Roberto Croci

Last week, during my sojourn in #middleeast, I had the opportunity to share my #pov on a variety of topics with Edge Middle East: secret to #genai success, bridging the gap between #ai and #bi, logical approach to #datamanagement, empowering #developers, accelerating decision making, why #cio should futureproof their #data strategies, and how Denodo is helping #enterprises thrive in AI-driven future. I'm interested in your feedback (please post a comment). https://lnkd.in/gU6Q2dmM

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Rede Partners specializes in private markets Set to Open Dubai Office to Tap Mideast Investors : Seeing strong concentration of investors in Dubai: CEO : Advisory firm has raised €6 billion from the region to date “Dubai stands out as a very strong hub” due to its regulatory environment and connectivity “There is quite a strong concentration of investors in Dubai in particular. We’re also seeing a big increase in family offices that are based there” Sitting atop nearly $4 trillion in assets, the region’s wealth funds are evolving and seeking opportunities to co-invest with global money managers. These firms are now “encouraging their managers to develop activities in the Middle East to support the development of Middle Eastern markets” Rede Partners has raised over €100 billion since its founding in 2011, including €6 billion from Middle Eastern investors

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🔔 Dubai is an investment hub for technology companies 🔔 The Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE) attracted nine multinational companies to Dubai in 2023, with a combined market value of over $82.8 billion (AED 304 billion), indicating the emirate’s attractiveness as an investment hub for technology companies in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). https://lnkd.in/grVqEe-K

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Yesterday I spent my morning at the Capital Market Summit organized by the brilliant Fatma Al Hammadi and her incredible team at Dubai Financial Market. It was really great to step out of my usual bubble and hear various leaders in the financial industry talk about the growth of the UAE. Some of my favourite takeaways: 1. Overall, foreign investors are looking more and more to this region for investing. 2. Whilst the UAE market is developing, we have come a long way, and are seeing plans for the UAE put in place 5-10 years ago come to fruition, particularly when it comes to the IPO scene, with the outstanding success of listings like SALIK, DEWA and PARKIN, and the upcoming listing of Spinneys (and expected Lulu coming soon). 3. With the vibrant tech and startup scene in Dubai, this has created a pipeline of new companies which are bound to be listed on the UAE exchanges in the coming few years. Think companies like Kitopi which, although have not announced which exchange and when, plan to IPO in the near future. And this ties in with what we are seeing here at amana with a significant rise in transactions on MENA shares. We did this really cool thing - we changed our pricing policy on MENA shares: amana customers pay ZERO commissions, ZERO clearing fees and ZERO exchange fees on their first $100,000 investment (trading volume). And the results have been astounding, with 200% month on month increases in trading volumes of MENA shares on our platforms. The demand is high and growing, and we at amana are proud of enabling access to the MENA markets to thousands of customers by reducing the cost of transactions. Have a quick read of this article to see what some of the most popular MENA shares are on amana, or download the app where you can directly see Top Movers across all sectors (Indices, Tech, Crypto, MENA, Healthcare, Currencies, Commodities and so on).

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Trump’s Gulf Dealmaker Helps Family Cash In on Property Boom : Dar Global CEO has helped bring Trump’s brand to the Gulf : Ziad El Chaar has years of experience in Mideast real estate To get a sense of the Trump Organization’s business ambitions in the Middle East, look no further than Ziad El Chaar. The low-key chief executive officer of Dar Global Plc has been the Trump family’s go-to-guy in the region for over a decade. In recent months, he orchestrated deals with the US president-elect’s eponymous firm to build villas in Oman and new towers in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. As the Trump Organization ramps up its push overseas, few regions offer more opportunity than the Gulf. It’s home to one of the world’s hottest property markets, Dubai, where luxury house prices have surged in recent years. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is building luxury resorts and thousands of new homes as part of a trillion-dollar economic transformation plan. But it’s also a region where the Trump family’s business activities are likely to draw particularly close scrutiny since regional governments typically keep a close hold on business in their countries. “We’re dealing with Trump the business organization, not with Trump politics,” El Chaar said in an interview in Dubai. Before 2016, as an executive at Dubai’s Damac Properties, he worked directly with Donald Trump and daughter Ivanka to help launch their first development in the city. Those direct dealings have since ceased, El Chaar says and he now liaises with Trump’s sons, Eric and Don Jr., both executive vice presidents at the Trump Organization. Still, the distinction between Trump’s roles as politician and businessman can be hard to parse. For instance, while the president-elect resigned from his position at Trump Organization before his first term, he continues to own the firm. Those blurred lines have drawn scrutiny from critics about potential conflicts of interests. Representatives for Trump and the Trump Organization didn’t comment. Dar Global, for its part, hasn’t been shying away from its links to Trump. Earlier this year, its website flaunted its ties to the president-elect, including a montage featuring Eric touring an arid hilly site overlooking the azure waters of Oman. Elsewhere, an undated video showed a smiling Donald Trump standing with Yousef Al-Shelash, the Saudi tycoon who’s chairman of Dar Global’s parent company. Born in Lebanon, El Chaar, 55, is an old hand at navigating Gulf real estate. He recalls brainstorming with senior management at Damac a decade ago on ways to lure property buyers to a stretch of desert outside Dubai. They decided that anchoring a housing development around a Trump golf course would do it. Trump later flew in — by private jet, with Ivanka by his side. An international designer was hired to build an 18-hole golf course, constructed beside a Trump-branded housing development. Damac continues to operate that project, from which the Trump Organization drew at least $4.3 million

