Bitesize Business Breakfast Podcast

17 Aug 2026. Corporate tax filing is underway, so what questions might the FTA be asking about executive bonuses? We ask tax lawyer Nils Vanhassel, Partner and Head of Tax for the Middle East at Addleshaw Goddard. Plus, it’s almost back to school. Parents are getting ready, but what does the spend look like this year? We speak to Home Centre and Noon. And almost everything on your plate is imported. We find out how one food business kept supplies moving through months of disruption.

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14 Aug 2026. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has posted adjusted profits up 34%, even as sales volumes fell by a third. CFO Pål Kildemo joins us on how that happened. Plus, a quarter of a million square feet of indoor sport is opening in Dubai. Terry Kidd of AllSports on one of the emirate’s biggest fitness investments. And the global beauty industry lands in Dubai for the 30th time this month. Show Director Ravi Ramchandani on who’s coming and what it’s worth.

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13 Aug 2026. US prices rose 3.4% in the year to July, slightly lower than the 3.5% recorded in June, according to new figures. We get the analysis and reaction from economist Nick Stadtmiller of Emirates NBD on what it means here, given the dirham’s dollar peg. Plus, Razan Hilal of FOREX.com on how the dollar has responded.  Gold is a safe haven trade, Copper a growth trade. Where is Silver? We asked Madhur Kakkar of Elevate Financial Services. And our Summer Strategy series continues. A fine dining group that expected a quiet summer got a surge in demand instead. Samyukta Nair of LSL Capital explains why.

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12 Aug 2026. Is Bitcoin becoming a safe haven when tensions rise? We ask Saqr Ereiqat of the Dubai Digital Asset Association, who says yes and no. Plus, earnings season rolls on. Abu Dhabi’s sovereign AI company Presight has posted another quarter of strong growth, with CEO Thomas Pramotedham. And the region’s oilfield services giant NESR reports a record quarter: revenue is up 59% and profits nearly tripled. We speak to Chairman and CEO Sherif Foda. Our Summer Strategy series also continues, with the Dubai restaurant that spent more on marketing, not less, when spending slowed. Sylvana Sari of Bobi Bowl explains why.

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11 Aug 2026. Stevi Lowmass publicly admitted The Camel Soap Factory might not survive, then launched a campaign to sell 25,000 bars. Three months on, she’s almost there. We hear how it went. Plus, earnings season continues. Spinneys reveals its first half numbers with CEO Sunil Kumar, and e7 Group posts a bumper six months on the back of its secure identity business. We speak to Group CEO Esteban Gómez Nadal. And it’s a big week for inflation data, with UAE demand holding up better than expected. Nick Stadtmiller of Emirates NBD unpacks it.

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10 Aug 2026. ADNOC Gas has beaten its own guidance with a $665 million second quarter, despite the Strait disruption, and greenlit $8.2 billion of new contracts. We speak to CFO Peter van Driel. Plus, a container of classic Ferraris is stuck off Khor Fakkan for another week. Ryan Hughes of RMA Motors on how shipping delays are reaching Dubai’s luxury car market. We also get an exclusive look at July’s Dubai property numbers with Haider Tuaima of ValuStrat, as the market edges towards stability. And oil is caught between diplomacy and disruption. Robin Mills of Qamar Energy on where the market goes next.

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08 Aug 2026: Luxury watches, fine art, rare collectibles and classic cars are increasingly being considered alternative stores of wealth as investors look beyond traditional safe havens. But protecting these assets is not always straightforward. Kapil Sharma, Senior Vice President of Sales at Continental Group, joins us to discuss how high-value collectibles are insured, the challenges surrounding valuations and the coverage gaps owners may not realise exist. Meanwhile, Wynn Resorts is pressing ahead with plans to hire 2,500 employees for its $5.7 billion UAE resort, despite its opening being pushed back to September 2027. Nathan Kearney, Managing Director of Executive Search, joins us to discuss what the recruitment drive says about confidence in the UAE hospitality sector and the growing divide in the wider jobs market. Plus, we look at some of the weird and wonderful ways businesses are trying to beat the summer slowdown, including a rooftop sauna, ice baths and unlimited ice cream. Emilie Hill from Context Studio takes us through some of the offers and considers whether these summer deals are here to stay or are simply a way for businesses to get customers through the door. And finally, DIFC is opening up its special purpose vehicle regime, removing previous eligibility restrictions and making the structures available to a much wider pool of applicants. Jacques Visser, Chief Legal Officer at DIFC Authority, tells us what the regulatory changes involve. 

