Bitesize Business Breakfast Podcast

29 Oct 2025. We spoke to Dr. Trefor Murphy of Cooper Fitch after UAE job creation rose 3% in Q3. Plus Emirates’ Nick Moore on biometrics, Skywards Miles, and the year-end travel rush. And Orange Hospitality’s Omar Saideh on staying profitable in Dubai’s ever-changing dining scene. 

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28 Oct 2025. The UAE Cabinet has approved the 2026 federal budget, projecting a 30% increase in revenues and balanced spending for another year. We ask Emirates NBD economist Daniel Richards where those gains are likely to come from and what they say about the country’s fiscal health. Plus, it’s earnings season: we speak to the CFO of ADNOC Drilling about their latest results. And we get an exclusive first look at Dubai’s hospitality numbers with the team from Cavendish Maxwell.

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27 Oct 2025. Investment firm Amanat plans to sell a 30% stake in its education subsidiary, Al Masar Al Shamil Education, ahead of a listing on Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul. We speak to MD Fadi Habib about what this move means for the region’s booming education sector. Plus, Alshaya opens the Middle East’s first Primark in Kuwait, with three Dubai stores on the way. CEO John Hadden tells us why the region is primed for fast fashion. And we’re live from ICD Brookfield Place celebrating its fifth anniversary, where UAE fitness brand Reform Athletica shares how it’s scaling up into Saudi Arabia.

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24 Oct 2025. Loads of masterplan announcement - including Emaar launching Dubai Mansions, 40,000 ultra-luxury homes, as part of a wider 100 billion dirham project called Emaar Hills. We speak to Paul Sharland of haus & haus about what this means for Dubai’s property market. Plus, JGE villas are renting for up to Dhs6,000 a night ahead of the DP World Championship, we find out more with Paul Kelly of Allsopp & Allsopp. And Property Finder is betting big on proptech with a Dhs250 million fundraise and new investment in Stake.

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23 Oct 2025. Salary negotiations in the UAE have declined sharply over the past year, according to Michael Page’s latest report. We ask the team behind the report, Jon Ede, what’s driving the shift. Plus, we speak to the man putting the wellness into Al Jurf’s new wellness island. And CBD’s CFO joins us to break down the bank’s latest earnings Q3 results.

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22 Oct 2025. Abu Dhabi’s theme park operator Miral Destinations has announced its best summer ever. We speak to the CEO about how they kept the visitors coming through the heat.

Plus, Amazon is launching 15-minute delivery in Dubai before anywhere else in the world. We ask regional VP Ronaldo Mouchawar why the UAE was chosen and whether we really need it.
Also, we speak to the UAE-based AI payroll startup that raised $12 million, and Dubai’s viral chocolate brand FIX goes exclusive with Careem, we unpack the business behind the sweet deal.

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21 Oct 2025. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has launched a national campaign positioning the UAE as “The Startup Capital of the World.” We speak to His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, about how the initiative aims to boost entrepreneurship and innovation. Plus, Betterhomes CEO Louie Harding breaks down what the latest rental figures say about life in Dubai today, and Rustin Edwards explains why a billion barrels of oil are now floating at sea and what that means for energy markets.

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20 Oct 2025. Are tee times in Dubai getting harder to book and pricier too? We speak to Chris May, CEO of Dubai Golf, about why membership costs are rising and what it means for the city’s growing golf scene. Plus, we get a first look at Kearney’s new Global Cities Report with principal Brenna Buckstaff, and check in with Brands for Less co-founder Toufic Kreidieh one year after selling a 35% stake to TK Maxx.

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17 Oct 2025. LVMH shares have posted their best day in more than two decades on hopes the Chinese luxury shopper is making a comeback. We ask the team at Chalhoub what this could mean for the region’s high-end market. Plus, Canadian prop-tech firm 1VALET is bringing its smart-building technology to Dubai, but how much does it really cost to make a building intelligent? And finally, would you be happy to have a chip implanted in your brain? Georgia Tolley speaks to the CEO of Paradromics, the U.S. company starting clinical trials next year.

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16 Oct 2025. Heriot-Watt University is expanding into Saudi Arabia after receiving the green light to open a new campus. We speak to Professor Dame Heather McGregor, Provost and Vice Principal of Heriot-Watt Dubai, about what this means for the university’s regional footprint.

Plus, on Day 2 of our broadcast from Ajman, we turn the spotlight on Al Zorah - the coastal community fast becoming a luxury hotspot. We speak to CCO Salim Fleifel about how the emirate is shaping its place on the UAE’s real estate map. And Espace Real Estate reveals what their Q3 data says about the direction of Dubai’s property market.

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