In Conversation In Conversation: Charles Awad, Former Chief Brand Officer, Majid Al Futtaim From Procter & Gamble to leading brand strategy at a top regional retailer, Charles Awad knows what separates brands that scale in the GCC from those that stall. He reflects on the discipline behind genuine localisation and why relevance here is earned, not declared. By Staff Writer • 6 min read
Luxury In Conversation: Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO, Cenomi Centers From a career spanning Asia, Europe, and Latin America to leading Saudi Arabia’s largest mall operator, Alison Rehill-Erguven reflects on the Kingdom’s retail transformation, the shift from shopping to experience, and why relevance — not scale — defines the next era. By Staff Writer • 3 min read
Saadiyat Cultural District. Image: Visit Abu Dhabi Culture Abu Dhabi's Cultural Blueprint Is Rewriting the Rules of Soft Power Heritage and contemporary art are converging in Abu Dhabi to build something more durable than spectacle. The emirate is quietly assembling the infrastructure of global cultural influence. By Luning Wang • 5 min read
Culture Creative Collaboration as Currency: How China and the UAE Can Turn Culture into Capital The next wave of China-UAE growth won't be built on trade agreements alone. It will be shaped by museums, designers, and chefs who create the familiarity that turns tourists into investors. By Chloé Reuter • 4 min read
The Gulf The UAE's Economic Ambition Finds a Strategic Partner in China With Chinese New Year and Ramadan taking place this week, their timing highlights a deepening cultural and economic exchange: Chinese capital and collaboration play a strategic role in the Emirates’ ambition to double GDP by 2031. By Julienna Law • 4 min read
Del Core Collaboration With Harvey Nichols For Its First Presence in Dubai. Image: Harpers Bazaar Arabia Luxury Private Shopping Salons Redefine Luxury Retail in the Gulf Across the GCC, VIP programmes are evolving into intimate salons that mirror majlis culture. Trust, family dynamics, and cultural alignment now shape purchasing decisions more powerfully than exclusive access alone, writes Taqua Malik, founder of Freedomvisory. By Taqua Malik • 3 min read
In Conversation In Conversation: Nicola Turner, Principal at Heidrick & Struggles From London to Dubai, Nicola Turner has placed senior leaders across luxury, retail and beauty. Now she shares insights on the Gulf's talent landscape, why cultural fluency and global acumen must coexist, and what leaders will need by 2028. By Staff Writer • 5 min read
Luxury The UAE’s Niche Luxury Opportunity The UAE luxury market has shifted from spectacle to curation. Today's discerning consumers seek intimacy and originality over logos, creating unprecedented opportunities for founder-led brands with distinctive points of view. By Chloé Reuter • 5 min read
In Conversation In Conversation: Lara Varjabedian and Jonathan L. Hasson, Co-Founders of UBQT From Dubai, an AI-powered platform is attempting something radical: getting people off their phones and back into real life. Lara Varjabedian and Jonathan L. Hasson reflect on digital minimalism, proximity-based connection, and why the UAE provides the ideal testing ground for their work. By Staff Writer • 6 min read
In Conversation In Conversation: Rebecca Bemhena, VP Content at Shoptalk Luxe As Shoptalk Luxe makes its Abu Dhabi debut, Rebecca Bemhena reflects on technology as luxury's new craftsmanship, how heritage maisons and disruptor brands forge the future together, and why invisible AI creates space for deeper human intimacy in elevated retail. By Staff Writer • 3 min read
In Conversation In Conversation: Georgette Davey, Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches From Switzerland to Shanghai and now Abu Dhabi, Georgette Davey reflects on three decades of hospitality education and why the Middle East represents the next frontier for Swiss academic excellence, one that meets Emirati cultural heritage. By Staff Writer • 5 min read
Culture East Meets West: The Cultural Architecture of Market Entry For international SMEs, the Middle East represents opportunity and complexity in equal measure. Success requires more than market research: it demands cultural intelligence, patient partnership and strategic design from day one, writes Taqua Malik. By Taqua Malik • 4 min read