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06 August 2026. The Japanese yen has strengthened sharply following the first coordinated US-Japan currency intervention since 1998. It has recovered from a 40-year low of almost 164 yen to the dollar in July to around 156 to 157 this week. Josh Gilbert of eToro explains what the intervention involved, why the US stepped in, and whether the yen’s recovery can last. Also, tourist arrivals to the UAE are projected to fall by more than 30% in 2026 following the regional conflict earlier this year, while visitor spending dropped by more than 40% during the height of the disruption. Akshay Jayaprakasan of RedSeer Strategy Consultants discusses when arrivals could recover to 2025 levels and what the coming years could hold for the tourism sector. Plus, the RTA has completed a series of improvements on Latifa bint Hamdan Street, including a one-kilometre service-road expansion and two new U-turns. Hamad Al Shehhi of the RTA discusses the immediate impact on motorists and the longer-term plans for one of Dubai’s key transport corridors. And finally, a career-pivot success story. From Google executive to award-winning restaurateur, Lynn Hazim discusses the story behind Middle Child and the realities of building three food concepts under one roof.

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Saudi Aramco reported a 33 per cent jump in quarterly profit after oil prices surged above $100 a barrel during the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Amena Bakr, Head of Middle East Research at Kpler, unpacks the numbers and tells us what drove the rise in earnings, what it means for energy markets, the Gulf economy and consumers, and whether the market is returning to normal. Meanwhile, ADNOC Distribution posted record first-half earnings as fuel demand remained strong across the region. CFO Ali Siddiqi joins the Business Breakfast to discuss what is driving the company’s next phase of growth beyond fuel. Plus, we examine how UAE recruitment trends shifted in the first half of 2026, with data pointing to cautious hiring among employers and growing candidate frustration over recruitment ghosting. Luke Collins, Managing Director of Collins Search, joins us to launch Matchly, a new AI-powered job platform designed to promote fair hiring and tackle ghosting. And finally, while many restaurants slow down during summer, Chef Sperxos turns his attention to private dining, luxury events and high-end clients. The Business Breakfast Summer Strategy series continues, looking at how Dubai businesses adapt during the traditionally quieter months and why summer can be one of the smartest times to grow. This time, we explore the business of summer dining with Chef Sperxos.

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04 August 2026. Middle East Film & Comic Con returns to Abu Dhabi in September with an expanded programme and ambitions to surpass last year’s attendance of more than 46,000. Show Director Loy Pinheiro discusses the move from its traditional April slot, the business of staging a major event amid regional uncertainty, and the new attractions aimed at drawing record crowds. Also, the Business Breakfast can reveal that Thrifty Car Rental UAE has secured an exclusive five-year partnership with Etihad Rail, investing more than AED 10 million in first and last mile transport across all 11 stations. General Manager Amit Kumar discusses the initial fleet of 500 vehicles, digital integration with Etihad Rail’s booking platform and how the service will scale as the national passenger network expands. Plus, Alpha Dhabi Holding reported its strongest half-year performance yet, with net profit surging 48% to AED 9.8 billion. CFO Derek Nicholson discusses the AED 3.7 billion boost from investments including SpaceX, Cerebras and Anthropic.  Finally, our Summer Strategy series continues with a look at how sport can help Dubai businesses overcome the traditionally quieter summer period. Stuart Gibb, General Manager of JA Sports & Shooting Club, discusses the growing sports-tourism economy and how combining training facilities, hospitality and lifestyle experiences can attract professional teams, corporate groups and families throughout the year.

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