fi nancemiddleeast.comSeptember 2025 | 3 I’ve always been fascinated by how the smallest things can trigger dramatic moves in the market. Think back to when Kylie Jenner tweeted “sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me ... ugh this is so sad,” that single post wiped $1.3 billion off Snap Inc’s market value. Or when Nike shares dropped after Zion Williamson, a star college basketball player, injured himself when his sneaker gave way during a high-profi le game. So on Friday, August 22, I cancelled all my plans just to watch Jerome Powell’s speech in full. With weak labour data, shifting gold and silver fl ows and fragile Ukraine peace talks in the backdrop, it felt like one of those nail-biting moments you just can’t miss. And sure enough, within fi ve minutes, markets reacted sharply. The Dow Jones jumped more than 600 points, the S&P 500 pushed past 6,780 and Treasury yields tumbled. The two-year note, which is especially sensitive to policy signals, dropped to 3.71%. We’re defi nitely living through some of the most interesting times. As I’ve said before, 2025 fi nancial news is already one for the books, with Labubu dolls and elections shaping much of the narrative. I’m excited to see what the second half of the year brings. Until next time. Nivetha Dayanand Editor GOOGLE: AI FOR ANYONE AI for Anyone by Google is a beginner-level and the original course designed for those with no technical background who want to understand how AI works in everyday life. With no math or coding required, the course uses clear explanations and real-world examples from Google teams to demystify core AI concepts. IBM’S INTRODUCTION TO AI (COURSERA) IBM’s Introduction to AI course off ers a practical and accessible entry point into the world of AI, balancing core technical knowledge with real-world business applications. 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TOP 3 FREE AI COURSES EDITOR’S LETTERfi nancemiddleeast.com4 | September 2025 24 16 26 32 MEET THE ENTREPRENEUR: JACQUELINE PERROTTET How Perrottet’s panic attacks encouraged her to build Hoopla, an app for children’s emotional regulation CODE MEETS CAPITAL With a central-bank joint venture and a pipeline of explainable fi nance tools, Presight sets out a plan to move AI from pilots to production across emerging markets GLOBAL WEALTH MAGNET Henley’s 2025 report cements the UAE’s place at the top of the global wealth migration table, but competition is rising LABUBU CRAZE BLURS LINE BETWEEN COLLECTIBLES AND INVESTMENT The purchase of Labubu dolls encompasses characteristics of both speculative investment and emotional spending 24 26 32 16fi nancemiddleeast.comSeptember 2025 | 5 38 34 48 54 FROM INFLUENCER TO INVESTOR Middle East infl uencers are trading brand deals for equity, ownership and deeper roles in the startups GULF IPO BOOM FINDS NEW RHYTHM IN 2025 Saudi Arabia drives the bulk of listings while Dubai introduces new vehicles, with governance and dividend policy shaping investor appetite TARIFF BATTLE BETWEEN US AND INDIA RESHAPES UAE TRADE FLOWS AND TECH LINKS US’ 50% duties on Indian goods reshape UAE exports, supply chains and outsourcing hubs BANKS CALL TIME ON BLACK BOX AI Firms push explainable, auditable models into the core of credit, advice and onboarding while regulators in the UAE, Europe and the US raise the bar 4854 34 38fi nancemiddleeast.com6 | September 2025 PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 444 3000 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London, Mumbai, Riyadh & Geneva ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO: Ali Akawi Managing Director: Martin Chambers Head of Business and Technology: Thomas Shambler EDITORIAL Editor: Nivetha Dayanand Tel: +971 4 444 3887 email: nivetha.dayanand@itp.com Project Editor: Heather Cichowski Tel: +971 4 444 3271 email: heather.cichowski@itp.com Commercial Editor: Angitha Pradeep Tel: +971 4 444 3278 email: angitha.pradeep@itp.com ART Art Director: Amjad Ayche Art Editor: Tofi q Memon ADVERTISING Group Publishing Director: Natasha Pendleton Tel: +971 4 444 3248 email: natasha.pendleton@itp.com Senior Commercial Manager: Ines Ben Rejeb Tel: +971 4 444 3223 email: ines.benrejeb@itp.com PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Video