EnterpriseAM UAE

Here’s what we’re tracking today

Adnoc Gas has a potential new buyer for incoming extra supply

Is a third Hormuz bypass on the way?

Gulf oil market shows signs of a surplus

Wall Street rallies after Democratic midterm sweep

E-invoicing providers' deadline passes and systems test begins

E-invoicing providers' deadline passes and systems test begins

Plus: Emaar moves ahead with 100% buyout of Emaar Development

Read today's issue

Thursday, 5 November 2026

Going digital

Most large UAE firms hired e-invoicing providers before Friday’s deadline, but many are lagging behind on the technical integration needed to go live in under two months. Industry heads warn that companies merely treated the mandate as a contract signing rather than a full-scale systems rollout.

Today at a glance

THE BIG STORY TODAY

E-invoicing providers' deadline passes and systems test begins.

IPO WATCH

DIP Holding IPO priced mid-range at AED 1.12.

ECONOMY

UAE non-oil sector sees record price hike as fuel costs bite.

M&A WATCH

Emaar moves ahead with 100% buyout of Emaar Development.

DEBT WATCH

Ta’ziz closes USD 1.39 bn financing for Ruwais chemicals zone.

Oaktree-backed Pure DC lines up USD 1.9 bn financing framework.

Editor's choice

UAE SMEs are borrowing again after a punishing year -Beehive’s CEO

UAE SMEs are borrowing again after a punishing year -Beehive’s CEO

UAE hiring pares back its 2Q losses on a September surge, but trouble in Saudi Arabia clouds 4Q

UAE hiring pares back its 2Q losses on a September surge, but trouble in Saudi Arabia clouds 4Q

The war made the Gulf more attractive to Swiss quant house Finreon

The war made the Gulf more attractive to Swiss quant house Finreon

M&A Watch

Emaar moves to buy out Emaar Development minorities at a valuation of AED 60 bn

Emaar moves to buy out Emaar Development minorities at a valuation of AED 60 bn

Magrabi’s Dubai Optical acquisition set to grow UAE store network by 18% to 97 outlets

Magrabi’s Dubai Optical acquisition set to grow UAE store network by 18% to 97 outlets

Edge raises its stake in marine tech player

Edge raises its stake in marine tech player

Amanat enters UK healthcare market with GBP 76 mn Cornerstone acquisition

Amanat enters UK healthcare market with GBP 76 mn Cornerstone acquisition

Abu Dhabi’s sovereign fund is helping take another listed company private, alongside EQT

Abu Dhabi’s sovereign fund is helping take another listed company private, alongside EQT

FINANCE

Dubai’s new tokenized fund for UK law firms targets a 16% annual return

Dubai’s new tokenized fund for UK law firms targets a 16% annual return

The fund has no commitments yet and is aiming for…

THIS MORNING: CMA eyes a safety net for investors + Emaar Properties eyes 100% of Emaar Development

THIS MORNING: CMA eyes a safety net for investors + Emaar Properties eyes 100% of Emaar Development

Adia buys into USD 1.4 bn of Avolon’s leased jets through a new leasing platform with I Squared

Adia buys into USD 1.4 bn of Avolon’s leased jets through a new leasing platform with I Squared

Absa opens in DIFC + DFSA fines Moody’s for data privacy failings

Absa opens in DIFC + DFSA fines Moody’s for data privacy failings

South Africa’s third-largest bank is hoping to tap into the growing Gulf-Africa trade

THIS MORNING: UAE pledges EUR 15 bn in investments for Greece + XRG eyes Libya

THIS MORNING: UAE pledges EUR 15 bn in investments for Greece + XRG eyes Libya

Newsmakers

Mashreq's CFO on how a regional war changed the bank’s capital playbook, not its growth ambitions

Mashreq's CFO on how a regional war changed the bank’s capital playbook, not its growth ambitions

Norman Tambach speaks on Mashreq’s AT1 raises, its risk optimization strategy, and a CBUAE backstop Mashreq says it didn’t need —…

