MEED
Richard Thompson

Editorial Director at MEED.

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Qatar Projects: World Cup and National Vision drive ambitious projects market

2 February 2012, 6:55 GMT
Few businesses operating in the Middle East can afford to ignore Qatar
Populations drive Middle East economies

Issue 52 30 December 2011-5 January 2012
Meeting the needs of a rapidly growing population is the primary driver of regional economic activity and the Middle East’s demographic trends underpin the long-term economic direction
The Middle East’s new beginning

MEED Yearbook 2012
Despite the shock of the Arab uprisings and concerns over a slowdown in the global economy, the Gulf is well positioned for strong growth in 2012. But uncertainty remains and the risks have increased
Yearbook 2012: Change that is set to continue

MEED Yearbook 2012
The consequences of the 2011 Arab uprisings are uncertain, but they will be far-reaching
Executive Education 2011: Uncertainty stresses need for education

Executive Education 2011
Middle East governments have been prioritising the development of the education sector for several years, ploughing substantial investment into the construction of schools and the modernisation of curriculums
Pearl GTL sets the standard for region

Pearl GTL
Time and again over the past decade, Qatar has shown through a series of pioneering, world-scale projects its ambition and determination to establish itself as, not just a regional, but also an international leader
Gulf rail boom moves into full swing

Rail Supplement 2011
The launch in September of full operations on Saudi Railway Company’s 1,400-kilometre minerals railway comes as the Middle East and North Africa’s rail boom moves into full swing
Dubai: City of Gold

31 August 2011, 8:00 GMT
With gold enjoying a bull market that has seen the price of the precious metal rise by 25 per cent since the start of the year, Dubai’s gold souq is doing brisk business
MEED’s guide to doing business in the UAE

A Guide to Doing Business in the UAE
This is the eighth edition of MEED’s guide, and an essential companion for anybody seeking to do business in or with the federation of the United Arab Emirates
Turkey: A model for the region

Turkey
Turkey is growing increasingly vociferous about the Middle East
Qatar projects companies sector face intense competition

7 July 2011, 13:28 GMT
About $100bn of infrastructure projects currently planned or announced by the state
Atkins chief highlights Qatar opportunities

5 July 2011, 13:58 GMT
Firm expects to employ 1,000 engineers in Qatar
Qatar faces enormous financing challenge

5 July 2011, 13:58 GMT
Many projects have to be financed and executed at the same time
UK looks to develop Qatar trade

5 July 2011, 13:58 GMT
Minister expects trade with Gulf States to double by 2015
Qatar exchange to launch bond market

5 July 2011, 13:34 GMT
Market aims to create alternative for raising finance
Transport is key for Qatar World Cup success

5 July 2011, 13:22 GMT
London Olympics official says throwing money at issue is a recipe for failure
US operation in Pakistan kills Osama Bin Laden

2 May 2011, 5:35 GMT
Al-Qaeda leader’s body flown to the US after ‘firefight’ in Pakistan compound
Long-term economic prospects could offset short-term risk

March 2011 Online Content
Growth projects are being revised downwards, but the outlook could still be positive for the region
Finding the right course

Issue 8 25 February 2011-3 March 2011
The regimes of Egypt and Tunisia long ignored warnings about their disaffected populations
Anti-government protesters killed in clashes across Yemen

19 February 2011, 18:49 GMT
Protesters were killed in clashes with the police and supporters of President Saleh as demonstrations calling for his removal enter an eighth day
At least 84 reported killed as Tripoli cracks down on protests

19 February 2011, 5:38 GMT
Libyan protests follow regime change in Tunisia and Egypt
Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman to lead national dialogue following protests

19 February 2011, 4:58 GMT
King Hamad authorises prince to talk to all parties after army fires on anti-government protesters
Egyptian Army takes over after Hosni Mubarak resigns presidency

11 February 2011, 20:26 GMT
Egypt’s military high command is running the country after mounting public protests force President Mubarak to resign
World leaders call for restraint from Cairo

