to boost business and ecotourism with major new reforms
FAB inks deal with Abu Dhabi Government to extend state-backed loans to SMEs
Ghadan 21: Abu Dhabi to slash energy bills for businesses
Boeing 777X: folding wing tips shown off as test plane makes runway debut
Wind to dominate renewables growth over the coming decade, Fitch says
UAE rolls out anti-money laundering platform developed by UN
How a conflict with Iran will play out for oil

Fertilisers play a critical role in ensuring the security of the global food supply. Overnight, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company group has gone from the 12th-largest nitrogen-based fertiliser exporter in the world to the biggest, thanks to its tie up with Nassef Sawiris' OCI. The Abu Dhabi company will combine unit Adnoc Fertilisers with OCI’s regional nitrogen-based fertiliser platform, to create one of the largest exporters of the product globally. OCI has fertiliser production operations in Egypt and Algeria.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief and Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, break down the significance of ADNOC's move. We also talk about Boeing's difficult week with Emirates in talks to renegotiate its 777X aircraft deal. There may also need to be a rebranding of the troubled 737 Max once it is fit to fly again.

And, The National’s Head of Features, Nyree McFarlane, recently visited Facebook’s Menlo Park headquarters to get the inside track on the social media company. Kelsey spoke to her about it.

In this episode: - Headlines (48seconds) - ADNOC and OCI fertiliser tie-up (2m3seconds) - Boeing and Emirates (8m40seconds) - Inside Facebook's campus (13m47seconds)

Read more on our website:

ADNOC and Sawiris' OCI create world's largest fertiliser exporter
Fertilisers deal is key to future growth
Embattles Boeing may change name of 737 Max jet following fatal crashes
Facebook's new cryptocurrency Libra will hit the market in 2020

Nearly Two years on from the acquisition of Souq.com, the US e-commerce company Amazon is front and centre in the UAE again with the launch of its paid subscription service, Prime. Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, and Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, talk to Nada El Sawy, The National's Business Correspondent, about what this development means for consumers and retailers in the region.

Also there was the meeting in Japan of G20 countries' central bank governors this week where IMF head Christine Lagarde sounded down a warning about properly harnessing FinTech. US-China trade tensions dominated the mood however with the full G20 leaders meeting still to come and a face-off between Washington and Beijing. Opec and its allies have extended their co-operation on oil production curbs, shoring up prices. But for how much longer?

Read more on our website:

Amazon Prime now available in the UAE
Oil gains as OPEC and allies vow output cut extension
Donald Trump say's he'll raise China tariffs again if Xi Jinping won't meet at G20
Dubai Land Department and Mashreq bank sign e-mortgage deal
London home sellers offer ever-growing discounts

Apple will break up iTunes into Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV as it revamps how it delivers content.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor and Chief, and Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, explain what the US company's changes could mean for its own future, as well as that of the media and technology landscape and not least, consumers.

Zahabia Gupta, Associate Director, Sovereign and International Public Finance Ratings at S&P Global Ratings is in the the studio to talk about the ratings agency's latest report on Abu Dhabi’s economic outlook which says that growth will will average 2.5 per cent over the next three years, before rising to 3 per cent off the back of increased government spending and higher oil production. Zahabia runs through the potential risks to S&P's assessment for Abu Dhabi – both to the upside and downside.

In this episode:

Top news headlines (44 seconds)
We discuss Apple's big announcement about iTunes (2 minutes 27 seconds)
S&P's Zahabia Gupta talks about Abu Dhabi's outlook (12 minutes)

Read more on our website:

• Abu Dhabi economy to grow by 2.5% till 2022

• Apple iTunes demise will usher in a trio of better apps

• Airlines to inspect Boeing 737s after US regulator says some jets may have defective parts

• Debt and aggressive credit card selling among top UAE consumer complaints, says Central Bank

• Oil continues slide as Opec pledges to do 'whatever it takes'

Ride-hailing platform Careem has acquired UAE-based bike-sharing company Cyacle for an undisclosed sum, its first foray into "micro-mobility" — an increasingly popular concept for providing easy access to scooter and bike rentals in urban areas.

Magnuss Olsson, Careem’s co-founder, sees that increasing bicycle availability and expanding bike routes will transform how people commute in the region.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, and Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, discuss the potential of such fresh solutions for transport’s ‘last-mile’ problem.

Also, Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor speaks to Andrea Petti, managing director of PTV Group, the traffic and logistics software company owned by Porsche. Mr Petti explains what he thinks will be the main factors behind the mainstream adoption of autonomous transport in the future.

In this episode: * Top news of the week (36 seconds) * Careem’s purchase of Cyacle (3 minutes 40s) * Interview with PTV Group’s Andrea Petti (11m 30s)

Read more on our website:

Careem acquires Abu Dhabi's Cyacle bike-share company
Cryptocurrencies bounce back with Bitcoin rising to highest level in a year
Lebanon 2019 budget is start of a long economic recovery process, Saad Hariri says
Dubai Land Department and Mashreq bank sign e-mortgage deal
London home sellers offer ever-growing discounts

Thousands of foreign investors and residents have been identified for a "golden card" permanent residency scheme, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai announced on Tuesday.

Top business leaders from across the Emirates said the move will give investors greater confidence to settle in the country. They also believe it will create greater demand for buying property, boosting a sluggish property market in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, and Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, discuss the potential impact that the 'Golden Card' could bring (1.50).

We then discuss the latest developments around Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei which is being targeted by Washington over concerns its 5G domination could open a back door for Beijing (8.50).

Also in this episode, Chris Nelson interviews Zeina Akkawi (14.45), a co-founder of The PlayPreneurs Club, which helps Emirati entrepreneurs access mentoring to build their businesses.

According to brokers, Dubai rental rates continued the downward trend experienced during 2018. Asteco noted “an increasing number of price-conscious tenants … irrespective of location, size or quality".

However, year-on-year rents are down in most categories not just luxury. What is driving the prices to fall? Hosts Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor delve deeper.

In this episode:

A round-up of the business news you need know from thenational.ae. (0.50)
How rents have fared in the different areas of Dubai this year. (1.52)
The latest on US-China trade war. (7.39)
And we speak with Jennifer Gnana, The National’s energy correspondent about the upcoming Opec meeting in Saudi Arabia amid a week in which part of the Kingdom’s oil installations came under attack. (12.41)

The National has been covering the Abraaj scandal from New York, London and Abu Dhabi as our editorial team brings you the key developments.

In this episode, host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, talks to Massoud Derhally, The National’s Business Editor who himself has been producing some quite compelling investigative journalism into what happened at the failed private equity firm, founded by Arif Naqvi

He explains that in September 2017, about five months before Abraaj collapsed, two whistleblower emails warned investors not to invest in a $6 billion fund.

Also in this episode, Assistant Business Editor Kelsey Warner speaks to Mahmoud Adi, the head of Hub71. She hears about what he hopes for the new tech start-up centre in Abu Dhabi and what investors and entrepreneurs can expect from the space, and what he’s learned as a founder and VC himself in the UAE.

Read more about today's topics at thenational.ae:

Abraaj whistleblower emails warned investors ahead of scandal and collapse of firm

Abraaj founder Arif Naqvi remains in jail after not posting £15 million bail

Abu Dhabi starts Dh535m fund to support start-ups and venture capitalists

Abu Dhabi Government sets up tech hub luring SoftBank, Amazon and Microsoft

Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, talks about the latest news from Arabian Travel Market. Deena Kamel, our aviation correspondent, discusses Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed of Emirates and FlyDubai offering some home truths for Boeing over the 737 Max which has been grounded following deadly crashes. Business correspondent Sarah Townsend shares how leading hotel operators including Jumeirah, Rotana and Hilton have an upbeat outlook.

