ESCAPE ROUTE

Muscat International Airport has turned into a key evacuation hub from the Iran conflict for wealthy Gulf travelers, with a surge in business-jet departures. Since Feb. 28, more than 90 private jets have departed from the normally quiet Omani airport, Bloomberg reports. Private jet broker LunaJets received over 800 evacuation requests in 24 hours amid regional panic, arranging two large group flights from Muscat. Meanwhile, Etihad Airways, Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia have begun restoring parts of their networks with reduced schedules as regional airspace restrictions ease, warning passengers that some journeys may take longer due to rerouted flight paths.

STALLED CARS

Neolix, a Chinese autonomous delivery vehicle maker, has suspended daily operations of its driverless vehicles in Abu Dhabi. The move comes amid rising regional tensions after Iran launched missile attacks on Israel during the sixth day of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, Chinese media outlet Yicai reported on Thursday. The suspension complies with UAE government requirements and aims to ensure the safety of personnel and assets. Other Chinese autonomous vehicle firms are also adjusting operations, with WeRide pausing its robotaxi fleet in Dubai and Pony.ai briefly halting on-road testing in Doha and Dubai before resuming in Doha on Monday.

International Holding Co.: Abu Dhabi-based investment firm 2PointZero Group, an IHC company, has acquired a 60% stake in Italy’s ISEM Packaging Group for $192 million.

Qatar Investment Authority: The QIA joined a $500 million financing round for California-based commercial space station developer Vast.

EDGE Group: The Abu Dhabi-owned defense conglomerate signed a strategic agreement to help strengthen Ecuador’s national border protection systems.

Public Investment Fund: Saudi Arabian Mining Company, known as Maaden, said its 2025 net profit more than doubled, and the revenue rose by 19%.

💵 Strategic Plan: Lesha Bank, formerly known as Qatar First Bank, said on Friday it will acquire Guernsey-based aircraft lessor Amedeo Air Four Plus for $1 billion.

🏠 Building Block: Saudi Arabia’s Dar Al Majed Real Estate Company awarded a $20.5 million turnkey contract to Emarna Contracting Co. to build eight residential buildings.

💰 Staking Fund: Bahrain-based Investcorp closed a fund that buys minority stakes in private investment firms, securing more than $1.25 billion in commitments.

🚁 Drone Defense: The U.S. and Qatar are in talks with Ukraine about acquiring interceptor drones designed to shoot down Iranian-made Shahed UAVs, with Ukrainian specialists traveling to Doha and Abu Dhabi to share battlefield experience countering the systems, Reuters reports.

🤝 Trade Pact: The UAE and Japan finalized an economic partnership to strengthen bilateral relations and boost trade, investment and cooperation in sectors like technology, logistics, cybersecurity, healthcare, and education.

🗞️ Headline News: German media group Axel Springer has bought London’s Telegraph Media Group in a 575 million-pound ($765 million) deal, scuppering a proposed acquisition by the Daily Mail.

🇦🇪 Solid Ground: Regional business councils say the inflow of companies and wealthy individuals into the UAE is unlikely to be affected in the long term, despite possible short-term disruptions from the war with Iran, Arabian Gulf Business Insights reports. 

👑 Gold Lining: Gold is being sold at a steep discount in Dubai as traders struggle to move bullion out of the precious metals trading hub, Bloomberg reports.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister, held a phone call on Thursday with Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, held a phone call with Sheikh Sabah Khaled AlHamad, Crown Prince of Kuwait.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday. He also met with Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said on Thursday that Egypt is continuing to try to launch a mediation effort that’s both sincere and honest to stop the Iran war.

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, warned on Thursday that the Iran conflict will have effects on energy prices, market sentiment, growth and inflation if it is prolonged.

George Prokopiou: The Greek billionaire’s Dynacom is making a fortune as one of the few legal tanker operators willing to sail to and from the Gulf, the Financial Times reports.

Hisham Okasha, CEO of Banque Misr, was named Chairman of Egyptian investment bank CI Capital, succeeding Ahmed Issa, Egypt’s former minister of tourism.

Dr. Maryam Ali Ficociello was appointed as CEO of the Saudi Red Sea Authority. 

Khalaf Al Habtoor, the Emirati billionaire and founding Chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, criticized the U.S. for drawing the Gulf region into conflict with Iran.

📚 Literary Gathering: Dubai’s weeklong “Ramadan Nights by the Creek” program wraps up on Saturday outside the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, featuring poetry readings, live oud performances, and craft workshops. The festival also features a Ramadan market along the waterfront and a dedicated Food Street with cooking demonstrations of traditional Emirati cuisine.

