Business and Finance

Hayssam El Masri, Regulation, Real Assets & Investment Resilience By Ami Pandey In the Middle East today, capital is no longer chasing speed. This shift emerges clearly through a wide-ranging interview with Hayssam El Masri, Senior Executive Officer at Ento Capital, whose perspective offers a rare inside view of how regional capital is being reshaped by regulation, governance discipline, and a more mature understanding of risk. It is chasing clarity. The region’s financial markets, once defined by velocity, ambition, and first-mover bravado, are entering a more deliberate phase, one shaped by regulatory maturity, recalibrated risk, and a growing insistence on governance that holds under pressure. Beneath the headlines of mega-deals and sovereign-backed expansion, a quieter transformation is taking place: investors are learning to value endurance over immediacy. This shift is not accidental. It is the result of repeated cycles of growth, correction, and consolidation that have forced market participants to confront a hard truth, capital that moves quickly but lacks discipline rarely compounds. What replaces it is a more experienced investor mindset, one that understands that the real test of strategy is not entry, but survival across cycles. At the center of this evolution sits a redefinition of risk itself. In earlier eras, attractive risk in the Middle East was often associated with access, access to deals, access to relationships, access to growth stories that promised scale before scrutiny. Today, attractive risk is being repriced through a different lens. Investors are less concerned with being first and far more focused on being right over time. This has reshaped behavior across capital markets. Due diligence runs deeper. Decision-making takes longer. Governance structures are interrogated with an intensity once reserved for valuation models. To an outsider, this recalibration can resemble hesitation. In reality, it signals confidence, confidence born from experience. Investors now recognize that resilience, not velocity, is what generates durable returns. The Middle East’s capital base has matured to a point where patience is no longer viewed as weakness, but as strategy. Regulation has played a defining role in this transition. Long regarded as a necessary constraint, regulation is increasingly understood as an enabler of better decisions. When regulatory frameworks demand transparency, capital adequacy, and fiduciary accountability, they force complexity to be addressed upfront rather than deferred. Structural ambiguity, the hidden risk that quietly erodes value, has less room to survive. In the MENA region, where international capital continues to flow in search of growth and diversification, regulation has become a credibility multiplier. Rather than slowing activity, it often accelerates conviction. Clear rules reduce interpretive risk, align stakeholder expectations, and allow investors to commit capital with greater confidence. Regulation, when well-designed and consistently enforced, does not suppress ambition. It disciplines it. This discipline becomes most visible inside the deal room, particularly during large-scale acquisitions. From the outside, such transactions appear bold, even aggressive. Inside, the calculus is far more restrained. Valuation and structure matter, but they are rarely decisive on their own. The variable that carries the greatest weight is operating control after closing. Post-acquisition ambiguity has undone more deals than price miscalculations ever have. Investors increasingly recognize that value creation depends on clarity, clarity around leadership continuity, governance authority, and decision rights. Cultural alignment, often underestimated, can determine whether synergies materialize or dissolve. The most successful acquisitions are not those with the most sophisticated financial engineering, but those where accountability is unmistakable from day one. This emphasis on control and governance extends naturally into real assets, a cornerstone of Middle Eastern portfolios. For decades, real assets benefited from an almost unquestioned assumption of stability. Physical presence was treated as a proxy for safety. That assumption no longer holds. Today, stability depends less on what an asset is and more on how it operates. Assets bound to rigid revenue models or inflexible cost structures can underperform sharply when macro conditions shift. Investors are increasingly evaluating real assets through an operating lens, focusing on utilization rates, pricing power, capital intensity, and adaptability. Tangibility alone no longer guarantees resilience. This reassessment reflects a broader truth: capital preservation is now inseparable from operational excellence. Ownership without operational insight exposes investors to hidden fragilities, particularly in an environment where economic conditions can change rapidly. The Middle East’s real asset strategies are evolving accordingly, favoring flexibility over form. Inside boardrooms, these pressures manifest differently depending on liquidity conditions. During periods of abundance, expansion is often approved with enthusiasm that outpaces stress-testing. During uncertainty, restraint can harden into paralysis. One behavioral pattern repeats itself with remarkable consistency, short-termism disguised as prudence. Boards frequently delay strategic action in volatile environments under the banner of caution, even when inaction carries equal or greater risk. Conversely, they may pursue growth aggressively when liquidity is plentiful, without fully interrogating downside scenarios. The distinction between high-performing boards and average ones lies in their ability to separate cyclical noise from structural reality. The best boards make decisions that remain coherent across market conditions, rather than reactive to them. Nowhere is governance more tested than during financial restructurings. Often described as technical exercises, restructurings are, at their core, organizational stress tests. While balance sheets may be reworked with precision, a recurring weakness continues