Opinion pieces

The UK-UAE wealth corridor: Entering its second act

Despite the disruptions witnessed as part of ongoing regional uncertainty, the UK-UAE wealth corridor continues to show significant growth and resilience. For years, the...

Credit resilience emerges as a defining priority for the financial sector, KPMG says

Credit resilience is becoming a defining priority for financial institutions as the risk landscape grows more complex and interconnected. KPMG's latest analysis, “Credit Risk...

Global payment networks and interoperability momentum

Far from being a standalone banking function, the role of payments has transformed. Now sitting at the centre of everyday life, payments are embedded...

How Sukuk is strengthening the investment corridor between the GCC and Africa

As African sovereigns and corporates seek to diversify their funding sources amidst rising debt pressures, expanding infrastructure requirements and evolving investor preferences, greater attention...

UAE E-Invoicing: Why it must move from a tax task to a CFO priority

Six years ago, I watched India’s enterprises scramble to meet e-invoicing mandates they didn’t see coming. Then came Saudi Arabia. ZATCA didn’t just mandate...

The illusion of efficiency: Why automation has failed to eliminate friction in UAE banking

If there is one expectation that defines modern banking, it is frictionless service. Customers are no longer comparing banks solely with one another, but...

From digital banking to AI-native banking: why execution will define the next phase of growth in the GCC

Over the past decade, banks across the GCC have moved faster than many of their global counterparts in embracing digital transformation. From mobile-first platforms...

The Illusion of efficiency: Why automation hasn’t fixed the friction in UAE Banking

One of the first things I ask when I sit down with a UAE banking leadership team is: Walk me through what happens between...

Islamic Banking as blueprint for regional financial resilience

The GCC stands at an inflection point in financial services development. The region has built world-class regulatory frameworks, attracted significant capital, and created banking...

The Middle East’s next credit challenge: systems that can keep up with customers

New credit ideas are easy to sketch but hard to deliver. Most banks still rely on systems that update balances overnight and lock in...

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