How to Secure a Competitive Edge in 2026

El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what advice they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Creator of Snoonu said it was "crucial to develop limits" between work and individual life and take brief vacations to "disconnect" from the office.

Tariq Bin Hendi, CEO and Board Member of Astra tech, reacted that "the very best recommendations is to constantly challenge yourself" while likewise making sure a healthy sleep and exercise routine. Mohamed Khadiri, CEO of Bank of Sharjah mentioned that to excel and "to be near to your consumer, you have to be passionate about your work and comprehend consumers' requirements". Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, stated: "If you make the people you deal with delighted, you will make the consumer delighted, who will then make the investors happy."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, said the ability to "not worry" is the key to finding a solution for issues.

Today, we're assembling more than 3000 conferences in between financiers and 119 Gulf-listed business with a combined worth of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're bringing together investors, business, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is changing in the area, and what follows, including the expansion and ongoing advancement of the Gulf's capital markets, and the region's growing role in global networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf region's financial expansion in 2026, supported by strong private-sector efficiency, resistant domestic demand and renewed investment momentum, according to the current ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is anticipated to outperform most international areas peers next year, with regional GDP projection to grow by 4.4%. Throughout the GCC, non-energy activity is forecasted to broaden by 4.1% in 2026, driven by strong labour markets, improving credit conditions and increasing investment in technology and AI-related infrastructure.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Evaluating Legacy Models and 2026 Business Strategies

Although oil revenues will be under pressure in the very first half of 2026, production is anticipated to increase once again in the second half of 2026, supporting the region's medium-term outlook, it specified. Saudi Arabia will stay a major contributor to GCC momentum, with GDP forecast to grow 4.3% in 2026.

Development will be supported by commercial expansion and policy reforms, including eased foreign ownership guidelines that aim to promote additional financial investment. The fiscal deficit is projected to widen to 5.6% of GDP next year amidst softer oil rates, while the recent five-year rent freeze in Riyadh aims to alleviate inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future housing supply.

Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is also positioned for another strong year of performance, with GDP forecast to increase 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to broaden. Tourism, trade and monetary services remain key growth motorists, supported by population growth and continual domestic need. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the very first half of 2025, reflecting broad-based non-oil strength.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Oil production is expected to get once again in the second half of 2026, complementing continuous investment in infrastructure, innovation and international trade collaborations. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, said: "This quarter's outlook strengthens how far the GCC has come in structure varied, resistant and internationally competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Consultant, and Chief Economist and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are entering 2026 with strong foundations. Saudi non-oil activity is acquiring rate, supported by robust need and rising financial investment, even as fiscal pressures increase.""The UAE continues to gain from solid domestic principles, a sharp uplift in government costs and sustained diversification efforts.

Reviewing 2026 GCC Data for Strategic Insights

GCC nations are rotating towards a strategy of 'resilience over growth' entering 2026, as the region prepares for a global landscape defined by softer oil prices, geopolitical fragmentation, and the rapid shift to an AI-enabled economy. According to a brand-new regional outlook by PwC, the GCC is relocating to insulate its growth from external shocks by deepening international trade combination, securing industrial supply chains, and carrying out a decisive shift from technology ambition to operational execution.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Settlements free of charge Trade Arrangements with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have gone into last drafting stages. The area is progressively placing itself as a central hub for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC). To support domestic production, securing crucial minerals has actually become a strategic top priority.