By continuing to use the site you agree to our Privacy & Cookies policy

MEED
Sophie Evans

Features Editor

  • Doha’s leading stateswoman

    Issue 9 4-10 March 2011

    Sheikha Mozah’s growing role as the face of modern Qatar is a key part of the emir’s vision to project the country as a progressive state in the Middle East

  • Riyadh revives its privatisation policy

    Issue 51 17-23 December 2010

    The Saudi Arabia’s attempts to turn state-run companies into private businesses began more than 30 years ago, but a renewed push is now under way

  • Q&A: Muaatasem Awda, Chief Executive Officer, Tawazun Precision Industries

    Issue 43 22-28 October 2010

    The company’s focus is on high-quality products and complex parts

  • Tawazun Precision Industries

    Issue 43 22-28 October 2010

    The UAE machining firm is expanding into the aerospace sector with a deal to supply parts to Airbus

  • Tawazun Precision Industries: MEED Assessment

    Issue 43 22-28 October 2010

    The firm needs to show it has the expertise and equipment to compete with international companies

  • Bahrain housing shortage prompts state action

    Issue No 39 24-30 September 2010

    Across the Gulf, governments are taking on the challenge of meeting rising demand for affordable housing. Bahrain has put it at the heart of its Vision 2030 strategic plan

  • Jordan property market poised for recovery

    Issue No 39 24-30 September 2010

    Lower prices, improved mortgage terms and a series of government incentives for house buyers are leading to a rebound in sales and rentals in Jordan

  • Lack of focus hinders healthcare investors for Liyba

    Issue 33 13-19 August

    Libya’s public healthcare system is in need of a complete overhaul. The challenge to create a coherent framework that will make the sector attractive to investors

  • Regional water demand has to be cut

    Issue No 10 5-11 March 2010

    Much larger savings of water could be achieved if habits of consumption were changed

  • Special Report: Power & Water - Region struggles to ensure access to scarce water supplies

    Issue No 10 5-11 March 2010

    The Middle East is struggling to cope with growing demand for fresh water. While the reasons for water shortages vary across the region, the issue that all governments around the Middle East are having to tackle is the same: how to guarantee access to shrinking supplies of fresh water.

  • Gulf will lead air freight growth

    Issue No 9 26 February - 4 March 2010

    As the region’s main transport hub, Dubai is the best gauge of the Middle East’s air cargo sector

  • Special Report: UAE - Dubai downturn forces strategy rethink

    Issue No 8 19-25 February 2010

    Dubai may not have much oil, but its economy still relies heavily on oil revenues, albeit those of neighbouring Abu Dhabi.

  • Special Report: Banking - Public sector projects raise hope

    Issue No 7 12-18 February 2010

    The Gulf’s governments are turning to new financing strategies to fund crucial infrastructure projects with public-private partnerships (PPPs) an increasingly popular model in the region

  • Brahim Slaoui

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    A key figure in Morocco’s economic elite

  • Doha offers Iran a bridge to West

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    Balancing the competing demands of Washington and Tehran could be Qatar’s trickiest diplomatic task yet

  • Miloud Chaabi

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    A leading figure in Morocco’s economic elite

  • Mohamed Horani

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    A leading figure in Morocco’s economic elite

  • Morocco entrepreneurs

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    Six leading men in Morocco’s economic elite are: Mohamed Horani, Miloud Chaabi, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Younes Benjelloun, Saloua Karkri Belkeziz and Brahim Slaoui

  • Moulay Hafid Elalamy

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    A key figure in Morocco’s economic elite

  • Office supply outstrips demand

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    Commercial real estate developers in Doha are banking on a pick-up in demand for office space in the medium term, despite the collapse of the market elsewhere in the Gulf

  • Saloua Karkri Belkeziz

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    A key figure in Morocco’s economic elite

  • Special Report: Qatar – Population rise poses challenges

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    Qatar has experienced a demographic explosion in the past five years, with the population more than doubling in size to 1.6 million in late 2009

  • Younes Benjelloun

    Issue No 6 5-11 February 2010

    A key figure in Morocco’s economic elite

  • Financial crisis has lessons for Maghreb construction sector

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    Many of the projects announced during the boom years looked far too ambitious from the start

  • GCC Royal Heirs

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    The six princes who are first in line to succeed as rulers in the region’s kingdoms and emirates are: Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, Prince Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani

  • Prince Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    Prince Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait

  • Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain

  • Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

  • Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai

  • Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi

  • Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    Crown Prince of Qatar, the country’s heir apparent

  • Special Report: Construction - Contract awards raise hope in the Gulf

    Issue No 5 29 January - 4 February 2010

    The outlook for the region’s construction sector in 2010 looks mixed. The Gulf’s major economies, such as Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, are surging out of the financial downturn, but $575bn worth of projects remain on hold across the GCC

  • Special Report: Saudi Arabia - Riyadh pushes peace talks

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    Riyadh is confident about its finances for 2010, having announced a 14 per cent rise in spending for the year ahead. It has allocated tens of billions of dollars to key sectors, including health, transport, telecoms and water

  • Ali Divandari

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    Ali Divandari is managing director, Bank Mellat

  • Ali Soleimani Shayesteh

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    A Ali Soleimani Shayesteh is managing director, Parsian Bank

  • Iran Banking

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    The six leaders of the Iranian banking and finance community are: Mahmoud Bahmani, Mahmoud Reza Khavari, Mohammad Jahromi, Peyman Noori Brojerdi, Ali Divandari and Ali Soleimani Shayesteh

  • Mahmoud Reza Khavari

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    Mahmoud Reza Khavari is chairman, Bank Melli lran

  • Mohammad Jahromi

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    A key figure in the Iranian banking and finance community

  • Peyman Noori Brojerdi

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    Peyman Noori Brojerdi is chairman, Bank Refah

  • Saudi-US ties are crucial to peace

    Issue No 4 22-28 January 2009

    Saudi Arabia, as a long-standing ally, could play a critical role in helping Washington achieve it aims

  • Ashraf Elibrachy

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    A leading corporate lawyer practising in Egypt

  • Bahieldin Elibrachy

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    A leading corporate lawyer practising in Egypt

  • Egypt corporate law

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    The six the leading corporate lawyers practising in Egypt are: Zaki Hashem, Bahieldin Elibrachy, Taher Helmy, Emad el-Shalakany, Sara Hinton and Ashraf Elibrachy

  • Medgaz success is the exception for Algeria's energy industry

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    Those running Algeria’s energy industry also need to accept some of the blame for the failures

  • Sara Hinton

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    A leading corporate lawyer practising in Egypt

  • Special Report: Oil & Gas - Focus turns to downstream developments

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    Over the next five years, contractors will be working hard to help Riyadh achieve its goal of doubling its oil refining capacity by 2015.

