Business Extra
Episodes
Why rent prices in Dubai have been falling
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
According to brokers, Dubai rental rates continued the downward trend experienced during 2018. Asteco noted “an increasing number of price-conscious...
Abraaj: a cautionary tale
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The National has been covering the Abraaj scandal from New York, London and Abu Dhabi as our editorial team brings you the key developments. In this ...
A hyper week for aviation and travel in Dubai
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, talks about the latest news from Arabian Travel Market. Deena Kamel, our aviation correspondent, dis...
Huawei and the promise of 5G
24 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The promise of lightning-fast internet speeds and a hyper-connected world that will spawn a new era of automation and AI is at the heart of the promis...
'Dr Doom' Nouriel Roubini upbeat on global outlook
17 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Nouriel Roubini is the professor of economics at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He is also chief executive of Roubini Macro Associates, and he beca...
What to expect at this year's CityScape Abu Dhabi
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
CityScape Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s most prestigious property exhibition, takes place next week at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Running from...
The dietary, ethical and economic benefits of going meat-free
03 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Agriculture is one of the primary drivers of climate change, estimated globally at making up 14 to 15 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, half ...
What the Uber-Careem deal means for tech in the Middle East
27 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Uber Technologies has agreed to buy Careem in a $3.1 billion (Dh11.39bn) deal that is the largest technology sector transaction in the Middle East so ...
Dr Reem Bint Mansour Al-Saud on gender equality in the workforce
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Reem Bint Mansour Al-Saud is a member of Saudi Arabia's permanent delegation to the UN in New York, and she is a passionate advocate of the UN's Su...
What the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy means for confidence in the Boeing 737 Max 8
13 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
157 passengers and crew lost their lives when an Ethiopian Airlines flight operating a Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed near Addis Ababba, en route to Nairob...
StartAD's Ramesh Jagannathan on innovation in the UAE
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Entrepreneurialism underpins the UAE’s push to broaden the economy and cement its position as a world leader in innovation. Ramesh Jagannathan, the...
Brexit uncertainty clouds investors' outlook
28 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With the March 29 deadline for the UK to divorce the European Union close on the horizon, investors both within the country and overseas are trying to...
How Adnoc earned world's top oil and gas credit rating
20 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is now rated as the most creditworthy oil and gas producer in the world, according to Fitch. This is a strong va...
Abu Dhabi hosts the world’s military big guns
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The global military industry is a vast and hugely lucrative sector where defence spending produces some eye-watering numbers. Next week, Abu Dhabi onc...
The curious case of QuadrigaCX
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
QuadrigaCX, one of Canada’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, last week filed for creditor protection saying it was unable to retrieve almost $200m ...
Adnoc and Saudi Arabia take centre stage
31 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s podcast focuses on Adnoc’s agreement with Italian and Austrian energy companies ENI and OMV and Saudi Arabia’s new industrial progra...
Re-shaping globalisation at this year's World Economics Forum in Davos
23 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The National’s Assistant Editor in Chief Mustafa Alrawi gives his take on this year’s World Economic Forum in Switzerland . The picture-perfect S...
Is the worst over for investors?
16 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sentiment among investors appears to have rebounded following a bleak end to last year, despite global issues such as the US government shutdown, Wash...
Is the US economy bound for recession?
10 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
US stocks have rebounded from an end-of-year lull, but many are forecasting a recession on the horizon. Complicating the US outlook is President Donal...
How Africa will shape and be shaped by aviation
03 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A fast-growing Africa could change the face of the aviation industry and the continent’s rising demand for aviation could also lift Africa’s econo...
Celebrating 100 episodes with 2018 highlights
27 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
To mark the occasion of both our 100th Business Extra podcast and the end of 2018, we are taking a look back at a few of our favourite interviews from...
Saudi Arabia's record budget for 2019
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor in Chief and Sarmad Khan, Company & Markets Editor, discuss what the outlook will be for the ...
Risk on? What UK uncertainty means for investors
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There is uncertainty in the UK, across Europe there is leadership upheaval, in India the Central Bank governor has quit and US President Donald Trump...
Why Qatar is breaking ranks with Opec
05 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Qatar breaks ranks as it says it will withdraw from the 15-member Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on January 1. Why now, and what ar...
