Bitesize Business Breakfast Podcast
Episodes
Celebrating 42 Years of Dubai Duty Free
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
19 Dec 2025. Dubai Duty Free marks 42 years, and MD Ramesh Cidambi joins us early to share how they’re celebrating and where sales are heading. ...
The Christmas Dinner Dilemma: Cook It or Call It?
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
18 Dec 2025. Are more Dubai families opting for takeaway turkey this Christmas? We ask Jones the Grocer CEO Yunib Siddiqui what it means for festive f...
What 2026 Could Hold for the UAE Economy?
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
17 Dec 2025. Emirates NBD has released a series of forecasts for 2026 - covering growth, oil, and the dollar. Acting Chief Economist Ed Bell breaks do...
Christmas-nomics: Travel, Trees & Presents!
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
16 Dec 2025. We continue our Christmas-nomics series, looking at how much we’re spending on trees and gifts with category managers from Ferns N ...
How Expensive Is Christmas This Year?
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
15 Dec 2025. It’s Christmas-nomics. We break down festive spending in 2025 - from turkeys and chocolates to premium treats, with Spinneys. Plus,...
What Do Hotel Alliances Really Give You?
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
12 Dec 2025. Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) expands with Rotana- what does joining an alliance really mean for travellers? We asked GHA CEO Chris Hartley...
Fed Cuts Rates - UAE Follows
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
11 Dec 2025. The US Federal Reserve has cut rates by 25 basis points, and the UAE Central Bank followed immediately. Economist Ed Bell breaks down wha...
ADGM & DIFC Climb Global Rankings
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
10 Dec 2025. Abu Dhabi and Dubai both rank highly in a new global financial centres index unveiled at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. We break down what it me...
Aldar to Double Office Space on Al Maryah Island
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
09 Dec 2025. Day 2 of broadcasting live from Abu Dhabi Finance Week: Aldar plans to double office space on Al Maryah Island - CEO Jonathan Emery joine...
Live from Abu Dhabi Finance Week
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
08 Dec 2025. We’re live from Al Maryah Island for Day 1 of Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025, as global leaders gather to shape the future of capital ...
Dubai’s office market has just delivered its strongest quarter on record
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
05 Dec 2025. Dubai’s office market has posted its strongest quarter ever, with AED 3.1 billion in sales. We speak to Cavendish Maxwell’s Z...
UAE to amend VAT rules
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
04 Dec 2025. The UAE is rolling out new VAT amendments from January 1st, simplifying procedures and tightening refund and transparency rules to stay a...
Dubai Duty Free has reported its strongest monthly performance in 42 years
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
03 Dec 2025. Dubai Duty Free has posted its strongest monthly sales in more than four decades. We speak to MD Ramesh Cidambi about what drove the reco...
Eid Weekend: Any Staycations Left?
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
28 Nov 2025. It’s the Eid Al Etihad long weekend - but are there still any staycations available? We check in with a Ras Al Khaimah hotelier to ...
Turkey-nomics in Dubai this Thanksgiving
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
27 Nov 2025. We’re broadcasting live from the Doers Summit, where Dubai Silicon Oasis is calling for less networking and more deal-making. Direc...
Can We Still Book a Holiday Flight?
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
26 Nov 2025. National Day weekend is almost here - but are there still seats left for a last-minute getaway? We ask travel expert Emily Jenkins. Plus,...
Is Dubai Heading for Oversupply?
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
25 Nov 2025. Knight Frank warns that supply could start outpacing demand. We ask Faisal Durrani whether Dubai’s property market is really at ris...
What 2026 Could Mean for Your Salary
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
24 Nov 2025. It’s salary survey season and Cooper Fitch is projecting just 1.6% growth in UAE pay next year, why? CEO Trefor Murphy joins us to ...
Dubai Airshow 2025: Boeing vs Airbus
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
21 Nov 2025. Dubai Airshow 2025 is over - who topped the order table? We break it down with aviation expert Nick Humphrey. Plus, what the week meant f...
Is it a boat - is it a plane? Or is it a.....sea-glider?
