20 Dec 2024. Dubai’s RTA has awarded a Dhs20 billion contract to build the metro Blue Line. It will open on September 9th 2029 – 20 years to the day since the first metro opened. We get reaction to that new metro contract with Roger Cruikshank of AtkinsRealis. Plus, we celebrate Dubai Duty Free 41 years of success - Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi joins us to discuss milestones, sales highlights, and what’s next. And, ahead of a busy weekend of festive frollicking, we talk Christmas-nomics with the team from The8 hotel on Palm Jumeirah. 

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18 Dec 2024. We talk the economics of health insurance as the UAE launches a policy for just Dhs320 with insurance broker Stephen McLaren of Seven Insurance Brokers. Plus, winter travel trends and record growth with the boss of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. And, cocoa prices are skyrocketing, we check if your favorite chocolate be affected with Co Chocolat CEO Iman Suguitan.

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19 Dec. 2024. The Fed has cut interest rates overnight by 0.25%, and the UAE Central Bank followed suit, bringing the UAE base lending rate to 4.4%. What does this mean for the UAE economy and consumers? We asked Daniel Richards, MENA Economist at Emirates NBD.  Plus, Honda & Nissan are in talks about a potential merger to strengthen their position against electric vehicle (EV) makers. What could this possible merger mean for the auto industry? We drive into the details with Imthishan Giado, Editor-in-Chief at Motoring Middle East.

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17 Dec 2024. We get reaction to that spectacular Dubai stock market rally with Amer Halawi of Al Ramz Capital. Plus, Dubai adds 740 new EV chargers, what’s next for sustainable transport? We ask Chintan Sareen, CEO of PlusX Electric. And, we speak to Stephan Livera, host of Stephan Livera Podcast about  Bitcoin new record above $107,000. 

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16 Dec 2024. A new report from Dubai-based Cavendish Maxwell says hotel ratings are no longer fit for purpose and need a complete overhaul. Zacky Sajjad, Director of Business Development at Cavendish Maxwell, told us why. Plus, Emirates is gearing up for its busiest winter break yet, Nick Moore, Senior Vice President Passenger Services & Hub Operations at @Emirates, crunch the numbers for us. And, tuition fees reaching half a million dirhams, we asked Francisco Veloso, Dean of French Business School INSEAD - Is the cost justified by the returns? 

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13 Dec 2024. It's the busy season for Dubai Airports and we're joined by a man who quite frankly has a lot to do today, as schools break up - Airports CEO Paul Griffiths. We also speak to one recruitment boss about why less employees in the UAE want fully remote working. And, we're looking at why digital stadiums will be a game changer for Saudi Arabia with PWC Middle East. 

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As the price of coffee hits a record high, Matt Toogood of Raw Coffee shares his outlook for 2025. Plus, we speak to HE Tariq Bin Hendi, managing director of Astra Tech, on its $500 million deal with Citigroup. And, with Talabat the latest to see subdued first day trading post-IPO, we'll speak to one market advisory firm about how investor expectations are changing. Plus we speak to award winning author and business coach Georgie Dickens who’s speaking here at ADFW.

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Talabat shares closed 7% below their IPO price after their first day of trading on the DFM as a listed company, closing at 1 dirham 49. We get analysis on that with Sameer Lakhani, Managing Director, Global Capital Partners. We also look at how AI and climate change are changing the dispute landscape with the Registrar and CEO of the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts Linda FitzAlan. And we speak to Brian Keogh, President and CRO, Lockchain Corp (they are the world’s first comprehensive AI-driven operational risk management platform for digital assets - and a leading voice in the digital assets and AI-driven risk management space). Plus, we find out about Carrefour’s newest development with Majid Al Futtaim Retail’s CEO, Günther Helm. 

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We look at just who is moving the ADGM with headhunter Oscar Orellana-Hyder. Plus, we hear from HSBC economist Stephen King – he first visited Abu Dhabi in the early 90s, and explains how the UAE dodged the so-called ‘curse of oil’. And, we talk Bitcoin with crypto royalty – literally! Prince Philip of Serbia is in Abu Dhabi, and joins us live.

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Abu Dhabi Finance Week starts today, with finance leaders who manage a collective $27 trillion, with speakers including Ray Dalio of Bridgewater. We’re joined by one of the biggest names in finance: Blackrock, the $10 trillion US investment giant. Ben Powell reveals what’s long and what’s short at the Blackrock Investment Institute. And, we’re taking a deep dive on Sovereign Wealth Funds – all $1.7 trillion of them managed here in Abu Dhabi with Diego López of Global SWF. Plus, the ADGM has launched new stablecoin regulations - we speak to the local regulatory boss Emmanuel Givanakis.

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