  • Taher Helmy

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    A leading corporate lawyer practising in Egypt

  • Zaki Hashem

    Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010

    A leading corporate lawyer practising in Egypt

  • Scholarships will raise standards in the region

    Issue No 2 8-14 January 2010

    The real test will come when the students graduate and move across to jobs with Adnoc or Aramco

  • Special Report: Education - Gulf invests in high-tech future

    Issue No 2 8-14 January 2010

    The Middle East has taken big strides to improve the quality of university education in recent years, investing billions of dollars in a modern infrastructure

  • Iranian ruling regime is under threat

    1 January 2010, 10:00 GMT

    In many ways, the government is no longer in control of events, a precarious position for any regime

  • Special Report: Iran - Regime prepares to face down critics

    29 December 2009, 0:00 GMT

    The year ahead is certain to be a difficult one for Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, not least for his economic policies. In the face of sustained opposition to his victory in last June’s disputed presidential elections, he will find it increasingly hard to gather support for the necessary reforms.

  • 2009 Review: Trends - Gulf aluminium producers take advantage of low gas costs

    24 December 2009, 20:54 GMT

    With access to cheap gas feedstock, regional producers are boosting their capacity while rivals cut back.

  • 2009 Review: Trends - Gulf aluminium producers take advantage of low gas costs

    24 December 2009, 20:54 GMT

    With access to cheap gas feedstock, regional producers are boosting their capacity while rivals cut back.

  • Projects 2010: Market begins to recover in the region

    Supplement: MEED Yearbook 2010

    Contract awards are expected to pick up significantly in the year ahead, with more than $500bn worth of projects currently being tendered across the region as clients take advantage of lower construction costs

  • Projects 2010: Market begins to recover in the region

    Supplement: MEED Yearbook 2010

    Contract awards are expected to pick up significantly in the year ahead, with more than $500bn worth of projects currently being tendered across the region as clients take advantage of lower construction costs

  • Petro-Rabigh: The next stage in Aramco’s evolution

    Issue no 51 18-24 December 2009

    The opening of the Petro-Rabigh facility is a key moment for the energy giant as it moves into the petrochemicals industry, with plans for further integrated plants to be developed across the kingdom

  • Riyadh builds for a recovery in logistics trade

    Issue no 51 18-24 December 2009

    Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in land, sea and air infrastructure. But it also needs to ensure its people have the skills to work in logistics if it is to provide serious competition to its Gulf rivals

  • Ties with China benefit Riyadh

    Issue no 51 18-24 December 2009

    King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud’s first visit outside the Middle East after he became king was to China. His January 2006 trip to Beijing, five months after succeeding his half-brother, was the first by a Saudi monarch to the People’s Republic since diplomatic relations were established in 1990.

  • Sharjah right to invest in transport and logisitics

    Issue No 49 4-10 December 2009

    As the northern emirates develop, so the need for transport and logistics services will grow

  • Special Report: UAE - Dubai's woes hit northern emirates

    Issue No 49 4-10 December 2009

    Until the northern emirates have a reliable infrastructure, their economic fortunes will rise and fall with those of their powerful neighbour Dubai – something they are understandably keen to change.

  • MEED List: Executive education

    Supplement: Gulf Executive Education Guide

    The nine key figures leading the development of executive education in the Gulf region are: Hussein al-Alawi, Mohammed Alkhozai, Ilker Baybars, Randa Bessiso, Zeger Degraeve, Javier Gimeno, Robert Rice, Stefan Szymanski and Nick van der Walt.

  • The rise of bespoke teaching

    Supplement: Gulf Executive Education Guide

    Higher education institutions in the Gulf are working more closely with governments and private companies to create courses designed to develop the specific skills they need

  • Domestic focus is best for Iraq

    Issue No 48 27 November - 3 December 2009

    The most logical step would be to create fertiliser plants to supply Iraq’s large agricultural sector

  • Special Report: Petrochemicals - Gulf hit by oversupply

    Issue No 48 27 November - 3 December 2009

    After a poor start to the year, when the Gulf’s petrochemicals companies reported record losses, petrochemical prices have slowly improved and demand is expected to pick up as the year end

  • Special Report: Banking - State-backed institutions in demand

    18 November 2009, 17:08 GMT

    After years of strong asset growth, the onset of the credit crunch late last year hit Gulf banks hard. Stock markets plummeted and the real estate bubble burst, leaving many investors and customers in trouble.

  • Islamic banks will fill finance gap

    Issue No 47 20-26 November 2009

    The new generation of Islamic institutions can finance projects where conventional banks cannot

  • Kuwaiti reforms will need support

    Issue No 46 13-19 November 2009

    Winning Al-Sabah’s co-operation in implementing the proposed new laws will be key to the liberals’ success or failure in 2010

  • Special Report: Aviation - Low-cost carriers expand fleets

    Issue No 46 13-19 November 2009

    Luxury jet operators and low-cost airlines are taking advantage of the bargains currently on offer from manufacturers in the market and expanding their fleets

  • Special Report: Kuwait - MPs push for finance reforms

    Issue No 46 13-19 November 2009

    Kuwait’s handling of the financial crisis has been criticised for the limited scale of its intervention to contain the crash, which resulted in several local institutions coming near to collapse

  • Abu Dhabi - Accommodating global commerce

    6 November 2009, 17:08 GMT

    With a focus on attracting visitors from Far East emerging markets, Abu Dhabi is seeking to develop a reputation as a destination for conferences and conventions to rival that of Dubai.