Also Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor, speaks to CASS Business School’s Scott Moeller about mergers and acquisitions, what they mean for companies and shareholders, and the collapsed Deutsche Bank-Commerzbank merger negotiations.

Listen here:

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The promise of lightning-fast internet speeds and a hyper-connected world that will spawn a new era of automation and AI is at the heart of the promise of 5G technology. Huawei, the world’s largest telecoms equipment maker, is both building this bright future and being accused of facilitating the darker side of this technology.

The United States and allies such as the United Kingdom are determined to prevent Huawei from being part of the building of their respective 5G networks. They fear this will provide a gateway for Chinese security agencies to spy on them.

Huawei denies this is a legitimate concern and other nations in Europe, Asia and the Middle East – including the UAE – have given work to the firm. The company says its business outside of the US is not affected and is taking steps to seize other opportunities.

How much is this focus on Huawei part of the broader trade row? Are these concerns over Huawei about more than just politics? Should we fear Chinese technological hegemony anymore than we should worry about US dominance? Also, is the promise of 5G real enough that it won’t matter which country dominates the technology if all have access to it? And what does that mean for investors in this region?

In this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor in Chief, explores these themes with Dr John Rutledge, Chief Investment Officer at global investment firm Safanad. Dr Rutledge has been an economic advisor to the Reagan and Bush administrations and is advising the current Trump White House on recent China trade negotiations.

Also in this episode, The National's Chris Nelson and Jennifer Gnana join to run through top news stories including the latest Abraaj arrest and the US decision not to renew sanctions waivers on Iranian oil imports for eight countries and what that means for energy markets and global economic growth.

Nouriel Roubini is the professor of economics at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He is also chief executive of Roubini Macro Associates, and he became famous after his prediction of the financial crisis, several years before it happened, turned out to be correct. For this, he has sometimes been referred to as "Dr Doom" in the media. He is also a very outspoken critic of Bitcoin – which he has called the mother of all scams.

Host Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor in Chief caught up with him on the sidelines of Mediaquest’s Top CEO forum in Bahrain and at least in terms of the global economy, he wasn’t making any gloomy forecasts. Bitcoin not so much …

Also, professor Roubini explains the link between rising intolerance of minorities and populism.

CityScape Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s most prestigious property exhibition, takes place next week at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Running from Tuesday to Thursday, this year’s event comes at a time when the local and regional real estate market is on the up. The show draws home-based, regional and global developers, investors and real estate asset managers eager to market their latest projects and it serves as a snapshot of the property sector both here and internationally.

In this week’s Business Extra Podcast, host Chris Nelson is joined by The National’s Business Reporter Sarah Townsend to take a look ahead to CityScape Abu Dhabi. We also talk to Henry Bott, portfolio manager at Swire Properties, the Hong Kong-based developer behind the huge Taikoo Place commercial building complex located in the Island-city’s Quarry Bay area.

Agriculture is one of the primary drivers of climate change, estimated globally at making up 14 to 15 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, half of which is generated directly by livestock, says University of California, Berkley.

US science magazine Scientific American, meanwhile, says producing a half-pound hamburger patty the size of two decks of cards releases as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as driving a 1.3 tonne car nearly 15km.

But the tide is turning in favour of meat-free products for a variety of reasons.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, Chris Nelson talks to Jacek Plewa, general manager of Global Food Industries, part of the major UAE conglomerate Albatha Holding, about how the company is addressing this growing demand.

Uber Technologies has agreed to buy Careem in a $3.1 billion (Dh11.39bn) deal that is the largest technology sector transaction in the Middle East so far, eclipsing Amazon’s $580 million acquisition of Souq in 2017.

With governments across the region looking to nurture start-ups in the technology space, the size of the Uber-Careem deal, as well as the increased availability of expertise and liquidity in its wake, will be seen as a catalyst for both budding entrepreneurs and investors, from inside and outside the Middle East.

Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor in Chief, breaks down the impact of the deal with Chris Nelson and Kelsey Warner. What impact will the deal will have on the region and its start-up scene?

Dr Reem Bint Mansour Al-Saud is a member of Saudi Arabia's permanent delegation to the UN in New York, and she is a passionate advocate of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Of particular interest is goal number 5 — gender equality.

Dr Reem joined The National's Chris Nelson over the phone from her New York base to discuss gender equality in the work force, and how the UN and it's sustainable development goals can help shape the economic and commercial landscape in the future.

157 passengers and crew lost their lives when an Ethiopian Airlines flight operating a Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed near Addis Ababba, en route to Nairobi, last Sunday. It is a terrible tragedy for their families, Ethiopia, Africa, the world and the aviation industry.

Mustafa Alrawi, The National’s Assistant Editor in Chief, and aviation correspondent Deena Kamel discuss the potential impact of the crash on confidence in Boeing’s 737 Max 8 aircraft and the wider air travel industry.

There has been an understandable reaction in the wake of the Ethiopian Airlines disaster. Demand for answers is growing as the investigation continues into how the 737 Max 8 aircraft crashed only minutes into the flight.

As a precautionary safety measure for passengers, crew and the public at large the UAE, the UK, South Korea, Australia and China and others have grounded their 737 Max fleets and prohibited the aircraft from flying in their airspace.

The concerns are that this tragedy is not an isolated one. An Indonesian Lion Air flight also operating the 737 Max 8 aircraft crashed in October, killing all 189 people aboard.

Mustafa Alrawi, The National’s Assistant Editor in Chief, and aviation correspondent Deena Kamel discuss the potential impact of the crash on confidence in Boeing’s 737 Max 8 aircraft and the wider air travel industry.

Entrepreneurialism underpins the UAE’s push to broaden the economy and cement its position as a world leader in innovation.

Ramesh Jagannathan, the Vice Provost for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Managing Director of StartAD, the innovation and entrepreneurship platform at NYU Abu Dhabi, is dedicated to providing the necessary tools for start-up creators here.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, Ramesh Jagannathan talks to Chris Nelson about how the entrepreneurial landscape is developing in the UAE.

With the March 29 deadline for the UK to divorce the European Union close on the horizon, investors both within the country and overseas are trying to prepare for what the outcome might be.

However, whether it be leaving with a no-deal, a good deal or bad one, postponing the exit or even deciding not to leave the EU at all, markets, the pound and investor sentiment will all be affected.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, Chris Nelson talks to Jameel Ahmad, Global Head of Currency Strategy and Market Research at the international foreign exchange broker FXTM, about what some of those effects might be, from a British and international perspective.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is now rated as the most creditworthy oil and gas producer in the world, according to Fitch.

This is a strong validation from one of the world’s leading credit ratings agencies of Adnoc's strategy and transformation into a more commercially driven and innovative organisation.

In this week's Business Extra podcast, we talk to Dmitry Marinchenko, Fitch's oil and gas director and the primary analyst for Adnoc, about the credit ratings process, how Fitch arrived at its assessment and what it means for Adnoc in the future.

The global military industry is a vast and hugely lucrative sector where defence spending produces some eye-watering numbers. Next week, Abu Dhabi once again takes centre stage for the world’s major manufacturers and government procurement leaders when the International Defence and Exhibition Conference, Idex, and the Naval Defence Exhibition, Navdex, take place from 17 to 21 of February.

