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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 Founder of Snoonu said it was "essential to construct borders" between work and individual life and take short holidays to "detach" from the workplace.
Tariq Bin Hendi, CEO and Board Member of Astra tech, reacted that "the best recommendations is to continuously challenge yourself" while likewise making sure a healthy sleep and workout routine. Mohamed Khadiri, CEO of Bank of Sharjah mentioned that to excel and "to be close to your customer, you have to be passionate about your work and understand consumers' requirements". Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, said: "If you make individuals you work with happy, you will make the consumer happy, who will then make the investors delighted."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, said the capability to "not stress" is the essential to discovering a service for issues.
Today, we're convening more than 3000 conferences in between financiers and 119 Gulf-listed companies with a combined worth of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're bringing together financiers, companies, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is changing in the area, and what comes next, consisting of the growth and continuous advancement of the Gulf's capital markets, and the area's growing function in worldwide networks of capital and trade.
Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf region's financial expansion in 2026, supported by strong private-sector performance, resistant domestic demand and restored financial investment momentum, according to the most recent ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is expected to outshine most worldwide regions peers next year, with local 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, enhancing credit conditions and increasing financial investment in innovation and AI-related infrastructure.
Oil earnings will be under pressure in the very first half of 2026, production is expected to rise again in the 2nd half of 2026, supporting the region's medium-term outlook, it specified. Saudi Arabia will remain a significant contributor to GCC momentum, with GDP forecast to grow 4.3% in 2026.
Development will be supported by industrial growth and policy reforms, including relieved foreign ownership guidelines that intend to promote more investment. The fiscal deficit is projected to widen to 5.6% of GDP next year in the middle of softer oil prices, while the current five-year lease freeze in Riyadh intends to relieve inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future housing supply.
Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is also placed for another strong year of performance, with GDP projection to rise 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to broaden. Tourism, trade and monetary services remain key growth chauffeurs, supported by population development and continual domestic need. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the very first half of 2025, reflecting broad-based non-oil strength.
Leveraging Regional Trends for Effective Saudi Market CombinationOil production is anticipated to select up again in the second half of 2026, matching continuous investment in infrastructure, technology and international trade partnerships. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, stated: "This quarter's outlook enhances how far the GCC has actually can be found in structure diverse, resilient and globally competitive economies.
Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Consultant, and Chief Economist and Handling Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are entering 2026 with strong structures. Saudi non-oil activity is gaining speed, supported by robust demand and rising investment, even as fiscal pressures increase.""The UAE continues to gain from strong domestic fundamentals, a sharp uplift in federal government spending and continual diversification efforts.
GCC countries are rotating towards a technique of 'strength over growth' entering 2026, as the area prepares for a worldwide landscape defined by softer oil rates, geopolitical fragmentation, and the quick transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a new regional outlook by PwC, the GCC is moving to insulate its development from external shocks by deepening international trade integration, protecting commercial supply chains, and executing a decisive shift from technology ambition to functional implementation.
Negotiations totally free Trade Arrangements with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have actually entered last drafting stages. The area is increasingly positioning itself as a central hub for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC). To support domestic manufacturing, securing critical minerals has ended up being a strategic priority.
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