Author: Sam Allcock

The Ajman Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ajman Bank, signalling a new phase of collaboration to boost financial integration and deliver innovative, tech-driven services for the real estate sector. The agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony attended by H.E. Eng. Omar bin Omair Al Muhairi, Director General of the Department, and H.E. Mustafa Al Khalfawi, Chief Executive Officer of Ajman Bank. According to both parties, the partnership aims to enhance operational efficiency, improve oversight, and streamline financial processes between real estate stakeholders, developers, and the government. “This strategic…

Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz” has announced successful exits from a series of industrial real estate investments in the United States and Europe, marking a significant milestone in its international real estate strategy. These exits, executed through strategic partnerships with global firms including Panattoni and Scannell Properties, represent a combined asset value exceeding USD 100 million. The projects span industrial developments and mezzanine credit structures, reflecting Markaz’s dual-track investment approach across development and real estate credit strategies. Despite a challenging global macroeconomic environment, the exits underscore the company’s disciplined investment execution and robust market insight. “Our disciplined investment approach, focused on…

Marriott International, Inc. has announced an ambitious plan to expand its footprint across Africa with the addition of over 50 new properties and 9,000+ rooms by the end of 2027. This expansion will introduce Marriott into five new African markets: Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Mauritania. With nearly 150 hotels currently operating across 20 African countries under 22 brands, Marriott’s push aims to capture growing demand for quality hospitality in both established and emerging markets. “Africa’s tourism sector is being redefined by infrastructure development, regional integration, and diversified travel,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer…

Coinciding with the Future Hospitality Summit Africa 2025, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced a landmark plan to almost triple its African footprint to more than 160 hotels in the coming years. With over 100 new properties under development, the hospitality giant is set to support Africa’s fast-growing tourism and business sectors, while generating approximately 18,000 local jobs. “Africa is brimming with potential,” said Carlos Khneisser, Hilton’s Chief Development Officer for Middle East & Africa. “Our expanded footprint supports growth across the continent, creating jobs and bringing Hilton’s world-class hospitality to new destinations.” New Market Debuts: Angola, Benin, and Madagascar Nigeria Expansion:…

As AI adoption surges and cyber threats grow in sophistication, 80% of IT security leaders agree that their current security practices require transformation, according to Salesforce’s latest State of IT report. While 100% of respondents identified areas where AI agents could improve security outcomes, serious concerns remain around data readiness, regulatory compliance, and trust. Despite the optimism, implementation barriers loom large. Nearly half (48%) say their data foundation is not ready to support agentic AI, and 55% lack confidence in their current guardrails for deploying such tools. “Trusted AI agents are built on trusted data,” said Alice Steinglass, EVP &…

Dubai Investments, the diversified investment company listed on the Dubai Financial Market, has announced record-breaking year-on-year growth across its glass manufacturing entities under Glass LLC, with total production exceeding 14.8 million square meters in 2024. The strong performance was attributed to rising regional demand, investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, and a growing shift toward sustainable construction materials. Glass LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai Investments, oversees the Group’s glass-focused operations including Emirates Float Glass (EFG), Emirates Glass (EG), and Saudi American Glass (SAG). These companies serve a wide range of sectors such as construction, energy, architecture, and transportation, providing…

Artificial intelligence company xAI has selected Oracle to offer its advanced Grok 3 models via the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Generative AI service, expanding access to high-performance AI across a wide range of enterprise use cases, from research and content creation to business process automation. The partnership not only enables broader deployment of xAI’s cutting-edge technology but also leverages OCI’s scalable, secure, and cost-effective AI infrastructure to support training and inference for the next generation of Grok models. “Grok 3 represents a leap forward in AI capabilities, and Oracle’s advanced data platform will accelerate its impact on enterprises,” said Jimmy…

Türkiye’s global steel leader Tosyalı has reached a major milestone in its international journey, entering the top 50 steel producers worldwide following a significant rise in its production rankings. According to newly released World Steel Association data, Tosyalı produced 9.12 million tons of liquid steel in 2024, surging 21 places in the global rankings to land at 46th place, and achieving a remarkable 54.3% year-on-year production increase. With nearly 50 production facilities across 3 continents, a 15 million-ton steel production capacity, and a workforce of approximately 15,000 employees, Tosyalı is now Türkiye’s largest steel producer and Europe’s third-largest. “Our goal…

Almosafer, the Middle East’s leading travel brand, has announced a major strategic alliance with Landmark Group, aiming to offer more value and flexibility to travellers across the GCC through its integration with Shukran, Landmark’s award-winning loyalty programme. This new partnership enables Almosafer customers in the region to earn Shukran Points on every booking made through Almosafer’s online travel platforms. In addition, travellers will have the option to convert Almosafer Points into Shukran Points, expanding the usability of travel rewards into everyday lifestyle purchases. Shukran Points can be redeemed across Landmark Group’s vast retail portfolio, including popular brands like Centrepoint, Max…

Emirates has unveiled a new behind-the-scenes video highlighting the evolution and scale of ice, its award-winning inflight entertainment platform. With over 6,500 channels, including movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, and live sports, Emirates’ ice stands as the world’s largest media library in the sky. Described by customers as “a movie-obsessed friend’s house at 40,000 feet,” ice continues to redefine what it means to be entertained in the air, backed by a team that curates, localises, and updates content monthly for Emirates’ 54 million passengers worldwide. From Hollywood blockbusters to regional cinema in 50 languages, Emirates licenses a vast range of…