Bitesize Business Breakfast Podcast

05 Jun 2026. The UAE has ranked second globally for net AI talent migration, ahead of Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Singapore, according to Stanford University. Samuel Huber, CEO of Napster, joins us with the picture. Plus, Orbitworks is launching the region's first AI-powered satellite constellation this October. Dr Hamdullah Mohib on why it matters. Madhur Kakkar from Elevate Financial Services on global markets at record highs. And Amit Malhotra on how ADIB just simplified WPS salary payments.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

04 Jun 2026. Abu Dhabi has surprised the market with a temporary rent freeze. Is there any realistic prospect of Dubai introducing a similar measure? We asked Thomas Anderson, Sales Manager of Espace Real Estate. Plus, it’s been a busy week for the global economy with new UAE PMI data, new US trade tariffs and an on-again off-again ceasefire. Emirates NBD’s Chief Economist helps make sense of it all. Majid Al Futtaim has just launched a new program backing UAE homegrown brands. We find out which creative businesses get the first call up. And Binance is launching a regulated dirham transfer service to make it easier to move money between bank accounts and crypto wallets. Could this be a turning point for crypto adoption?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

03 Jun 2026. Abu Dhabi is freezing all rent hikes until further notice. Tenants signing new leases will pay the same rent as the preceding contract, with residential, commercial and industrial rents all frozen. We get analysis on what that means for the market. The Wegovy weight loss pill is here, with the UAE only the second country in the world to greenlight it. The country is also set to become a hub for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy production, serving up to 70 countries across the Gulf, Africa and Central Asia. We hear from Executive VP Emil Larsen. Plus, with UAE fuel prices up nearly 66% since February, it’s getting more expensive to transport goods. Could the cost of food go up? We find out with the CEO of Choithrams. And DXB saw a welcome revenue boost from Eid Al Adha travel. We find out what families planning summer travel can expect at the world’s busiest airport.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

02 Jun 2026. With the conflict showing no signs of resolution, we ask whether the Strait of Hormuz blockade could fast-track major new pipeline investment across the region with Omar Albusaidy of Future Pipe Industries. Plus, stocks or bonds? Where should investors actually put their money in June? Steve Brice, Global Chief Investment Officer at Standard Chartered, joins us with the monthly outlook. The 2026 World Cup kicks off in days. What does that actually mean for restaurants and bars in the UAE? Naim Maadad, CEO and Founder of Gates Hospitality, joins us with the expectation. And tech giants Nvidia and Intel are both designing new chips to make AI more powerful and more practical, but they’re taking very different approaches. Andreas Hassellöf of Ombori on what it means for the future of AI.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01 Jun 2026. Huge changes in Dubai from today, including petrol prices rising around 8% while diesel drops by over 7%. Global oil prices are falling, so why are UAE fuel prices going up again in June? We find out with Kpler. Plus, air passenger demand in the Middle East almost halved in April due to the conflict. We discuss the global impact and the search for green shoots of recovery with Kashif Khalid from IATA. And hoteliers across the UAE are celebrating a surge in staycations over Eid. But will local demand be enough to see them through the summer? Kym Barter, MD of Atlantis the Royal and Atlantis the Palm.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 May 2026. We find out what Eid has meant so far for those selling popular gifts like flowers and chocolates, that’s with the team from Udora. Plus, forget flight prices, what does the private jet market look like over Eid? We speak to VistaJet. And in a region obsessed with tech, one UAE startup is selling something very different. Human presence. We find out how loneliness has become a business opportunity.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 May 2026. The Business Brunch: We speak to the head of a short term accommodation network that opened just one month before the conflict but is growing regardless. Raw Coffee has taken on a new partner as it heads into a new stage of growth. What stage is that? We find out. And foreign nationals in the US now have to go home to apply for a green card. We find out what that could mean for UAE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 May 2026. President Trump says he’s close to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Economist Nick Stadtmiller of Emirates NBD joins us to break down what that could actually mean for the UAE economy. Plus, the closure of the Strait means moving companies haven’t been moving as much. We find out what they’ve been doing instead with the CEO of Easytruck. And the UK just closed a £3.7 billion trade deal with the GCC, the first G7 country to do so. Deyana Cherneva, Regional Head of Global Trade Solutions at HSBC Bank Middle East, on what the agreement actually unlocks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 May 2026. The Executive Council of Dubai has put together a second package of economic incentives, this one worth 1.5 billion dirhams. The support measures include the delay or exemption of various fees and fines, as well as different types of rent relief, across sectors including tourism and education. Economist Dan Richards of Emirates NBD joins us to dig into the detail. Plus, strategy consultancy Kearney on how the Gulf can emerge from the conflict stronger. Mashreq has a bold new SME promise. Open a business account in one day or get 1,000 dirhams back. The UAE rolls out one health insurance system across all seven emirates for Emiratis. And Imagine Dragons, Lewis Capaldi and Zara Larsson are heading to Yas Marina Circuit this December for the Abu Dhabi GP, more details with Ethara.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 May 2026. The UAE’s new crude oil pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz is now 50% complete, as the country accelerates delivery towards 2027. That’s according to Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology. Plus, Primark opens its third set of doors in the UAE today and we speak to Alshaya boss John Hadden. We find out what the Dubai real estate hiring situation actually looks like, who’s getting hired and for how much, with one of the largest real estate recruitment agencies in the region. Dubai’s property market is still moving but buyers and tenants are behaving very differently right now. Espace tells us what’s actually transacting and how the leasing market is shifting. And how are advertisers actually behaving in this market right now? The ARN Business Club event is coming up and we find out why radio still works when budgets get tight.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.