March 25-27: Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 6-7, Riyadh. Real Estate Supply Chain Forum. Transforming the real estate supply chain landscape. Mandarin Oriental. 

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.

TOKYO TRIP

The chief of Abu Dhabi’s national oil company has reassured Japanese customers and investors that construction at the company’s massive Ruwais LNG export facility is on track despite the Iran conflict, as Asian countries scramble to secure energy supplies. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and officials from the country’s trade ministry in Tokyo on Thursday amid growing concerns over energy flows to Asia after Qatar suspended LNG output. Japanese buyers, including Mitsui & Co. and Osaka Gas have stakes or long-term off-take agreements in the Ruwais project, while Yokohama, Japan-based JGC Corporation is part of a $5.5 billion joint venture carrying out the engineering, procurement and construction on the project. Al Jaber, who is also the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said energy security continued to be a priority, but “we will not be able to do much if there is any distortion in the Strait of Hormuz.” 

REAL TEST

The UAE’s years-long property rally faces its first major test after Iranian missile strikes unsettled investors, sending shares in developers such as Aldar Properties and Emaar Properties down about 5%. The sell-off comes as analysts had already warned that a pipeline of new housing supply expected by 2028 could outpace population growth, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, bond prices of major developers also dropped sharply, effectively shutting the debt market. With expatriates and overseas buyers underpinning much of the market’s demand, investors say the outlook will depend largely on whether foreign appetite for property in the UAE holds up.

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority: PayPay Corp., a subsidiary of SoftBank, has secured anchor investments from ADIA, the Qatar Investment Authority, and Visa, which together committed up to $220 million, Reuters reports. 

Mumtalakat: Aluminium Bahrain, owned by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, declared force majeure to suspend some contracts after shipping disruptions tied to the Iran conflict halted exports.

Qatar Investment Authority: The sovereign wealth fund joined a $500 million funding round for Ayar Labs, a Nvidia-backed semiconductor firm developing technology that uses light instead of copper wiring to move data between AI chips.

🔥 Gas Freeze: Qatar could take weeks to restart LNG shipments after halting production and declaring a force majeure suspension, threatening supplies equal to about a fifth of global LNG trade, Reuters reports.

🛠️ Facilities Management: Saudi Logistics Services Co. acquired a 100% stake in Belgian ground handling firm Aviapartner Liege for $32.8 million.

✈️ Return Flight: Emirates will operate more than 100 flights in and out of Dubai over the next two days, carrying essential cargo and passengers as it works to partially restore its schedule, The National reports.

💰 Chinese Pullback: Some Chinese financial firms are reducing exposure to Middle Eastern debt amid a widening conflict, Bloomberg reports. 

⚡ Grid Guard: TAQA, the Abu Dhabi National Energy Co., said it activated risk-management and business-continuity plans to protect electricity and water supplies amid the Iran missile conflict.

💰 Tax Incentive: Some wealthy Dubai residents stranded abroad by the Iran war are attempting to return home quickly to avoid losing their tax-free residencies, The Financial Times reports.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, held phone calls with multiple foreign ministers and officials on Thursday to discuss the latest regional developments.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a phone call on Wednesday with Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China.

Princess Haifa Al-Mogrin, Saudi Ambassador to Spain, met with Shaikha Nasser Al-Nowais, Secretary-General of the U.N. World Tourism Organization, at the organization’s headquarters in Madrid.

Nassef Sawiris, the Egyptian billionaire, was nominated by Adidas to be Chairman of the German sportswear maker, replacing Thomas Rabe.

Ben Black, CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corp., was tapped by U.S. President Donald Trump to help keep oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz by offering U.S.-backed political-risk insurance to tanker owners after private insurers pulled coverage, the Financial Times reports.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said in a LinkedIn post that he has been “working closely with airport authorities, airlines and security agencies to support our frontline teams as operations gradually stabilize.” 

☂️ Nanny Tales: Mary Poppins is coming to Abu Dhabi. The legendary umbrella-toting nanny immortalized in the 1964 Disney film will be singing “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “A Spoonful of Sugar” at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. Performances of the hit West End musical based on the movie run from March 25 to April 15.

March 25-27: Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 6-7, Riyadh. Real Estate Supply Chain Forum. Transforming the real estate supply chain landscape. Mandarin Oriental. 

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.