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
20 Nov 2025. Georgia Tolley sits down with REGENT’s Co-Founder and CEO to explore the sea-glider set to take to the country’s skies and wa...
Live from Dubai Airshow 2025: C-Suite Special
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
19 Nov 2025. We’re broadcasting live from Day 3 of the Dubai Airshow 2025 - and it’s a full C-suite takeover at the biggest aviation event...
Emirates Places $38 Billion Boeing Order
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
18 Nov 2025. Broadcasting live from the Dubai Airshow 2025, we break down the biggest headline of the week: Emirates has ordered 65 Boeing 777s, along...
Dubai's a magnet for talent, but do some residents risk being left behind in the AI gold rush?
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
17 Nov 2025. Is the city’s liveability being tested, and are some residents at risk of being left behind? Georgia Tolley reports from New York a...
Dubai Chambers opens first New York office
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
14 Nov 2025. Dubai Chambers is heading to the US, opening its first American office in New York, an announcement made at the Dubai Business Forum. Exe...
Dubai Exhibition Centre Expansion Nears Its First Milestone
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
13 Nov 2025. Dubai Exhibition Centre’s AED 10 billion expansion is powering ahead, with Phase 1 on track for completion in Q1 2026. We speak to ...
Abu Dhabi Takes Flight with Emirate-Wide Vertiport Network
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
12 Nov 2025. Abu Dhabi is building a citywide network of air taxi vertiports, with more than 10 sites planned and the first two ready early next year....
Eye on Abu Dhabi: ADGM at 10
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
11 Nov 2025. Abu Dhabi Global Market is marking 10 years, but what will the next decade look like? We speak to Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief of Market Deve...
Dubai Economy Grows 4.4% in H1
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
10 Nov 2025. Dubai’s economy expanded 4.4% in the first half of 2025, with Q2 growth hitting 4.7%. We ask economist Jeanne Walters which sectors...
Emirates Group posts record H1 profit
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
07 Nov 2025. Emirates Group has announced another record-breaking half-year, with profits up 13% year-on-year. We crunch those Emirates numbers like a...
Adnoc Drilling has just made a second regional acquisition
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
06 Nov 2025. ADNOC Drilling has announced its second regional acquisition, buying an 80% stake in MBS Petroleum Services adding 21 rigs to its fleet a...
Dubai Holding launches AI venture with Palantir
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
05 Nov 2025. Dubai Holding and Palantir Technologies have launched a joint venture called Aither, aimed at driving AI transformation across the UAE&rs...
The Rise of the Purple Dirham
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
04 Nov 2025. We speak to Paralympian and entrepreneur Jessica Smith, the woman behind the Purple Dirham - an initiative championing accessibility and ...
Dubai Duty Free Hits Record October Sales
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
03 Nov 2025. Dubai Duty Free has logged its best-ever October and the third-highest monthly sales in its history. CEO Ramesh Cidambi joins us to break...
Boom in real estate brokers - but how many can actually make it?
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
31 Oct 2025. Dubai gained 37 new real estate brokers every day last quarter, but how many actually make it in the business? We ask Nathan Kearney of E...
Fed Cuts Rates - UAE Follows Suit
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
30 Oct 2025. The US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates by a quarter of a percent and the UAE Central Bank followed immediately. We ask economist D...
Are jobs keeping up with population growth?
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
29 Oct 2025. We spoke to Dr. Trefor Murphy of Cooper Fitch after UAE job creation rose 3% in Q3. Plus Emirates’ Nick Moore on biometrics, Skywar...
UAE Budget Forecasts 30% Rise in Revenues for 2026
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
28 Oct 2025. The UAE Cabinet has approved the 2026 federal budget, projecting a 30% increase in revenues and balanced spending for another year. We as...
Amanat to IPO education subsidiary
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
27 Oct 2025. Investment firm Amanat plans to sell a 30% stake in its education subsidiary, Al Masar Al Shamil Education, ahead of a listing on Sa...
Emaar Launches Dhs100 Billion Luxury Masterplan
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
24 Oct 2025. Loads of masterplan announcement - including Emaar launching Dubai Mansions, 40,000 ultra-luxury homes, as part of a wider 100 billion di...
