RECENT INSIGHTS
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👏 Europe's footprint in 2026 is firmly in the Gulf. In Q2, Ireland's DAA - Dublin Airport Authority reported a profit after tax of €230 million and recommended a dividend of €66 million back to the Irish people. Aer Rianta International (DAA's retail operation) estimated contribution is 18% of that the total net profit. 🧐 And surprise..: Ireland's Aer Rianta International (ARI) runs the main duty-free shops at Bahrain and Oman (Muscat) international airports. Cited as a "massive success for the Irish company in 2026, bringing in record profits". ➡️ Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia: Ireland's DAA International is currently fulfilling its 5-year contract signed in 2022 to run operations. ➡️ Red Sea International Airport: And Ireland's DAA remains the official operator, signing a 5-year ground handling deal to scale up terminal operations. 🧐 So, if Ireland's footprint is firmly in the Gulf, what other European companies are making their mark? 📢 And, why are we not shouting this from the rooftops and proudly celebrating European success? ➡️Spain: Renfe (with Talgo) operates the Haramain High Speed Railway between Mecca and Medina under a €2.8 billion contract extension, signed February 2026, running to 2038. ➡️ Germany: Siemens Mobility is delivering rolling stock, signalling and power systems for the UAE-Oman Hafeet Rail link, currently under construction and over 40% complete. ➡️ France: Egis was awarded the design contract for the Dubai section of the new Abu Dhabi-Dubai high-speed rail line in February 2026, as part of an L&T-led consortium. the engineering consultants managing the design are Spain-based firms Sener and Ineco. ➡️ France: Keolis and RATP Dev, through their joint venture RKH Qitarat, have operated the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram since 2017 under a 20-year, €3 billion contract. 🧐 So, I would guess between Joint Ventures with host countries plus Non Disclosure Agreements, many European companies do not or, prefer not to, shout their achievements from the rafters. ... but, we should celebrate our success and the next time we enter discussions in the region, be sure to fly the flag of excellence that is "discreet" European expertise. 🤭
QATAR - JULY 2026
EUROPE IS THRIVING IN THE GULF IN 2026
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There is an opportunity waiting for grocery retailers, who are masters of the city metro experience and, are not afraid to embrace the "Cheers Effect". 👉 Cheers was a TV show in the late 80s - 90s whose iconic tagline was “.... you want to go where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.” It was all about community and the feeling of belonging. 👉 The UAE Government has whole policies dedicated to that feeling; The National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031 explicitly frames mental health, emotional wellness, and positive thinking as economic priorities. To build connected neighbourhoods and reduce feelings of isolation. Tasking the private sector to take shared ownership. 👉 I can relate. Taking it all in from the 57th floor of my accommodation, I couldn't help but notice the steady flow of Talabat, Noon, Deliveroo and Careem delivery riders dominating the city's highways. At times, I was the only person heading out to the local metro supermarket to shop in-person and not order via app. A 2026 environmental well-being study highlights how high-density, vertical environments inflict unconscious psychological stress. Simply put; if the external urban environment is not warm and welcoming, we retreat to our apartments, hotel rooms and our smartphones. 💡 So, what's the (retail) solution? Kenyan, Ugandan, South African and Colombian are some of the cultures that I got chatting with in stores across Dubai. At first, a little reticent to engage with me but once the flood gates opened so the personalities began to shine. There is a strong argument that says the structure of how the labour force, in retail, is rewarded directly impacts how the shopper is engaged. A metro supermarket in Business Bay, Dubai, has a sign right across the window that reads "Only Smiles Welcome Here". Great sentiment, the gap has been identified, just not replicated in-store. 👉 So what is the opportunity. To quantify; Business Bay, Dubai reports over 32,000 residents plus an additional 110,000 active daily commuters and corporate professionals during peak business hours. We can do the research but my bet; food delivery apps are their best friend. Masters of metro retail and the "Cheers Effect" such as; :Marks and Spencer (UK), Centra (Ireland), Mercadona (ES), if prepared to take a leap of faith, are clearly backed by state heath and wellbeing mandates, for market-entry. To the masters of metro, I say, be the next Sam Malone.