EGYPT DETOUR

Egypt said it could facilitate the transit of Saudi oil through its territory to ease export bottlenecks, positioning the Suez Canal and its pipeline infrastructure as alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz. Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi said Tuesday that Egypt is prepared to transport Saudi crude from the Red Sea port of Yanbu to the Mediterranean via the Suez-Mediterranean Pipeline, known as Sumed. The proposal comes after Reuters reported that Saudi Aramco told some buyers of its Arab Light crude that cargoes must be loaded at Yanbu on the Red Sea coast – a move sources say is intended to bypass the Strait of Hormuz following recent attacks on shipping. The Sumed route is not a direct alternative to Hormuz but offers a complementary route. The line runs across Egypt from the Gulf of Suez to the Mediterranean and has a capacity of about 2.5 million barrels a day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

BLOCKED BULLION

Flight disruptions across the Middle East have slowed bullion shipments from Dubai, stalling gold flows from one of the world’s largest trading hubs and tightening logistics for refiners and dealers, Bloomberg reports. The UAE is a key hub in the global gold market, refining and exporting bullion across Asia and serving as a conduit for shipments from Switzerland and London through air cargo. Although the disruption in Dubai is expected to be temporary, prolonged flight suspensions by carriers including Emirates and Etihad Airways could squeeze supplies to key markets, echoing pandemic-era disruptions that created major arbitrage opportunities for banks such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. Shipping bullion overland to other regional airports is often considered too risky and complex compared with transporting gold in passenger aircraft cargo holds, where insurers typically limit shipments by value rather than weight. Industry experts say armored convoys are possible, but far from ideal.

Saudi Aramco: Shipping rates from Yanbu in Saudi Arabia have doubled as Aramco, the world’s biggest oil company, seeks to reroute crude exports away from the Strait of Hormuz toward Red Sea terminals.

AD Ports: The Abu Dhabi-owned shipping company said all its activities have been resumed after the company activated precautionary steps to safeguard its business from the Iran conflict.

International Holding Co.: A subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-listed 2PointZero Group has acquired an undisclosed stake in U.S. health-tech firm Whoop, which has raised over $400 million since 2005.

Masdar: Abu Dhabi’s green energy company will be a minority partner in a $1.2 billion green hydrogen project in Spain’s Andalusia region, approved by Spanish energy company Moev.

💰 Budget Boost: Saudi Arabia approved a new package of spending measures aimed at supporting growth and cushioning the private sector from the economic fallout of regional instability.

🥖 Food Shield: The UAE has secured a six-month strategic food reserve to stabilize domestic markets, Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said, calling food security a red line as supply chains face strain.

🔧 Technical Design: Saudi Arabia’s Arabian Mills Company for Food Products signed $19 million in agreements with Bühler AG to supply equipment and technical designs for new and upgraded mills.

📈 Trading Restart: The Dubai Financial Market and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange resumed trading today after a temporary halt triggered by regional tensions.

📊 Market Strain: Investors are reassessing exposure to Gulf assets as oil volatility, disrupted trade routes and rising geopolitical risk ripple through equities, bonds and commodities markets, the Financial Times reports.

🇪🇬 Egyptian Crisis: Egypt’s economy is facing mounting pressure from capital outflows, higher import costs and weaker currency conditions, complicating reform efforts backed by Gulf funding and international lenders, The National reports.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received a phone call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday to discuss the military escalation in the Middle East. The UAE President received phone calls from world leaders expressing solidarity following the Iranian attacks, including Tanzania’s President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. The UAE President also received a phone call from Dr. Ahmed Al‑Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al‑Azhar.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan described Iran’s latest move as a provocative step likely to draw a coordinated response from Gulf Cooperation Council states, signaling heightened diplomatic and security coordination.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, met with Johann Wadephul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, in Berlin.

Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa reaffirmed his country’s commitment to regional stability and coordination with allies as tensions escalate.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, honored the winners of the Most Beautiful Quran Recitation for 2026 on Tuesday.

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, said Easter bookings across Europe are rising as travelers divert from Middle East destinations affected by the conflict.

David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, said on Wednesday ⁠that it may ‌take a “couple of weeks” for investors to more fully digest the impacts of conflict in the Middle East.

Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management, spoke on Bloomberg Live about how the firm is evolving its business in manufacturing, defense, AI and data to remain competitive not only in  the Middle East.

Dr. Faisal Mohammed Al‑Faqeerwas appointed CEO of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), following the resignation of Abdulrahman Al‑Fageeh.

🎾 Stadium Shock: The escalating Middle East conflict is rippling through global sports, stranding athletes and complicating travel to events such as the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics. Tennis tournaments in the UAE were halted, soccer matches in Iran and Qatar were postponed, and Asian Champions League fixtures were delayed as security concerns mounted, Reuters reports. Motor racing has also been hit, with the World Endurance Championship postponing its Qatar season opener and Formula One monitoring whether next month’s races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia can proceed as scheduled. 

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 6-7, Riyadh. Real Estate Supply Chain Forum. Transforming the real estate supply chain landscape. Mandarin Oriental. 

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.