  • Developing green tourism in Abu Dhabi

    6 November 2009, 17:06 GMT

    As Abu Dhabi tries to increase the number of visitors to the emirate, it is taking seriously its responsibility to protect the environment.

  • Special Report: Oil & Gas - Gulf producers tackle gas supply shortages

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    Despite being home to some of the largest gas reserves in the world, the Middle East is suffering from shortages because of Opec oil cuts

  • Abdul Rahman Jawahery

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    A prominent figure in the Bahraini industrial sector

  • Abdulla Ahmed Nass

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    A prominent figure in the Bahraini industrial sector

  • Bahrain industry

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    The six prominent figures in the Bahraini industrial sector are: Hassan Fakhro, Mahmoud Hashim al-Kooheji, Faisal al-Mahroos, Abdulla Ahmed Nass, Sheikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij al-Khalifa and Abdul Rahman Jawahery

  • Faisal al-Mahroos

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    A prominent figure in the Bahraini industrial sector

  • Hassan Fakhro

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    A prominent figure in the Bahraini industrial sector

  • Mahmoud Hashim al-Kooheji

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    A prominent figure in the Bahraini industrial sector

  • Tehran must be realistic over plans to boost gas production

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    The prospects of Tehran doubling its production capacity and freeing up gas for the export market within five years are marginal at best

  • The problem of low gas prices in the Gulf

    Issue No 45 6-12 November 2009

    As industrialisation in the region creates increasing demand for gas, Gulf governments will have to address the issue of subsidies

  • Developers must show caution in Qatar

    Issue No 44 30 October - 5 November 2009

    Whether Qatar’s developers can resist cashing in on another boom will be the real test

  • Special Report: IT & Telecoms - Funds back technology sector

    Issue No 44 30 October - 5 November 2009

    The Gulf states have in the past six years embraced the idea of using technology to make government departments run more efficiently. After decades of cumbersome state bureaucracy, the region’s governments have mounted a sustained effort to move as many services online as possible 

  • Special Report: Qatar - Real estate firms phase projects

    Issue No 44 30 October - 5 November 2009

    While all the other GCC states’ economies will shrink this year, Qatar will post real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 11.5 per cent, according to predictions from the International Monetary Fund

  • Putting the patient first

    20 October 2009, 16:02 GMT

    The new generation of hospitals being built in the Gulf are leading the way in incorporating advanced technologies and patient-centred design.

  • Morocco's power schemes must progress

    Issue No 43 23-29 October 2009

    Morocco’s plan to build a 100MW power plant using oil shale for fuel is another small step forward in the country’s bid to develop domestic energy resources and diversify its electricity generation portfolio.

  • Special Report: Power & Water - Gulf opts for oil-fired plants

    Issue No 43 23-29 October 2009

    Just seven months ago, in March, the Abu Dhabi government released a report saying that the economic and environmental cost of using oil as a fuel for power plants was too high to be considered

  • Abdul Karim

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Abdul Karim al-Fauri & Associates is partner, Abdul Karim al-Fauri & Associates

  • Ali Sharif Zubi

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Ali Sharif Zubi is senior partner, Ali Sharif Zubi Advocates & Legal Consultants

  • Jordan Law firms

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Six key figures in Jordan’s international business law community are: Salaheddin al-Bashir, Safwan Moubaydeen, Ali Sharif Zubi, Khaled Asfour, Abdul Karim and Omar Aljazy

  • Khaled Asfour

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Khaled Asfour is managing partner, Ali Sharif Zubi Advocates & Legal Consultants

  • Omar Aljazy

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Omar Aljazy is managing partner, Aljazy & Company

  • Safwan Moubaydeen

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Safwan Moubaydeen is managing partner, Safwan Moubaydeen Law Firm

  • Salaheddin al-Bashir

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Salaheddin al-Bashir is founder and chief senior counsel, International Business Legal Associates

  • Special Report: UAE - Dubai faces up to economic challenges

    Issue No 42 16-22 October 2009

    Omar bin Sulaiman, governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre and vice-chairman of the Central Bank of the UAE, declared on 13 October that the worst of the region’s financial crisis was over

  • Special Report: Saudi Arabia - Sharia stocks attract indices

    Issue No 41 9-15 October 2009

    Saudi banks have suffered considerably from lending to the Saad Group and Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers Company. The troubled local conglomerates are thought to owe more than $15bn to banks, which have been forced to increase their provisions for bad debts this year as a result

  • Transparency will boost investment in Saudi Arabia

    Issue No 41 9-15 October 2009

    Far from being a closed market, the Tadawul is becoming a desirable destination for global capital

  • Gulf office space is back in demand

    Issue No 40 2-8 October 2009

    Developers that can overcome the hurdle of financing will find a growing list of clients for offices

  • Special Report: Real Estate - Downturn hits office space supply in Dubai

    Issue No 40 2-8 October 2009

    The days of Dubai government-owned property firms competing with each other to launch the most eye-catching real estate developments are long gone

  • Overseas Islamic banks require support

    Issue No 39 25 September - 1 October 2009

    If they want their investments to perform better, Islamic banks need to increase the capital base of their UK holdings or push them to consolidate

  • Abdulhamid Juma

    Issue No 39 25 September - 1 October 2009

    A leading figure responsible for developing free zones in Dubai

  • Malek Sultan al-Malek

    Issue No 39 25 September - 1 October 2009

    A leading figure responsible for developing free zones in Dubai

  • Omar bin Sulaiman

    Issue No 39 25 September - 1 October 2009

    A leading figure responsible for developing free zones in Dubai

  • Salma Ali Saif bin Hareb

    Issue No 39 25 September - 1 October 2009

    A leading figure responsible for developing free zones in Dubai

  • Special Report: Islamic banking - The top 20 Gulf institutions

    Issue No 39 25 September - 1 October 2009

    Islamic banks may account for only a small proportion of the world banking industry, but these days they are healthier than most of their conventional peers

  • The MEED List: Dubai Free Zones

    Issue No 39 25 September - 1 October 2009

    The six leading figures responsible for developing free zones in Dubai are: Salma Ali Saif bin Hareb, Rashed Buqaraa, Abdulhamid Juma, Malek Sultan al-Malek, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum and Omar bin Sulaiman