In this week’s Business Extra Podcast, The National’s Chris Nelson and Assistant Editor in Chief Mustafa Alrawi talk about the exhibitions and what role the military industry has from a local and global perspective.

Later, the sometimes mysterious world of human resources comes under the spotlight as Sadek El Assaad, chief executive of Zeder Group, comes into the studio to talk about the evolution of HR.

QuadrigaCX, one of Canada’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, last week filed for creditor protection saying it was unable to retrieve almost $200m worth of deposits belonging to clients because its CEO Gerald Cotten, the only one able to do so, had unexpectedly died.

The National’s Assistant Editor in Chief Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the issue, which has all the makings of a mystery novel.

In addition, this week marks earnings season and so far things are looking good both here and across much of the region.

The latest mega-merger in the UAE’s financial sector, which sees the coming together of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank, is also making headlines.

This week’s podcast focuses on Adnoc’s agreement with Italian and Austrian energy companies ENI and OMV and Saudi Arabia’s new industrial programme, while HOFTEL chairman Simon Allison talks about the international hospitality sector .

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company announced it is selling stakes in its refining unit to ENI and OMV, and setting up a trading joint venture with both companies as part of its drive to become an integrated energy major.

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom unveiled its enormous new industrial strategy, signing deals worth many billions of dollars as part of its Vision 2030 programme.

Chris Nelson is joined by The National’s energy reporter Jennifer Gnana and companies correspondent Sarmad Khan to talk about both topics.

Later, ahead of the Gulf and Indian Ocean Hotel Investors Summit at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on February 4 to 6, Simon Allison, the chairman of the international hotel owners alliance HOFTEL, discusses developments in the hospitality industry and how the sector, both globally and regionally, is adapting.

The National’s Assistant Editor in Chief Mustafa Alrawi gives his take on this year’s World Economic Forum in Switzerland .

The picture-perfect Swiss Alpine resort of Davos this week plays host to the planet’s most influential movers and shakers who come together once a year for the World Economic Forum.

While some big hitters have stayed away this time to deal with problems closer to home, the forum is still a significant opportunity for the international community to focus on solving the pressing issues we are all affected by and pointing the way to a brighter future, economically, commercially and this year environmentally.

Speaking directly from Davos, The National’s Assistant Editor in Chief Mustafa Alrawi talks to Chris Nelson about what is shaping the agenda at this year’s WEF.

Sentiment among investors appears to have rebounded following a bleak end to last year, despite global issues such as the US government shutdown, Washington’s trade battle with China and disappointing data from the world’s second-largest economy. All that plus the ongoing Brexit saga do have the potential to cause ripples – or worse.

Bucking the global trend, however, it seems the UAE is a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy picture.

In this week’s Business Extra Podcast, Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson talks to Tim Fox, chief economist and head of research at Emirates NBD, and a regular columnist for The National, about how the global and regional investment outlook might be affected near-term.

US stocks have rebounded from an end-of-year lull, but many are forecasting a recession on the horizon. Complicating the US outlook is President Donald Trump's ongoing government shutdown and frayed trade relations with China.

What are all the factors driving a negative US outlook? Economic analyst Omar Al-Ubaydli gives his take to host Chris Nelson in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast. Listen here:

Also discussed in this episode:

We speak with The National's Kelsey Warner about the positives coming out of the region. Adnoc is among the top 10 most influential companies and organisations in the energy sector, the only company in the Middle East with this distinction. Adnoc also expects to increase unconventional gas discoveries.
The UAE economy is expected to the buck the World Bank's pessimistic global GDP outlook. Is this driven by the optimistic country's outlook in the non-oil economy?
Bahrain introduces VAT. How big an impact will this have on the country's economy?

A fast-growing Africa could change the face of the aviation industry and the continent’s rising demand for aviation could also lift Africa’s economic prospects in the future.

Hassan El-Houry, Group CEO of National Aviation Services and co-author of Fly Africa, tells The National’s Mustafa Alrawi about the African aviation sector and discusses the future of tourism in and out of the continent.

To mark the occasion of both our 100th Business Extra podcast and the end of 2018, we are taking a look back at a few of our favourite interviews from the past year.

In this episode:

Saygin Yalcin is the Founder and CEO of SellAnyCar.com as well as other start-ups. He sat with our Chris Nelson in July, and talked about the challenges he faced setting up new businesses in the UAE, but how the government is doing the right thing for business by granting 10-year visas. More: Who qualifies for 10-year visas?
In March, the Business Extra podcast did a two-part report on the status of the healthcare sector in the UAE. Host Mustafa Alrawi spoke with Foundation Holdings' Abhishek Sharma about the growth of the healthcare industry in the UAE, especially when compared to other developed nations. More: Healthcare in the UAE Part 1 | Part 2
One of the biggest business stories of the year related to an ongoing trade war between the US and China. In March we spoke to trade experts about the matter, including Taina Sateri, Trade Counsellor, European Delegation in Abu Dhabi. She spoke about how the situation has a huge effect on the EU and global markets. More: Should a China-US trade war worry UAE investors?
In October, it was announced that US oil services provider Baker Hughes will pay $550 million (Dh2.02 billion) for a 5 per cent stake in Adnoc’s drilling subsidiary. We spoke to Abdulmunim Al Kindy, head of upstream at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, to find out how the partnership can drive higher profitability and new opportunities for the sector. More: Partnership could spur boom for UAE energy industry
And we looked at the shifting demographics in the world’s biggest economy. Over the past decade, 86 per cent of new businesses in the United States have been started by Latinos, with the women among them being the biggest drivers of that trend. Claudia Romo Edelman told us in November what the business community should know about these trends. More: The advocate championing Hispanic contributions in the US

Host Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor in Chief and Sarmad Khan, Company & Markets Editor, discuss what the outlook will be for the biggest Arab economy after it forecast spending in 2019 to reach 1.106 trillion riyals (Dh1.083tn), up 7 per cent from the finance ministry’s figure of 1.030tn riyals for 2018.

Also in this episode, Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson talks about the realities of the "gig economy" with Greg Hucker, the founder and chief executive of Maharati in Dubai.

Listen here:

More Business Extra:

Biz Extra

There is uncertainty in the UK, across Europe there is leadership upheaval, in India the Central Bank governor has quit and US President Donald Trump oscillates on a trade war with China. How is global political uncertainty affecting markets, and how should investors react?

Ahead of a crucial vote for the British Prime Minister Theresa May on her political future, hosts Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor-in-Chief and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor talk to Gaurav Kashyap, market strategist at Equiti Global Markets and a regular contributor for The National, on the outlook for markets and investment going into 2019 in the latest episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Qatar breaks ranks as it says it will withdraw from the 15-member Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on January 1. Why now, and what are the ramifications? We discuss in this episode of The Business Extra podcast. Listen here:

Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor-in-Chief, and regular contributor Robin Mills, the CEO of Qamar Energy, discuss the different reasons behind the move including changing dynamics for gas markets and the political rift with its Gulf neighbours. Also, they look at how Opec may respond after losing one of its Middle East members for the first time.

Emaar Hospitality is taking a new approach by selling five of its UAE hotels to Abu Dhabi National Hotels. While the value of the deal was not disclosed, Dubai-based Emaar said moving to an asset-light model will enable the business to unlock its potential. The hotels are Address Dubai Mall, Address Boulevard, Address Dubai Marina, Vida Downtown and Manzil Downtown.

The National’s Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the possible reasons behind the move, which will likely see Emaar focus on the issue of management and hotel management contracts like other global brands such as Hilton and Marriott. Is it a good move for both sides?

