Dubai Works Business Podcast

In today's Smashi Business Show, we cover three major stories shaking the region. Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery — processing 550,000 barrels a day — has been shut down after a drone strike, as Qatar simultaneously halts LNG production following Iranian attacks on key energy facilities. Brent crude is already surging past $79. Amazon Web Services confirms drone strikes have damaged data centres in the UAE and Bahrain, disrupting cloud services and forcing warehouse closures across the Gulf. And on a lighter note, the UAE dirham is set to get its own Unicode symbol — coming to keyboards worldwide this September. Stay informed with us.Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dAkTDhJ6WhatsApp: aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): aug.us/3BTU2MY

In today's episode of the Smashi Business Show, we break down three stories defining the Gulf crisis in real time. Telegram founder Pavel Durov calls Iranian missiles "free fireworks" and insists Dubai is safer than Europe — even as the UAE intercepts hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones. Gulf stock markets take a battering, with the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar shutting down entirely while Saudi Arabia and Egypt bleed in open trading. And Amazon Web Services confirms its Dubai data center was struck by mysterious "objects," triggering fires and a major cloud outage.  Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dAkTDhJ6WhatsApp: aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): aug.us/3BTU2MY

HEADLINES:• Gulf-Backed Paramount Emerges as Frontrunner in $111 Billion Warner Bros. Discovery Takeover • Al Nassr Star Cristiano Ronaldo Enters Club Ownership With 25% Stake in Saudi-Owned Almeria • DoorDash Exits Qatar and Three Other Markets in Global Profitability Push  Newsletter: https://aug.us/4jqModrWhatsApp: https://aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: https://aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: https://aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): https://aug.us/3BTU2MY

Three stories today, all pointing in the same direction. The UAE is too wealthy to stay on JPMorgan's emerging market list — a milestone that reflects decades of economic transformation. Abu Dhabi's G42 is pioneering an AI chip monitoring system so impressive that Washington is calling it a model for the world. And Saudi Arabia is channeling billions into data centers as the kingdom positions itself as the region's AI infrastructure capital. From bond indexes to Nvidia chips to megawatt data centers, the Gulf is playing at a completely different level. Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dAkTDhJ6WhatsApp: aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): aug.us/3BTU2MY

HEADLINES:• UpScrolled Hits 5 Million Users Amid Growth, Controversy and a Brief Google Play Ban • Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has reported a record annual profit in 2025 • Former WWE head Vince McMahon is NOT trying a buyback with Saudi backing  Newsletter: https://aug.us/4jqModrWhatsApp: https://aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: https://aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: https://aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): https://aug.us/3BTU2MY

HEADLINES:• Gulf-Backed Anthropic Accuses Chinese Rivals of Mass AI Capability Extraction • Al Habtoor Group Moves Toward Washington Arbitration Against Lebanon Over Investment Dispute • Elie Habib Launches Free Global Intelligence Dashboard After Building Anghami Newsletter: https://aug.us/4jqModrWhatsApp: https://aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: https://aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: https://aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): https://aug.us/3BTU2MY

HEADLINES:• UAE Thwarts AI-Powered “Terrorist” Cyber Attacks Targeting Critical Infrastructure • Saudi Arabia Eases Regional HQ Rule, Reopens Government Projects to Foreign Firms • Regional Outrage After Mike Huckabee Remarks, Tech Founder Amjad Masad Speaks Out Newsletter: https://aug.us/4jqModrWhatsApp: https://aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: https://aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: https://aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): https://aug.us/3BTU2MY

This episode traces the rise of Jordanian-Emirati entrepreneur Abdallah Abu-Sheikh — from hustling at 17 under family pressure to building billion-dollar platforms before 30.We unpack his journey from renewable energy in sub-Saharan Africa to launching Rizek in the UAE, scaling electric mobility with Barq, and architecting Astra Tech’s ultra-platform strategy through PayBy and Botim. Instead of building apps, Abu-Sheikh built systems — communication, finance, mobility — all designed to reduce friction across daily life in MENA.Now, he’s entering his most ambitious chapter yet: Mal, an AI-driven Islamic fintech platform headquartered in Abu Dhabi, backed by a $230 million seed round — one of the largest in MENA history.

In today’s Smashi Business Show, Gulf-backed Anthropic triggers a cybersecurity selloff, Lakshmi Mittal expands ArcelorMittal in Sharjah, and the Trump administration advances a proposed civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia.

HEADLINES:• Gulf States Commit Over $4 Billion to Gaza Reconstruction at Trump’s Board of Peace Meeting • Cristiano Ronaldo invests $7.5 million in Herbalife health tech company, stock jumps • Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Arrives in New Delhi for India AI Impact Summit  Newsletter: https://aug.us/4jqModrWhatsApp: https://aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: https://aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: https://aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): https://aug.us/3BTU2MY

HEADLINES:• Gulf-Backed OpenAI Targets $850 Billion Valuation in Historic $100 Billion Funding Push • Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala doubles investment in Bitcoin ETF to $630mln • Saudi's Humain invested $3 billion in xAI's Series E funding round  

HEADLINES:• Gulf Sovereign Funds Back in Play as Warner Bros. Reopens Paramount Talks • Stake Secures $31 Million Series B Led By Emirates NBD To Scale Global Real Estate Investing • Prince Alwaleed’s Combined Stake in Elon Musk Companies Reaches $9.2 Billion

HEADLINES:• US AI firm Luma AI opens Riyadh hub to advance Arabic-native AI with HUMAIN• UAE legaltech pioneer Clara acquired by Singapore’s Ascentium• Smashi Business Show Guest: Demetrios Bradshaw - CEO Of Aeras Aviation

HEADLINES:• Abu Dhabi’s MGX Builds Stakes in OpenAI, xAI, and Anthropic, Cementing Role in Global AI Race • Ex-Google X Executive Mo Gawdat Launches AI Dating App Focused on Lasting Relationships • UK and Canadian Funds Resume DP World Investments After Leadership Shake-Up

Smashi Business Show Live with Foodics Founder Ahmad AlZaini from STEP Dubai 2026

HEADLINES:• Emaar Posts Record 2025 Results as Revenue Jumps 44% With Highest-Ever Sales • Saudi Arabia names PIF head Fahad Al-Saif as new investment minister• Naguib Sawiris Backs UAE Digital School Plan to Train 100,000 Egyptian Youth 

 Live From Step Dubai Day 2 Smashi Business Proud Media Partner At STEP 

 Live From Step Dubai Day 1 Smashi Business Proud Media Partner At STEP 

HEADLINES:• Smashi Business Show live from Web Summi Qatar 2026 - Day 2• Disney CEO Bob Iger just revealed the location of Disneyland Abu Dhabi.• Saudi Arabia's PIF Lifts Year-Long Ban on PwC Advisory Services• Saudi Arabia Plans to Expand Premium Residency Program to Ultra-WealthyNewsletter: https://aug.us/4jqModrWhatsApp: https://aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: https://aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: https://aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): https://aug.us/3BTU2MY

HEADLINES:• Emirates Misses $10 Billion in Revenue Due to Aircraft Delays• Abu Dhabi’s G42 to Build AI Data Centers in Vietnam • Giannis Antetokounmpo Joins Lebanese founder Tarek's Kalshi as Shareholder • Step Dubai 2026 Appoints Augustus Media as Official Media Partner