My morning routine

How a 15-day holiday became a life in the Gulf for MRI Software’s Schalk Vorster

A family fixer and proptech CEO: How Rashed Hareb manages a family of 9 siblings and an early-stage startup

The self-taught food scientist who built a protein business out of dates, camel milk, and a washing machine

Justyn Cánovas is turning his idea of a good weekend into a festival business

Zamanat's Umair Tariq wants to put Gulf SME lending on the blockchain

Emirati CEOs claim nearly a third of Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 CEOs list

KUDOS

Emirati CEOs claim nearly a third of Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 CEOs list

The Emirati CEOs span sectors such as energy, finance, real estate, defense, utilities, and aviation

Moves

Al Etihad Payments, Bank of Sharjah make executive appointments

Al Etihad Payments, Bank of Sharjah make executive appointments

AD Ports + MultiBank appoint new CEOs

AD Ports + MultiBank appoint new CEOs

Arada taps Aastha Billore as CIO of new fund management arm

Arada taps Aastha Billore as CIO of new fund management arm

Regulation

Legislation Watch

Regulation Watch

Legislation Watch

New golf venues coming to the UAE + Dubai issues law governing gov’t outsourcing

New golf venues coming to the UAE + Dubai issues law governing gov’t outsourcing

The AED 1 bn golf push from XRange and Akcel…

Regulation Watch

Will G42 become a US company?

Will G42 become a US company?

That may be the price for retaining access to the…

Cabinet Watch

The UAE’s next phase: Scaling space, reshaping healthcare, and tightening food policy

The UAE’s next phase: Scaling space, reshaping healthcare, and tightening food policy

New national strategies set hard targets to scale space output,…

CBUAE

THIS MORNING: Wartime loan deferrals reach AED 15.9 bn + ADIB shareholders give thumbs up to rights issue

THIS MORNING: Wartime loan deferrals reach AED 15.9 bn + ADIB shareholders give thumbs up to rights issue

Plus: UAE-based school operator Alephya eyes KSA’s Ajialuna

Startup watch

BY Venture Partners closes USD 60 mn Fund III to back early-stage AI startups

BY Venture Partners closes USD 60 mn Fund III to back early-stage AI startups

The Dubai-based VC will write checks of up to USD 1 mn for AI-native startups

CNTXT AI opens US office to bring robots back to Gulf, eyes Europe and China next

CNTXT AI opens US office to bring robots back to Gulf, eyes Europe and China next

Funding for healthtech + AI film startups, Congo lists bonds on Nasdaq Dubai, Goanna joins ADGM, Edge backs High Lander

Funding for healthtech + AI film startups, Congo lists bonds on Nasdaq Dubai, Goanna joins ADGM, Edge backs High Lander

MENA startups set a mega-round record in 3Q as the early-stage deal base thinned 45%

MENA startups set a mega-round record in 3Q as the early-stage deal base thinned 45%

Shorooq and Presight take a slice of US robotics startup Maven’s USD 100 mn round

Shorooq and Presight take a slice of US robotics startup Maven’s USD 100 mn round

Seviora and FAB link up, another Chinese bank expands to DIFC, and AÏZA raises funds for Saudi expansion. Plus: More warehousing capacity at Kezad

Seviora and FAB link up, another Chinese bank expands to DIFC, and AÏZA raises funds for Saudi expansion. Plus: More warehousing capacity at Kezad

UAE Series A rounds halved in 1H as startups struggle to find investors willing to lead

UAE Series A rounds halved in 1H as startups struggle to find investors willing to lead

UAE-based proptech Huspy acquires Italian credit intermediary Integra Finance

UAE-based proptech Huspy acquires Italian credit intermediary Integra Finance

Agility Global locks in USD 560 mn credit facility, DP World secures Bangladesh concession agreement, PVP backs COFE Tech

Agility Global locks in USD 560 mn credit facility, DP World secures Bangladesh concession agreement, PVP backs COFE Tech

Plus: DP World gets 15-year Bangladesh port concession

MENA VC survives on bigger bets

MENA VC survives on bigger bets

Regional startup funding fell 22% y-o-y in 1H

An independent publication supported by

MASHREQ

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