Also in this episode

John Lacey, the founder and chief executive of Dubai’s Power League Gaming, or PLG, talks to Chris about the wonderful world of professional video-gaming ahead of the e-Sports Grand Slam world championship event in Abu Dhabi next month – a first for the UAE and the wider Middle East.
We discuss the allegations that have led to Carlos Ghosn, the former chief of Nissan and Mitsubishi, being imprisoned in a Tokyo jail since November 19.
This year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix seemed much busier this year. What brought people to the track?

Over the past decade, 85 per cent of new businesses in the United States have been started by Latinos, with the women among them being the biggest drivers of that trend. That data comes a study by Zeno Group and the We Are All Human Foundation, and we talk to their founder in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Claudia Romo Edelman is an advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as co-host of the Global Goalscast focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Edelman explains to The National's Mustafa Alrawi that part of the reason statistics like the one above could be surprising to business people interested in the American market, is because Hispanic representation in media and politics does not match that of the demographic's economic impact. She hopes to use her platform to change that, and help expand Hispanic representation and inclusion.

Optimism was high at this year's Adipec gathering in Abu Dhabi. Is the positive sentiment around the oil and gas sectors warranted? Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the numerous headlines emerging from Adipic this week and what it all means for the wider energy sector in this episode of The Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode, Jennifer Gnana speaks with Ahmed Attiga, chief executive of Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (Apicorp), about the political and investment landscapes for oil in the Middle East and the wider energy sector. The outlook for renewables is also shifting as multi-lateral organisations increasingly look to finance the development of clean-energy capacity in the region to meet growing demand.

In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks to The National’s Deputy Business Editor Dania Saadi about Abu Dhabi National Oil Company using hydraulic fracturing.

Adnoc’s announcement that together with US firm Baker Hughes it is using hydraulic fracturing technology onshore - for the first time in the Middle East - to assess the potential of gas reserves in the western Al Dhafra region of the emirate.

We also take a look at the UAE Central Bank’s IMF-beating forecast for economic growth next year and then tech entrepreneurs Omar Darwish and William gardener share their insights into the rapidly evolving world of digital marketing.

2017 was seen as a watershed for the tech ecosystem in the UAE and wider Gulf region; Amazon bought Souq.com, more than half a billion dollars was invested into hundreds of start-ups and the entrepreneurial fire was truly stoked.

November will feature a number of events and conferences drawing in regional and international VCs, other types of investors and start-ups together, to take stock of where we have arrived and what the future might hold for the sector.

Host Assistant Editor in Chief, Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Bana Shomali, founder of home services market place Servicemarket.com which recently raised $4 million in its latest funding round about why the investment base is broadening and what it takes to rapidly scale a business.

Russian, French and Chinese companies have grabbed the momentum from the US for the opportunities created by the kingdom's Vision 2030.

With the broader political picture unsettled for Saudi Arabia, the landmark Future Investment Initiative, being held in Riyadh, has been dominated by non-US institutions, funds and companies. Will this alter both the inbound and outbound investment priorities in the kingdom? Hosts Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor discuss the evolving investment landscape. Sarmad Khan, Senior Business Correspondent, reports from the Saudi capital from the FII. Mustafa and Chris also assess the viability of an electric future for the aviation sector.

Host Mustafa Alrawi and Assistant Business Editors Chris Nelson and Dania Saadi discuss Agility's interest in Abraaj's assets, how the UAE is the Middle East's most competitive economy and what impact rising interest rates may have on the economic outlook.

Sentiment outside of the Gulf has been rocked of late but how justified is this given more positive fundamentals like higher oil prices? The team discuss this and more.

We also have a discussion with Saudi entrepreneur and SME consultant Fadi AlAwami, who provides useful tips for prospective start-ups in the region.

Following the news that US oil services provider Baker Hughes will pay $550 million (Dh2.02 billion) for a 5 per cent stake in Adnoc’s drilling subsidiary, Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Abdulmunim Al Kindy, head of upstream at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to find out how the partnership can drive higher profitability and new opportunities for the sector. Mustafa and Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson discuss what this could mean for the wider UAE economy.

Investors and developers flocked to this year's Cityscape Dubai compared to last year. Does that portend an uptick in the UAE's property market ahead?

The National's Sarah Townsend reports on the scene from the exhibition with host Mustafa Alrawi in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Also, we could not let this week's Elon Musk news come and go without comment. The Tesla mogul will cede his role as chairman of the electric carmaker and pay a $20 million (Dh73.4m) fine to settle fraud charges, in addition to another $20 million fine for the company. What's next for the company and its most famous face? Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, gives her take.

While the UAE's aviation giants, Etihad and Emirates, have both denied a Bloomberg report that the latter was considering a takeover of the former, it is worth speculating what the future holds. Can a deal happen, and how would that shape the future of aviation in the region? Host Mustafa Alrawi looks at the changing aviation landscape in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode:

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in July awarded one of the world’s largest seismic surveys for hydrocarbon assets to a unit of China National Petroleum Corporation. The multibillion-dirham project is underway in the Abu Dhabi Dessert, where Karma Gurung visited earlier this week. What was the scene like in-person?
Oil prices caught the crosshairs of President Trump's Twitter. From a joint meeting of Opec nations in Algiers earlier this week, the response was to stay the course, as oil prices are steadily on the rise.

Ride-sharing app Careem has been one of the Middle East's most successful tech start-ups, and competitor Uber is now reportedly interested in an acquisition to widen its own presence in ther region. While it would likely be a multibillion-dollar windfall for Careem, would selling now be a shortsighted move for a company with so much potential?

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss Careem's future in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode:

Tesla adds a criminal probe from the US Department of of Justice to its growing list of problems. Elon Musk's erratic behaviour and irresponsible tweets might have sunk his company.
If Tesla does fail, where does that leave the electric-car industry?
And we talk to Brian Finlay, President and CEO of Stimson Center, an American think tank which this week collaborated with UAE-based Trends Research & Advisory on a blueprint to grow renewable energy in the developing world.

Despite ever-increasing prices and fierce competition, consumers flock to Apple's new products every year. Surely this year will be no different, and hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson assess the world's first trillion-dollar company as it unveils a new line of products in this week's Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode:

Saudi petrochemicals maker Sabic has growing ambitions in China, a sign of how some of the Kingdom's largest businesses are diversifying.
Siemens is pinning its hopes to electric passenger jets in the hopes that hybrid-electric planes are the future of flight.
And we have a chat with Emirati branding expert Kawthar Bin Sulayam, the founder and CEO of KBS Communications, who has helped with the branding efforts of the Dubai government and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

A potential merger between Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Union National Bank and Al Hilal would create one of the region's largest lenders. The news has already had positive effects on UNB's share prices, a sign that a merger would be a welcome change to the banking sector.

Host Mustafa Alrawi discuss the potential merger and more with Chris Nelson in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode:
Oil prices have rallied of late. Energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana tells us why, and gives us the latest news on the Saudi-Aramco IPO.
Turkey's currency crisis shows no signs of improving. How will this effect markets in the region?
And we assess Dyson's plans to enter the electric-vehicle game.

In this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast:

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday he wanted to prevent foreigners from buying residential units in the $100 billion Forest City project, a setback for the Chinese developer Country Garden as it tries to revive faltering demand for the site. What is the rationale for the change in direction?
Tesla Chief Executive Musk said late on Friday he would heed shareholder concerns and no longer pursue a $72 billion take-private deal. Musk's take-private plans for Tesla have evaporated, but the company's looming debt needs remain. How much is Musk's erratic behaviour hurting the company?
Emirates is adding a fourth daily flight on its route from Dubai to Riyadh starting from September 1. From Sept 1 there will be 91 weekly flights to the kingdom.
And we have a chat with Anna Skigin, who founded the company Frank Porter, which helps people in Dubai rent their apartments on AirBNB.

