The virtual world appears to be evolving rapidly and knocking on new investment doors. The frenzy is such that even traditionally conservative sectors like real estate are buying into the metaverse. Although not quite mainstream, virtual real estate is receiving massive investments from major compan...

The UAE has a penchant for technologies — which has helped the nation keep pace with global advancements. The recent shift to a paperless government(1) and the successful hosting of a World Expo amid a pandemic are examples of how digitalization has helped the nation. Over the past year or so, the...

Following on the heels of a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE’s real estate sector is experiencing rapid growth. According to UK-based consultant Knight Frank, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are set to see the residential market expand at the fastest rate since 2015(1). As 2022 begins,...

Dubai ranked second in the top 100 City Destinations Index 2021 issued by the UK market research company Euromonitor(1), and it’s not difficult to see why. The UAE’s high inoculation rates, along with stringent safety protocols in place, has increased visitor confidence. In a world that is ...

Real estate markets across the globe have witnessed their fair share of upturns and downturns since the pandemic outbreak. While many continue to witness volatility, a few global markets have seen prices bottom out and greater supply-demand balance. Fortunately, Dubai real estate was in the latter c...

Addressing the dignitaries gathered at the COP26 summit, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had this to say: “It’s one minute to midnight on the doomsday clock, and we need to act now.”(1) The doomsday in question here is the consequences we are about to face as the world nears a point of no ...

On the 1st of June, 2021, the 100% foreign ownership reform came into effect in the UAE. This change in existing Company Law was heralded as a landmark in the growth history of the nation. The reform did, however, retain a few key business areas in the “restricted” category. These included educa...

Until around 2010, whenever people heard the word “cyber-attack”, they generally associated it with the IT sector, which has a number of internet-facing functions and devices. Subsequently, digitalization permeated across business and industry, bringing largely conservative sectors like real est...

The UAE-based Equitativa – which manages the largest Shari’ah-compliant REIT in the world, Emirates REIT – recently launched a $500-million REIT(1) in Indonesia. Equitativa is hoping to acquire retail and hospitality properties, among other real estate assets, in the Southeast Asian na...