Emaar checks out of five Dubai hotels
29 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Emaar Hospitality is taking a new approach by selling five of its UAE hotels to Abu Dhabi National Hotels. While the value of the deal was not disclos...
The one thing you need to know about the US economy
22 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past decade, 85 per cent of new businesses in the United States have been started by Latinos, with the women among them being the biggest dri...
Adipec 2018: Breaking down the deals and details from the oil and gas exhibition
15 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Optimism was high at this year's Adipec gathering in Abu Dhabi. Is the positive sentiment around the oil and gas sectors warranted? Mustafa Alrawi and...
Adnoc marks another first for UAE
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks to The National’s Deputy Business Editor Dania Saadi about Abu Dhabi National Oil Company using hydraulic f...
The evolving tech ecosystem in the UAE
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 inv...
The Saudi investment landscape
25 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Russian, French and Chinese companies have grabbed the momentum from the US for the opportunities created by the kingdom's Vision 2030. With the broa...
Abraaj latest, the UAE's economic outlook, and Fadi AlAwami's advice to entrepreneurs
18 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 Midd...
What the Baker Hughes-Adnoc partnership means
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 subs...
Cityscape Dubai shows positive signs, and Elon Musk gets a slap on the wrist
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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?...
Emirates and Etihad: What does the future hold?
26 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Why Uber and Careem should stay in their own lanes
20 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ride-sharing app Careem has been one of the Middle East's most successful tech start-ups, and competitor Uber is now reportedly interested in an acqui...
People can't get enough of Apple
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Despite ever-increasing prices and fierce competition, consumers flock to Apple's new products every year. Surely this year will be no different, and ...
ADCB merger would shake up banking sector; Oil prices rally
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A potential merger between Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Union National Bank and Al Hilal would create one of the region's largest lenders. The news has ...
Malaysia develops for foreigners, then takes it away
30 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday he wanted to prevent foreigners...
Greece is free from bailout but far from financial freedom
23 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Greece is free of of its final bailout from the European Union, allowing Athens to borrow from financial markets for the first time since 2010. But th...
Elon Musk's Twitter steers Tesla into trouble
16 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Business Extra Chris Nelson and Andy Scott discuss Elon Musk's increasingly erratic behaviour. The maverick billlionaire and CEO of Tes...
DP World's row with Djibouti will have far-reaching consequences
07 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
DP World is asserting the validity of a London arbitration court ruling in its favour against the government of Djibouti over the seizure of the Doral...
The unravelling of Abraaj, plus summer spending tips and more
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The fall from grace of private-equity firm Abraaj Group took a new turn this week as founder Arif Naqvi faces another criminal case surrounding a bou...
Earnings season: What do the region's Q2 profits tell us?
26 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
First Abu Dhabi Bank's second-quarter profits soared past expectations, as did those for many of the UAE's biggest banks. Could an uptick in the fina...
How energy security drives UAE-China relations
19 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Growing demand for oil, gas and other commodities has prompted Beijing to seek more co-operation from markets abroad. The UAE offers a stable, geogra...
SellAnyCar.com's Saygin Yalcin on being a leading entrepreneur
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
SellAnyCar.com has become a go-to resource for those in the UAE looking to buy and sell automobiles while avoiding traditional classifieds and dealers...
How can we assess risk in a world growing more complex?
04 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi talks to the CEO and co-founder of Sigma Ratings, Stuart Jones, about his new firm's findings on the region and its top financial ...
The commercial power of the World Cup
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
From a branding perspective, there are few more visible outlets than the stage created by the Fifa World Cup. Success on the pitch can relate to sign...
Single mother clears debt with help from The National's Debt Panel
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The National's Mustafa Alrawi and personal finance editor Alice Haine mark two years of the weekly column, The Debt Panel, and speak with reader Sumer...
Bonus episode: World Cup quiz from the Extra Time podcast
14 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Business Extra and Mustafa Alrawi bring you our World Cup quiz from our friends on The National's sports desk and the Extra Time podcast. ...
Russia, Saudi Arabia and the state of oil markets with Robin Mills
05 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With top oil producers Russia and Saudi Arabia indicating co-ordinated increases in supply we analyse what it might mean for prices . Host Mustafa Al...
Cost of living in the UAE compared to the rest of the world
31 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi is joined by personal finance editor Alice Haine to discuss recent trends in the cost of living in the region and globally and how...
