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El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what recommendations they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Creator of Snoonu said it was "crucial to build borders" between work and individual life and take brief vacations to "detach" from the office.
Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, said: "If you make the people you work with happy, you will make the consumer delighted, who will then make the investors delighted."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, said the capability to "not panic" is the crucial to finding a service for problems.
Today, we're convening more than 3000 meetings in between financiers and 119 Gulf-listed business with a combined value of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're combining investors, business, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is altering in the area, and what comes next, consisting of the growth and continuous advancement of the Gulf's capital markets, and the region's growing function in international networks of capital and trade.
Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf region's economic growth in 2026, supported by strong private-sector efficiency, resilient domestic demand and restored financial investment momentum, according to the most recent ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is anticipated to outperform most worldwide regions peers next year, with local GDP projection to grow by 4.4%. Across the GCC, non-energy activity is projected to expand by 4.1% in 2026, driven by strong labour markets, improving credit conditions and rising investment in innovation and AI-related infrastructure.

Although oil revenues will be under pressure in the very first half of 2026, production is expected to rise again in the 2nd half of 2026, supporting the region's medium-term outlook, it mentioned. Saudi Arabia will remain a significant contributor to GCC momentum, with GDP projection to grow 4.3% in 2026.
Development will be supported by commercial expansion and policy reforms, including eased foreign ownership guidelines that intend to promote further financial investment. The financial deficit is predicted to widen to 5.6% of GDP next year amidst softer oil prices, while the recent five-year lease freeze in Riyadh intends to relieve inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future housing supply.
Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is likewise positioned for another strong year of performance, with GDP projection to increase 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to expand. Tourist, trade and financial services stay key growth chauffeurs, supported by population growth and continual domestic need. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the first half of 2025, showing broad-based non-oil strength.
The Strategic Guide to GCC Industrial Success for 2026
Oil production is expected to get once again in the second half of 2026, complementing continuous investment in facilities, innovation and international trade collaborations. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, said: "This quarter's outlook strengthens how far the GCC has been available in structure diverse, durable and globally competitive economies.
Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Consultant, and Chief Economist and Handling Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are getting in 2026 with strong structures. Saudi non-oil activity is getting speed, supported by robust demand and rising investment, even as financial pressures increase.""The UAE continues to gain from solid domestic fundamentals, a sharp uplift in government spending and continual diversification efforts.
GCC countries are rotating towards a method of 'resilience over expansion' going into 2026, as the area prepares for an international landscape specified by softer oil costs, geopolitical fragmentation, and the quick transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a new regional outlook by PwC, the GCC is relocating to insulate its development from external shocks by deepening international trade integration, securing commercial supply chains, and executing a definitive shift from technology ambition to functional execution.
The Strategic Guide to GCC Industrial Success for 2026
Negotiations totally free Trade Arrangements with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have actually entered final drafting phases. The region is progressively placing itself as a main hub for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC). To support domestic production, securing important minerals has actually ended up being a tactical top priority.
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