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🚀 Transforming the Sports Industry in the Middle East: A New Era of Innovation and Opportunity 🏟️ The sports landscape in the Middle East is undergoing a radical transformation, driven by cutting-edge technologies and evolving fan expectations. According to the latest Deloitte Digital report, this shift is reshaping how fans engage with their favorite sports and how the business of sports is evolving. 🔍 Key Highlights: 1. Immersive Fan Experiences: Virtual and augmented reality, along with smarter stadiums, are enhancing fan engagement with personalized services and better connectivity. 2. Digital Content Revolution: On-demand access to live games and exclusive content is changing the way fans consume sports, unlocking new revenue streams, boosting fan loyalty, and creating fresh partnership opportunities. 3. Data-Driven Insights: From AI-powered athlete performance analysis to smarter strategies in training and scouting, data analytics are helping teams optimize every aspect of the game. 4. Global Expansion: As emerging markets fuel growth in sponsorships, media rights, and fan engagement, the sports industry is becoming an even more powerful global force. 5. Sustainability & Inclusivity: There's a growing emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility, with athletes, brands, and governing bodies aligning their efforts with social causes and environmental impact. 6. Key Trends to Watch: Mental health, diversity in leadership, and the integration of next-gen technologies like AI and machine learning are critical to shaping the future of sports ecosystems. The next decade is poised to redefine sports as a global force for entertainment, culture, and commerce. As these transformative trends take shape, the Middle East is positioning itself at the forefront of this exciting evolution. 📖 Dive into the full Deloitte Digital report to explore how these trends are influencing the future of sports and the opportunities they bring. #SportsInnovation #DigitalTransformation #FanExperience #SportsTech #MiddleEast #AI #Sustainability #Inclusion #FutureOfSports

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Our recent trip to #Dubai revealed a city full of vigour, vibrance and vision. Our conversations with the Dubai Chambers, DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre), DMCC Crypto Centre, Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority [VARA], and investors, industry leaders and other government bodies were very constructive with clear objectives and outcome. Expanding into any new jurisdiction is always going to be difficult. Meeting the right people and finding the right partners in a new location even more so. But don't let these challenges stop you from exploring Dubai or the #UAE. Our expansion into Dubai will involve #DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology), #AI (Artificial Intelligence), and #ESG (Environment, Sustainability, Governance). Responsible adoption and implementation of these #technologies and #policies will be our focus. If anyone is looking to expand into the UAE, feel free to reach out. XBE INVESS AI OMNIVESS Tokenis3 CITD (China Information Technology Development) Global Industry Alliance for Native Token (GIANT)