Greece is free of of its final bailout from the European Union, allowing Athens to borrow from financial markets for the first time since 2010. But the end of financial woe in Greece is far from over, as we discuss this week on the Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode:

We analyse the move by Venezuela to devalue its currency the bolivar and launch a new one.
Elon Musk continues to fall under the microscope with his erratic behaviour, leaving Tesla's investors to wonder what's next for the company.
And host Chris Nelson interviews Maryam Amiri, a professional public speaker who specialises in large events and advising business professionals on their communication techniques.

In this week's Business Extra Chris Nelson and Andy Scott discuss Elon Musk's increasingly erratic behaviour. The maverick billlionaire and CEO of Tesla tweeted this week that he was considering taking his company private - a move that has caught the attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The mercurial genius may have been the inspiration for Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man but right now he would do well to avoid the limelight. He tweeted that he planned take Tesla private at $420 a share, valuing the company around $72 billlion, a 20 per cent premium on the share price that day.

As the car company has only posted two quarterly profits since its float eight years ago and last year lost over $2 billion it is not certain who has that much faith in Mr Musk.

The current currency volatility in emerging markets and the British pound are also under the microscope.

DP World is asserting the validity of a London arbitration court ruling in its favour against the government of Djibouti over the seizure of the Doraleh container terminal. This is a row that will have far-reaching consequences for investment in Africa and confidence in DP World's vision.

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss this and more in this week's Business Extra podcast. Also discussed in this episode:
The first half of 2018 saw lots of activity in the downstream-energy sector. Jennifer Gnana helps us analyse these developments and how changing consumer habits could affect segments the energy industry.
Enormous profits by Japanese company SoftBank seem to vindicate moves made by founder Masayoshi Son. His Vision Fund, set up last year, has grown SoftBank from a telecoms conglomerate to a holdings group with investments in the world’s most influential technology companies. What was Son's best deal?
A recent survey finds many job-seekers fresh out of university have not received proper help with career advice before joining the job market. Our hosts have some pointers of our own.

The fall from grace of private-equity firm Abraaj Group took a new turn this week as founder Arif Naqvi faces another criminal case surrounding a bounced cheque, this one for the sum of Dh798 million.

For years, Abraaj projected a lavish and strong brand to the group's many high-profile investors. Now Naqvi and the group are under fire for being unable to pay for loans he had taken out to prop up the company. Will the Abraaj brand be able to recover?

Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses this and more in this week's Business Extra podcast.

Also discussed in this episode:

The National's personal-finance writer Alice Haine gives tips to the many on holiday this summer who might be wondering how best to get the most out of their funds while abroad.
Tourism numbers for Abu Dhabi showed growth over last year while Dubai's stayed flat, a sign of resilience for the UAE's tourism industry while at the same time global tourism numbers are mostly down.
Apple's strong third-quarter numbers have the company on pace to become the world's first trillion-dollar company.

First Abu Dhabi Bank's second-quarter profits soared past expectations, as did those for many of the UAE's biggest banks. Could an uptick in the financial sector be a sign that the worst of the economic downturn is behind us?

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss this and more in this week's Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode:

They discuss how the Apple X has not performed up to the same technological standards as current-generation devices from competitors. Will that affect sales?

How will this week's monumental peace talks between Ethiopia and Eritrea in Abu Dhabi affect trade and other economic sectors in the region?

And we have a conversation with Janardan Dalmia, the CEO of Trukkin, a commercial logistics start-up based in Dubai about. How has his company gained a foothold in the transport industry?

Growing demand for oil, gas and other commodities has prompted Beijing to seek more co-operation from markets abroad. The UAE offers a stable, geographically strategic hub to help meet its needs. From this springboard there are a number of economic opportunities that the UAE can seize.

With Chinese President Xi Jinping making his first state visit to the UAE this week, we look at the role energy can play in the two countries' relationship in this week's Business Extra podcast.

Host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana take a look at the factors that make the two nations ideal partners.

SellAnyCar.com has become a go-to resource for those in the UAE looking to buy and sell automobiles while avoiding traditional classifieds and dealers. But it's far from the only successful endeavour spearheaded by the company's founder, Saygin Yalcin.

In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks in studio with Yalcin, who has a unique perspective on how to succeed as an entrepreneur in the UAE.

Yalcin also talks about the importance for businessmen in the country to not just provide jobs, but to cultivate other business creators who can in turn create even more jobs.

"You never build businesses alone", Yalcin says. "Over time, the CEO and the founder becomes less and less relevant in the success of a business. You need talent.

"Every entrepreneur is building teams. I believe this is the best charity you can do."

Host Mustafa Alrawi talks to the CEO and co-founder of Sigma Ratings, Stuart Jones, about his new firm's findings on the region and its top financial institutions. He says there are reasons to be optimistic.

Also, The National's Paul Peachey is in Scotland talking to the head of clean energy business at Masdar about the testing of a new technology that could have far reaching consequences for renewables.

From a branding perspective, there are few more visible outlets than the stage created by the Fifa World Cup.

Success on the pitch can relate to significant gains in brand value for players, the nations and clubs they represent, and for the sponsors shilling out huge sums of money to have their names advertised across the globe. For instance, It's safe to say few in the West had heard of Etihad or Emirates before they became ensconced in football branding.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, Chris Nelson is joined by Andrew Campbell, managing director of Brand Finance Middle East, to assess just how Fifa has, despite years of controversy and poor management, used the power of the world's most popular game to become a commercial behemoth.

Can Fifa become too big, or does the star power of players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi — among the world's most famous celebrities — portend even further growth? And how will growing sectors such as e-sports affect the popularity of football among the youth?

The National's Mustafa Alrawi and personal finance editor Alice Haine mark two years of the weekly column, The Debt Panel, and speak with reader Sumera Hasan about her ultimately successful five-year ordeal with personal debt.

We also focus on new rules from the Central Bank capping how much lenders can charge customers for their services and products and explain the importance of developing money-management skills no matter how much you earn.

More about Sumera's story here:

The Debt Panel: Single mother of four is being hounded by debt collectors over Dh43,000

Ramadan spirit: Generous readers clear single mother's debts after The National plea

This week, Business Extra and Mustafa Alrawi bring you our World Cup quiz from our friends on The National's sports desk and the Extra Time podcast.

For the latest business news, visit www.thenational.ae/business.

The eyes of the football world will be fixated on Russia this summer as 32 nations compete to be crowned the 2018 World Cup champions.

Ahead of kick-off on Thursday, when hosts Russia take on Saudi Arabia in the opening match in Moscow, The National's Extra Time podcast staged a special World Cup quiz episode.

Four players, two teams battled it out in the ultimate test of World Cup trivia -- John McAuley and Jon Turner took on Adam Workman and Steve Luckings with a trophy on offer for the winners and a trip to Emirates Park Zoo planned for the losing team.

Join host and quizmaster Mustafa Alrawi to find out who emerged victorious and who is on their way to feed baby goats at the zoo!

Follow our World Cup coverage: www.thenational.ae/sport/world-cup-2018

Music: "Navajo Night" by Audionautix

With top oil producers Russia and Saudi Arabia indicating co-ordinated increases in supply we analyse what it might mean for prices .