30 January 2011, 7:24 GMT
President Mubarak appoints intelligence chief Omar Suleiman as vice president as he moves to regain control
MEED's 2020 Vision: A presentation

27 January 2011, 9:23 GMT
An exclusive MEED presentation looking at the key trends that will shape the Middle East economy in the coming decade.
The Middle East economy in the next decade - Survey results

Issue 53 31 December 2010 - 6 January 2011
While political reform, technology and China will be important factors shaping the region in 2020, the push to establish a sustainable, diversified economy will remain key to growth in the next 10 years
Yearbook 2011: Gulf region on the path to recovery

Supplement: MEED Yearbook 2011
Throughout 2010, the region’s economy has been recovering and as we come to the end of the year, the prospects for 2011 are bright, particularly for anybody operating in the Middle East
Winning the World Cup is a beginning, not an end, for Qatar

5 December 2010, 10:25 GMT
Qatar’s World Cup success should not be seen as the fulfilment of Doha’s development goals
Qatar to host 2022 football World Cup

3 December 2010, 4:01 GMT
Doha’s successful bid is set to launch a huge infrastructure investment programme in the Gulf state
Baghdad leads Gulf’s projects growth

Issue 47 19-25 November 2010
Iraq maintains its position as the fastest growing market this year by recording a 115.6 per cent rise
The changing face of executive education in the Gulf

Supplement: Executive Education Guide
Few business sectors in the Gulf can say they have had a good recession, but the executive education market is one
Oman schemes boost Gulf index

Issue 45 5-11 November 2010
Index records first increase in three weeks as GCC projects market achieves positive growth
Market down for second week running

Issue 44 29 October-5 November 2010
The Gulf projects index falls as the market begins to stabilise after a surge in activity following Ramadan
Index slips as projects are put on hold

21 October 2010, 13:51 GMT
Gulf projects tracker falls as major schemes stall in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
World Cup bid lifts Qatar market

14 October 2010, 15:10 GMT
Plans to build or upgrade 12 football stadiums boost project growth in the peninsula
Manama market falls by 4 per cent

7 October 2010, 11:58 GMT
Drop in the Bahrain projects is balanced by gains in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq
UAE projects market falls behind region

30 September 2010, 14:10 GMT
Real-estate collapse continues to restrict UAE growth, while infrastructure projects spur the region
Oman records strongest growth

23 September 2010, 12:56 GMT
Market up for second week as key decision-makers return from summer break
Market rise marks end of summer lull

16 September 2010, 15:13 GMT
Oman records biggest growth over the week as activity picks up across the Gulf after the summer slowdown
Gulf Projects 2 September 2010: Bahrain market continues to grow

2 September 2010, 16:13 GMT
Only Iraq has grown faster over the past year as the total value of projects in the Gulf falls
Gulf Projects Index 25 August 2010: Completions add to summer slowdown

26 August 2010, 14:50 GMT
With few new projects being launched, the seasonal lull across the region continues
Gulf Projects: 19 August 2010: Bahrain records biggest growth

19 August 2010, 16:46 GMT
Little activity in most markets
Gulf Projects 12 August 2010: Riyadh and Baghdad sustain market

15 August 2010, 14:56 GMT
At its peak, at the start of 2009, the value of projects planned or under way in the Gulf topped $3 trillion, according to projects tracker MEED Projects. The GCC accounted for about $2.6bn.
Amman moves to support mobile

Issue No 25 18-24 June 2010
Plans to rewrite Jordan’s telecoms law are aimed at establishing the kingdom as a regional hub for information technology
Amman seeks consultant to advise on telecoms law revision

Issue No 24 11-17 June 2010
Updated law aimed at giving more ‘teeth’ to the regulator and addressing issues raised by broadband mobile applications
Baghdad divided on fourth mobile phone licence

Issue No 24 11-17 June 2010
Poor mobile services in Iraq due to lack of infrastructure and network jammers being used to stop bomb detonations
Amman launches review of telecoms law

