Methods for Scaling Regional Strategy in 2026

El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what guidance they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Creator of Snoonu said it was "essential to develop limits" between work and individual life and take brief vacations to "disconnect" from the office.

Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, stated: "If you make the people you work with delighted, you will make the customer delighted, who will then make the shareholders happy."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, said the ability to "not panic" is the essential to finding a service for issues.

This week, we're convening more than 3000 conferences between investors and 119 Gulf-listed companies with a combined worth of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're combining financiers, companies, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is changing in the region, and what comes next, including the growth and continuous advancement of the Gulf's capital markets, and the area's growing role in international networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf region's financial growth in 2026, supported by strong private-sector efficiency, resilient domestic need and restored investment momentum, according to the most recent ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is expected to outperform most international areas peers next year, with regional GDP projection to grow by 4.4%. Across the GCC, non-energy activity is predicted to broaden by 4.1% in 2026, driven by strong labour markets, improving credit conditions and rising financial investment in technology and AI-related infrastructure.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Will Market Research Drive Middle East Corporate Success?

Oil earnings will be under pressure in the first half of 2026, production is expected to increase again in the 2nd half of 2026, supporting the region's medium-term outlook, it stated. Saudi Arabia will remain a significant contributor to GCC momentum, with GDP forecast to grow 4.3% in 2026.

Growth will be supported by commercial expansion and policy reforms, including eased foreign ownership guidelines that aim to stimulate more financial investment. The financial deficit is projected to widen to 5.6% of GDP next year amid softer oil rates, while the current five-year rent freeze in Riyadh intends to relieve inflationary pressures, though it may constrain future real estate supply.

Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is also placed for another strong year of efficiency, with GDP projection to rise 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to expand. Tourism, trade and financial services remain key development motorists, supported by population growth and continual domestic need. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the very first half of 2025, showing broad-based non-oil strength.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Oil production is expected to choose up again in the 2nd half of 2026, matching ongoing financial investment in infrastructure, technology and worldwide trade collaborations. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, stated: "This quarter's outlook reinforces how far the GCC has actually come in structure diverse, resistant and internationally competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Consultant, and Chief Economic Expert and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, said: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are going into 2026 with strong foundations. Saudi non-oil activity is gaining pace, supported by robust need and rising investment, even as financial pressures increase.""The UAE continues to take advantage of solid domestic principles, a sharp uplift in government spending and sustained diversification efforts.

Evaluating Traditional Models and Future Economic Strategies

GCC countries are rotating towards a technique of 'resilience over expansion' getting in 2026, as the region prepares for a worldwide landscape specified by softer oil prices, geopolitical fragmentation, and the quick transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a new local outlook by PwC, the GCC is moving to insulate its growth from external shocks by deepening global trade combination, securing industrial supply chains, and carrying out a decisive shift from innovation aspiration to operational application.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Negotiations for Free Trade Contracts with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have entered last preparing stages. The region is increasingly placing itself as a main center for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC). To support domestic production, protecting vital minerals has actually become a strategic priority.