Host Mustafa Alrawi is joined by Robin Mills, CEO of Qamar Energy, and author of The Myth of the Oil Crisis to discuss all aspects of oil markets from Opec and non-Opec joint action to the impact of sanctions on Iran and the recent focus on the downstream sector.

Read more at www.thenational.ae/business.

Host Mustafa Alrawi is joined by personal finance editor Alice Haine to discuss recent trends in the cost of living in the region and globally and how Dubai is one of the most expensive places to live. But your money goes further than you might think thanks to the low-tax environment.

We also give you our top tips for managing your finances at home and how to best avoid extra charges when travelling abroad.

The news on Sunday from the Cabinet that there is to be sweeping changes to visa and residency rules as well as that 100 per cent foreign ownership of businesses will no longer be confined just to free zones, is expected to have a far reaching impact on the country and the economy as a whole.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson dissect the ins and outs of this seismic development. Subscribe to the Business Extra podcast for free on Apple Podcasts here.

Captain Tilmann Gabriel is the executive chairman of the International Pilot Training Association. An industry stalwart, he has held senior executive positions across the global sector.

Now the head of City, University of London’s MSc Aviation Management Programmes, Capt Gabriel spoke with The National’s Chris Nelson in Abu Dhabi for this Business Extra podcast about his role at the university and how airport managers of the future are developed.n addition to a fast-changing industry, Capt Gabriel talks about the need for a greater inclusion of women in aviation, how airport growth has accelerated in this region and what hubs need to be aware of as the sector moves forward.

Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Edie Lush of Global GoalsCast discuss the Sustainable Development Goals which are large-scale, ambitious and inspiring. They are also changing the way we seek out investment opportunities as we move to meet this defined future with over $12 trillion up for grabs for the private sector according to the UNDP.

The podcast was produced as part of The National’s Future Forum initiative which over the next year examines how advancements in technology and societal developments will impact our future, and also coincides with The National’s tenth anniversary.

Stephen Phillips is the Director General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK, which helps international businesses set up and invest in Hong Kong. We discuss investment in Hong Kong in this week's Business Extra podcast.

While visiting Abu Dhabi, Phillips described to The National's Chris Nelson what an attractive option Hong Kong and wider southeast Asia is to international investors. Has there been an increased interest from the Middle East and GCC to invest in Hong Kong? What differentiates the business centre there from mainland China?

What challenges would investors face due to the ongoing, uneasy trade relations between the United States and China, and how could affect Hong Kong? What differentiates the fintech opportunities in Hong Kong from Dubai or rival centres? And how does Belt and Road affect Hong Kong? We discuss these topics and more.

A pact forged by Opec and non-Opec producers such as Russia, the largest producer outside the group, has lowered global inventories of crude, reversing a three-year price slump that saw prices fall as low as $29 a barrel in 2016. Recent US-led air strikes on Syria have also contributed to the price rally but analysts are suggesting that oil could climb higher but President Donald Trump’s decision on the Iran nuclear deal on May 12 could be a deciding factor.

To decipher which factors will matter most in the coming weeks, The National's energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana spoke to Iman Nasseri, managing director, Middle East at London-based Facts Global Energy about how much further oil prices could go, whether the rally is sustainable, how much longer Opec and non-Opec can hold together their pact and also on what happens to the oil markets if the Iran deal falls apart.

Business Extra is The National's weekly look at the business, financial and technology sectors of the Middle East and beyond.

SellAnyHome.com, launched in August, has already enjoyed phenomenal growth, disrupting a sector which has long been somewhat old-fashioned.

In this week's Business Extra podcast, CEO of SellAnyHome.com Omar Chihane talks with The National's Chris Nelson about how his company has grown so quickly. Chihane discusses what made him decide to leave his corporate background to pursue entrepreneurial endeavours, where he got his idea for the property-selling website, and shares his own personal philosophy to business.

Business Extra is The National's weekly look at the business, financial and technology sectors of the Middle East and beyond.

Al Bayt Mitwahid is a UAE-based organisation dedicated to the benefit of all the country’s many diverse communities.

Originally founded by staff members at the Crown Prince Court in Abu Dhabi, ABM aims to provide practical help to enable communities to develop and grow alongside both economically and socially through a wide range of tailored initiatives and programmes many of which are supported by multinational corporations such as Airbus and Total.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Chris Nelson talks to Alanoud Al Mahdi, VP of ABM’s executive committee, about the group’s work.

Our workplaces are where we spend much of our time but these days, thanks to the inter-connectedness of the digital age, that could be anywhere.

As virtual offices and co-working spaces grow in popularity, the concept of an office has broadened out, disrupting the commercial property market.

In this week's edition of the Business Extra podcast, host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Taine Moufarrige, CEO of Europe, Middle East, India and Africa at Servcorp, about the opportunities and challenges the serviced office and IT services provider is facing.

Business Extra, produced by Kevin Jeffers, is The National's weekly look at the business, financial and technology sectors of the Middle East and beyond. Subscribe to and rate the show at Apple Podcasts, or listen on Audioboom, Pocket Cast or your favourite podcasting app.

With tariffs and other measures on the table according to US president Donald Trump, it seems the world should be bracing for another trade war similar to the crisis of the 1930s.

However, the situation is more complex and fluid that it might appear.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Mustafa Alrawi hears from trade experts. For insight from the Chinese side, he speaks to Dr Wallace Cheng of International Centre for Trade and Development China. The European point of view is provided by Taina Sateri, Trade Counsellor, European Delegation in Abu Dhabi.

The Business Extra podcast concludes its deep dive into the growing healthcare sector in the UAE.

What does it mean to be well? This question is at the heart of the debate around the development of the health sector in the UAE following a golden era of growth.

Host Mustafa Alrawi gets an idea of what the future of the industry might look like as he continues the conversation with Bupa Global's Karim Idilby, Intercare’s Rashid Tabari and Foundation Holdings' Abhishek Sharma.

Listen to Part 1 here.

The Business Extra podcast for the next two weeks takes a deep dive into the growing healthcare sector in the UAE.

With the perspective of professionals on the ground, we discuss insurance, the provision of health care and how it compares to other developed nations, the investment opportunities in the sector and how primary healthcare is coming into its own in the country.

This week, host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Foundation Holdings' Abhishek Sharma about the opportunity in the value healthcare segment. He also provides a broad look at the UAE healthcare sector as it stands today.

We also get insights on the region from Bupa Global's Karim Idilby. He explained how the sector is marked by competition, health care’s rising costs and the push for quality.

And Intercare Health Centre founder Rashid Tabari explains how primary healthcare is a growing business in the UAE.

The UAE is well known for its enduring love of premium luxury cars and the capital is home to Rolls-Royce’s most successful dealership. With an unmatched total of 20 Global Awards in 14 years, Abu Dhabi Motors remains the top dealer globally, selling upwards of 1,500 vehicles since 2003.

In this week’s Business Extra Podcast, host Chris Nelson visits the dealership -- in a Rolls-Royce Ghost no less -- to talk to its general manager, Arno Husselmann. Mr Husselmann expands on what was another very good year for the company and for Abu Dhabi Motors, which also sells BMWs, and how Rolls-Royce is moving into new territory with the soon-to-be launched Cullinan 4x4.

He also reveals the brand's growing focus on younger customers -- the newly minted app billionaires, for instance -- plus its development of electric cars and the dealership's ongoing rivalry with Beverly Hills Rolls-Royce in Los Angeles.