7 June 2010, 12:25 GMT
Jordan’s information technology minister calls for greater support from the private sector
Regional telecoms operators to seek industry partners

7 June 2010, 12:24 GMT
Falling profit margins to trigger a new wave of telecoms mergers and acquisitions
Offshore oil & gas: Crossing new frontiers

Supplement: Offshore Oil and Gas
The offshore oil and gas sector in the Middle East and North Africa region is entering a period of renewed growth
Nakilat: Delivering Qatar's gas to the world

Supplement: Nakilat
Qatar Gas Transport Company’s (Nakilat) $11bn investment in a fleet of specialist, state-of-the-art liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers is the largest single merchant shipbuilding programme since the Second World War, during which the US commissioned a new fleet to replace vessels destroyed in the conflict.
Yearbook 2010: Growth prospects for the year ahead

Supplement: MEED Yearbook 2010
Despite the negative headlines over Dubai and its mountain of debt, most of the Middle East and North Africa appears set for a year of solid growth in 2010
2009 Review: Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa on Bahraini reform plans

Supplement: MEED Yearbook 2010
The chairman of the Economic Development Board has a mission to drive through reform
The making of Kaust: The vision behind Saudi Arabia's science university

Supplement: Kaust
Saudi Arabia’s universities do not boast a long history. While the universities of Al-Karaouine in Morocco and Egypt’s Al-Azhar are both more than 1,000 years old, Riyadh’s King Saud University was only established in 1957, and Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz University 10 years later.
Gulf wastewater: A regional projects guide

Supplement: Gulf Wastewater
With the population of the GCC growing at a rate of about 3.4 per cent a year, there is increasing pressure on the region’s wastewater treatment plants, many of which are working well above their design capacity.
The Middle East ports dilemma

Supplement: Middle East Ports 2009
Tapping into international trade has for years been at the heart of efforts by Middle East and North African countries to develop their economies, helped by the fact that some of the most important global trade routes, such as those between Europe and Asia, traverse the region.
Abu Dhabi tourism: The emirate's vision for a world-class industry

Supplement: Abu Dhabi Tourism
For anybody supplying goods and services to the tourism sector, Abu Dhabi is a rare opportunity in an otherwise depressed global industry.
Changing attitudes: Sustainable development in the Gulf

Supplement: Sustainable Development in the Gulf
In little over a month, more than 190 governments will meet in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Conference to agree a successor to the 12-year-old Kyoto Protocol and find a way to cut their greenhouse gas emissions further.
The Bahrain report: Delivering the 2030 vision

29 October 2009, 14:53 GMT
Bahrain is a country that needs to punch above its weight. Surrounded by oil and gas-rich neighbours, but with little energy resources of its own, it has had to find alternative ways to develop its economy.
Gulf Healthcare Report 2009: Improving the health of a region

20 October 2009, 12:39 GMT
Healthcare spending in the GCC will grow fourfold over the next 17 years to more than $60bn a year. The multi-billion-dollar spending programmes planned by the region’s governments are a dramatic response to decades of underinvestment in healthcare infrastructure, from hospitals to primary healthcare centres.
Bahraini development board begins low-cost housing drive

Issue No 41 9-15 October 2009
Bahrain is inviting the private sector to build 20,000 low-cost homes over the next 10 years as the kingdom tries to reduce the waiting time for affordable housing from 12 years to five
Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa on Bahraini reform plans

Issue No 41 9-15 October 2009
The chairman of the Economic Development Board has a mission to drive through reform
Gulf rail comes of age

29 September 2009, 11:36 GMT
The opening of the $28bn Dubai Metro on 9 September is a defining moment for the region’s transport sector. Dubai’s flagship infrastructure project marks the beginning of an era of long-term investment in rail transport across the region; one that will provide a step change in the quality of communications between and within the region’s rapidly growing cities.
Education City: The foundation for Qatar's future

18 September 2009, 14:55 GMT
Education City, on the western outskirts of Doha, is the manifestation of a long-term vision to transform gas-rich Qatar into a diversified, knowledge-based economy by 2030.
Saudi Arabia can lead on cleaner fuels