to surface, fragmented governance. Too many restructurings focus on financial mechanics while leaving decision rights unresolved. When authority is unclear and incentives misaligned, even the most sophisticated restructuring can fail to restore value. Success depends less on technical ingenuity and more on establishing a unified governance framework that can function under pressure. Without it, restructurings become temporary fixes rather than lasting solutions. In this context, regulated financial environments such as the Dubai International Financial Centre play an outsized role in shaping investor confidence. Trust is not built on flexibility alone, but on predictability. Investors value systems where rules are not only well-defined, but consistently enforced, especially in moments of dispute or distress. The DIFC’s strength lies in its ability to deliver legal and regulatory certainty across market cycles. This consistency reassures investors that outcomes will not shift arbitrarily when conditions

Dubai International Financial Centre 2030, The Next Phase of Dubai as a Global Finance Capital By Marina Ezzat Alfred Imagine standing on the bustling streets of Dubai, where cranes sketch bold lines across the sky and ambition hums in every corner like an electric current. The air carries more than desert warmth; it carries possibility. Glass towers rise from the sand with astonishing speed, symbols of a city that has never been content to wait for opportunity but instead builds it. In the heart of this kinetic landscape stands the Dubai International Financial Centre, widely known as DIFC, a district that is more than a cluster of offices and boardrooms. It is a living expression of Dubai’s daring spirit, a carefully engineered ecosystem designed to channel global capital, ideas, and influence into one concentrated, powerful force. As Dubai advances toward its 2030 ambitions, DIFC is not merely expanding in physical scale; it is redefining what it means to be a global financial capital. The transformation is deliberate and strategic. Every regulatory refinement, every new tower, every initiative to attract global firms forms part of a broader narrative: Dubai does not simply participate in the future of finance; it intends to shape it. In a world where financial power has traditionally been anchored in Western capitals, DIFC represents a confident shift of gravity toward the Middle East, a declaration that the region is no longer peripheral to global finance but central to it. Walk through DIFC’s vibrant corridors and you sense this confidence immediately. Glass façades reflect not only the skyline but also the diverse faces of professionals from every continent. Conversations in multiple languages blend into a steady hum of deals, strategies, and negotiations. Investors and executives operate within a legal framework that is clear, transparent, and internationally respected, providing certainty in a world often defined by volatility. This legal and regulatory clarity has been one of DIFC’s greatest strengths, offering global institutions an environment that mirrors the best international standards while remaining agile enough to evolve with emerging trends. Now imagine that environment expanding—not just in square meters, but in vision. New districts and developments are rising to accommodate banks, fintech innovators, advisory firms, insurers, and asset managers. The growth is not chaotic; it is orchestrated to preserve the interconnected nature of the ecosystem. Within a compact geographic footprint, institutions can collaborate, compete, and innovate, creating a density of expertise that rivals far older financial hubs. At the same time, the regulatory architecture is adapting to accommodate new sectors such as digital assets, sustainable finance, and complex cross-border investment vehicles. The message to the world is clear: global players can operate here with confidence, flexibility, and foresight. DIFC’s expansion also reflects Dubai’s broader mosaic of free zones, each designed to nurture specific industries. Yet within this mosaic, DIFC stands as the beating heart of finance. It weaves together capital markets, private wealth, fintech, and professional services into a single, coherent narrative of growth. The district is not an isolated enclave but a strategic bridge connecting regional wealth with global opportunity. Its time zone position, straddling Asia and Europe, enables seamless interaction between Eastern and Western markets, making it a natural crossroads for international capital flows. Step into a DIFC boardroom and you encounter the pulse of asset management at work. Conversations revolve around structuring funds that span continents, allocating capital into emerging technologies, infrastructure projects, real estate portfolios, and private equity ventures. The Middle East’s expanding pools of wealth intersect with global investors seeking diversification and access to high-growth markets. Under DIFC’s frameworks, asset managers can structure vehicles that appeal to institutional investors, sovereign entities, and high-net-worth individuals alike. The environment encourages innovation while maintaining prudence, allowing managers to navigate shifting global conditions with resilience. Private equity firms explore regional opportunities in sectors ranging from renewable energy to logistics and healthcare. Hedge funds analyze macroeconomic shifts and geopolitical realignments, seeking alpha in markets that are increasingly interconnected. Venture capital funds back startups that aim to disrupt industries from fintech to artificial intelligence. Infrastructure funds channel capital into transformative projects that reshape urban landscapes and energy systems. In this context, DIFC functions as a calm harbor amid global financial turbulence, offering stability, legal certainty, and access to a sophisticated professional services network. Parallel to the rise of asset management is the growing prominence of family offices. Behind the glass façades of DIFC’s towers, generations of wealth are being structured and safeguarded with increasing sophistication. Families