This week host Mustafa Alrawi discusses the impact of artificial intelligence, automation and robotics with Sultan Mahmood, PwC's Global AI Lead and Ata Malik, Senior Director at PwC Middle East.

Follow Beyond the Headlines and the rest of our shows on Apple Podcasts.

The Dubai International Boat Show starts on Tuesday next week, the Mena region’s premier event for the boating sector and among the top such exhibitions globally, attracting the biggest names in the world of superyachts, megayachts and all things marine.

Pride of place goes to the UAE-based maker of such floating palaces as the Majesty range of vessels that are the epitome of luxury life on the ocean. Erwin Bamps, the firm’s ceo, talks to host Chris Nelson about what makes Gulf Craft standout.

The turmoil in Africa’s most advanced country is reaching crisis point and South Africa is at a crossroads economically, politically and socially. The man primed to take the reins, Cyril Ramaphosa, faces an enormous challenge to get the country back on track. And yet, amid the chaos, the rand is powering up, reflecting what many believe could be the start of a new golden era for the nation.

From Saudi Arabia's diversification efforts to the mania around bitcoin, investors learn much about opportunities in the media. How should they view what they are being told? Host Chris Nelson gets the lowdown from economics expert and regular columnist Omar Al Ubaydli.

The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union is set for March 2019 and businesses in Britain and Europe are bracing themselves. In this edition of The National Business Extra podcast host Chris Nelson is joined by The National’s London Bureau chief Damien McElroy, a pro-Brexiteer, and Noor Nanji, Business reporter at The National’s London office, who takes a different view, to weigh up the pros and cons of the biggest divorce in modern history.

Host Mustafa Alrawi reports from the Swiss town where global leaders and top executives have gathered for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

On the Promenade he finds Saudi officials working to keep the kingdom on track for its Vision 2030, takes the funicular to the top of the mountain where polar explorers are advocating action on climate change and delves into the fascinating world of cryptocurrencies during an engaging forum panel discussion.

Business Extra is The National's weekly look at the business, financial and technology sectors of the Middle East and beyond. Subscribe to and rate the show at Apple Podcasts, or listen on Audioboom, Pocket Cast or your favourite podcasting app.

With enormous attacks on major public organisations and multinational companies across the globe costing billions of dollars, the conventional idea of a lone-wolf targeting systems more for fun than malice is rarely the case now.

Digital security is today one of the most pressing issues for businesses, organisations and even nations as the threat of organised, ultra-high-tech criminals find new ways to break into software systems, paralysing operations. So what can be done to best mitigate the risks?

In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks to Sam Blatteis, the former Google head of government affairs, Gulf Countries and the founder and chief executive of The MENA Catalysts, a regional high-tech government affairs firm about issues surrounding cyber security.

Business Extra is The National's weekly look at the business, financial and technology sectors of the Middle East and beyond. Subscribe to and rate the show at Apple Podcasts, or listen on Audioboom, Pocket Cast or your favourite podcasting app.

Host Mustafa Alrawi hears from Lord Adair Turner, one of the key players helping to usher in a new era for the energy sector. S&P Global Platts' Chris Midgley provides a market-wide view on trends from rising oil demand to the rise of electric vehicles.

In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks to The National’s Motoring Editor Adam Workman about the rise of the handbuilt sports and supercar industry in this country, the latest in automotive tech and how the maker of James Bond’s vehicle of choice, Aston Martin, has engineered a remarkable turnaround.

The UAE has become a hotbed for bespoke high-end sportscars and supercars such as the Jannerelly Motors’ Design 1 retro-classic two-seater and the Zarooq Sandracer 500GT – dubbed the first supercar for the desert – not to mention the W Motors Lykan hypercar. So what is driving this trend and how do these manufacturers hope to cash in?

Host Mustafa Alrawi hears New York hedge fund manager Khaled Beydoun’s story of what he and his family experienced when visiting a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon. Omer Elnaiem of the United Nations refugee agency describes what day 1 and year 6 are like for a refugee. Mastercard’s Paul Musser explains how it has been able to support humanitarian initiatives.

It’s been a big year for business across the UAE and the wider region and the past 12 months have sprung some surprises and ushered in some major changes. From technology spectaculars like Apple’s launch of the iPhone X, through the country gearing up for the introduction of VAT on January 1, stabilising oil prices, the resurgence of the local and regional IPO sector, to a surprisingly upbeat Dubai Airshow, 2017 gave us plenty to discuss and much to consider. Host Chris Nelson talks to The National’s business journalists John Everington, Deputy Business Editor; Dania Saadi, Assistant Business Editor; Jennifer Gnana, Energy Reporter; Sarmad Khan, Companies and Markets Editor; and Sarah Townsend, Senior Business Correspondent, about the stories that caused a stir this year.

This week, host Mustafa Alrawi and expert David Daly conclude their discussion about value added tax and what it means for the UAE. We look at how value added tax could impact the economy once it is implemented on January 1. Rebecca Bundhun reports from Mumbai on the Indian experience when a country-wide goods and sales tax was introduced in July.

Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson talks to Craig Moore, the founder and chief executive of the UAE peer-to-peer lending platform Beehive.ae, about the rise and rapid evolution of financial technology in this region. While well established in the US and UK, fintech, as it is called, has only really taken off here in the past two or three years. With the Government keen to push the growth of a knowledge-based economy and encourage the growth of the small and medium-sized business sector, how does fintech fit in with the UAE’s development plans?

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the latest twist in the saga surrounding English football club Newcastle United, which is the subject of interest from a new mystery bidder in the wake of an offer from Dubai financier Amanda Staveley. Also, we look ahead to a bumper month of sporting events in the UAE in December and how the business of sport is a key factor in the growth of the tourism industry in the Emirates.

Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the surprise resurgence of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries with economics expert and regular columnist Omar Al-Ubaydli ahead of the much anticipated meeting of the group at the end of the month in Vienna, where it is expected to confirm that a crude output restraint deal with non-Opec producers -- including Russia -- to shore up oil prices will be extended to the end of next year.

Host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Harvard University's Alan Aspuru-Guzik who explains that organic storage technology is the big breakthrough to come for the energy industry and Christian Soemmer, Managing Director of Cadillac Middle East, sets out a vision for cars and transport.

Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses recent developments in the Kingdom with business editor Massoud Derhally. Looking ahead to this weekend's World Economic Forum summit in Dubai, the Wef's Stephan Mergenthaler explains how such a gathering of experts can help meet today's complex challenges and opportunities head on. The Canadian Business Council Abu Dhabi's chairman Gregory Zoughbi talks about the importance of businesses working together.

Host Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor, look ahead to this month's global aviation event in the UAE as the role of technology takes centre stage; from the impact of more efficient aircraft on the hub model used by Emirates and Etihad Airways, to passenger demand for in-flight connectivity, to the growth of commercial space travel.

Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses the state of the banking sector with Jean Pierre Mustier, the chief executive of Italian lender Unicredit, who was in the UAE capital for the launch of its new corporate and investment banking branch at ADGM. Also in this episode, leadership coach Suhair Fakhoury of the International Coach Federation's Abu Dhabi chapter explains how a greater focus on talent development can help companies in the Arab world become more efficient and productive.

Episode 40: Mustafa Alrawi and The National's Editor in Chief Mina Al-Oraibi, recently returned from her trip to Washington for the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings, discuss how a new world order for trade and investment is emerging, amid an era of unprecedented upheaval, which is no longer dominated by the multilateralist approach led by the US and other developed nations.