Issue No 34 21 - 27 August 2009
Regulatory oversight of imported fuel products is tightening and producers will need to respond.
Abu Dhabi Petrochemicals: The emirate's vision for a world-class industry

24 July 2009, 16:39 GMT
In this special supplement, MEED provides a detailed picture of Abu Dhabi’s petrochemicals vision, and the business opportunities for both local and international companies to become involved in helping the emirate achieve it.
Confronting the downturn: How the Middle East is reacting to global economic turmoil

26 June 2009, 17:15 GMT
Economies across the world have been hit hard by the global financial crisis, which has spread from the banking industry to affect almost all business sectors.
Strengthening ties: South Korea and the Middle East

19 June 2009, 12:45 GMT
Given the prominence today of South Korean companies such as Samsung Engineering, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Daewoo Engineering & Construction in the Middle East, it seems unbelievable that just 10 years ago, the country’s contractors were struggling to establish any sort of foothold in the region.
Building an industry: Aluminium's place at the heart of the GCC economy

12 June 2009, 16:09 GMT
Despite the fall in aluminium prices on the global commodities markets over the past 12 months, building an integrated aluminium industry makes good sense for the Gulf’s governments.
Centre of excellence: Qatar's vision to become a research hub

5 June 2009, 14:59 GMT
The inauguration in March of the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) is a major milestone in the development of the Qatari economy.
Leading the world: Qatargas II reshapes the global gas industry

10 April 2009, 11:38 GMT
The arrival of Tembek, a 216,000-cubic-metre-capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, at the UK’s South Hook terminal on 20 March marked the start of a new era for the world’s gas industry, and for Qatar.
Sustaining growth: Middle East oil and gas projects in 2009 and beyond

20 March 2009, 16:44 GMT
It has been a tough year for the region’s oil and gas projects sector. Just 12 months ago, oil prices were rising exponentially and the region’s producers were being pushed to boost output to ease energy supply fears and bring down fuel costs.
Building a research hub in Qatar

19 March 2009, 12:50 GMT
The opening of a fourth US university at Qatar’s Education City is a milestone in the country’s plan to become a regional centre for learning.
Lower construction profits are new reality

22 February 2009, 8:43 GMT
The biggest decision for many firms in the year ahead will be whether or not to pursue legal action against influential but non-paying clients.
Gulf construction outlook survey: Contractors prepare for cutbacks

22 February 2009, 6:57 GMT
Some 70 per cent of Gulf firms will make large redundancies this year, according to a new MEED survey.
Lawyers prepare for legal disputes over late payments to contractors

15 February 2009, 8:52 GMT
Lawyers in the Gulf are expecting a sharp rise in arbitration cases in 2009 because of the increasing number of construction clients delaying payments to contractors.
MEED Yearbook 2008-09: The world's economic powerhouse

16 December 2008, 0:00 GMT
By every statistical measure, 2008 has been a bumper year for the Middle East. The regional economy expanded strongly, by about 6 per cent over the year. Record oil prices, which averaged slightly above $100 a barrel for the year, delivered another year of record budget surpluses to the region’s oil producers.
The year the Gulf boom stalled

16 December 2008, 0:00 GMT
Soaring oil prices have fuelled strong growth in the region over the past fi ve years. But since the global credit crisis hit in the summer, governments are being forced to revise their expectations
Region can live with falling oil

17 October 2008, 16:59 GMT
Oil demand is still growing faster than producers can supply it. The region can not only live with a correction, but can thrive on it.
Gulf defies the global slowdown

16 October 2008, 19:24 GMT
Growth in the region will remain strong in 2009 despite a fall in oil revenues.
Special Report: Baghdad's plans to rebuild economy

15 August 2008, 12:36 GMT
After five years of insurgency, Iraq still faces massive challenges, but there are signs that it has turned a corner at last.
Gulf retail growth can be managed