  • Gulf power grid shows value of joint projects

    Issue No 38 18 - 24 September 2009

    The success of the GCC electricity grid should inspire governments to push on with other plans

  • National interests impede trade in the Gulf

    Issue No 38 18 - 24 September 2009

    Slow decision-making and policy divisions among the six GCC member states are hampering efforts to sign free trade agreements with other economic blocs

  • Special Report: GCC - Power grid raises hopes of regional co-operation

    Issue No 38 18 - 24 September 2009

    The rulers of the six GCC member states will find little to cheer about when they meet for the council’s annual meeting in December, which this year is being hosted by Kuwait

  • GCC states invest in water supply

    Issue No 37 11 - 17 September 2009

    The housing boom has led to an increase in sewage inflows, forcing the region to upgrade capacity

  • Iraqi gas has hurdles to clear

    Issue No 37 11 - 17 September 2009

    Baghdad must overcome two obstacles if it is to return production to the levels of the 1980s

  • Banks will favour state projects in the Gulf

    Issue No 36 4 - 10 September 2009

    Any revival in the project finance market for the power and water sector will be limited.

  • Special Report: Power & Water - Gulf nuclear plans progress

    Issue No 36 4 - 10 September 2009

    The oil-rich GCC states should not be short of energy. Yet several have suffered power shortages in recent years. The problem lies with governments opting to sell gas globally at high prices, rather than to local power plants at subsidised rates.

  • Banking reform in Libya gathers momentum

    Issue No 35 28 August - 3 September 2009

    Despite having $136bn in foreign currency reserves, Libya’s economic growth is being hampered by the underdevelopment of its banking sector. But the central bank is taking steps to address the issue

  • Building a domestic skills base in Libya

    Issue No 35 28 August - 3 September 2009

    Tripoli has embarked on the world’s largest university building programme to encourage the next generation of students to choose to study and work at home rather than overseas

  • Libya plans network of 25 universities

    Issue No 35 28 August - 3 September 2009

    In 2007, Libya’s Organisation for the Development of Administrative Centres (Odac) announced its intention to issue tenders to build a network of 25 new or enlarged universities across the country

  • Special Report: Libya - Reforming the economy

    Issue No 35 28 August - 3 September 2009

    Tripoli’s ambitious programme to rebuild and expand power and desalination plants, airports, roads and houses has fallen far short of its goals, with project deadlines missed because of the country’s bureaucracy

  • Tripoli makes up for lost time in construction sector

    Issue No 35 28 August - 3 September 2009

    A series of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure schemes are under way after years of underinvestment, offering a host of opportunities for international firms that are prepared to put up with the red tape

  • Tripoli needs Western help

    Issue No 35 28 August - 3 September 2009

    The state has been pushing for improved relations with the West since the UN Security Council voted to end sanctions in 2003

  • Gulf will have to invest in medics

    14 August 2009, 15:29 GMT

    Efforts to raise healthcare standards could be thwarted by a shortage of qualified medical staff.

  • Special Report: Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals - Private equity funds growth

    13 August 2009, 17:49 GMT

    Improving the quality of healthcare is a critical policy challenge for governments across the GCC, with heavy investment needed to build large, modern facilities after decades of underinvestment.

  • Saudi Arabia industry

    31 July 2009, 16:38 GMT

    Six influential figures behind the kingdom’s drive to set up industrial clusters: Tawfig bin Fawzan al-Rabiah, Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thunayan al-Saud, Abdullah Ahmed Zainal Riza, Amr Abdullah al-Dabbagh, Yousef Ibn Ibrahim al-Bassam, Azzam Shalabi.

  • Jordanian water solution is only temporary

    24 July 2009, 12:08 GMT

    In 50 years’ time, the kingdom will return to the dire circumstances in which it finds itself today.

  • Jordan offers a voice for the region

    23 July 2009, 13:30 GMT

    King Abdullah II's efforts to push forward the Arab Peace Initiative highlight the kingdom's continuing role as a diplomatic leader in the Middle East.

  • Special Report: Jordan - Closer regional trade links benefit economy

    23 July 2009, 13:25 GMT

    The economic slowdown in the Gulf is having a direct effect on Jordan’s economy, and highlighting its dependence on remittances from the 600,000 Jordanians working in the GCC.

  • Gulf oil & gas project advisers

    23 July 2009, 13:12 GMT

    Six leading consultants and lawyers working in the Gulf energy sector: Adrian Creed, Arturo Grimaldi, Peter Wilson, Peter Warner, Stewart Jones and James Bremen.

  • Price falls will prompt delays in Gulf construction sector

    17 July 2009, 11:49 GMT

    Clients are hoping prices will continue to fall and contractors will drop their bids even further.

  • Construction Special Report: Gulf project costs fall

    Issue No 29 17 - 23 July 2009

    As construction companies’ confidence in the Dubai real estate market has drained away over the past six months, so the average price of construction materials in the UAE has dropped.

  • Falling construction costs stall awards in the region

    16 July 2009, 16:10 GMT

    With clients delaying handing out contracts in the hope of securing lower prices, privately sponsored project activity is set to remain subdued this year.

  • Special Report: Construction - Project costs drop in the Gulf

    16 July 2009, 15:34 GMT

    As construction companies’ confidence in the Dubai real estate market has drained away over the past six months, so the average price of construction materials in the UAE has dropped.

  • Regional export credit agencies

    16 July 2009, 15:30 GMT

    Six of the key overseas figures providing financing to Gulf projects: Patrick Crawford, Jeffrey Abramson, Hiroshi Watanabe, Jerome Cazes, Dongsoo Kim and Alessandro Castellano.

  • Gulf joins the gold rush

    16 July 2009, 14:59 GMT

    In a bid to develop new revenue sources, the region's governments are liberalising their mining sectors and offering incentives to private and international prospectors.

  • Saudi Arabia needs a mortgage law

    10 July 2009, 12:09 GMT

    Without the mortgage law, there is little incentive for developers to build low-cost homes.

  • Developers in the Gulf focus on affordability

    9 July 2009, 16:21 GMT

    With the global economic downturn destroying the value of luxury Gulf properties, developers are concentrating on fulfilling demand from those on lower incomes.