Editor: Liju Cheruvathur MARKETING Head of Events: Eleanor Ashton email: eleanor.ashton@itp.com Events Manager: Beverly Stanforth Events Manager: Gavin Moeketsi Associate Events Manager: Vrinali Nazareth Associate Events Manager: Maria Trishina Events Sales Executive: Jan Mokoala Events Sales Assistant: Joyce Salonga Events Administrative Assistant: Bobbie Rosario PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Senior Production & Distribution Manager: Balasubramanian P Production Manager: Anand Sundaram Distribution Coordinator: Avinash Pereira Circulation Executive: Rajesh Pillai ITP GROUP CEO: Ali Akawi CFO: Toby Jay Spencer-Davies The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. 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PUBLISHED BY AND © 2025 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC. 6 | September 2025 To fl ip through previous editions of Finance Middle East magazine, visit fi nancemiddleeast.com/magazine/ 6 | September 2025 FME_Sep2025_6_Flannel_13675031.indd 6FME_Sep2025_6_Flannel_13675031.indd 628/08/2025 19:2128/08/2025 19:21Join the #1 financial centre to access more private capital When you join the number one financial centre in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, you gain access to more private capital. DIFC is the gateway for transformative capital where 440 fund managers, and over 1,000 family-related entities, and institutional investors converge to deploy capital that drive innovation, scale opportunity, and shape the future of economies. Backed by a robust regulatory framework and deep investor access, DIFC empowers private market leaders to turn bold strategies into meaningful, lasting impact. Join the number one: difc.com/business/make-an-enquiryfi nancemiddleeast.com8 | September 2025 ONLINE Fintechs have always been ahead by identifying market gaps. Today, that gap is in time. Not minutes, but milliseconds. The three-second rule is now a business imperative. Saudi Arabia’s economy is projected to grow 3.6% in 2025, up from a previous forecast of 3.0%, driven by strong domestic demand and the phased removal of OPEC+ oil production limits. Regulatory guidance on stablecoins will prepare the ground for compliant investment products tied to digital assets in the UAE and elsewhere. This private coastal estate will house the region’s fi rst Cheval Blanc maison, marking the French hospitality brand’s debut in the Gulf. WHAT’S TRENDING ONLINE www.f inancemiddleeast .com UAE’s fintech race accelerates IMF raises KSA’s growth forecast UAE moves ahead in stablecoin race Shamal launches Naïa Island WHAT OUR READERS THINK... Salik, Parkonic launch AI-powered parking networkADGM Academy, PGIM launch RealAssetX “Excited to lead this transformation with Salik and Dubai Holding across premium destinations in the UAE.” - Parkonic “There’s plenty of ambition behind RealAssetX, but also a focus on real-world use cases, especially in climate and infrastructure.” - ADGM Academy FME_Sep2025_8-9_WEB DPS_13680089.indd 8FME_Sep2025_8-9_WEB DPS_13680089.indd 828/08/2025 19:2128/08/2025 19:21fi nancemiddleeast.comAugust 2025 | 9 TECHNOLOGY When Parkin made its debut on the DFM in March 2024, the company raised AED 1.57 billion, setting a new benchmark for what successful listings in the region can achieve. The parking infrastructure fi rm, spun out from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), captured investor interest with an oversubscription rate of 165 times, the highest ever recorded on the DFM. Yet, behind the headline-grabbing numbers lies a deeper story of capital discipline, strategic positioning and digital-fi rst execution that off ers a blueprint for other state-linked enterprises preparing to list. “At a simplistic level, oversubscription is a function of market supply and demand,” explained Khattab Abu Qaoud, CFO of Parkin. “But what really helped was that we were able to innovate in terms of our dividend policy versus other RTA IPOs.” KHATTAB ABU QAOUD: OUR UNIQUE DIVIDEND POLICY IS CENTRAL TO OUR INVESTMENT CASE fi nancemiddleeast.comSeptember 2025 | 9 ONLINE FME_Sep2025_8-9_WEB DPS_13680089.indd 9FME_Sep2025_8-9_WEB DPS_13680089.indd 928/08/2025 19:2128/08/2025 19:21Next >