8 August 2008, 15:47 GMT
As a mainstream retail market emerges in the Gulf, it must not be allowed to stifle small business.
Special Report: Retail - Gulf boom attracts retail giants

8 August 2008, 14:09 GMT
With annual growth in GCC consumer spending over the coming five years projected at 10-20 per cent, it is easy to see why the region is witnessing a boom in the construction of shopping malls.
Iraqi compromise over oil is the best solution

4 July 2008, 15:37 GMT
Iraq will find that greater assistance from oil majors will drive progress.The factions within the Baghdad parliament will have to compromise.
Why Big Oil will compromise in Iraq

2 July 2008, 19:00 GMT
There is no question that Baghdad needs the expertise and capital of international oil companies to kick-start its oil industry.
Arab League needs to find its role

18 April 2008, 15:05 GMT
The Arab League is an organisation in search of a purpose. And unless it is able to create a new role for itself, it risks becoming increasingly irrelevant.
Arab League's Amr Moussa on the failing peace process

18 April 2008, 14:12 GMT
Palestine remains the principal issue for the Arab League, but if it is to be effective it must change.
Iran opposition secures first round advantage

4 April 2008, 12:33 GMT
President Ahmadinejad has claimed victory after the first phase of Iran’s parliamentary elections, but it is his opponents who are in the stronger position.
Soaring costs blight Gulf construction

7 March 2008, 14:54 GMT
As the boom continues, the sector is set to experience further rises in salaries and raw material costs.
Special report: Power & Water - Controlling resources

7 March 2008, 13:19 GMT
Why is the world’s most important commodity, water, also its most undervalued? While oil, gas, steel, cement and even wheat prices have reached all-time highs recently, water remains cheap in the Middle East.
Special report: MEED 100 - Region's biggest listed companies in 2008

7 March 2008, 12:08 GMT
MEED’s analysis of the Middle East’s top 100 publicly quoted companies by capitalisation shows that the 18-month-long correction in the Gulf’s capital markets, which began in February 2006, has created some good opportunities for investors, if the authorities can restore confidence in the bourses.
Special report: Real estate - Margins rise

29 February 2008, 11:53 GMT
With property prices soaring in Dubai, and rising construction costs driving up the cost of property development across the Gulf, investing in Middle East real estate is becoming increasingly complex.
Crisis unites the Gulf construction industry

22 February 2008, 13:54 GMT
If the first stage in addressing a problem is recognising it, then the Gulf’s construction industry took an important step forward at the Arabian World Construction Summit.
Construction industry must lead on reform

15 February 2008, 14:50 GMT
The Gulf should rethink the way it buys construction services to maintain quality, safety and profits.
Special report: Contractor survey 2008

1 February 2008, 11:47 GMT
For four years, the Gulf’s construction industry has been grappling with spiralling costs. With oil prices showing no sign of decreasing, and an acceleration in government infrastructure spending, there will be no let-up.
Doha should act to cool economy

25 January 2008, 17:32 GMT
Doha's ambitions are severely threatened by rampant inflation and a chronic skills shortage.
Qatar to unveil new financial regulator in February

22 January 2008, 16:35 GMT
Doha will unify its fragmented financial services sector in February when it establishes a financial regulator, according to Phillip Thorpe, chief executive officer and chairman of Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority.
Sabic enters as partner in Osos

15 January 2008, 18:48 GMT
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) on 15 January signed a memorandum of understanding with Osos Petrochemicals to become a partner in the $1bn Osos Petrochemicals project at Yanbu industrial city.
Contractors face labour challenge

4 January 2008, 16:51 GMT
Despite the biggest construction boom ever seen in the Middle East, the region's builders seem to have been in a perpetual state of crisis throughout the past five years of the economic boom.
Gulf project market delivers record growth

4 January 2008, 15:16 GMT
The Gulf project market grew by more than one third in 2007, the biggest year-on-year expansion of the sector since the start of the oil boom in 2003. GCC states account for 90 per cent of the $1.8 trillion worth of projects planned or under way in the Gulf.
Tehran signs record gas deal with Malaysia