  • Special Report: Real Estate - Revival of Gulf low-cost housing

    9 July 2009, 16:19 GMT

    For anyone unfamiliar with the Gulf’s real estate sector, the news that there is strong demand for affordable housing may come as a surprise.

  • UAE banking & finance lawyers

    9 July 2009, 16:02 GMT

    The six leading lawyers in the Middle East banking and finance sector: Bimal Desai, Peter Avery, Essam al-Tamimi, Neil Cuthbert, Jonathan Inman and Nadim Khan.

  • Gulf banks should start lending

    3 July 2009, 11:02 GMT

    With the arrival of the economic downturn, banks were left with a huge funding gap, which they have been struggling to narrow ever since.

  • Special Report: Banking - Gulf institutions move to balance the books

    2 July 2009, 16:51 GMT

    The Gulf’s 20 leading banks have formed a breakaway pack that has maintained its lead over the past 12 months. MEED’s ranking of the top 20 GCC banks by asset size at the end of December 2008 features the same institutions that were on the list in 2007.

  • Gulf aluminium producers take advantage of low gas costs

    2 July 2009, 15:53 GMT

    With access to cheap gas feedstock, regional producers are boosting their capacity while rivals cut back.

  • Special Report: Saudi Arabia - King's reforms gather pace

    26 June 2009, 19:14 GMT

    The decision in May by GCC member states to house the new Monetary Council, a precursor to the GCC central bank, in Riyadh was controversial because of the widespread expectation that Abu Dhabi would be picked. But for Saudi Arabia, the significance of the outcome goes well beyond regional politics; it is a wider recognition that the kingdom’s financial markets are maturing.

  • Balance needed in historic Jeddah

    26 June 2009, 19:07 GMT

    About 400 historical sites have been destroyed in Jeddah's old city over the past 30 years.

  • Riyadh takes slow route to reform

    26 June 2009, 17:31 GMT

    While the kingdom's leaders accept the need to change some of its more conservative policies, the pace of reform will be set by the traditionalists rather than the radicals.

  • Cement sector faces period of oversupply

    26 June 2009, 15:14 GMT

    While demand remains high, six more cement plants are due to come on stream in the Gulf this year.

  • Cement sector faces period of oversupply

    26 June 2009, 15:14 GMT

    While demand remains high, six more cement plants are due to come on stream in the Gulf this year.

  • National Oil Company Survey: The return of resource nationalism

    19 June 2009, 20:35 GMT

    MEED's annual survey of contractors' views on the region's national oil companies reveals concerns over the increasingly strict terms and conditions being imposed on foreign firms.

  • Regional state energy firms are improving

    19 June 2009, 20:21 GMT

    Saudi Aramco scores the highest overall mark of four out of five. Companies express frustration with payments and praise transparency.

  • Special Report: Oil & Gas - Contractors rank regional state energy firms

    18 June 2009, 19:25 GMT

    Saudi Aramco has for decades been acknowledged as a well-run national oil company. While the results of MEED’s survey of contractors, sub-contractors and advisers who work with the region’s largest state energy firms reflects this by awarding Saudi Aramco the highest overall score, it is those outside the Gulf that have generated the most surprising results.

  • Downturn challenges Sohar Aluminium expansion

    12 June 2009, 16:26 GMT

    The development of the Omani project has been a success despite coming at a time when the global credit crunch was taking effect. But its planned expansion is unlikely to proceed in the short term.

  • Doha can make diplomacy work

    12 June 2009, 15:23 GMT

    With Doha's links to both the US and pro-Iranian political factions, the country has a useful role to play as a diplomatic deal broker.

  • Doha's expanding diplomatic role

    11 June 2009, 18:38 GMT

    Qatar is finding fresh ways to develop its role as a diplomatic deal maker in conflicts across the region, including Lebanon, Sudan and the West Bank and Gaza.

  • Egypt oil & gas

    11 June 2009, 18:14 GMT

    Six key people driving the growth of Egypt's energy industry: Sameh Fahmy, Hany Elsharkawi, Sherif Ismail, Mamdouh Mahfouz, Abdel Alim Taha and Mahmoud Latif.

  • Special Report: Qatar - Gas exports fuel project growth

    11 June 2009, 17:58 GMT

    It is a testament to Qatar’s financial strength that, despite the country’s banks facing difficulties from bad loans and funding constraints, its economy is still expected to grow more quickly this year than any other in the world.

  • Sohar can buck the slowdown

    5 June 2009, 13:20 GMT

    Despite the global financial downturn, the Omani port town of Sohar is taking on ambitious projects and continuing to grow.

  • Special Report: Oman - Muscat boosts non-GCC trade links

    4 June 2009, 17:10 GMT

    In a year when Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been investing in agricultural land in Africa and Asia to meet their food needs, Oman is concentrating on the development of its own agriculture industry for both its domestic needs and to earn revenues from exports.

  • Bahrain Islamic bankers

    4 June 2009, 16:54 GMT

    Six key bankers working in Bahrain's Islamic banking sector: Mohamed Hussain, Atif Abdulmalik, Yousif Abdulla Taqi, Esam Janahi, Faisal Mansoor al-Alwan and Mohammed Ebrahim Mohammed.

  • Emirates have to build confidence

    29 May 2009, 14:37 GMT

    The success of the sovereign debt issue is evidence of international capital returning to the UAE.

  • Emirates gaining strength through unity

    28 May 2009, 20:07 GMT

    The April visit of Abu Dhabi's Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan to Dubai was a clear message of support for the emirate amid the global economic downturn.

  • Special Report: UAE - Federal support boosts confidence

    28 May 2009, 19:45 GMT

    The president of the UAE’s official visit to Dubai in early May was a rare public show of support for the emirate.

  • Kuwait infrastructure projects

    28 May 2009, 19:29 GMT

    Six key figures involved in the implementation of infrastructure projects in Kuwait: Abdulaziz al-Kulaib, Srour al-Otaibi, Ibrahim al-Ghusain, Meshan al-Otaibi, Husam al-Tahous and Ibrahim Shukri Dabdoub.

