The Culture Counter

Dive into the intricate world of financial movements, where we unravel the past, scrutinise the present, and peek into the future of venture capital trends. Offering valuable perspectives on the venture capital landscape, courtesy of our distinguished speakers: Philip Bahoshy, CEO & founder of MAGNiTT, and Noor Sweid, the astute Founder and Managing Partner at Global Ventures. As we unravel th...

With the conclusion of COP28 and the emergence of practical resolutions, we've evolved from an unequivocal rejection of fossil fuels to a commitment for transitioning away, tripling renewable energy, and enhancing climate finance for the most vulnerable. In light of this newfound resolution, there's a growing expectation for fuel companies to embrace cleaner and more efficient production...

In 2021, Dubai’s Kitopi became a unicorn with a $415 million round led by SoftBank. Founded in January 2018 by Mohamad Ballout (CEO & co-founder) and his friends Saman Darkan, Bader Ataya, and Andy Arenas, it is today the world’s leading managed cloud kitchen platform.  But where does it all start? Whether from their parents’ garage, or from an enlightening conversation or from having been in...

A fireside chat with Award winning director, writer & poet Nujoom Al Ghanem While AI presents innovative tools for artists and the potential to challenge traditional boundaries, it also raises questions about authenticity and human creativity. Can AI-generated art truly evoke the same emotional depth as human-created pieces, or is it merely an algorithmic imitation? In the pursuit of artistic...

Art for The Ocean: Creativity to Mobilize Change took place in the prolific art market of Dubai during COP 28 (the world’s largest annual climate gathering, hosting more than 100 Heads of State and over 35,000 participants). Bringing together artists, collectors, philanthropists, and ocean advocates alike to create a direct bridge between the art world’s capabilities and the ocean’s needs during t...

Think tanks are essential in international affairs, acting as hubs of strategic thought and policy innovation. They gather experts to analyze global challenges and provide impartial analysis and solutions. Through research and discourse, they enhance understanding of global dynamics, aiding decisions that have worldwide impact. As bridges between academia and policy, think tanks foster collaborati...

Dubai's remarkable rise from the desert sands has been nothing short of extraordinary. The city has rapidly transformed into a global economic hub, renowned for its iconic skyscrapers, luxury developments, and visionary projects. However, this success story brings with it a profound responsibility - to shape a sustainable, environmentally conscious future for the generations to come. This tal...

An illuminating evening as Gary Dugan, CEO of The Dalma Global CIO Office, sits down with the visionary founder of Dalma Capital, Zachary Cefaratti.  Dive deep into the world of macroeconomics as these financial titans unravel the intricacies of inflation and interest rates.

For this Authored episode we hear from Mai Eldib, author of Cairo Eternal; the latest addition to Assouline’s Travel Series and its first ever Egyptian destination, as she discusses the journey that she set out to share with readers, across the streets of the city she calls home. From the rich culture and stunning aesthetics of Egypt’s vibrant capital to the iconic Great Pyramids of Giza and the b...

With extraordinary technological and scientific advances our cities across the globe are growing at an exponential rate, but are they beautiful? Neo-Classic notions of proportion, harmony, cohesion and unified style, albeit ornate, are part of the architectural and historical fabric of cities like Paris, Rome and Istanbul and have been considered beautiful as a result.  In 2023, buildings are argu...

We were delighted to welcome critically acclaimed comedian Jamali Maddix for our Authored Live series at The Arts Club. From his wittily honest stage appearance on Live at the Apollo, to his hilarious guest performance on James Corden’s The Late Late Show, Jamali hit our stage for his UAE debut with lots of cracking-up and picking-on.    Listen to this hilarious fireside chat which followed his pe...

You have probably put an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot to the test recently. Perhaps you asked it to write prose from the perspective of a 300-year-old time-traveler from Mars. And why wouldn’t you satiate your curiosity? It has been populating headlines for months after all.  But what really is generative AI? How does it work? What are the legal implications, if any? Is my job endangered o...

