Essential Tips for Industrial Excellence in the GCC

El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what suggestions they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Founder of Snoonu said it was "essential to build borders" in between work and individual life and take short vacations to "detach" from the office.

Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, said: "If you make the individuals you work with delighted, you will make the consumer happy, who will then make the investors pleased."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, said the ability to "not panic" is the key to discovering an option for problems.

Today, we're assembling more than 3000 conferences in between investors and 119 Gulf-listed business with a combined worth of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're bringing together financiers, business, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is changing in the region, and what follows, including the growth and ongoing advancement of the Gulf's capital markets, and the area's growing function in worldwide networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf region's financial growth in 2026, supported by strong private-sector performance, durable domestic demand and renewed financial investment momentum, according to the most recent ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is expected to exceed most worldwide areas peers next year, with regional GDP projection to grow by 4.4%. Throughout the GCC, non-energy activity is predicted to expand by 4.1% in 2026, driven by strong labour markets, improving credit conditions and rising financial investment in innovation and AI-related facilities.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Maximising Operational Efficiency through Advanced Business Planning

Although oil profits will be under pressure in the very first half of 2026, production is anticipated to rise again in the 2nd half of 2026, supporting the region's medium-term outlook, it stated. Saudi Arabia will remain a significant factor to GCC momentum, with GDP forecast to grow 4.3% in 2026.

Growth will be supported by commercial expansion and policy reforms, including alleviated foreign ownership rules that intend to promote additional investment. The fiscal deficit is predicted to widen to 5.6% of GDP next year amid softer oil rates, while the recent five-year lease freeze in Riyadh intends to ease inflationary pressures, though it may constrain future housing supply.

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

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Oil production is anticipated to get again in the second half of 2026, matching ongoing investment in infrastructure, technology and worldwide trade partnerships. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, stated: "This quarter's outlook reinforces how far the GCC has been available in building varied, resilient and worldwide competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Consultant, and Chief Financial Expert and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are getting in 2026 with strong foundations. Saudi non-oil activity is gaining rate, supported by robust demand and increasing investment, even as fiscal pressures increase.""The UAE continues to gain from solid domestic principles, a sharp uplift in federal government spending and sustained diversity efforts.

Navigating the Next Middle East Business Landscape

GCC nations are pivoting towards a technique of 'durability over expansion' going into 2026, as the region gets ready for a worldwide landscape specified by softer oil costs, geopolitical fragmentation, and the quick transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a brand-new local outlook by PwC, the GCC is transferring to insulate its development from external shocks by deepening international trade integration, securing commercial supply chains, and performing a definitive shift from innovation aspiration to operational execution.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Settlements totally free Trade Arrangements with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have gotten in last preparing phases. The region is increasingly placing itself as a main hub for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Passage (IMEC). To support domestic manufacturing, protecting important minerals has become a strategic priority.