BOARDING CALL ✈

Welcome aboard, and welcome to the Departure Brief

If you’re reading this in the cab to the airport, in the lounge, or halfway through boarding EK819, you’re exactly where we imagined you’d be.

Departure Brief was built for consultants in the Middle East who want to start their week a little sharper, without digging through the noise of the countless news sources out there. Every Monday, we’ll bring you a fast, focused update on what actually matters for you, plus a few tools and insights that will make you look good in front of your client, manager, director, partner… or whoever’s reviewing your slides. And if you’ve had enough of airplanes, we’ve got you covered with the latest exit opportunities.

Highlights this week:

Big investments in Saudi tourism, a push for private sector participation, flying taxis, jobs, and sports economy report

Enjoy your read!

SECTOR SCAN 🔭

Your weekly rundown of the most relevant business news in the region - for the sectors that matter to you

Public Sector & Government

• “Time to scale back Saudi government spending and for the private sector to invest more” - that’s what Saudi’s Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih said last week, doubling down on PIF scaling back spending (full story)

• Tourism is a key sector where the Saudis are looking to get investments; last week, they unveiled “Tourism Doing Business - Investing in Saudi Arabia” - a document showcasing the opportunities in the sector - I highly suggest you download this file I’m sure you’ll need it soon in a project (full story)

• Egypt is targeting big Asian markets like China and India in its new tourism strategy as it expects 20% growth in arrivals in 2026 after a record 16 million visitors in 2024, and pushes toward 30 million tourists by 2030 - did you know Egypt had their own STA called the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA I guess)… wonder which came first (full story)

• UAE companies are slowing hiring despite stronger economic growth forecasts, with the latest S&P PMI showing sentiment at a three-year low as firms tighten budgets and delay permanent recruitment - as long as you read the Exit Row every week, you shouldn’t worry (full story)

Energy & Resources

• UAE’s Dana Gas signed a preliminary deal with the Syrian Petroleum Company to redevelop major gas fields, aiming to substantially boost Syria’s domestic gas output and energy security, drawing on the company’s experience in Iraqi Kurdistan (full story)

• Kuwait is negotiating a 1.5 GW battery storage project (4–6 GWh capacity) to ease its chronic power shortages; a move that would create one of the region’s largest storage systems and help stabilize the grid - wait out of all countries Kuwait has power shortages?? (full story)

Technology, Media & Telecommunication

• Microsoft and Abu Dhabi’s G42 will add 200 MW of new data centre capacity in the UAE as part of a $15bn+ investment push, including US approval to export advanced Nvidia chips (full story)

Financial Services

• JPMorgan is expanding in Dubai to target midcap and VC-backed companies in the region, relocating senior bankers as part of a global push into the mid-market segment (full story)

• UAE banks are showing strong Q3 profits of $5.5bn (+16% YoY), but loan growth is outpacing net interest income as margins tighten, pushing major lenders like FAB and Emirates NBD to rely more on fees and commissions (full story)

Transport & Logistics

• US’s Joby Aviation is about to launch electric air taxis in Saudi Arabia after signing an MoU with GACA to use US FAA certification standards, paving the way for deployment alongside partnerships with Abdul Latif Jameel and Aloula Aviation as the Kingdom pushes into advanced air mobility - I’m scared of heights but these would be amazing to use instead of Ubers at 6pm in Riyadh (full story)

Real Estate

• Midad Real Estate, Jeddah Central Development, and Kerzner International formed a JV to bring the first Atlantis and One&Only to Saudi Arabia; the two resorts are expected to be built within the Jeddah Central waterfront (full story)

• Property Finder will roll out monthly rent payments across the UAE by integrating Keyper’s rent-in-instalments tech into its platform in 2026; a major shift from the traditional one-to-four cheque system, giving tenants more flexibility and landlords more predictable, digitally-managed income (full story)

THE EXIT ROW 💼

Your bosses might not like this section, but that’s alright. Every week, we’ll provide you with a list of curated job openings for any of you that are tired of the travel routine and looking to have a life again after 7 PM - includes opportunities for all levels

FREELANCING

There is a bunch of freelancing opportunities I’ve been made aware of. If you’re interested, please register your profile on Ultra (“join Ultra”) - a top EMEA freelancing platform that connects you with an extensive portfolio of clients in the region for freelance consulting projects. You can also book a call with Valentin Reyx, co-founder, to learn more.

