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Over the course of 2017, Zawya has carried out interviews with leading figures from some of the Middle East’s top businesses and government organisations, which not only broke news but also provided much-needed context to a particular industry, market or subject matter.
For instance, one of the most read articles was the interview with Jado Pado founder Omar Kassim, who spoke to us shortly after his departure as chief technology officer at Noon.com in July. Kassim exclusively revealed plans for a new, real estate blockchain business known as Esanjo. (Read more here).
Also in the technology space, the chief executive of Careem, the Middle East's native ride-hailing app, revealed that the company is in talks with potential partners in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, with a view to allowing its customers to order cars wherever they are in the world. (Read the full interview here).
Careem has claimed some success in taking market share from a global leader in its marketplace, and another firm attempting to achieve the same feat is Dubai-based Starz Play, whose chief executive Maaz Sheikh talked about its plan to become the Video-On-Demand service of choice in the Middle East. (Read more here).
Our series on the social responsibility activities undertaken by prominent members of business families in the United Arab Emirates also proved to be popular. Alisha Moopen discussed the philanthropic activities of the Aster DM Healthcare group, whose activities were heightened during the UAE's Year of Giving and the company's own 30th anniversary year. (Read more here).
Meanwhile, Sana Sajan talked about the difference that Danube Welfare Centers are making to workers' lives. (Read more here). Shafeena Yusuff Ali also revealed that Lulu International Group's food and beverage arm, Tablez, is working on an initiative with the World Food Programme that will be launched next year. (Read more here). Keep a watch out for the next instalments in 2018.
Another company looking to make a difference to workers' lives, albeit through a for-profit venture, is Foundation Holdings - a company looking to generate a significant healthcare business by providing affordable healthcare insurance to workers in camps, initially in the UAE, and later throughout the GCC and India, chief executive Abhishek Sharma said in October. The firm is backed by a group of prominent businesspeople including WJ Towell Group's Murthada Sultan as chairman, and Air Arabia and Pure Gold Group's chief executives Adel Abdulla Ali and Karim Merchant as board members. (Read more here).
Continuing in the insurance sphere, one of the interviews with key public sector figures that broke news this year was a conversation with the head of the UAE Insurance Authority, Ebrahim Alzaabi, who spoke in February about plans to introduce new rules covering bancassurance and dispute resolution. (Read more here).
In November, another public sector figure who revealed big plans was Lebanon's oil minister, who told Zawya that the country will look to award the first exploration and production licence contracts for offshore oil concessions either by the end of this year, or early next year. Cesar Abi Khalil also said it had held talks with officials from Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund to gain advice on setting up its own sovereign fund. (Read more here).
In the real estate sector, Arada Developments' vice-chairmam, Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Talal, told Zawya in September that his company was "putting our money where our mouth is" with its 2.2 million square foot, $1.36 billion Aljada project. (Read more here).
Meanwhile, in an interview which also took place in September, the chairman of Kleindienst Properties, Josef Kleindienst, said that owners of offshore islands at The World had offered their islands to him at a loss. (Read more here).
Finally, Emaar Hospitality's new chief executive, Olivier Harnisch, explained in May that the company's new hotel management contracts based purely on incentives aligns his company's own interests with those of hotel owners. (Read more here).
Keep checking in to Zawya.com throughout the course of 2018 for more insights and interviews.
(Writing by Michael Fahy; Editing by Shane McGinley)
(michael.fahy@thomsonreuters.com)
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles
© ZAWYA 2017
For instance, one of the most read articles was the interview with Jado Pado founder Omar Kassim, who spoke to us shortly after his departure as chief technology officer at Noon.com in July. Kassim exclusively revealed plans for a new, real estate blockchain business known as Esanjo. (Read more here).
Also in the technology space, the chief executive of Careem, the Middle East's native ride-hailing app, revealed that the company is in talks with potential partners in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, with a view to allowing its customers to order cars wherever they are in the world. (Read the full interview here).
Careem has claimed some success in taking market share from a global leader in its marketplace, and another firm attempting to achieve the same feat is Dubai-based Starz Play, whose chief executive Maaz Sheikh talked about its plan to become the Video-On-Demand service of choice in the Middle East. (Read more here).
Our series on the social responsibility activities undertaken by prominent members of business families in the United Arab Emirates also proved to be popular. Alisha Moopen discussed the philanthropic activities of the Aster DM Healthcare group, whose activities were heightened during the UAE's Year of Giving and the company's own 30th anniversary year. (Read more here).
Meanwhile, Sana Sajan talked about the difference that Danube Welfare Centers are making to workers' lives. (Read more here). Shafeena Yusuff Ali also revealed that Lulu International Group's food and beverage arm, Tablez, is working on an initiative with the World Food Programme that will be launched next year. (Read more here). Keep a watch out for the next instalments in 2018.
Another company looking to make a difference to workers' lives, albeit through a for-profit venture, is Foundation Holdings - a company looking to generate a significant healthcare business by providing affordable healthcare insurance to workers in camps, initially in the UAE, and later throughout the GCC and India, chief executive Abhishek Sharma said in October. The firm is backed by a group of prominent businesspeople including WJ Towell Group's Murthada Sultan as chairman, and Air Arabia and Pure Gold Group's chief executives Adel Abdulla Ali and Karim Merchant as board members. (Read more here).
Continuing in the insurance sphere, one of the interviews with key public sector figures that broke news this year was a conversation with the head of the UAE Insurance Authority, Ebrahim Alzaabi, who spoke in February about plans to introduce new rules covering bancassurance and dispute resolution. (Read more here).
In November, another public sector figure who revealed big plans was Lebanon's oil minister, who told Zawya that the country will look to award the first exploration and production licence contracts for offshore oil concessions either by the end of this year, or early next year. Cesar Abi Khalil also said it had held talks with officials from Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund to gain advice on setting up its own sovereign fund. (Read more here).
In the real estate sector, Arada Developments' vice-chairmam, Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Talal, told Zawya in September that his company was "putting our money where our mouth is" with its 2.2 million square foot, $1.36 billion Aljada project. (Read more here).
Meanwhile, in an interview which also took place in September, the chairman of Kleindienst Properties, Josef Kleindienst, said that owners of offshore islands at The World had offered their islands to him at a loss. (Read more here).
Finally, Emaar Hospitality's new chief executive, Olivier Harnisch, explained in May that the company's new hotel management contracts based purely on incentives aligns his company's own interests with those of hotel owners. (Read more here).
Keep checking in to Zawya.com throughout the course of 2018 for more insights and interviews.
(Writing by Michael Fahy; Editing by Shane McGinley)
(michael.fahy@thomsonreuters.com)
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles
© ZAWYA 2017
