Driving Regional Corporate Expansion through Innovation

El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what suggestions they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Founder of Snoonu said it was "crucial to construct boundaries" in between work and individual life and take brief vacations to "disconnect" from the office.

Tariq Bin Hendi, CEO and Board Member of Astra tech, responded that "the very best suggestions is to constantly challenge yourself" while likewise making sure a healthy sleep and exercise routine. Mohamed Khadiri, CEO of Bank of Sharjah explained that to stand out and "to be near your customer, you have to be enthusiastic about your work and comprehend clients' requirements". Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, stated: "If you make individuals you work with delighted, you will make the consumer delighted, who will then make the investors pleased."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, said the capability to "not panic" is the crucial to discovering a solution for issues.

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 altering in the region, and what comes next, including the expansion and ongoing advancement of the Gulf's capital markets, and the region's growing role in international networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf area's economic growth in 2026, supported by strong private-sector performance, resilient domestic need and restored financial investment momentum, according to the most recent ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is anticipated to outperform most international areas peers next year, with regional GDP projection 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, improving credit conditions and increasing financial investment in innovation and AI-related facilities.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

The Strategic Benefits of Deep Market Intelligence

Although oil incomes will be under pressure in the very first half of 2026, production is anticipated to increase once again in the second half of 2026, supporting the area's medium-term outlook, it stated. Saudi Arabia will remain a major contributor to GCC momentum, with GDP projection to grow 4.3% in 2026.

Growth will be supported by industrial expansion and policy reforms, including eased foreign ownership guidelines that aim to stimulate further financial investment. The fiscal deficit is projected to expand to 5.6% of GDP next year in the middle of softer oil rates, while the recent five-year lease freeze in Riyadh intends to alleviate inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future real estate supply.

Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is also placed for another strong year of performance, with GDP projection to increase 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to expand. Tourist, trade and financial services remain crucial growth drivers, supported by population development and continual domestic demand. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the first half of 2025, reflecting broad-based non-oil strength.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Oil production is anticipated to pick up again in the second half of 2026, complementing ongoing investment in facilities, innovation and worldwide trade collaborations. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, stated: "This quarter's outlook strengthens how far the GCC has can be found in structure varied, resilient and globally competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Advisor, and Chief Financial Expert and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are getting in 2026 with strong foundations. Saudi non-oil activity is gaining pace, supported by robust demand and increasing investment, even as financial pressures increase.""The UAE continues to take advantage of solid domestic basics, a sharp uplift in federal government costs and sustained diversification efforts.

The Strategic Benefits of Advanced Market Research

GCC countries are pivoting towards a strategy of 'resilience over growth' getting in 2026, as the region prepares for an international landscape specified by softer oil costs, geopolitical fragmentation, and the fast transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a new local outlook by PwC, the GCC is transferring to insulate its development from external shocks by deepening worldwide trade integration, protecting industrial supply chains, and performing a decisive shift from innovation aspiration to operational execution.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Settlements totally free Trade Arrangements with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have gone into final drafting stages. The region is progressively positioning itself as a central hub for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Passage (IMEC). To support domestic manufacturing, protecting critical minerals has become a tactical priority.