  • Saudi monetary agency must take long-term view

    22 May 2009, 15:00 GMT

    What is now needed from Sama is an injection of long-term deposits into the kingdom's recovering banks.

  • Regulating the Islamic finance sector

    22 May 2009, 14:21 GMT

    With strong growth in sharia-compliant finance worldwide, the need for a governing body to oversee the whole industry is increasingly pressing.

  • Special Report: Saudi banking - Profits grow in first quarter

    21 May 2009, 20:32 GMT

    Sovereign bond issues have become a feature of Gulf economies since the financial downturn took hold late last year. But not in Saudi Arabia. Instead of raising more debt, Riyadh has opted to spend past surpluses to boost its economy.

  • Gulf can lead on renewable energy

    15 May 2009, 14:20 GMT

    States must ensure renewable energy can help take the place of oil and gas when the wells run dry.

  • Special Report: Power & Water - Gulf plants face fuel supply threat

    14 May 2009, 15:47 GMT

    Given the challenge that Gulf power plants face in securing a reliable and cheap supply of gas feedstock, it seems remarkable that it is still the first choice for the industry. Most of the region still relies on gas to fuel its electricity generation plants, even as competition for the finite amount of gas supplies intensifies.

  • Special Report: Petrochemicals - Gulf avoids plant closures

    7 May 2009, 16:15 GMT

    The global petrochemicals industry has been enduring a miserable time thanks to the slump in demand for plastics. An estimated 20 per cent of the world’s crackers, which produce the basic components for the petrochemicals industry, have been shut down in response to the lack of demand.

  • Trends: Regional migrant worker contributions fall

    7 May 2009, 15:38 GMT

    Job losses among overseas staff are having a significant impact on the economies of the region.

  • Trends: Regional migrant worker contributions fall

    7 May 2009, 15:38 GMT

    Job losses among overseas staff are having a significant impact on the economies of the region.

  • Saudi tourism key to job creation

    7 May 2009, 15:30 GMT

    Riyadh wants to double the number of people employed in the tourism industry by 2020 as a response to rapid population growth.

  • Riyadh seeks to double employment in tourism

    3 May 2009, 12:52 GMT

    The Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquity (SCTA) has said that its plans for the strategic development of the kingdom's tourism sector will create 900,000 new jobs for Saudis by 2020, almost doubling the number of people working in the industry. The kingdom's tourism sector currently employs an estimated 1.1 million people.

  • Construction crisis demands bold action

    1 May 2009, 15:56 GMT

    Riyadh's success in using public money to boost activity offers a model for others in the region.

  • Special Report: Construction - State funding fuels regional activity

    30 April 2009, 15:41 GMT

    Gulf developers are slowly adjusting to the idea that the region needs more affordable homes. While there are still enough cash-rich buyers in the market to provide some demand for high-end developments, the cash-poor status of many developers means that building lower-cost houses, for which there is larger, proven demand, makes more business sense.

  • Sovereign funds focus on regional markets

    30 April 2009, 15:26 GMT

    State investment vehicles are concentrating on their domestic markets as the value of their assets falls.

  • Sovereign funds focus on regional markets

    30 April 2009, 15:26 GMT

    State investment vehicles are concentrating on their domestic markets as the value of their assets falls.

  • Gas is key to smelter plans in Gulf

    24 April 2009, 16:55 GMT

    The Gulf has a solid outlook for aluminium production despite the slowdown in global demand and cuts in European and US output.

  • Regional low-cost tourism sector offers rewards

    24 April 2009, 16:06 GMT

    The evolution of the region’s budget hotel sector is speeding up with the arrival of international groups.

  • Special Report: Metals & Mining - Gulf defies slump in metals and mining markets

    23 April 2009, 17:48 GMT

    Saudi Arabia’s plans for the aluminium industry, which encompass every stage in the supply chain from mine to smelter, will be a rare example of integrated production in the Gulf.

  • Regional hotels turn to alternative markets

    23 April 2009, 17:35 GMT

    Empty aircraft seats and discounted hotel rooms have characterised the global tourism market over the past six months, as the global credit crunch has kept business travellers and tourists at home.

  • Regional hotels turn to alternative markets

    23 April 2009, 17:35 GMT

    Empty aircraft seats and discounted hotel rooms have characterised the global tourism market over the past six months, as the global credit crunch has kept business travellers and tourists at home.

  • Special Report: Hotel Investment & Tourism - Budget brands expand

    23 April 2009, 17:27 GMT

    The Middle East’s hotel industry has enjoyed startling growth over the past few years. According to global business advisory firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, hotels have recorded a five-year run of double-digit growth in revenue per available room - a key indicator of profit.

  • Oman ports

    23 April 2009, 16:47 GMT

    Six key figures leading the growth of Oman’s ports industry are: Khamis bin Mubarak al-Alawi, Jaap van Dalen, Martijn van de Linde, Darwish bin Ismail al-Balushi, Qassim Ahmed Abdul Mohsin al-Shizawi and Saud bin Ahmed al-Nahari.

  • Special Report: Bahrain - Vision 2030 plan takes shape

    16 April 2009, 15:42 GMT

    Bahrain’s strong economic position will help it fulfil its ambition of becoming a major shipping hub in the region and maintain its status as a leading financial services centre for the Gulf.

  • Growing Egyptian deficit is necessary

    9 April 2009, 19:22 GMT

    The sectors that are the main foreign currency earners have suffered a steep decline in revenues.

  • Special Report: Egypt - Government lowers economic forecasts

    8 April 2009, 15:51 GMT

    Egypt already has a good track record of putting in place the right policies to attract international investors. It now needs to continue to innovate to regain the foreign direct investment lost as a result of the downturn.

  • Regional cities should be planned wisely

    3 April 2009, 18:37 GMT

    The pace of economic growth has resulted in plans being overlooked in favour of rapid construction.

  • Special Report: Major projects - Reshaping regional cities

    2 April 2009, 14:31 GMT

    The region’s major cities are responding to unprecedented population growth by drawing up masterplans which will reshape the region’s urban centres, from Abu Dhabi to Algiers.

  • Saudi refining sector can bounce back

    27 March 2009, 20:22 GMT

    Reflecting a worldwide trend, Saudi Arabia’s flagship refining projects are suffering delays.

