Business Extra

In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks to The National’s Deputy Business Editor Dania Saadi about Abu Dhabi National Oil Company using hydraulic fracturing.

Adnoc’s announcement that together with US firm Baker Hughes it is using hydraulic fracturing technology onshore - for the first time in the Middle East - to assess the potential of gas reserves in the western Al Dhafra region of the emirate.

We also take a look at the UAE Central Bank’s IMF-beating forecast for economic growth next year and then tech entrepreneurs Omar Darwish and William gardener share their insights into the rapidly evolving world of digital marketing.

2017 was seen as a watershed for the tech ecosystem in the UAE and wider Gulf region; Amazon bought Souq.com, more than half a billion dollars was invested into hundreds of start-ups and the entrepreneurial fire was truly stoked.

November will feature a number of events and conferences drawing in regional and international VCs, other types of investors and start-ups together, to take stock of where we have arrived and what the future might hold for the sector.

Host Assistant Editor in Chief, Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Bana Shomali, founder of home services market place Servicemarket.com which recently raised $4 million in its latest funding round about why the investment base is broadening and what it takes to rapidly scale a business.

Russian, French and Chinese companies have grabbed the momentum from the US for the opportunities created by the kingdom's Vision 2030.

With the broader political picture unsettled for Saudi Arabia, the landmark Future Investment Initiative, being held in Riyadh, has been dominated by non-US institutions, funds and companies. Will this alter both the inbound and outbound investment priorities in the kingdom? Hosts Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor discuss the evolving investment landscape. Sarmad Khan, Senior Business Correspondent, reports from the Saudi capital from the FII. Mustafa and Chris also assess the viability of an electric future for the aviation sector.

Host Mustafa Alrawi and Assistant Business Editors Chris Nelson and Dania Saadi discuss Agility's interest in Abraaj's assets, how the UAE is the Middle East's most competitive economy and what impact rising interest rates may have on the economic outlook.

Sentiment outside of the Gulf has been rocked of late but how justified is this given more positive fundamentals like higher oil prices? The team discuss this and more. 

We also have a discussion with Saudi entrepreneur and SME consultant Fadi AlAwami, who provides useful tips for prospective start-ups in the region.

Following the news that US oil services provider Baker Hughes will pay $550 million (Dh2.02 billion) for a 5 per cent stake in Adnoc’s drilling subsidiary, Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Abdulmunim Al Kindy, head of upstream at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to find out how the partnership can drive higher profitability and new opportunities for the sector.  Mustafa and Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson discuss what this could mean for the wider UAE economy.

Investors and developers flocked to this year's Cityscape Dubai compared to last year. Does that portend an uptick in the UAE's property market ahead?

The National's Sarah Townsend reports on the scene from the exhibition with host Mustafa Alrawi in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Also, we could not let this week's Elon Musk news come and go without comment. The Tesla mogul will cede his role as chairman of the electric carmaker and pay a $20 million (Dh73.4m) fine to settle fraud charges, in addition to another $20 million fine for the company. What's next for the company and its most famous face?  Kelsey Warner, Assistant Business Editor, gives her take.

While the UAE's aviation giants, Etihad and Emirates, have both denied a Bloomberg report that the latter was considering a takeover of the former, it is worth speculating what the future holds. Can a deal happen, and how would that shape the future of aviation in the region? Host Mustafa Alrawi looks at the changing aviation landscape in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode:

• Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in July awarded one of the world’s largest seismic surveys for hydrocarbon assets to a unit of China National Petroleum Corporation. The multibillion-dirham project is underway in the Abu Dhabi Dessert, where Karma Gurung visited earlier this week. What was the scene like in-person?