Host Mustafa Alrawi learns from food delivery app Deliveroo's regional GM Anis Harb that its business model - which gives restaurant owners and consumers more choices - has also created a logistics sub-sector, that the UAE's food and beverage sector is still working out how to deal with VAT's introduction and the secret behind Amazon's winning formula.

Host Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor, talk to London luxury property developer Northacre's chief executive Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro about the outlook for prime real estate in the UK capital amid softer market conditions and uncertainty following the Brexit vote.

Host Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor discuss Dubai's new incentives to get 32,000 electric and hybrid cars on the road by 2020 and what it means for the UAE economy.

Episode Host Mustafa Alrawi was at the IISS Bahrain Bay Forum in Manama this week where he heard lively and insightful debate on the impact of China's ambitions for a new silk road : on global trade links and infrastructure. Leading expert on the topic Professor Lanxin Xiang explains what the Belt and Road Initiave is and Gulf-based economist Omar Al Ubaydli discusses why China's approach has been so successful in this region.

Episode 35: Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses this week's highlights from Cityscape Global in Dubai with The National's Sarmad Khan. Looking ahead to the Middle East Investor Relations Association's conference next week, chairman Alex McDonald-Vitale and ADS Securities' Dr Ryan Lemand explain how the region's capital markets are quickly maturing.

Business Extra, Episode 34: This week, host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Sirish Kumar, chief executive and co-founder of digital payments company Telr to find out if 2017 really is a watershed year for e-commerce and the digital economy in the UAE and wider region. Mr Kumar says it is exciting times as online transactions grow at a phenomenal rate.

Episode 33: This week, host Mustafa Alrawi and expert David Daly break down the many facets of value added tax and how it could impact the economy once it is implemented on January 1.

Business Extra is The National's weekly guide to the Middle East's bustling business scene. #Business #UAE #VAT #Economy

Episode 32: This week, host Mustafa Alrawi finds out that there are many nuances to Africa as an opportunity for investors from the Gulf. Helping to formulate a strategy are lawyer Atiq Anjarwalla, e-commerce entrepreneur Chris Folayan and JCDecaux Middle East CEO Martin Sabbagh.

Business Extra is The National's weekly guide to the Middle East's bustling business scene. #Business #Africa #Money #Investing #UAE #Commerce #ecommerce

Host Mustafa Alrawi explores Generation Start-up, The National's weekly series profiling the most dynamic and exciting tech companies in the region. Elissa Freiha, co-founder of angel investor network Womena, provides insights into the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, and e-commerce retailer Ulugbek Yuldashev of Awok explains how he has successfully scaled-up his business by targeting the low to mid income consumer segment.

Business #Commerce #Womena #Awok #ecommerce

Episode 30: Host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Martin Sabbagh, the Middle East chief executive of JCDecaux, the global outdoor advertising group. Mr Sabbagh offers some fascinating insights into the current trends impacting his industry, which is often a bellwether for the wider economy. It is also a time of technological disruption which has resulted in fresh challenges and opportunities for JCDecaux.

Host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's columnist Robin Mills discuss the energy industry including the tricky oil market balancing act that Opec is working on pulling off, how majors like BP and Shell are pivoting for the future and the outlook for Iraq including how the Kurdish Regional Government will fare in terms of its energy ambitions.

Business Extra Episode 28: host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's columnist Sabah al-Binali discuss the pitfalls of investing in bitcoin and how financial innovation can be found in English football's elite circles. They also mark the three year anniversary of Sabah's column with a recap of some of his best musings and by revealing some of the highlights of his glittering business career.

Emirates president Tim Clark gives his candid take on the state of the aviation industry as the airline pivots for growth. Business Extra host Mustafa Alrawi gets more on this as well as the tie-up between Emirates and flydubai from business editor Massoud Derhally. A Canadian woman successfully sues UAE banks over unfair credit card charges getting herself out from under a Dh700,000 debt pile. Personal finance editor Alice Haine explains what this means for the overall problem of rising consumer debt. Platooning is the future of road freight according to assistant business editor Chris Nelson who reveals how logistics firm Agility is revolutionising trucking. #business #airlines #debt #finance #personalfinance #trucking #aviation

Business Extra host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's energy correspondent Anthony McAuley discuss Adnoc's new approach as it seeks growth opportunities through partnerships and considers listing some services businesses. Mustafa also gets some insight into what Millennials think about work and wealth from Chequinah Coutinho.

Host Mustafa Alrawi gets the views of The National's new business editor Massoud Derhally on what sectors and topics to watch out for. We also cover some of the bigger stories this week including an admission from insurer Friends Provident that its fixed-term investment products are not good enough for customers.

Mustafa Alrawi, Business Editor for The National, and Andy Scott discuss the UAE's cruise business, the crews at the Boat Show and the queues for the Hyper Loop.

Mustafa Alrawi, Business Editor for The National, and Andy Scott look at the property race, hotel space and the case for electric vehicles.

The US dollar's strength makes Dubai an expensive destination for its traditional tourist markets but its visitor numbers keep increasing. Mustafa Alrawi, Business Editor of The National, and Andy Scott try to make sense of the data.

Mustafa Alrawi, business editor for The National, and Andy Scott discuss the departure of Etihad's James Hogan, Emirates taking on US rivals and the Dubai property market's long journey to the bottom.

Mustafa Alrawi, business editor of The National, and Andy Scott look at the billionaire's battle for online dominance and the UAE's airline businesses facing tougher times.

Mustafa Alrawi, The National's business editor and Andy Scott discuss online growth, expanding GDP and the strong dollar bringing us back down to earth.

Mustafa Alrawi, business editor for The National, and Andy Scott discuss the shock, the awe and what happens next.

Mustafa Alrawi and Andy Scott discuss the $125 billion merger between Mubadala and IPIC as the main course with Dubai raising financing for the expansion of its airports, pesky drones and for dessert why the UAE's F&B sector would like us to eat more.

Mubadala #IPIC #Dubai #UAE

Mustafa Alrawi, Business Editor for The National, along with reporters Andy Scott and John Everington discuss Samsung's headaches with the Note 7 and the latest bearish assessment for the UAE's retail sector.

Mustafa Alrawi, Business Editor for The National and Andy Scott discuss all the new developments.

The National's Business Editor, Mustafa Alrawi and Andy Scott discuss all the weeks business news

The National's Business Editor, Mustafa Alrawi, reporter Lucy Barnard and Andy Scott go toe-to-toe with the numbers and have a sneak peek at Pokemon Go.

The National's Business Editor, Mustafa Alrawi, and Andy Scott discuss the week's seismic events locally and globally.

The National's Deputy Business Editor, Sean Cronin, and Andy Scott discuss the weeks biggest business events.

The National's Business Editor, Mustafa Alrawi, and Andy Scott discuss the week's hot topics

The Skyscraper Index suggests a link between delivery of the the world's highest buildings and economic chaos. With the world's two tallest towers due in 2019 should we take our money out the banks in 2018?

Mustafa Alrawi and Andy Scott discuss a possible IPO of souq.com and renaissance in retail sales.

This week's episode takes a look at the impact of the increase in oil price and why Ramadan might be a good time to buy a new car.

Has the property market reached the bottom of its fall?

With several new theme parks scheduled to open in the UAE over the next few months (and years), industry experts are hoping that these destinations will attract more tourists which will in turn boost the retail sector.

Dubai's newest offering is a striking combination of deep discounts and luxury brands .

How Saudi Arabia's new financial plan could alter the cultural make up of the kingdom and a look at the rising levels of personal debt in the UAE.