Hasnae Taleb spells out a governance test for women in finance in the GCC
Women in finance in the GCC have more access to capital, senior networks and decision rooms than when Hasnae Taleb began her career. The investor and market commentator told ICN Business the progress is real. Then she moved the conversation from headcount to control. The harder question, she said, is who “holds the pen.” In […]
Primary Intelligence vs. Secondary Hype: Bilal Sabouni on Gulf Market Due Diligence, AI Bias, and Operational Realities
Watch the full interview above and subscribe to the official ICN.talks Business YouTube Channel. The Illusion of Cheap Data: Primary Intelligence vs. Secondary Hype Information accessibility has reached an all-time high, yet high-volume access often leads institutional decision-makers into catastrophic confidence. “Cheap information produces costly confidence,” explains Bilal Sabouni, Managing Director at Guidepoint. “When you […]
The Elevator Gap Principle: Positioning Offers for High Retention and Compounding Value
The strength of a product offer is never determined by charging the lowest price. It is determined exclusively by the perceived altitude difference between the floor where payment is extracted and the floor where the passenger disembarks after value has been delivered. In today’s editorial, I am going to present the concept of The Elevator […]
Eagle Hills eyes 2027 construction start on $20 billion Maldives project
For thousands of Maldivian families, a $20 billion Maldives project now stands between where they live today and a new home by the water. Abu Dhabi developer Eagle Hills has signed a commercial terms agreement with the Government of Maldives to build an island destination called Maldives Waterfront and Marina. The site covers 550 hectares, […]
Education as Economic Infrastructure in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates has progressively transformed higher education from a conventional academic service into a strategic component of its economic infrastructure. Today, universities across the UAE are developing Emirati talent, attracting international students and academics, supporting scientific research, producing advanced professional skills and strengthening the country’s ability to compete in knowledge-intensive industries. This transformation […]
What Meta One in the UAE means for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook users
Meta One in the UAE is now live, and it turns your everyday apps into a paid menu of upgrades. Behind it is Meta, owner of WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, offering upgrades to individuals, creators and businesses. The core apps stay free. You pay only if you want more. Prices run from Dh5.99 to Dh1,199 […]
Why a $233 million Series F round now puts Tabby at $6.5 billion valuation
A $233 million Series F round has put Tabby at a $6.5 billion valuation, and every dollar came from investors already on the shareholder register. Blue Pool Capital led the round. Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai backs the Hong Kong firm, and HSG, Wellington Management and Arbor Ventures took part alongside it. Tabby announced the deal […]
How Dubai’s “Work from Park” initiative turns public parks into workspaces
The Work from Park initiative puts bookable workspaces inside Dubai’s public parks, starting with Al Barsha Pond Park. Dubai Municipality announced the programme on 19 April 2026 and said it had signed two memoranda of cooperation to deliver it. One went to Group AMANA, which builds the units, and the other to Letswork LLC, which […]
UAE business accelerators 2026: what founders get and what they give up
UAE business accelerators no longer sell classroom time, and ICN.live research across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah found that the shift is close to complete. Founder value now sits in four places: market access, institutional balance sheet backing, regulatory permission, and enterprise procurement. Desks and workshops still exist. They stopped being the reason anyone applies. […]
Dubai to Train 14,000 Companies With New Dubai Agentic AI Training Programme
The Dubai Agentic AI training programme now reaches more than 14,000 private sector companies, giving them the practical skills to put AI agents to work inside daily operations. Dubai Chambers launched the courses on 1 September. The aim is simple. Help firms move from curiosity to real use. Agentic AI is software that acts on […]
How Founders Build Discipline By Designing Systems That Beat Willpower
How founders build discipline depends on system design, not personal willpower. Many people frame discipline as a fixed trait. They believe a person either has it or does not. The evidence points elsewhere. Discipline usually reflects the environment around a choice. It rarely reflects the character of the person making it. For a founder, that […]
What Apple’s Foldable iPhone Cost Could Mean for Shoppers This September
The foldable iPhone cost that shoppers have wondered about for two years finally has a figure behind it. Citi’s Atif Malik put the starting price above $2,000 in a note to investors. That would make Apple’s first folding phone the most expensive it has sold. Malik expects the device at the company’s September 9 keynote, […]