DUBAI, UAE - JUNE 2026
OPPORTUNITIES IN RETAIL - EMBRACE THE "CHEERS EFFECT"
The UAE workforce is approximately 88% non-national. A large share earns under AED 5,000 (€1,176) per month. Predominantly Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi nationals. I took this photo last week, and it's stuck with me since. It may not be who many European businesses picture when they start planning. All too often it is the Porsche driver who makes it into the forecast, as the mega and giga projects make the headlines. But two companies built real businesses around exactly this consumer: Primark, the Irish fast-fashion brand, opened its Dubai Mall flagship store in March 2026 of 60,000 sq ft and 600 staff. Queues stretching 500 metres on opening day. Before signing with Alshaya Group, they modelled the consumer base. Their read: the UAE mass-market consumer is real, large, and underserved by affordable retail. Tabby reached a similar conclusion five years earlier. Today: 15M+ users, 40,000 merchant partners, $10B in annual transaction volume, a $4.5B valuation as of late 2025. In November 2025, the UAE Ministry of Finance embedded Tabby into federal fee and fine collection, moving it from fintech app to part of the credit infrastructure itself. The Talabat rider in my photo is likely a customer of both. It came home to me when working out in the gym. The dominant ad categories I was served on YouTube Music, in Business Bay, were remittance, BNPL, and microloans. A useful reminder that the GCC consumer market is broader and more layered than social media often suggests. Understanding these demographics matters. Sources: FCSC UAE, Dubai Statistics Center, UN World Population Prospects
DUBAI, UAE - MAY 2026
DEMOGRAPHICS MATTER - UAE ADDRESSABLE WORKFORCE
If you are planning to launch a Fintech in the Gulf, your customers are expecting you to understand Sharia law. Over 75% of your potential customers, in Saudi Arabia, choose Sharia compliant financial products, with Kuwait a close second at 60%. As a fintech new to the region, the implications are significant. Adapt your product and service or risk being side lined. Earlier this year, I built a financial services Governance Hub for my client planning GCC market-entry. As part of the ethics component, I researched retail finance consumer protection. I now understand the complexities of Islamic Finance. The insights were revealing. It is not obligatory for a fintech entrant to offer Sharia compliant products, however, that decision directly impacts the size of your market opportunity. To participate on an equal competitive footing in Saudi Arabia for example, the data below is clear; consumers prefer their financial products to be Sharia compliant. What does it actually mean for your market-entry plan? This is a combination of faith-based identity and practical consumer protections. The first principle that stood out is "Riba". No fixed interest charges. Taking buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) as the example, finance is provided as a fixed mark-up and not interest bearing. Say you buy a mobile phone for SAR 1,200. The BNPL provider buys the asset for SAR 1,000 and charges you a margin (not interest) of SAR 200. The second; "Gharar" - no uncertainty. Contracts must be transparent and fair. Any late payment charge collected, beyond actual cost, gets routed to charity rather than retained as revenue. My initial reaction; how does a fintech entrant make a reasonable margin if these two revenue lines are non-compliant? A typical EU or UK service provider relies on merchant fees, interest and late payment penalties. However, the incumbent provider, Tabby, proves the model is in-fact financially sustainable. In Q1 2025, reporting merchant commissions as accounting for 93.4% of all business revenues and a net profit margin of 20.4%. In essence, ethical finance in the GCC is a competitive advantage that makes adoption of your product more likely. It does require your business to invest in a deeper understanding of the regional consumer, balanced with a strong commercial bottom line. Data source: Islamic Financial Services Industry Stability Report 2025
ISLAMIC BANKING'S MARKET SHARE & GROWTH RATES
The UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) trade deal concluded on 20 May 2026. How do you cut through the global trade-deal noise to understand where the benefits are for your business? 👉 This is an ambitious 6 GCC bloc agreement, spanning UK export products from cars to cheese, with modelled economic forecasts up to 2040. 👉 #Negotiations started in June 2022, with #ratification or "entry into force", likely in late 2027. ➡️ The UK announcement spotlights 8 major #UK industry sectors as core beneficiaries of the agreement. As a business owner, whether you are already exporting to the GCC or considering market entry, it is worth understanding the specific elements that apply to your business in detail. ➡️At one end, #aerospace manufacturers benefit from reduced tariffs on eligible equipment and parts, around 5%. At the other, food #exporters such as chocolate producers may welcome the benefit of faster customs clearance of up to 48 hours. It is not a "one size fits all". ➡️Reduced friction in digital trade does stand-out as a winner from the agreement. Think #Fintech; payments, remittances, microloans, BNPL, SAAS. Operational efficiencies and cost savings from cross-border dataflows, storage and process of data outside the region. ➡️As an individual professional consultant or a contractor working on a specific project in the GCC, the FTA has negotiated reduced admin and more consistent and transparent visa processes. 🔄The agreement is reciprocal. Bilateral #trade between the UK and the GCC is forecast to increase by over 19%, as noted in the Technical Guidance. 