Why Fewer People Are Asking for Pay Rises in the UAE?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
23 Oct 2025. Salary negotiations in the UAE have declined sharply over the past year, according to Michael Page’s latest report. We ask the team...
Record-Breaking Summer for Miral
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
22 Oct 2025. Abu Dhabi’s theme park operator Miral Destinations has announced its best summer ever. We speak to the CEO about how they kept the ...
The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
21 Oct 2025. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has launched a national campaign positioning the UAE as “The Startup Capital of the World.&...
Is Golf in Dubai Getting Too Expensive?
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
20 Oct 2025. Are tee times in Dubai getting harder to book and pricier too? We speak to Chris May, CEO of Dubai Golf, about why membership costs are r...
LVMH shares surge on China demand - what does that mean for the luxury fashion market?
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
17 Oct 2025. LVMH shares have posted their best day in more than two decades on hopes the Chinese luxury shopper is making a comeback. We ask the team...
Heriot Watt is expanding into Saudi Arabia.
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
16 Oct 2025. Heriot-Watt University is expanding into Saudi Arabia after receiving the green light to open a new campus. We speak to Professor Dame He...
IMF upgrades its forecast for global growth
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
15 Oct 2025. The IMF has raised its forecast for global growth this year to 3.2%, though it warns that the full impact of trade tariffs has yet to be ...
Dubizzle has announced its IPO plans
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
14 Oct 2025. Dubizzle will sell just over 30% of its shares ahead of a November listing on the Dubai Financial Market. CEO Haider Ali Khan joins us to...
Dubizzle has announced its long-awaited IPO.
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
13 Oct 2025. We get analysis from market expert Sameer Lakhani on what the listing means for investors and the UAE’s tech scene. Plus, Chinese c...
Silver dirham special
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
10 Oct 2025. More retirees are moving to Dubai, often to be closer to family. We look at what it takes to make the move, from visas to insurance,...
Riyadh Air Sets Date for Take-Off
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
09 Oct 2025. Riyadh Air has confirmed the date of its inaugural flight, launching to London on October 26, with a Dubai route following a month later....
MAF to Build a Mall in a Forest
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
08 Oct 2025. Majid Al Futtaim is going green - literally. The company has announced plans to build its 30th shopping mall in a forest. We speak to Kha...
What travellers really want and are willing to pay?
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
07 Oct 2025. A major new global study reveals what travellers really want from airports and airlines and what they’re actually willing to pay fo...
A Big Rocket-Thrusting Announcement!
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
06 Oct 2025. The UAE’s Technology Innovation Institute has hit a new milestone in space propulsion. We get the details of this “big rocket...
Abu Dhabi GDP grew 3.8% in Q2
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
03 Oct 2025. Abu Dhabi’s GDP grew 3.8% in Q2 compared with a year earlier, with the non-oil economy up 6.6% to its highest quarterly value ever,...
New JV set up to operate Etihad Rail passenger services
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
02 Oct 2025. Etihad Rail has created a new joint venture with French train operator Keolis to run the UAE’s passenger rail services when they la...
Motorists in the UAE will have to pay more to fill up at the pump this month
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
01 Oct 2025. We put the latest fuel price hike in context with Emirates NBD economist Jeanne Walters. Plus, Careem is expanding beyond ride-hailing wi...
Farewell Richard Dean: A Business Breakfast Special
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
30 Sep 2025. It’s the end of an era as we bid adieu to our very own Richard Dean, who hangs up his headphones after two decades on The Business ...
Flying Taxis Come to RAK
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
29 Sep 2025. Ras Al Khaimah is getting flying taxis! Skyports, Joby, and RAKTA have signed a deal to launch an air taxi service, connecting Dubai, the...
Rent cap in Riyadh, Good or Bad?
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
26 Sep 2025. Saudi Arabia has frozen rent hikes in Riyadh for the next five years to tackle soaring prices. We ask Matt Myers of Heriot-Watt Universit...
What Does a Smart City Look Like?
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
25 Sept 2025. It’s Day 4 of our live broadcast from Presight HQ in Abu Dhabi for AI Week in partnership with Microsoft. Martin Yates, Execu...
