HarbourVest Partners, a global private markets investment specialist, has appointed Bobin Thomas as Principal, Institutional and Family Office Coverage, and Anis Tazi as Private Wealth Lead for the Middle East.
Elsewedy Electric, a leading integrated provider of energy and infrastructure solutions across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, has announced the acquisition of a 60% majority stake in UAE-based Thomassen Service, a specialised provider of gas turbine maintenance and repair services.
WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering and infrastructure solutions firms, has appointed Sam Abdelfattah as its Senior Technical Director, Mission Critical Lead for the Middle East. Based in Riyadh, he will spearhead the growth of WSP’s mission critical and data centre offering.
Middle East leads on AI sovereignty strategy and foundations, but now capability and adoption must catch up, says new Accenture research.
Oil, gold and silver have followed markedly different trajectories over the past six months, as geopolitical tensions, changing US interest-rate expectations reshape global commodity markets. Oil has responded to geopolitical developments, while gold has been driven primarily by monetary policy and silver by both rates and industrial demand, said an expert.
The Middle East conflict has dealt a major blow to tourism in the region and begun to weigh on travel demand far beyond its borders, with international tourist arrivals in the Middle East plunging 22% in the first half of 2026 as global tourism managed only modest growth of 0.4%.
Responding to growing demand for GAA Living’s rental living advisory services, the sector-specialist consultancy has announced its expansion into the Middle East and the opening of a new headquarters in London’s West End.
International visitor spending in the Middle East is forecast to increase by $116 billion, or 57%, between 2025 and 2030, according to the newly unveiled ATM Travel Trends Report 2026, produced by Arabian Travel Market in association with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company.
Travel demand across the Middle East remained resilient in the first eight months of 2026 despite flight disruptions, with search activity holding firm. Egypt retained the top destination ranking, while Nepal, China and Vietnam recorded significant gains, according to Wego data.
The UAE’s tourism sector remains well positioned for long-term growth, supported by continued investment, strong infrastructure and expanding air connectivity, according to Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East & Africa, Luxury, Europe Middle East & Africa and Global Leader, Design Hotels, Marriott International.