New UAE visa laws could spark massive growth
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The news on Sunday from the Cabinet that there is to be sweeping changes to visa and residency rules as well as that 100 per cent foreign ownership of...
Shaping tomorrow's aviation leaders
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Captain Tilmann Gabriel is the executive chairman of the International Pilot Training Association. An industry stalwart, he has held senior executive ...
A sustainable future but also trillions of dollars of opportunity
09 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Edie Lush of Global GoalsCast discuss the Sustainable Development Goals which are large-scale, ambitious and inspiring. Th...
InvestHK shines light on investment options in Hong Kong
03 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Phillips is the Director General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK, which helps international businesses set up and invest in Hong Kong. We ...
What next for the oil price rally?
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A pact forged by Opec and non-Opec producers such as Russia, the largest producer outside the group, has lowered global inventories of crude, reversin...
SellAnyHome.com is disrupting the real estate sector
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
SellAnyHome.com, launched in August, has already enjoyed phenomenal growth, disrupting a sector which has long been somewhat old-fashioned. In this w...
Providing support for the UAE’s multi-faceted communities
12 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Al Bayt Mitwahid is a UAE-based organisation dedicated to the benefit of all the country’s many diverse communities. Originally founded by staff me...
Virtual offices beg the question - what's in an address?
05 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Our workplaces are where we spend much of our time but these days, thanks to the inter-connectedness of the digital age, that could be anywhere. A...
Let's talk about global trade relations
29 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With tariffs and other measures on the table according to US president Donald Trump, it seems the world should be bracing for another trade war simila...
Health care in the UAE, part 2
22 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Business Extra podcast concludes its deep dive into the growing healthcare sector in the UAE. What does it mean to be well? This question is at t...
Health care in the UAE, part 1
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Business Extra podcast for the next two weeks takes a deep dive into the growing healthcare sector in the UAE. With the perspective of profession...
Abu Dhabi Rolls-Royce dealer takes luxury to another level
07 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The UAE is well known for its enduring love of premium luxury cars and the capital is home to Rolls-Royce’s most successful dealership. With an unma...
Rise of the robots: Automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace
28 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week host Mustafa Alrawi discusses the impact of artificial intelligence, automation and robotics with Sultan Mahmood, PwC's Global AI Lead and A...
Luxury boat industry drops anchor at Dubai International Boat Show
22 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Dubai International Boat Show starts on Tuesday next week, the Mena region’s premier event for the boating sector and among the top such exhibit...
South Africa at the crossroads
15 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The turmoil in Africa’s most advanced country is reaching crisis point and South Africa is at a crossroads economically, politically and socially. T...
How the media shapes investor perceptions
08 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
From Saudi Arabia's diversification efforts to the mania around bitcoin, investors learn much about opportunities in the media. How should they view w...
Brexit: The pros and cons from a business perspective
01 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union is set for March 2019 and businesses in Britain and Europe are bracing themselves. In this edition of Th...
A tour of Davos 2018
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi reports from the Swiss town where global leaders and top executives have gathered for the annual meeting of the World Economic For...
Digital security: Former Google executive on how to mitigate the risk of attack
18 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With enormous attacks on major public organisations and multinational companies across the globe costing billions of dollars, the conventional idea of...
What 2018 will bring for energy
12 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi hears from Lord Adair Turner, one of the key players helping to usher in a new era for the energy sector. S&P Global Platts' Chris...
Supercars in the UAE: What's driving the trend?
04 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, host Chris Nelson talks to The National’s Motoring Editor Adam Workman about the rise of the handbuilt sports and supercar industry...
How to provide a voice for refugees in the Middle East and North Africa
27 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi hears New York hedge fund manager Khaled Beydoun’s story of what he and his family experienced when visiting a Syrian refugee ca...
2017 business year in review: VAT, Apple, Aramco and more of the year's biggest stories
21 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a big year for business across the UAE and the wider region and the past 12 months have sprung some surprises and ushered in some major ch...
Everything we know about VAT - part 2. The final chapter and verse
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week, host Mustafa Alrawi and expert David Daly conclude their discussion about value added tax and what it means for the UAE. We look at how val...
Brave new world of financial technology takes root in the UAE
06 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson talks to Craig Moore, the founder and chief executive of the UAE peer-to-peer lending platform Beehive.ae, abou...
Is time running out for the Newcastle takeover?
