Merak Capital, a Saudi-based investment firm focused on opportunities across multiple industries, has announced a SAR100 million ($26.7 million) strategic investment in Arsann, the kingdom’s leading operator of smart parking and mobility infrastructure.
In a major move, Dubai Land Department (DLD) has sealed a strategic collaboration with Google Cloud in bid to help transform artificial intelligence (AI) from a supportive tool into a driving force for investment decision-making.
The Gulf is one of the most active investment regions in the world. Diversification efforts have opened sectors from logistics and healthcare to technology, energy and financial services, and international capital has followed. But deals in the region rarely stall over price – they stall over process, timing and people. Investors who understand this early tend to close faster and build stronger partnerships.
The UAE’s industrial sector plays a key role in strengthening the country’s competitiveness, attracting GCC investment and enabling partnerships, said a senior minister at the inaugural edition of Made in GCC 2026 expo held in Bahrain, adding that the emirate’s industrial exports hit AED260 billion ($71 billion) in 2025.
Under the theme “Building Adaptive Economies,” the ninth Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF 2026) will host a series of specialised workshops within its programme of more than 140 activities.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, has called for greater flexibility, advance planning and sustained investment in energy infrastructure to help countries navigate crises and safeguard global supplies.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has outlined eight priorities to boost Europe’s tourism competitiveness, focusing on investment, seamless travel, sustainability, workforce development, artificial intelligence, destination management and connectivity to support long-term sector growth.
Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has approved the chamber’s strategy for the next five years (2026–2030), which includes improving the business environment and enhancing the emirate’s position as a distinguished destination for tourism, industry, and trade at the regional level.
Abu Dhabi-based Ethmar International Holding (EIH) said it has joined forces with Guggenheim Brothers Media (GB Media), a private investment firm, to launch a multi-million-dollar investment fund with a global focus on media, entertainment, and the digital creative economy.
Economic, investment and services activity within GCC expanded by 2024-end with the intra-GCC trade surging to $146 billion in 2024, according to a report. The real estate ownership cases by GCC citizens in other member states reached 17,900 in 2024.
