Methods for Optimising GCC Strategy in 2026

El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what suggestions they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Founder of Snoonu said it was "essential to develop limits" in between work and personal life and take brief vacations to "detach" from the office.

Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, stated: "If you make the individuals you work with happy, you will make the consumer delighted, who will then make the shareholders happy."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, said the capability to "not panic" is the key to discovering a service for issues.

Today, we're assembling more than 3000 meetings between financiers and 119 Gulf-listed companies with a combined value of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're uniting financiers, companies, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is changing in the area, and what comes next, consisting of the growth and continuous development of the Gulf's capital markets, and the area's growing role in international networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf area's economic growth in 2026, supported by strong private-sector performance, resilient 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 outshine most worldwide areas peers next year, with local GDP forecast to grow by 4.4%. Throughout the GCC, non-energy activity is forecasted to expand by 4.1% in 2026, driven by strong labour markets, improving credit conditions and rising investment in innovation and AI-related facilities.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Will Market Research Define Middle East Corporate Growth?

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

Growth will be supported by industrial growth and policy reforms, consisting of alleviated foreign ownership rules that aim to stimulate more financial investment. The fiscal deficit is forecasted to expand to 5.6% of GDP next year in the middle of softer oil costs, while the recent five-year rent freeze in Riyadh aims to reduce inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future real estate supply.

Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is also placed for another strong year of efficiency, with GDP projection to rise 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to expand. Tourist, trade and monetary services stay key growth chauffeurs, supported by population growth and sustained domestic need. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the 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, matching ongoing investment in infrastructure, innovation and global trade collaborations. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, said: "This quarter's outlook enhances how far the GCC has come in building varied, resilient and globally competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Advisor, and Chief Financial Expert and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are entering 2026 with strong foundations. Saudi non-oil activity is getting pace, supported by robust demand and rising investment, even as financial pressures increase.""The UAE continues to benefit from strong domestic fundamentals, a sharp uplift in government spending and continual diversification efforts.

Predicting the 2026 GCC Corporate Environment

GCC countries are rotating towards a strategy of 'strength over growth' getting in 2026, as the area prepares for a global landscape specified by softer oil costs, geopolitical fragmentation, and the rapid transition to an AI-enabled economy. According to a new regional outlook by PwC, the GCC is moving to insulate its growth from external shocks by deepening worldwide trade integration, protecting industrial supply chains, and performing a decisive shift from technology ambition to functional execution.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Negotiations for Free Trade Arrangements with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have actually gone into final preparing phases. The area is significantly positioning itself as a main center for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Passage (IMEC). To support domestic manufacturing, securing vital minerals has ended up being a strategic priority.