Author: Mahdeehassan

Middle East. Bain & Company has released a brief, The Future of Financial Planning Is Autonomous, which explores how generative AI and intelligent agents are transforming the way companies plan, forecast, and allocate capital. According to the brief, traditional budgeting cycles are too slow and rigid for today’s volatile markets. AI-native agents embedded in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are enabling companies to update forecasts continuously, adjust budgets automatically, and deliver real-time strategic insights to leadership teams. These systems mark the beginning of a new era of intelligent, autonomous finance. More than 25% of finance teams now use some form…

Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR), a subsidiary of the Emirates Group offering 5-star hospitality and F&B solutions, has signed a franchise agreement with Saddle Group to open the first branch of Saddle Café in the Arrivals area of Terminal 3 at DXB, before the end of the year. This step comes within the framework of the parties’ commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences that reflect Dubai’s global spirit and enhance the presence of Emirati brands in the country’s most strategic locations. Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR), a subsidiary of the renowned Emirates Group, manages a diverse portfolio of restaurants, cafes, and bars…

Riyadh, KSA – The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC), a PIF company, has signed a new agreement with Arab National Bank to acquire a real estate finance portfolio in the presence of His Excellency Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, Minister of Municipalities and Housing and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company, and Eng. Salah Rashid Al-Rashed,Chairman of the Board of Arab National Bank. This agreement marks an extension of the strategic partnership between the two parties and reaffirms their shared commitment to supporting the growth and sustainability of the real estate finance market in the Kingdom.…

SBC has announced the debut shortlist for the inaugural Affiliate Leaders Awards – a new ceremony spotlighting the companies shaping affiliate marketing’s next chapter. This time, it’s the public who holds the power, with open voting deciding which nominees will be celebrated on stage in Lisbon this September. The ceremony will welcome 600 industry leaders to Lisbon’s MEO Arena, located just steps away from the main event venue, Feira Internacional de Lisboa, on Wednesday, 17 September. The evening will celebrate the standout companies shortlisted across 22 fiercely contested categories, and ultimately, honour the winners. While the shortlist was selected by an independent panel…

Q: What is the Legends Charity Game? RS: The Legends Charity Game is something we’ve been dreaming about for a long time, and now it’s finally happening. On Monday, 15 September, right in the heart of Lisbon, a team of Portugal’s greatest football legends will step onto the pitch to take on a global lineup of football legends from across the world. These legends are the players so many of us grew up watching, idols who shaped our love for the game, now coming together for a match that is about more than nostalgia. It’s about charity, and our goal…

Manama, Bahrain – Mazad announced the launch of its newly enhanced Seller Portal, marking a major step in the company’s evolution into a fully digital, user-powered marketplace. With this upgrade, Mazad has placed sellers at the center of the platform experience, allowing individuals and businesses across Bahrain and beyond to seamlessly list and sell their products online. The Seller Portal has been designed to simplify and streamline the selling process, offering users a modern interface that makes it easy to onboard, manage listings, and reach potential buyers. From special license plates and luxury collectibles to automobiles, real estate, and more, sellers…

Dubai, UAE: The Research and Development (R&D) Centre of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that its OmniHub IoT terminal has received the CE product certification for health, safety and environmental compliance. OmniHub successfully passed all testing requirements in a single development cycle covering concept, delivery and maintenance, exceeding industry benchmarks. The R&D Centre highlighted the terminal’s advanced features, particularly its connectivity with the DEWASAT-1 nanosatellite, paving the way for field deployment. Omnihub was developed in line with the highest standards of reliability and efficiency under DEWA’s Space-D programme to connect terrestrial sensors with satellites and ground-based networks. The…

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) today onboarded Thndr, a leading retail investment platform in the MENA region, as the first remote retail trading member on the largest exchange in the UAE, the second largest in the MENA region, and among the top 20 in the world. Thndr, a Hub71 start-up, is one of MENA’s first fully digital investment platforms. Regulated by the Abu Dhabi Global Market’s (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), Thndr is set to make its mark in the UAE following its strong track record in the region. In 2024 alone, Thndr recorded…

Gary Vaynerchuk, renowned entrepreneur and marketing powerhouse, will kick off SBC Summit 2025’s first-ever Marketing Academy with an exclusive AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. This marks the launch of SBC Summit’s most ambitious educational initiative yet: four full-dayTech Academies covering AI, Marketing, Web 3.0 & Blockchain, and a new academy set to be announced soon. Designed to deliver hands-on, interactive learning with the world’s leading experts, the programme is open to all professionals with an interest in tech, not just those within the gaming industry. The Marketing Academy, a key pillar of SBC Summit’s Tech Academy programme, brings together a world-class mix of talent, including Gary Vaynerchuk, content…

Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: ASMO, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco Development Company and DHL, has commenced its procurement services for general supply materials, issuing its first purchase orders for Aramco in July, 2025, and launching warehousing operations at its second site in Saudi Arabia: the Jazan warehouse. These milestones are part of ASMO’s phased national rollout under its 15-year strategic agreement with its anchor customer, Aramco, and support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda by localizing supply chains and strengthening the Kingdom’s logistics infrastructure. “With the start of procurement services for general supply materials and the transition of Jazan warehousing…