Branson joins jury to award UAE’s Zayed Sustainability Prize

Sir Richard Branson, the British billionaire who founded Virgin Atlantic, will help pick winners of the UAE’s premier environmental award.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize is given to small businesses, non-profits and high schools to recognize achievements in the fields of climate action, health, food, energy, water and education.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology who is director general of the organization that presents the prize, said a record number of submissions have been received this year, reflecting the “growing global commitment to practical, scalable solutions that deliver long-term impact.”

Others on the prize jury include Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development; Wang Chuan-fu, Chairman and CEO of Chinese carmaker BYD; and Dr. Ing Christian Bruch, President and CEO of Siemens Energy. 

U.K.’s Zapp to launch in Dubai’s crowded food delivery market

​​Zapp, a British grocery delivery startup, plans to launch in Dubai this year, entering an already crowded and competitive Middle Eastern market.

The company, which launched during the pandemic, saw valuations drop as workers returned to office and inflation hit delivery spending.

“We are always looking for opportunities to grow our business and are considering launching in the region as early as this year,” a Zapp spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg.

Zapp says it’s rebounding by focusing on high-end goods, generating over $100 million in U.K. sales in 2024 through partnerships with brands like LVMH and Fortnum & Mason, the news agency said.

Zapp’s entrance to the market is the latest of series in a highly competitive market for delivery companies. Keeta, the international arm of China’s Meituan, has captured 10% of Saudi Arabia’s food delivery market just four months after launch.

Talabat, the Middle East branch of Germany’s Delivery Hero, raised $2 billion in December through an IPO on the Dubai Financial Market. The company acquired full control of Instashop from Delivery Hero two weeks ago for $32 million.