The OECD has upgraded its global economic growth forecast
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
24 Sep 2025. The OECD has raised its global growth forecast to 3.2% this year, but warned the full impact of tariffs is still to come. We ask Emirates...
Presight and Shurooq have teamed up for a 100 million dollar AI investment fund
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
23 Sep 2025. Presight CEO Thomas Pramotedham revealed the news live on The Business Breakfast, outlining how the fund aims to back cutting-edge AI ven...
Will $100K US Visa Fees Hit UAE Tech Hiring?
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
22 Sep 2025. We’re broadcasting live from Presight HQ to find out where the AI firm fits into the wider G42 ecosystem and what’s next for ...
Live from Aldar’s latest real estate launch party!
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
19 Sep 2025. We’re live from Aldar’s latest Dubai launch party as Cecilia Reinaldo takes us inside the developer’s newest proje...
The US Fed cuts interest rates by a quarter point, The UAE Central Bank immediately does the same
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
18 Sep 2025. The US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates by a quarter point and the UAE Central Bank immediately followed, lowering the base rate to...
Gulf’s Big Spenders & Coffee-Nomics
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
17 Sep 2025. Affluent Gulf consumers have doubled their spending in the past two years, according to Visa. We speak to Dr Saeeda Jaffar to find out wh...
Why are Asian companies moving to Dubai?
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
16 Sep 2025. More than half of the new companies setting up in Dubai this year are from Asia. We ask Professor Aditya Moses of the Indian Institute of...
Emaar Eyes Global Expansion
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
15 Sep 2025. Emaar Properties is planning acquisitions in “big countries” including the US, India, and China with Chairman Mohamed Alabbar...
A Big Week for AI
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
12 Sep 2025. From Larry Ellison’s fortune jump to Abu Dhabi’s launch of K2 Think, it’s been a huge week for AI. Professor Nancy Glea...
UK FinTech firm Revolut arrives in the UAE
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
11 Sep 2025. UK fintech giant Revolut is one step closer to launching in the UAE after receiving initial Central Bank approval. We spoke to regional C...
Dubai’s Newest Unicorn
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
10 Sep 2025. US investment giants Permira and Blackstone have paid $525 million for a stake in Dubai-based Property Finder, valuing the company at $2 ...
PRYPCO has just closed a Pre-Series A round led by General Catalyst
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
09 Sep 2025. UAE proptech PRYPCO has closed a Pre-Series a round led by General Catalyst. We speak to founder Amira Sajwani about what it means for in...
Du selling more shares
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
08 Sep 2025. We’re live from NIO Hub Dubai with a flurry of announcements: Du is selling more shares in a secondary public offering, with just o...
Etihad Profit Jumps 32% in H1
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
04 Sep 2025. Discussing earnings - Etihad Airways posts record first-half profit, up 32% year-on-year, with passenger and cargo revenue both rising. M...
Gold hits a record high above $3,500
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
03 Sep 2025. Gold has surged to an all-time high above $3,500 an ounce, with silver topping $40 for the first time in 14 years. We get the story from ...
Which professions do we most love to hate?
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
02 Sep 2025. It’s time for the annual Insight Discovery reputation survey, which jobs do we admire, and which ones do we mistrust? CEO Nigel Sil...
Petrol prices flat for September, while diesel falls
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
01 Sep 2025. UAE petrol prices are flat for September, but down 7% from last year. We ask economist Ed Bell what that means for inflation and the oil ...
Dubai's population crosses 4 million
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
29 Aug 2025. Dubai’s population has crossed 4 million, according to the Dubai Statistics Centre, that's growing at nearly 7% a year since 1985, ...
Nvidia Beats, Tariffs Bite & Women in Leadership
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
28 Aug 2025. Nvidia’s profits beat expectations, but shares fell on concerns over data centre demand. We get reaction from Josh Gilbert of eToro...
T-day: India tariff kicks in!
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
27 Aug 2025. 50% tariffs on Indian exports to the US come into effect today. We asked economist Daniel Richards what it means for India’s econom...
