Navigating the 2026 Middle East Corporate Landscape

Affirming the development of AI in the region, a report launched by PwC earlier this month said that the use of AI amongst the workforce in the Middle East continues to increase, with 75 percent of workers in the area using it in their jobs over the previous 12 months.

In November, a report released by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's progress in the technology sector and said that 84 percent of CEOs in the nation are prepared to release AI responsibly, well above the 76 percent international criteria, supported by the Kingdom's information governance community, including nationwide efforts led by the Saudi Data and Expert System Authority.

Policymakers are believing holistically about how to make the area attractive, including having more pragmatic laws to enable for experimentation and growth," said the report.

Leading company leaders, policymakers and financiers from the GCC and Latin America recently checked out how countries from the 2 areas can grow trade between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 regional and international policymakers, presidents, CEOs, company leaders, financiers, and industry experts attended the first Global Business Online forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

Key Tips for Industrial Excellence in Dubai

In 2015 the GCC comprised of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, imported $11 billion worth of products from Latin America. And exports to Latin America from the region were $5.6 billion, a statement from organisers said. Both regions rely on each other for important products.

In 2015 Latin America supplied nearly half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 percent of the area's overall sugar imports, it added. Brazil is without a doubt the largest trading partner for countries in the region, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Among the Latin American states, the GCC counts on Brazil for meat (generally poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for automobiles and Chile for wood products, stated a declaration.

The forum was arranged by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Moving Synergies", checks out how businesses can take advantage of the changing patterns of global need and what role Dubai can play in helping with the next action in business relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not just in the UAE and in the GCC but internationally too, by functioning as a details and research study centre, by offering organization paperwork, using legal services, assisting in networking opportunities via signature company occasions and providing almost every possible business solution, it mentioned.

GCC development will reinforce in 2026, led by faster expansion in hydrocarbons; non-oil growth will stay strong however sluggish a little. Non-oil activity will be supported by population development, new industries, and public investment; inflation will remain soft, while monetary policy will loosen. Hydrocarbons sector growth will accelerate, balancing out in part lower oil prices; financial balances will be combined, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, however deficits continue elsewhere.

Emerging Future Trends Defining the 2026 Regional Market

SHARJAH (WAM) The GCC and broader Middle East region is poised for the next wave of financial investments in AI and tech-led sectors, with business-friendly and innovation-focused government policies attracting funds and talent, said magnate at the 9th edition of Sharjah Entrepreneurial Festival (SEF 2026). During a panel conversation on the very first day of SEF 2026 analyzing "What Does the Next Year of Endeavor Capital Appear Like", speakers agreed that the emerging regional investment landscape appears promising.

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Reacting to a question on local startups' potential customers of benefiting from recent investments in digital infrastructure, Tala Al Jabri, Creator and Managing Partner of Wyld VC said: "We have a lot choosing us in the region: the low cost of energy, a really progressive federal government that is ahead in policy, guideline and data privacy; and truly strong universities that are significantly looking at AI and ending up technical talent in AI."She added: "Our ultimate goal is to see this region, particularly the GCC, end up being an AI superpower.

Our most significant motorist right now is investing in skill, due to the fact that in the AI race, it's the technical talent that actually wins.

"International growth funds are coming in, which reveals clear signs of maturity of the community The ability of the UAE and local governments to draw in talent; their innovation-first approach, abundance of capital here in addition to inflow internationally are the key building blocks."Paula Tavangar, Chief Investment Officer at Injaz Capital said that within the area, Saudi Arabia is leading the variety of offers with the greatest worths, with 250 "biggest ticket size" deals taped in 2025 in the country.