Driving Regional Industrial Growth through Strategy

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 Founder of Snoonu stated it was "essential to construct boundaries" in between work and personal life and take short vacations to "detach" from the workplace.

Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, stated: "If you make the people you work with pleased, you will make the customer delighted, who will then make the investors happy."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, stated the ability to "not worry" is the key to finding a service for problems.

Today, we're assembling more than 3000 conferences in between investors and 119 Gulf-listed business with a combined value of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're uniting financiers, business, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is changing in the region, and what follows, consisting of the growth and continuous development of the Gulf's capital markets, and the region's growing role in global networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf region's financial expansion in 2026, supported by strong private-sector performance, resistant domestic need and restored financial investment momentum, according to the latest ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is anticipated to outperform most international regions peers next year, with local GDP forecast 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, enhancing credit conditions and rising investment in technology and AI-related infrastructure.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Driving Regional Industrial Growth through Innovation

Although oil earnings will be under pressure in the very first half of 2026, production is anticipated to rise once again in the 2nd half of 2026, supporting the area's medium-term outlook, it mentioned. Saudi Arabia will stay a major factor to GCC momentum, with GDP forecast to grow 4.3% in 2026.

Growth will be supported by industrial expansion and policy reforms, including relieved foreign ownership guidelines that intend to stimulate additional investment. The financial deficit is projected to broaden to 5.6% of GDP next year amidst softer oil costs, while the recent five-year rent freeze in Riyadh intends to relieve inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future housing supply.

Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is also placed for another strong year of efficiency, with GDP projection to increase 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to broaden. Tourism, trade and monetary services stay crucial growth chauffeurs, supported by population development and sustained domestic need. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the very first half of 2025, reflecting broad-based non-oil strength.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Oil production is expected to pick up again in the 2nd half of 2026, matching continuous investment in infrastructure, technology and worldwide trade collaborations. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, said: "This quarter's outlook reinforces how far the GCC has come in building diverse, resistant and globally competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Consultant, and Chief Economist and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are going into 2026 with strong foundations. Saudi non-oil activity is gaining rate, supported by robust need and rising investment, even as fiscal pressures increase.""The UAE continues to gain from solid domestic principles, a sharp uplift in federal government costs and sustained diversity efforts.

How to Scale GCC Strategy in 2026

GCC nations are pivoting towards a technique of 'strength over growth' going into 2026, as the region gets ready for a global landscape defined by softer oil prices, geopolitical fragmentation, and the quick transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a brand-new local outlook by PwC, the GCC is transferring to insulate its development from external shocks by deepening worldwide trade integration, securing commercial supply chains, and performing a definitive shift from technology aspiration to operational application.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Negotiations for Free Trade Arrangements with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have actually gotten in last preparing phases. The region is significantly placing itself as a central hub for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC). To support domestic manufacturing, protecting critical minerals has actually ended up being a tactical top priority.