UAE Finance Leaders Embrace AI Faster Than the Rest
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
26 Aug 2025. A new KPMG report shows finance leaders in the UAE are adopting artificial intelligence at a quicker pace than their global peers. We bre...
Back to School: The Business Behind the Classrooms
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
25 Aug 2025. Dubai will see 25 new schools, colleges and nurseries open this academic year, according to KHDA. As thousands of children return to the ...
Markets bracing for Jerome Powell’s annual speech at the Jackson Hole economic event
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
22 Aug 2025. All eyes are on the Fed Chair today, what’s the main thing to watch when Jay Powell speaks at Jackson Hole? We ask Martin Hennecke ...
GEMS Education has welcomed over 1,700 world-class new teachers
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
21 Aug 2025. With the new academic year kicking off, we sit down for an extended interview with Dino Varkey, Group CEO of GEMS Education, on school fe...
Dubai is setting global standards in facilities management
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
20 Aug 2025. Today’s show puts the spotlight on facilities management with Engineer Ali AlSuwaidi, Chairman of the Global FM Association and Vic...
Global markets in a holding pattern after Trump, Zelensky and Europe's leaders meet
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
19 Aug 2025. We get reaction to the Washington talks from Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Bank. Plus, live from Delhi, Swarup Gupta...
The business of Back-to-School
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
18 Aug 2025. Retailers are ramping up as the new academic year approaches, Landmark joins us to talk about the business of Back-to-School. Plus, why a...
Dubai economy accelerates to 4% growth in Q1
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
15 Aug 2025. We crunch the numbers behind Dubai’s latest GDP data with Ed Bell of Emirates NBD. Plus, we talk Alaska-nomics, as Presidents Trump...
Is University still worth it?
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
14 Aug 2025. As thousands of teenagers across the UAE await their exam results, we ask the admissions team at Heriot-Watt University Dubai and Crimson...
AI is no longer emerging in the UAE, it’s arrived!
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
13 Aug 2025. Presight’s CEO says AI in the UAE has firmly taken hold, as the company posts first-half revenues of over AED 1 billion. We also un...
Talabat profit jumps 33%, with grocery delivery a bright spot
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
12 Aug 2025. It's delivery-nomics! Talabat’s CFO breaks down their latest earnings and what they reveal about the UAE’s fast-growing deliv...
Gold trades near record high on tariff concerns
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
11 Aug 2025. We get analysis from Emirates NBD’s Daniel Richards and Pepperstone’s Chris Weston. Tabreed’s CEO explains the business...
Is the Dubai real estate finally cooling, despite the summer heat?
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
08 Aug 2025. Trump imposes a 25% tariff on Indian goods. Some Indian companies are moving operations to the UAE, to avoid the 50% tariff on Indian exp...
The economics of hotels in RAK’s Mina development
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
07 Aug 2025. It’s Day 2 of our live broadcast from Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort by RAK Properties. We dive into the economics of hotels i...
It’s Day 1 - Live from Mina Al Arab in RAK!
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
06 Aug 2025. We’re broadcasting live from Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort - part of RAK Properties’ Mina Al Arab master development. T...
ADNOC Gas has signed a 10-year LNG supply agreement with Hindustan Petroleum of India
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
05 Aug 2025. We unpack what it means for UAE–India energy ties and the outlook for global gas markets with energy expert Matt Stanley. Plus, as ...
Dubai Duty Free hits new sales record in July
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
04 Aug 2025. Dubai Duty Free just recorded its best July ever - we crunch the numbers with Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi. Plus, Atlantis The Palm r...
It's Tariff D day!
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
01 Aug 2025. US President Donald Trump’s tariffs take effect. We get reaction from Emirates NBD economist Daniel Richards on what it means for t...
The US Fed and UAE Central Bank have kept rates on hold
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
31 Jul 2025. So what’s next for rate cuts and what it means for us? We ask economist Daniel Richards. Plus, ADNOC Drilling posts a record-breaki...
Profit & Performance: H1 Earnings Breakdown
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
30 Jul 2025. It’s earnings season - and Aldar reported a 24% surge in half-year profit, to more than Dhs4 billion. We speak to Group Chief ...