UAE

1. Dubizzle | Performance & Strategy Specialist (Apply here)

2. Talabat | Sr. Specialist - Strategy (Apply here)

3. Visa | Strategy Analyst (Apply here)

4. Trivandi | Senior Manager / Associate Director, Strategy & Commercial Advisory (Apply here)

5. Blue Hebron Capital | Chief of Staff (Apply here)

6. Siemens Energy | Strategy Leader (Apply here)

7. Keeta | Merchant Operations Strategy (Apply here)

8. Careem | Senior Commercial & Strategy Leader (Apply here)

9. Al Futtaim Automotive | Transformation Manager (Apply here)

10. Animoca Brands | Senior Associate, Strategy Ops / BD & Partnerships / Investments (Apply here)

11. Revolut | Strategy & Operations Manager (Apply here)

KSA

1. Tamara | Corporate Strategy Associate (Apply here)

2. Qiddiya | Analyst, Strategy Oversight (Apply here)

3. Careem | Strategy Manager (Apply here)

4. Careem | Commercial & Strategy Leaders (Apply here)

5. ArcelorMittal | Strategy Analyst (Apply here)

6. Mandarin Oriental | Director of Commercial Strategy (Apply here)

7. Webook | Chief of Staff (Apply here)

CABIN DEEP DIVE 🔎

Every week, we give a focused look on a topic, news, trend that is shaping the region; no fluff, just the insights you need.

SEVEN KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM OLIVER WYMAN’S “UNLOCKING THE MIDDLE EAST’S SPORT ECONOMY REPORT”

Oliver Wyman just released a report the sport economy in the Middle East. Long story short, they argue that the opportunity could be massive and unlike anywhere else in the world; but it needs to be done right to succeed. Here are seven key takeaways from the report:

1- The Middle East holds massive untapped $75Bn sport economy opportunity

The region has very high viewership (85%) but low participation (30%), creating a a huge value gap to unlock in the participation front. A young demographic (60% under 30) and $100Bn+committed by the government in infrastructure further fuel this opportunity

2- Governments are driving unprecedented investment momentum

More than $100Bn in sport-related infrastructure will be built by 2034, spanning stadiums, wellness districts, fan zones, and mixed-use hubs

3- Success will depend on the how, not the what

How these $100Bn will be used will be key to success; the infrastructure needs to include modular venues, mixed-use districts, and integrations with the broader ecosystem to drive long-term use by the community rather than one-off events

4- Soft infrastructure is critical

Facilities alone are not enough. What’s called “soft infrastructure” (coaches, programming, scheduling, etc.) will dramatically increase usage

5- Gen Z is rewriting sport rules

Gen Z watches just 13 minutes per viewing session, with interest shifting from traditional sports to faster-based ones (e.g., combat sports, padel, etc.). Emerging formats like the Kings League are projected for massive growth

6- Digital, digital, digital

Value is migrating from rights holders to platforms with direct user relationships. Dominant digital ecosystems (fan engagement, streaming, performance tracking) are reshaping revenue models around data, content, and interactive services

7- The 4th age of sports

It started with a simple game (1st age), to competition (2nd age), then entertainment (3rd age). Now we’re entering the 4th age of sports which is all about experience. People no longer just want to sit and watch the game but want to be fully-immersed in it.

Download the full report here

And that’s a wrap…

Thank you for being on board the Departure Brief this week.

Let us know how we did!

Have a safe flight, an amazing week, and see you next Monday!