👉 It is worth noting that before entering negotiations in 2022, the UK Government, Department for Business and Trade, initiated a 14-week consultation seeking views from the British people and British Businesses, to inform objectives and understand the impact of a UK-GCC FTA. 👉 Bodies including the TUC (trade unions), CTPA (cosmetics), and BVA (veterinary sector) submitted evidence outlining their priorities and expectations. The consultation findings and written submissions are publicly available for review, offering useful context on how different sectors may be affected. ➡️There is a lot to consider. The good news is, you do not have to wait until full ratification, anticipated in 2027, before taking action. A supply chain review and engagement with GCC officials now, will unearth any rules-of-origin challenges that can be resolved in advance. ➡️Also, take the time to review: 1) Technical note of the preliminary economic impacts. 2) UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) trade deal: conclusion summary ⏳ While in #Qatar and the #UAE this year, I observed that policy decisions, particularly around trade, visas, economic support packages, regional focus (Vision 2030 and beyond), are changing daily. These are not long drawn out processes. They are happening now. Don't wait for #FTA validation, take action and reap the benefits as they materialise.
DUBAI, UAE - MAY 2026
UKK - GCC, FREE TRADE AGREEMENT- MAY 2026. DUBAI, UAE
DUBAI, UAE - MAY 2026
✈️ Are you planning a business trip to #Dubai or heading down to check it out as your next "#Digital Nomad" adventure? Let me share with you some handy tips to get from the airport to the perfect professional spot, pop open your laptop and start working, stress free. 🌍 Having just returned from an extended trip, my recommendation is to jump onto the Metro Red Line - 6 AED (€1.40) at DXB and travel to World Trade Centre Stop. Walk 5 minutes to One Central. 👉 You will arrive at European Street. Head over to The Offices 2 and checkout the WeWork space on the 7th & 8th floors. Good chat, lots of innovative start-ups TrackWon, Charava® and very helpful team. 👉 If you are finding your feet and are not ready to spend on a co-work pass, you can go around the corner to 25hours Hotel One Central. A hotel with a difference! Co-work on ground and 1st floor. Lots of space, super good buzz and positive energy. Free of charge. 🌞 I can confirm that it is "hot enough to fry an egg", so do take care in the summer heat. Happy working in the hashtag#GCC! (The Metro picture is one I took of Al Jaddaf Station.) #marketentry #governance #cowork #startup #entrepreneur
A SOFT BUSINESS LANDING IN DUBAI - HEAD FOR ONE CENTRAL. MAY 2026
GCC - APRIL 2026
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FINANCIAL SERVICES
Recently returned from a visit to Doha, Qatar. If I can tear myself away from the stunning city skyline of West Bay, I would like to share some of my own observations of economic growth and investment opportunities in the country. ➡️Taking my lead from Invest Qatar, I wanted to understand, in more detail, the extensive incentives for European (and ROW) enterprises thinking of making the move in 2026. 📈First, a quick look at growth. As reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Qatar's GDP is set to expand by approx. 6.1% in 2026. Driven in large part by the North Field hashtag#energy project, source of up to 10% of the world's natural gas (hashtag#LNG). 💡Even if hashtag#energy is not your sector, you can't help but be impressed by the hashtag#megatrain production facilities and the 100 new vessels on order, including LNG Q Max class ships. "The largest shipbuilding program in history." 🏦I have started 2026 knee-deep in hashtag#Financial Services, and it is clear that Qatar's diversified focus includes a significant commitment to innovation in hashtag#fintech. Qatar Central Bank (QCB) leads the strategy, supported by the QCB Fintech hashtag#Sandbox. ✔️For a European fintech considering Qatar, you may like to follow in the footsteps of successful businesses using a hashtag#sandbox as your route to market. Gulf countries have unique regulatory infrastructures from "economic substance" to leveraging local talent. A hashtag#sandbox provides a controlled environment to test your services plus, an opportunity to build relationships with supporting regulatory bodies. 🤝And this is where Qatar steps up. The level of support a qualified financial services organisation can expect includes; up to 40% of eligible local investment expenses over 5 years. Capex: up to QAR 100,000 cap, legal setup fees, fit-out costs and opex. contribution. 🗄️I suspect there are very few industry sectors in 2026 that do not have a vested interest in where, and how safely, our customer and enterprise data is being processed and stored. ✔️As the appetite for all things AI continues to experience exponential growth, Qatar invites cutting-edge technology firms to consider your part in, not only a local but also a regional data support infrastructure. Including hashtag#GenAI, hashtag#cybersecurity and hashtag#IoT products and services. The QIA Fund of Funds was recently expanded to $3 billion; to attract AI innovation and tech talent to the local ecosystem. 🤝And again, if your business qualifies, you may expect to enter support discussions with Invest Qatar. May I invite you to review the Qatar National Vision 2030 (hashtag#QNV). It is my "go-to" for guidance on national priorities, sector focus, and long-term development goals. If you are considering hashtag#marketentry the insights will inform your business strategy and de-risk the critical decisions required for your geographic expansion plan.
