Morning Drive

As residents return from summer holidays, the Dubai real estate market is facing a temporary pause. EVA Real Estate Senior Manager Mario Volpi joins Tim Elliott to analyse why buyer hesitation and unrealistic discount expectations are creating a tepid, "Goldilocks" environment despite strong underlying demand across the emirate.

Why do real estate investors focus heavily on residential pipeline data while completely ignoring commercial growth? On Mira Business FM, Tim Elliott speaks with Luxe Vista Properties CEO Ajay Menon about Dubai’s evolving employment corridors and why residential demand strictly follows job creation across the emirate.

Gen Z is entering the GCC workforce, and employers may need to rethink how they recruit, retain and develop young talent. From financial wellbeing and flexibility to career progression and leadership development, the expectations around work are changing.Joining Tim Elliott is Nina Pacic, People Operations Director for the Middle East at Sovereign PPG, to discuss what employers need to do differently as a new generation enters the workplace.

Pokémon has just turned 30, but this is no longer just a story about a video game or a cartoon. It has grown into one of the biggest entertainment and merchandise businesses in the world, spanning games, trading cards, toys, movies, licensing and collectibles. So, just how big is the business of fandom? And that brings us to the Middle East Film & Comic Con, one of the region's biggest celebrations of pop culture, where thousands of fans come together for gaming, anime, comics, cosplay, collectibles and more. Joining us are Loy Pinheiro, Show Director of MEFCC, and tech journalist Kevin Sebastian, to unpack all of these.

British expats may not own property in the UAE, but that does not mean they do not have an estate here. From bank accounts and cars to investments and end-of-service benefits, assets can still become subject to estate and succession processes. So what happens when UK assumptions about joint ownership and inheritance collide with UAE rules? Joining Tim Elliott is Mohammad D. Marria, CEO and Founder of Just Wills Legal Consultants, to break down what British residents need to know.

The latest Emiratisation deadline has passed, but the push for UAE businesses to build and retain Emirati talent continues. With Dawlati now reporting more than 20,000 Emiratis on its platform, the bigger question is whether the UAE workforce is entering a new phase focused on quality, retention and career growth. Tim Elliott speaks to Rashid Zakaria Doleh, Founder of Dawlati, about the state of Emiratisation now and what the 20,000-member milestone means for the UAE jobs market.

From professional athlete to entrepreneur, Andrej Kuprejev has built GMNSM into a fast-growing UAE-born combat sports and child development business. Now, after closing $2 million in funding, the brand is setting its sights on Riyadh and Monaco. Tim Elliott speaks to the founder about scaling a homegrown business, using AI in coaching, and why families are investing more than ever in their children's development.

With falling birth rates and non-traditional family structures on the rise, standard generational wealth transfer models are breaking down. Presenter Tim Elliott speaks with independent financial consultant James Thomas about how child-free couples and non-linear families must actively redefine estate planning to ensure their hard-earned assets pass on effectively.

The UAE's sports industry is becoming an increasingly important business opportunity for global brands. New Balance's new three-year partnership with Al Jazira Club is the latest sign of that, bringing together the commercial side of sport with a focus on grassroots development and the next generation of home-grown talent. As investment in football, fitness and sporting communities continues to grow across the Middle East, what is driving the business of sport in the region? Joining Tim Elliott is Stuart Henwood, Senior Director, New Balance MEAI.

Ras Al Khaimah is becoming an increasingly important part of the UAE's booming real estate story, as investors and developers look beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi for the next big opportunities. And one of the major projects announced last year, Mira Coral Bay, is making fresh headlines again, putting the spotlight back on the emirate's growing luxury property ambitions.Joining Tim Elliott is Alessandro Ventura, Founder of Ventura Real Estate, to discuss why RAK matters more than ever in today's property market, what Mira Coral Bay and other major developments mean for investors, and whether the emirate is entering a defining new chapter.