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In Tahseen Consulting's #MENA+ #techpolicy insight, you'll read about the #UAE’s G42 and Microsoft investing $1B in a #datacenter in #Kenya, #SaudiArabia’s Saudi Central Bank – SAMA opening debt crowdfunding rule consultation, #Egypt’s e-finance buying stakes in 2 #digitalpayment firms, #Pakistan’s PM visiting the UAE today in a #FDI push, Temu raising #dataprivacy concerns in #Morocco, #MENA family offices boosting real estate allocations, the #Philippines’ GCash (Mynt - Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.) #IPO-ing next year, #Thailand facing a power shortage risk with its #tech investment boom, and #smartphones emerging as #India's 4th largest export. 🇦🇪 #UAE Mubadala selling its $950M GlobalFoundries stake 🇸🇦 #KSA Rasan’s $224M #IPO oversubscribed 129x 🇪🇬 #EGYPT Philip Morris International buys a ~15% stake in Eastern Company 🇵🇰 #PAKISTAN may require local offices for #socialmedia platforms 🌍 #MENA #AI, #fintech leadership to impact global finance tech adoption 🌍 #MENA Honeywell, VOLTS UAE Ltd. to establish region’s 1st home battery #gigafactory 🇹🇷 #TURKEY Colendi becomes 🔜 🦄 with $65M Series B at $700M valuation 🇹🇷 #TURKEY X (formerly Twitter) opens office, appoints representative 🌏 #SoutheastAsia Billionaires see taxes as biggest risk over the next 5 years 🇮🇩 #INDONESIA PT. Indosat Tbk to debut AI #LLM in July 🇮🇳 #INDIA The Walt Disney Company sells Tata Play Ltd stake in ~$300M transaction

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As a thought leader I am always interested in discovering and learning about businesses that challenge the status quo and disrupt industries. One such example is Wio. Wio Bank, the UAE's pioneering neobank, defied expectations by achieving profitability in its first year, whih is uncommon for digital banks. CEO Jayesh Patel attributes this success to a clear focus on customer needs and effective business strategies. Wio Bank’s approach emphasizes offering valuable, customer-centric services, including multi-currency accounts and SME solutions, which have driven strong revenue growth. Patel highlights that the misconception of neobanks struggling with profitability is unfounded. With a commitment to delivering tailored solutions and diverse revenue streams, Wio demonstrates that profitability is achievable with the right strategy, products and services. Looking ahead, Patel sees digital transformation as central to the future of banking. He envisions a more adaptable banking model leveraging real-time data, innovative technologies, and robust risk management to meet evolving consumer needs. The focus will be on enhancing mobile engagement, exploring embedded finance, and expanding access to financial services. Wio Bank’s success and forward-thinking approach underscore the potential of neobanks to reshape the financial landscape and drive sustainable growth. #neobanks #digitalbanking #financialservices #innovation #customerexperience

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MENA: $339bn in on-chain transaction (TX) value from July'23 to June'24 gives the region a solid foundation to lead in a #DigitalAsset future. - #UAE leads the GCC with $30bn TX but Turkey tops with $137bn! - MENA TX sizes: 27% > $10m, 27% = $1-10mm, 39% = $10k - $1m, 7% <$10k Indicating a high proportion of institutional, professional, family-office + HNWI participation. - #Saudi & #UAE lead the region in DeFi. These TX account for 7.5% of global volumes. and firmly positioning MENA as a force in the #digitalassets space. Chainalysis TOO MUCH CEX v DEX? Centralized exchanges (CEXs) = the main gateway for #cryptocurrency inflows in #Qatar & Turkey but decentralized exchanges (DEX) & applications are also a sizable share - which bodes well for DeFi. ~% Share of transaction (TX) value CEX vs DEX: - Global 51% vs 28% - Qatar 64% vs 16% - Turkey 55% vs 25% - UAE 47% vs 33% - KSA 36% vs 31% #SaudiArabia's large (32mm), youthful (63% under 30) demographic are crypto-fluent, boosting participation in [advanced] DeFi activities. With the twin regulatory engines of #Dubai + #AbuDhabi , the UAE has strengthened it's position as a hub for DeFi and crypto projects. Globally total value received by DeFi services, (inc DEXs) was up 74% vs 22/23. DEXs saw a monster 87% growth, from ~$6bn to $11.3bn. A key reason is the relative safety (thus far) of the largest DEXs vs CEXs. The top DEXs came through the 2022 market crash with zero fraud/mismanagement losses. DEXs do NOT hold any customer funds by design and are managed by smart contracts that are independently verifiable. These have proven reliable vs humans. (The top 10 inc Uniswap, Raydium Protocol, PancakeSwap, Curve have a 24hr volume of $3bn). Meanwhile CEXs + centralised yield platforms like FTX, Voyager, Celsius, BlockFi etc collapsed due to fraud/corruption + asset/liability mismanagement etc. resulted in a few billion dollars of losses for investors whose assets were often commingled. (24hr vol $50bn, Binance, Crypto.com, Bybit etc) STABLECOINS DOMINATE #Stablecoin (SCs)TX are significantly higher than the global avg in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE - albeit for very different reasons. ~% Share of TX value by coin type, Stablecoin / ALT / BTC / ETH: - Global 45 / 25 / 22 / 8 - Turkey 55 / 21 / 16 / 8 - UAE 51 / 24 / 17 / 8 - KSA 46 / 30 / 16 / 8 For Turkey (and other emerging nations) with a history of economic instability + high inflation, SCs provide people a much needed stores of value. The UAE & KSA have no such issues, both are USD pegged and safely anchored by $trillions of SWF + Oil assets. The growing usage of SCs likely indicates their popularity to access broader digital asset services + trading. These TXs are a key driver behind the launch of the UAE Dirham stablecoin by Tether.io + Phoenix Group. Saudi remains the sleeping giant in this regard - the region is just getting started! https://lnkd.in/drzfxc5b