DOHA, QATAR - FEBRUARY 2026
INVEST IN QATAR - THE MOVE FOR SMEs IN 2026
While in Doha, Qatar last week, I used the city's metro and tram to get about. ⚡The Qatar Rail network is a driverless, fully electric system. And, you can't go wrong at QAR 6 (€1.40) for a day pass. ✨ I couldn't help but be impressed by how spotless the stations and trains are and, the professional staff uniforms that would not look out of place at an investment bank in West Bay. ➡️As the rail network continues to expand, not only in Qatar but also the wider GCC region, I want to highlight opportunities for #European (and ROW) businesses to contribute your innovation and expertise. ✔️As of 2026, Qatar Rail is working to deliver Phase 2 of the Doha Metro expansion. Reported as aiming for a total of approximately 95 to 100 stations by the end of the year. ✔️Led by consortia of some of the most recognised names in hashtag#transport; Mitsubishi, Thales and Webuild, with WSP providing project management support. Plus, many additional secondary partnerships. ➡️The good news is, opportunities still exist. Current public tenders are showing invitations to submit proposals in 2026 to; enhance community spaces, provide monitoring systems and, support the mobile app and website. ✔️While large infrastructure projects can feel daunting, there are meaningful ways for European SMEs to engage with specialised skills and unique technology. Consider hashtag#IOT hashtag#AI hashtag#cybersecurity and hashtag#digitalinfrastructure. ✔️Your investment now may open doors to participate in the wider GCC cross-border rail network. In late 2025, Saudi Arabia and Qatar formalised a high-speed electric rail agreement to develop a ~785 km corridor linking Doha and Riyadh. ➡️Please connect with Invest Qatar for the latest updates and their support.
DOHA, QATAR - FEBRUARY 2026
DOHA'S RAIL SYSTEM EXPANSION
DELIVERED FOR THE CLIENT
We are pleased to be able to confirm that Amabilidad researched, designed and wrote the winning bid, on behalf of our client, with a score of 90.94 / 100, as awarded by the bank. Amabilidad developed a detailed scenario that fit the Bank's environment and tested the resilience of the Bank's crisis management framework. The proposal emphasised the importance of crisis leadership and ethical considerations, highlighting the imporantance of emotional intelligence (EQ). We designed three phases: Pre-Exercise Activities, Exercise Execution, and Post-Exercise Review. Plus, several innovative ideas including a stakeholder mapping exercise, a PESTLE analysis to identify external factors, and a structured decision pathways framework to manage interdependencies. A Gantt chart providing a realistic and achievable visual representation of the project schedule. The client, Red Goat Cyber Security are proven experts in their specialist field. The weight of their credentials provided significant support to delivering the winning bid.
DELIVERED FOR THE CLIENT
Employing extensive Market Research tools we looked at Ireland's role in the European Green Deal. Ireland is committed to a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. The National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) sets a target for 80% renewable electricity generation by 2030. Our Client offers the key linked services of Domestic BER Assessments plus Agriculture TAMS 3 Solar solutions. We were tasked with positioning the business to participate in competitive tenders as they continue to be issued in line with environmental goals. We worked with the client to identify competitive advantage and expand the service offering in the run up to 2030. This included a scoping exercise of competitor activity and benchmarked pricing models. As the business builds on success and scales further, we identified a target obtainable market supported by regional "quick wins" and community outreach.