  • Omani bankers

    12 March 2009, 16:44 GMT

    Six prominent players in the country’s banking sector: Ahmad Hiasat, Abdul Razak Ali Issa, Murray Sims, Rashad bin Mohamed al-Zubair, Reem bint Omar al-Zawawi and Hamoud bin Sangour al-Zadjali.

  • Special Report: Oil & Gas Contractor Survey - Caution slows contract awards

    5 March 2009, 16:48 GMT

    On paper, the number of pending contract awards on oil and gas projects in the Gulf is healthy. There are 55 such projects worth more than $1bn, each in various stages of planning.

  • MEED 100: Volatility boosts smaller markets

    1 March 2009, 12:57 GMT

    Saudi firms still dominate the MEED 100, but volatility has made room for a more diverse range of businesses.

  • MEED 100 - Sector Analysis: Telecoms

    1 March 2009, 12:30 GMT

    New entrants swell the number of telecoms firms in the MEED 100, but profits are set to fall in 2009.

  • MEED 100 - Sector Analysis: Real Estate

    1 March 2009, 12:25 GMT

    Dubai real estate developers have suffered the most as the global economic turmoil takes its toll.

  • MEED 100 - Sector Analysis: Oil & Gas

    1 March 2009, 12:17 GMT

    Taqa is the only listed oil and gas company to make it onto the MEED 100 list, but Dana is set for a return.

  • Power and water focus is sensible

    22 February 2009, 8:53 GMT

    The Gulf may not need to build mile-high towers, but it does need to develop power and water plants.

  • Special Report: Aviation - Airlines brace for tough year ahead

    15 February 2009, 11:51 GMT

    Gulf airlines are running the risk of overcapacity in the wake of the worldwide downturn in air travel.

  • Airport upgrades risk overcapacity

    15 February 2009, 11:42 GMT

    Gulf airports may be celebrated for their lack of check-in queues as much as for their architecture.

  • Doha right to focus on gas

    8 February 2009, 9:23 GMT

    As liquefied natural gas purchase agreements are typically based on long-term deals, Qatar has assured itself a solid, regular income stream.

  • Falling costs offer hope to Gulf construction market

    1 February 2009, 10:21 GMT

    Lower prices alone will not revive the Gulf’s construction market, but they do offer some cause for optimism and will benefit clients.

  • Special Report: Construction - Gulf contractors under pressure

    1 February 2009, 8:38 GMT

    Clients have stopped inviting firms to bid for new projects, contract awards are being revoked and designers are being told to redesign their schemes. All this would have been unthinkable in the Gulf six months ago, but it is now the reality.

  • Qatar bankers

    1 February 2009, 7:58 GMT

    The six leading figures in the Qatari banking sector - Tareq al-Malki, Salah Jaidah, R Seetharaman, Ali Shareef al-Emadi, Hussain Ibrahim al-Fardan and George Nasra.

  • Special Report: Saudi Arabia - Industry plan enters key phase

    25 January 2009, 11:02 GMT

    Nobody could accuse Riyadh of shying away from the need for economic diversification. Ever since the first commercial discovery of oil in 1938, the government has planned for the day when it can no longer rely on petrodollars.

  • Middle East young business leaders

    18 January 2009, 12:02 GMT

    Six people making a name for themselves in Middle East business: Omar bin Sulaiman, Assem Kabesh, Abdulmalik Ahmad al-Jaber, Najla al-Awadhi, Rami Makhzoumi and Mustafa Abdel-Wadood.

  • Special Report: Tourism & Real Estate - Visitor numbers slide

    18 January 2009, 9:47 GMT

    Dubai has some of the world’s most expensive hotel room rates, with charges for one night averaging $370 in October 2008. But with most of the world falling into recession, such prices could be hard to sustain this year.

  • Kurdish area needs investors’ support

    18 January 2009, 9:27 GMT

    Poor access deters all but the most adventurous foreign tourists and, in turn, restricts investment.

  • Sector outlook 2009: Project market faces major slowdown

    2 January 2009, 13:29 GMT

    With investor confidence at an all-time low in the private sector, Gulf governments will have to dip into their savings to shore up key projects.

  • NOC oil giants should keep investing

    2 January 2009, 9:38 GMT

    National oil producers to reprioritise investment plans as cuts in oil production are made.

  • People to watch 2009

    2 January 2009, 9:13 GMT

    Twelve key figures for the coming year.

  • Regional tourism drops off in Dubai

    21 December 2008, 10:04 GMT

    Although total visitor numbers are up this year, the number coming from Gulf countries is falling.

  • Banks must lend with prudence

    21 December 2008, 7:54 GMT

    The risk is that after allowing the boom to overheat, any slowdown will feel like a recession.

  • Long-term regional petrochemicals plans will pay off

    12 December 2008, 11:03 GMT

    The region’s petrochemicals industry has to take a long-term view and put 2008 into perspective.

  • Special Report: Petrochemicals - Region gains from downturn

    11 December 2008, 13:38 GMT

    The future employment of thousands of young Saudis depends on the success of the kingdom’s petrochemicals industry.

  • Algiers should commit to reform

    5 December 2008, 16:51 GMT

    Foreign banks may be pushing for greater participation in the market, but the results are not encouraging.

  • Special Report: Banking - Private banks beat financial turmoil

    4 December 2008, 15:57 GMT

    Private banking is staging a comeback. The Gulf’s first oil boom in the 1970s prompted the region’s wealthy individuals to put their profits into Europe’s private banks.

  • DP World must act without delay

    28 November 2008, 15:39 GMT

    The port authority will have to resolve its problems if plans for a logistics hub are to succeed. Dubai’s centre of gravity is rapidly shifting away from the creek towards the border with Abu Dhabi, not least because of the success of the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

  • Special Report: UAE - Dubai debt tests federal structure

    27 November 2008, 15:27 GMT

    Managers at Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) can be forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief. Just as Dubai’s insatiable appetite for electricity threatened to overwhelm the authority, the emirate’s hunger for power is subsiding.