27 December 2007, 17:17 GMT
Tehran and Kuala Lumpar have signed a $16 billion agreement to develop two Iranian gas fields in the largest energy contract ever signed in Iran. Iran's Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) and Malaysia's SKS Ventures signed the multibillion dollar contract to develop Golshan and Ferdows gas fields in southern Iran.
Algiers can resist terror campaign

14 December 2007, 16:16 GMT
The global war on terror provides international support for the military to crack down on militants
Welcome to the all new MEED

16 November 2007, 0:00 GMT
Welcome to the new MEED. After 50 years of unrivalled success as the Middle East’s leading source of business information, MEED is reaffirming its market dominance by making wide-ranging improvements to the products and services it provides.
Is the Middle East ready for $100 oil?

13 November 2007, 0:00 GMT
At the start of the year, oil prices were not expected to rise above $60 a barrel. On 16 October, Brent crude hit $84. With tension mounting over Ankara’s plans to pursue Kurdish ...
King Abdullah's delicate balancing act in Saudi Arabia

13 November 2007, 0:00 GMT
On 1 October, King Abdullah announced plans to reform Saudi Arabia’s judicial system. One week later, he followed this unexpected reform with another significant change - the introduction of a new law to ...
Tackling inflation in the Gulf

13 November 2007, 0:00 GMT
With the devaluation of the dollar showing no sign of ending and seasonal worries about a shortage of winter fuel supplies in the northern hemisphere, it is no surprise that oil prices continued to climb this week, topping $98 a barrel. The long-forecast era of oil at $100 a barrel is just around the corner.
The rise of the private sector providers in the Middle East

13 November 2007, 0:00 GMT
At first glance, a review of utility contracts signed in the Gulf over the past 12 months suggests governments are still theprincipal suppliers of electricity and water.
UAE Central bank governor ends Gulf single currency hopes

13 November 2007, 0:00 GMT
UAE central bank governor Sultan Nasser ...
Projects market: Capacity crunch triggers slowdown

22 December 2006, 13:30 GMT
There are signs that the five-year long Gulf construction boom may have past its peak.
Materials world: Shortages driving up cost of projects

23 October 2006, 13:00 GMT
After a feverish few months, construction materials prices began to level off slightly in the third quarter of the year. The usual summer slowdown in activity is partly responsible, but perhaps the most significant factor is the lowest quarterly rise in project activity since the start of 2005.
Construction costs continue to rise

12 May 2006, 14:00 GMT
Gulf developers continue to face steep increases in the cost of construction and skilled labour.
Hill International: Kings of the Hill

12 May 2006, 14:00 GMT
The New Jersey-based firm has established itself as a major player in the Gulf.
Analysis: Keeping tall buildings clean

10 February 2006, 15:00 GMT
A critical aspect of tall building design is maintenance. While it might seem mundane, the challenge of keeping a tall building clean cannot be overstated.
Tall buildings: Overcoming hot air and wind

10 February 2006, 13:15 GMT
Tall tower design is a highly specialist branch of structural engineering, particularly in the Gulf, where heat and high winds provide extra challenges to engineers.
Introduction: Soaring costs

23 December 2005, 13:03 GMT
In 2005, construction prices across the GCC went up faster than in any other market in the world, with Qatar experiencing the greatest rises of all. Research carried out for MEED by international cost consultant Davis Langdon shows that, while building materials costs continue to present contractors with problems, rising labour costs are giving more cause for concern.
Introduction: Expecting a surge

13 May 2005, 18:43 GMT
Contractors came under mounting pressure in the Gulf last year. The surge in demand for skills and materials, particularly in the UAE, saw the cost of construction rise by 40-60 per cent in the 18 months leading up to December 2004, with Dubai experiencing price hikes of up to 80 per cent for key construction materials such as cement.
Egypt: Ready for take-off

18 February 2005, 16:17 GMT
A stronger Egyptian pound will encourage activity this year.

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Richard Thompson