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Central Bank Digital Currencies’ Impact on #MENA Economies – Council Views Experts from the ME Council and its network analyze the potential impacts of central bank digital currencies on MENA economies and the future of money globally.

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Proud to share SOCIALEYEZ 15-year journey in digital marketing with Campaign Middle East. "Create No Matter What" has been our driving force and motto, the essence of who we are, what we do, and how we continue to innovate and engage. Expanding to #KSA marks the beginning of another chapter in our success story, one that will definitely create larger impact. #SOCIALEYEZ #CreateNoMatterWhat

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After exploring the UAE's financial services industry, we are here as a management consultancy that knows how to uncover market opportunities to offer further advice and collaboration. Vanguards Majid Dodehaki

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Saudi Arabia’s “Project Transcendence,” a $100 billion AI investment, aims to establish the Kingdom as a leading tech hub. Beyond infrastructure, it’s about building a full AI ecosystem—data centers, startup support, and talent recruitment. While facing regulatory and talent hurdles, Saudi Arabia’s vast resources enable it to tackle these challenges. This shift from an oil-based economy to a tech-driven future could create jobs, enhance public services, and elevate the Kingdom’s influence on the world stage. SovAI Systems "SovAI" Canvass AI

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#Banking and #payments services across the #MiddleEast are transformed by a potent combination of rapidly evolving customer preferences, new #technology, and a regulatory environment that supports innovation—Capco. Middle East Top 10 Banking Trends 2025 🔰 #DigitalBanks – From Customer Acquisition to Profitability 🔰 Embedding #GenAI Across the Business 🔰 #DataPrivacy as a Differentiator 🔰 Leveraging #AI in #Compliance 🔰 Hyper-personalizing the Banking Experience 🔰 #OpenBanking in the Middle East – Challenges and Opportunities 🔰 #WealthManagement – Balancing High Touch & High Tech 🔰 Transforming Customer Engagement Through #Gamification 🔰 The Power of #Cloud in #SaudiArabia 🔰 #CBDCs – Implications for Middle Eastern Banks #financialservices #retailbanking #neobanks #challengerbanks #fintech #businessmodelinnovation #digitaldisruption #digitaltransformation Paidi O Reilly Prof. Dr. Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes Martin Moeller Aaron Lax Richard Turrin Antonio Grasso Nicolas Babin Panagiotis Kriaris Imtiaz Adam Dinis Guarda Ian Jones Dr. Martha Boeckenfeld Giuliano Liguori Dr. Marcell Vollmer Mike Flache Birgul COTELLI, Ph. D. Prof. Dominique J.E. Delporte - Vermeiren, PhD., Dr. h.c. Sharad Agarwal Efi Pylarinou Amna Usman Chaudhry Olivier Kenji Mathurin Franco Ronconi Zvonimir Filjak Victor Yaromin Avrohom Gottheil Sam Boboev Olivier LABORDE Orlando Francisco F. Reis Neville Gaunt 💡⚡️ Lionel Costes Anthony Rochand Dr. Debashis Dutta Eveline Ruehlin Dr. Sindhu Bhaskar Theodora Lau Alex Jimenez RAKTIM SINGH JB McCarthy PhD Dr. Khulood Almani🇸🇦 د.خلود المانع

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Especially in the tech sector, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a leader in the GCC startup ecosystem. It has never been easier to turn ideas into successful businesses thanks to government initiatives such as interest-free loans. #uae #abudhabi #business #growth #startups #funding #government #strategy

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