  • Abu Dhabi planners

    27 November 2008, 15:09 GMT

    Six key figures responsible for economic planning in Abu Dhabi: Nasser Ahmed Khalifa al-Sowaidi, Waleed Ahmed al-Mokarrab al-Muhairi, Falah al-Ahbabi, Fahad Saeed al-Raqbani, Salah Salem bin Omeir al-Shamsi and Majid al-Mansouri.

  • Pay rises will be too late for many labourers in GCC

    21 November 2008, 21:38 GMT

    Firms are grappling with a downturn in Gulf markets, meaning large-scale lay-offs are increasingly likely.

  • Special Report: Construction - Marine projects drive market

    21 November 2008, 17:53 GMT

    After years without significant investment in ports, many of the region’s governments are now prioritising the development of their port infrastructure.

  • Gulf hotels catch up with demand

    20 November 2008, 19:28 GMT

    Despite the global slowdown, the region is investing heavily in hotels to cater to growing visitor numbers.

  • Single GCC currency is still years away

    14 November 2008, 20:07 GMT

    With monetary and fiscal convergence criteria yet to be agreed, delays are inevitable The birth of the GCC’s single currency is enduring almost as long a gestation as that of its European cousin the euro.

  • Special Report: GCC - Leaders prepare for crucial summit

    14 November 2008, 18:50 GMT

    If all goes to plan, next month’s GCC summit in Muscat will give the go-ahead for construction to start in 2010 on the long-discussed GCC regional railway.

  • UAE healthcare

    13 November 2008, 18:03 GMT

    Six key players leading the development of healthcare services in the GCC: Ahmed Mubarak al-Mazrouei, Humaid Mohammed Obaid al-Qutami, Muhadditha Yahya al-Hashimi, Qadhi Saeed al-Murooshid, Scott Strong and Abdul Razzak al-Madani.

  • Reforms boost performance in Egypt

    7 November 2008, 16:27 GMT

    Reforms are among Nazif’s most notable achievements, improving Egypt’s business environment.

  • Special Report: Egypt - Banking sector reforms pay dividends

    7 November 2008, 15:00 GMT

    Egypt’s housing sector offers great potential for investment-hungry mortgage finance companies.

  • GCC rail

    7 November 2008, 14:38 GMT

    The six leading people in the GCC rail sector: Abdullah Salem al-Katheeri, Abdul Redha Abu al-Hassan, Emir Saleem, Ismail Elkholy, Paul Abbosh and Bassam Mansour.

  • Gulf health policies need a rethink

    31 October 2008, 16:25 GMT

    The total cost of healthcare delivery in the Gulf will rise to nearly $60bn by 2025, five times the 2007 figure.

  • Special Report: Oil & Gas - Region's domestic needs hit export plans

    30 October 2008, 18:43 GMT

    Iran’s export plans neatly encapsulate the problems faced by many of the region’s gas producers. Heavily subsidised prices for domestic consumers are a big burden on the Iranian government, as they are in Egypt. But both governments have created an expectation among consumers of cheap energy.

  • Special Report: Healthcare - GCC states broaden private sector role

    30 October 2008, 16:59 GMT

    The Levant’s pedigree in medical training has benefited the Gulf for a long time.

  • Kuwaiti oil plan needs foreign firms

    24 October 2008, 18:00 GMT

    Opposition to foreign involvement means Project Kuwait has been starved of the necessary expertise.

  • Special Report: Kuwait - Policy dispute stunts development

    23 October 2008, 15:44 GMT

    Kuwait’s economic indicators should be a source of envy for central bank governors worldwide. In 2007, the country posted a budget surplus of $43bn, all the more remarkable given the $26bn deficit it amassed immediately after the 1990-91 Gulf war.

  • Saudi family firms need specialist skills

    17 October 2008, 13:58 GMT

    Globalisation is bringing change and specialisation is becoming a feature of the kingdom’s market.

  • Special Report: Saudi Arabia - Family firms enter a new era

    16 October 2008, 19:50 GMT

    The decision of the Saudi stock exchange (Tadawul) in August to reveal the names of all individual shareholders with a stake of more than 5 per cent in any single company may not have revealed the full picture of Saudi families’ strategic investments.

  • Doha right to go slow on regulator

    10 October 2008, 17:29 GMT

    Qatar knows that the success of its financial hub and new regulations lies in the planningIt took the UK almost 20 years to agree on the form its Financial Service Authority (FSA) would take, before a deal to set up the new body was finalised in 2001.

  • Special Report: Qatar - Restructuring the financial sector

    9 October 2008, 15:13 GMT

    Euro-US stock exchange operator NYSE Euronext has taken a bold position in the Gulf states’ stock exchange rivalry, after choosing to invest $250m for a 25 per cent holding in Doha Securities Market (DSM).

  • Riyadh must meet power needs first

    3 October 2008, 15:32 GMT

    The kingdom’s restructuring plans look more like an academic exercise than an achievable reality for now.

  • Special Report: Power & Water - Gulf developer rankings

    2 October 2008, 13:12 GMT

    Rising demand for electricity, coupled with chronically inadequate physical and financial infrastructure, means the region’s emerging markets have enormous potential for private power developers.

  • Saudi real estate is on the rise

    26 September 2008, 19:40 GMT

    Beyond the UAE’s show-stealing real estate schemes lies a pool of projects in neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

  • Special Report: Real Estate 100 - The Gulf's top developers

    25 September 2008, 13:40 GMT

    For Dubai’s major real estate developers, the UAE is no longer big enough. MEED’s list of the Gulf’s 100 biggest property developers may focus solely on the GCC market, but the largest companies on the list are now exploring opportunities outside the Gulf.

  • Special Report: Oman - Diversification underpins growth

    18 September 2008, 13:03 GMT

    Oman Air’s new tagline - ‘modern vision, timeless traditions’ - sounds like so many other glib marketing slogans used by the world’s airlines.

Newsletter Sign-up

More sector and country newsletters

Subscribe to MEED to receive your choice of premium newsletters

Find out more

Knowledge Bank

Company Profiles

Biographies

Databank

Top 100 projects

Top 100 listed companies

Qatar Projects 2012

Order your copy here

Read sample chapter

Follow MEED on

Linkedin     Twitter     RSS Newsletter