Business Extra

SellAnyHome.com , launched in August, has already enjoyed phenomenal growth, disrupting a sector which has long been somewhat old-fashioned. In this week's Business Extra podcast, CEO of SellAnyHome.com Omar Chihane talks with The National's Chris Nelson about how his company has grown so quickly. Chihane discusses what made him decide to leave his corporate background to pursue entrepreneurial en...

Al Bayt Mitwahid is a UAE-based organisation dedicated to the benefit of all the country’s many diverse communities. Originally founded by staff members at the Crown Prince Court in Abu Dhabi, ABM aims to provide practical help to enable communities to develop and grow alongside both economically and socially through a wide range of tailored initiatives and programmes many of which are supported b...

Our workplaces are where we spend much of our time but these days, thanks to the inter-connectedness of the digital age, that could be anywhere. As virtual offices and co-working spaces grow in popularity, the concept of an office has broadened out, disrupting the commercial property market. In this week's edition of the Business Extra podcast, host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Taine Moufarrige, CEO o...

With tariffs and other measures on the table according to US president Donald Trump, it seems the world should be bracing for another trade war similar to the crisis of the 1930s. However, the situation is more complex and fluid that it might appear. In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Mustafa Alrawi hears from trade experts. For insight from the Chinese side, he speaks to Dr Walla...

The Business Extra podcast concludes its deep dive into the growing healthcare sector in the UAE. What does it mean to be well? This question is at the heart of the debate around the development of the health sector in the UAE following a golden era of growth. Host Mustafa Alrawi gets an idea of what the future of the industry might look like as he continues the conversation with Bupa Global's Kar...

The Business Extra podcast for the next two weeks takes a deep dive into the growing healthcare sector in the UAE. With the perspective of professionals on the ground, we discuss insurance, the provision of health care and how it compares to other developed nations, the investment opportunities in the sector and how primary healthcare is coming into its own in the country. This week, host Mustafa...

The UAE is well known for its enduring love of premium luxury cars and the capital is home to Rolls-Royce’s most successful dealership. With an unmatched total of 20 Global Awards in 14 years, Abu Dhabi Motors remains the top dealer globally, selling upwards of 1,500 vehicles since 2003. In this week’s Business Extra Podcast, host Chris Nelson visits the dealership -- in a Rolls-Royce Ghost no les...

This week host Mustafa Alrawi discusses the impact of artificial intelligence, automation and robotics with Sultan Mahmood, PwC's Global AI Lead and Ata Malik, Senior Director at PwC Middle East. Follow Beyond the Headlines and the rest of our shows on Apple Podcasts .

The Dubai International Boat Show starts on Tuesday next week, the Mena region’s premier event for the boating sector and among the top such exhibitions globally, attracting the biggest names in the world of superyachts, megayachts and all things marine.  Pride of place goes to the UAE-based maker of such floating palaces as the Majesty range of vessels that are the epitome of luxury life on the o...

The turmoil in Africa’s most advanced country is reaching crisis point and South Africa is at a crossroads economically, politically and socially. The man primed to take the reins, Cyril Ramaphosa, faces an enormous challenge to get the country back on track. And yet, amid the chaos, the rand is powering up, reflecting what many believe could be the start of a new golden era for the nation.

From Saudi Arabia's diversification efforts to the mania around bitcoin, investors learn much about opportunities in the media. How should they view what they are being told? Host Chris Nelson gets the lowdown from economics expert and regular columnist Omar Al Ubaydli.

The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union is set for March 2019 and businesses in Britain and Europe are bracing themselves. In this edition of The National Business Extra podcast host Chris Nelson is joined by The National’s London Bureau chief Damien McElroy, a pro-Brexiteer, and Noor Nanji, Business reporter at The National’s London office, who takes a different view, to weigh up the pros and...

Host Mustafa Alrawi reports from the Swiss town where global leaders and top executives have gathered for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. On the Promenade he finds Saudi officials working to keep the kingdom on track for its Vision 2030, takes the funicular to the top of the mountain where polar explorers are advocating action on climate change and delves into the fascinating world...

With enormous attacks on major public organisations and multinational companies across the globe costing billions of dollars, the conventional idea of a lone-wolf targeting systems more for fun than malice is rarely the case now.  Digital security is today one of the most pressing issues for businesses, organisations and even nations as the threat of organised, ultra-high-tech criminals find new w...

Host Mustafa Alrawi hears from Lord Adair Turner, one of the key players helping to usher in a new era for the energy sector. S&P Global Platts' Chris Midgley provides a market-wide view on trends from rising oil demand to the rise of electric vehicles.

In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks to The National’s Motoring Editor Adam Workman about the rise of the handbuilt sports and supercar industry in this country, the latest in automotive tech and how the maker of James Bond’s vehicle of choice, Aston Martin, has engineered a remarkable turnaround. The UAE has become a hotbed for bespoke high-end sportscars and supercars such as the Jannerelly...

Host Mustafa Alrawi hears New York hedge fund manager Khaled Beydoun’s story of what he and his family experienced when visiting a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon. Omer Elnaiem of the United Nations refugee agency describes what day 1 and year 6 are like for a refugee. Mastercard’s Paul Musser explains how it has been able to support humanitarian initiatives.

It’s been a big year for business across the UAE and the wider region and the past 12 months have sprung some surprises and ushered in some major changes. From technology spectaculars like Apple’s launch of the iPhone X, through the country gearing up for the introduction of VAT on January 1, stabilising oil prices, the resurgence of the local and regional IPO sector, to a surprisingly upbeat Duba...

This week, host Mustafa Alrawi and expert David Daly conclude their discussion about value added tax and what it means for the UAE. We look at how value added tax could impact the economy once it is implemented on January 1. Rebecca Bundhun reports from Mumbai on the Indian experience when a country-wide goods and sales tax was introduced in July.

Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson talks to Craig Moore, the founder and chief executive of the UAE peer-to-peer lending platform Beehive.ae, about the rise and rapid evolution of financial technology in this region. While well established in the US and UK, fintech, as it is called, has only really taken off here in the past two or three years. With the Government keen to push the growth of a...

Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the latest twist in the saga surrounding English football club Newcastle United, which is the subject of interest from a new mystery bidder in the wake of an offer from Dubai financier Amanda Staveley. Also, we look ahead to a bumper month of sporting events in the UAE in December and how the business of sport is a key factor in the growth of the touri...

Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the surprise resurgence of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries with economics expert and regular columnist Omar Al-Ubaydli ahead of the much anticipated meeting of the group at the end of the month in Vienna, where it is expected to confirm that a crude output restraint deal with non-Opec producers -- including Russia -- to shore up oil pri...

Host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Harvard University's Alan Aspuru-Guzik who explains that organic storage technology is the big breakthrough to come for the energy industry and Christian Soemmer, Managing Director of Cadillac Middle East, sets out a vision for cars and transport.

Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses recent developments in the Kingdom with business editor Massoud Derhally. Looking ahead to this weekend's World Economic Forum summit in Dubai, the Wef's Stephan Mergenthaler explains how such a gathering of experts can help meet today's complex challenges and opportunities head on. The Canadian Business Council Abu Dhabi's chairman Gregory Zoughbi talks about the imp...

Host Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor, look ahead to this month's global aviation event in the UAE as the role of technology takes centre stage; from the impact of more efficient aircraft on the hub model used by Emirates and Etihad Airways, to passenger demand for in-flight connectivity, to the growth of commercial space travel.