Hamed Ali sits at the helm of two of Dubai’s most powerful financial organizations - Dubai Financial Market and NASDAQ Dubai. Under his leadership, UAE witnessed DEWA’s historic IPO listing, becoming the biggest IPO in UAE financial market’s history and the second-largest IPO in the Middle East historically. Hamed played a significant role in the launch of Nasdaq Dubai’s equity derivatives on UAE...

Butheina Kazim decided to work in cinema 15 years ago and planted the seeds that led to the founding of Cinema Akil in 2014 when she started showcasing independent films as nomadic cinematic interventions in various spaces around Dubai. At the time she was targeting a very small community of film afficionados. By 2018 Cinema Akil was a permanent venue and film sanctuary in Dubai, making it the GCC...

From graphic design to automotive design, Ralph Debbas’ journey led him to launch W Motors, the first ever developer and manufacturer of high-performance luxury sports cars in the Middle East at age 25. In 2013, he built one of the world’s most expensive cars – the $3.4m Lykan Hypersport, successfully diversified the Company’s portfolio and is building the first fully-fledged automotive factory in...

Wokeness is a buzzword which found prominence in the mid-2010s in the form of a mass campaign to raise awareness for significant social issues. Soon thereafter it was used and arguably abused by mainstream media for marketing campaigns designed to appeal to millennials. It wasn’t long until it revived a corporate framework first introduced in 2004 called ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance....

We welcome artist Daniel Crews-Chubb for an intimate fireside chat on the occasion of his exhibition of five of his totemic paintings at The Arts Club Dubai. Looking back on his career as a renowned painter with a deeply expressive painting style, Daniel discusses his process, Greek mythology, and the personal experiences that have informed his work. Moderated by: Pernilla Holmes - Wedel Art (Dire...

Essam Al Tamimi founded Al Tamimi & Co in January 1989 with just one secretary at his side. By July of that year, the firm had five lawyers. Today, they have 450 legal professionals in 17 offices across 10 countries and is a leading corporate law firm in our region. But where did it all start? Whether it be from their parents’ garage, from having had a life-changing conversation, or simply bei...

An extension to the Authored series, Authored Live brings into focus the practice of songwriting, lyrical performance, and music production. Special guest authors are invited to share their professional journeys in intimate fireside chats and to perform their work on stage.  This month, we are pleased to welcome singer-songwriter ABRI for a chat about his career in the UAE and his subsequent succe...

Magnus and his co-founder Mudassir Sheikha wanted to build something “big and meaningful”. So, they began looking for ideas and gave their research a code name: ‘Project Bamboo’. They proceeded to make a list of the difficulties they had faced living in the region. They found one and saw an incredible opportunity. This was just over ten years ago. Today, it is a super app with operations in over 1...

We discuss Contemporary African Art in relation to the global market. Our guest panelists outline why they collect art and what factors inform their collecting patterns. Listen to Fabien Fryns, collector and founder of Fabien Fryns Fine Art and Kwame Mintah, collector and co-founder of Efie Gallery, in a panel discussion moderated by journalist Rebecca Anne Proctor.

In celebration of the UAE’s National Day, this month we highlight the book 50U. A publication which paints an intimate picture of life in the Emirates through the memories, hopes, and ambitions of its inhabitants. Factual accounts of the UAE’s history told alongside human stories that are the result of extensive interviews with the young nation’s residents and visitors. A special panel discussion...

For the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia 2022, the National Pavilion UAE presented a major new work by Emirati artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, a single work making up the entire exhibition of the National Pavilion UAE in Venice which is curated by Maya Allison. The work was accompanied by a monographic book titled Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim: Between Sunrise and Sunset / Works 19...

From high-altitude balloon trips to astronaut boot camps, reusable suborbital rocket systems designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Kármán line, to trips around the moon - tourist reservations for getting off planet Earth are skyrocketing.  Hear from astronaut and UAE resident Hamish Harding, Blue Origin’s NS-21 crew member, Director of Business Development, Logan Ware and Anna...

An extension to the Authored series, Authored Live brings into focus the practice of songwriting, lyrical performance and music production, as it welcomes the guest authors to perform their work on stage.  For our inaugural evening, we are pleased to welcome singer-songwriter Layla May for a chat about her practice, followed by an intimate live performance of her distinct vocal runs.