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the latest twist in the saga surrounding English football club Newcastle United, which is the subject of...
The return of Opec's influence, but how long will it last?
23 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the surprise resurgence of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries with economics expert and reg...
Powering through from A to B ... what the future of energy and mobility will look like
16 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Harvard University's Alan Aspuru-Guzik who explains that organic storage technology is the big breakthrough to come for ...
Saudi's economic vision, the Wef rolls into town and top tips for networking
08 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses recent developments in the Kingdom with business editor Massoud Derhally. Looking ahead to this weekend's World Economic...
To the Dubai Airshow and beyond
01 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor, look ahead to this month's global aviation event in the UAE as the role of technology...
Unicredit CEO on reasons to be optimistic about Europe, Italy and the banking sector
25 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses the state of the banking sector with Jean Pierre Mustier, the chief executive of Italian lender Unicredit, who was in th...
Can the World Bank and IMF still lead us toward a prosperous future?
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 40: Mustafa Alrawi and The National's Editor in Chief Mina Al-Oraibi, recently returned from her trip to Washington for the World Bank/IMF Ann...
Deliveroo - disrupting logistics as well as the F&B sector
12 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi learns from food delivery app Deliveroo's regional GM Anis Harb that its business model - which gives restaurant owners and consum...
London luxury property - the asset class so beloved by Gulf investors
05 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor, talk to London luxury property developer Northacre's chief executive Niccolo Barattie...
The electric vehicle revolution is here
28 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor discuss Dubai's new incentives to get 32,000 electric and hybrid cars on the road by 2...
China's Belt and Road Initiative and what it means for Middle East trade
21 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Host Mustafa Alrawi was at the IISS Bahrain Bay Forum in Manama this week where he heard lively and insightful debate on the impact of China's...
Property developers in buoyant mood and why investor relations matter
14 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 35: Host Mustafa Alrawi discusses this week's highlights from Cityscape Global in Dubai with The National's Sarmad Khan. Looking ahead to the ...
Enabling the digital economy
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Business Extra, Episode 34: This week, host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Sirish Kumar, chief executive and co-founder of digital payments company Telr to...
Everything we know about VAT and what it means for the country
31 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 33: This week, host Mustafa Alrawi and expert David Daly break down the many facets of value added tax and how it could impact the economy onc...
How to invest in Africa: The National's guide to a growing market
24 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 32: This week, host Mustafa Alrawi finds out that there are many nuances to Africa as an opportunity for investors from the Gulf. Helping to f...
Womena and Awok part of The National's Generation Start-up
17 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi explores Generation Start-up, The National's weekly series profiling the most dynamic and exciting tech companies in the region. E...
JCDecaux's Martin Sabbagh on the advertising landscape
10 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 30: Host Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Martin Sabbagh, the Middle East chief executive of JCDecaux, the global outdoor advertising group. Mr Sabbag...
Energy and oil with Robin Mills
03 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's columnist Robin Mills discuss the energy industry including the tricky oil market balancing act that Opec is wo...
Bitcoin's value (or lack thereof), the financial genius of Chelsea FC and more from guest Sabah Al Binali
27 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Business Extra Episode 28: host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's columnist Sabah al-Binali discuss the pitfalls of investing in bitcoin and how finan...
Emirates president Tim Clark, plus one woman's debt victory: Episode 27
20 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Emirates president Tim Clark gives his candid take on the state of the aviation industry as the airline pivots for growth. Business Extra host Mustafa...
Adnoc's new strategy, Millennials in the workplace
12 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Business Extra host Mustafa Alrawi and The National's energy correspondent Anthony McAuley discuss Adnoc's new approach as it seeks growth opportuniti...
Business Extra Episode 25
06 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Host Mustafa Alrawi gets the views of The National's new business editor Massoud Derhally on what sectors and topics to watch out for. We also cover s...
Ep 24: The oldest cruise operator in the world, P&O, chooses Dubai as its home port from 2019 seeing a ship permanently based there
08 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Mustafa Alrawi, Business Editor for The National, and Andy Scott discuss the UAE's cruise business, the crews at the Boat Show and the queues for the ...
Ep 23: The whiff of a property rebound is scented in Dubai but it's Elon Musk that smells the future
15 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Mustafa Alrawi, Business Editor for The National, and Andy Scott look at the property race, hotel space and the case for electric vehicles.