Addressing Fashion
The world’s most illustrious fashion houses are vying for real estate projects in the UAE. Ceem Haidar explores what is going on and just why they are so keen on developing unique hotels and residences.
24 hrs with Zayan Ghandour
Zayan Ghandour may be the owner of yet another regional fashion boutique. But as Ceem Haidar finds out, there may be many different styles but there is only one S*auce.
The Insider
Cirque de Soleil, the entertainment empire that famously reinvented circus shows, has been approached by one of the investment arms of the Emirate of Dubai according to Bespoke’s Insider.
Mr. SimCity
Like his two brothers, Samih Sawiris is an eminent man. The three of them combined have an estimated worth of over 20 billion USD. But as Nicolas Shammas discovers, his town building ambitions are even more colossal than any net worth figure.
The Constant Traveller: Travco Founder Hamed El Chiaty on Building a Tourism Empire
Self-made, self-assured and visionary, Hamed El Chiaty built Travco Group from a single apartment in 1979 into a multinational of more than thirty companies. The tourism icon reflects on early struggles, diversification and his future aspirations.
Franchise Fury: Inside the Gulf's Booming Fast-Food Empire
A tsunami of fast food restaurants is hitting the Arab world, particularly the GCC, with no signs of abating anytime soon. Iyad Kayali reports on the successes of franchising and the reasons behind it.
Female Fortitude
At only twenty-eight, Boudour Hilali has established herself as a successful businesswoman. Sara Hamzeh nabs a rare interview with this unassuming entrepreneur.
Comic Relief
There are many ways to pioneer the Arab spirit but none is as appealing as doing it with a sense of fun. Susan Day sat down with creator of the blockbuster comic The 99 that is riding the financial and creative crest of the Arab superhero phenomenon.
Sheikhing up the Market
Sovereign wealth funds may only hold two per cent of globally traded assets but through rapid growth they are already as big as the global hedge-fund industry. Yet Helen Assaf reveals that unlike hedge funds, they are not driven by the pressures of profit and loss and are not constrained t
Edsletterapproved
I just finished reading the Robert Frank book Richistan: A journey through the American wealth boom and the lives of the new rich. Engrossing it was and poignant it remains. It showed me that despite the extraordinary wealth of some individuals in the world – and similarly in our region –
Empire of Journeys: Hamed El Chiaty and Egypt's Travco Group
Hamed El Chiaty is a paragon to all who know him; self-made, self-assured and with a vision for the region. His company the Travco Group is a trailblazer in the tourism industry. Nicolas Shammas talks to the tourism icon about early struggles, successful diversification and future aspirati
Laying down the law
When Robert Greene authored his first book The 48 Laws of Power, he sought to unlock the secrets of how to gain power for the masses. Helen Assaf takes a look at how business in the Arab world measures up to Greene’s Machiavelli-inspired advice for ruthless times.