from across the region and beyond are choosing Dubai as a base not merely to preserve capital but to craft long-term legacies. They establish family offices that integrate governance, succession planning, philanthropy, and diversified investment strategies under one roof. The frameworks available within DIFC provide clarity on legal structures, dispute resolution, and fiduciary responsibilities, giving families confidence as they transition wealth across generations. The appeal extends beyond financial mechanics. Dubai’s safe streets, world-class healthcare, international schools, and seamless global connectivity make it a compelling home for principals and their families. The lifestyle dimension reinforces the financial rationale. As more family offices cluster within DIFC, a complementary ecosystem flourishes: private banks, legal advisors, tax consultants, and wealth planners establish a presence to serve this growing client base. The result is a virtuous cycle, where concentration of expertise attracts more capital, and more capital attracts deeper expertise. Perhaps the most dynamic frontier within DIFC’s evolution lies in digital assets and financial innovation. Enter one of its innovation hubs and you encounter a different rhythm—developers refining blockchain protocols, entrepreneurs pitching tokenization platforms, compliance specialists crafting frameworks for virtual asset service providers. Servers hum quietly while collaborative spaces buzz with energy. Startups and established global banks operate side by side, exploring how distributed ledger technology can enhance transparency, efficiency, and access within financial systems. Tokenized real estate offerings open property markets to fractional investors. Digital payment solutions streamline cross-border transactions. Fintech platforms leverage artificial intelligence to optimize risk assessment and portfolio allocation. Crucially, this innovation unfolds within a

Maxim Haartsen, The Surplus Marketplace How eJaby Is Turning Overstock Into Opportunity By Natalia Davis Culinary culture and premium food consumption are deeply intertwined with lifestyle and identity, food waste remains an often-overlooked challenge. Every year, billions of dirhams worth of perishable products are discarded, either because they fail to find buyers in time or fall short of retail standards. Yet, amidst this challenge, innovation is quietly reshaping the way surplus inventory is handled, offering solutions that are as sustainable as they are commercially viable. At the forefront of this transformation is Maxim, the founder of eJaby, a UAE-based supply chain e-commerce platform that has reimagined overstock management, bridging technology, sustainability, and consumer access in a way previously unseen in the Middle East. Maxim recalls that eJaby began as a simple but profound inquiry: what happens to surplus inventory that cannot be sold through traditional channels, and how could technology intervene? “First we identified the problem and researched the magnitude of it,” Maxim explains. “Then we checked existing solutions to find out how tech potentially could play an important role. After profound research, we connected various revenue models in relation to our tech solution, as well as its scalability.” The approach was methodical. Unlike conventional startups that chase market trends, Maxim and his team began with a deep dive into the practical realities of supply chains in the UAE and beyond. From warehouses to wholesalers, they observed a troubling pattern: overstocked goods either ended up being sold at extremely low prices, effectively a write-off, or, worse, discarded in landfills, often incurring additional fines. A fortunate minority of middlemen would intervene, negotiating prices on distressed sales, but these were ad hoc solutions with limited reach and sustainability. “Existing solutions are mostly brick-and-mortar and short-term,” Maxim explains. “I call them the two ‘D’s: dumping financially or dumping physically. Both are wasteful and lack a structured approach. eJaby is the first supply chain e-commerce platform tackling this problem with a longer-term outlook. We are using technology to unlock these products to a much wider audience, offering direct benefits in affordability, and setting up the marketplace for rapid scaling.” eJaby’s model hinges on leveraging technology not just for distribution but for intelligent inventory management. The platform integrates AI automation tools to connect suppliers’ inventory systems with dynamic pricing algorithms, ensuring that surplus goods reach consumers efficiently without cannibalizing regular retail sales. When asked about concerns over selling discounted products potentially impacting suppliers’ standard operations, Maxim clarified, “Overstock exists because these items cannot be sold through normal channels. By offering them at a lower price point, we are providing a limited, premium-quality promotion, unique, scarce, and not repeated frequently. It does not compete with regular sales.” The concept is simple but elegant: turn dormant inventory into opportunity. By doing so, eJaby not only reduces waste but also creates value for both suppliers and consumers. Current success stories on the platform include premium beef products that typically cater to hotels and restaurants, now accessible to everyday consumers, and organic grocery items, which have long struggled with short shelf lives in traditional retail formats. What makes eJaby truly innovative, however, is its technology backbone. “We are using various generative AI tools, predominantly for in-app automation of product management, pricing, and consumer convenience. Our roadmap involves creating a direct impact on the supplier side as well,” Maxim shares. The implications are profound. By automating pricing and inventory suggestions, eJaby reduces the cognitive load on suppliers, accelerates sales cycles, and ensures that products with shorter shelf lives are sold in time, creating a win-win scenario across the board. The potential for replication is substantial. While eJaby has focused on food and beverages, Maxim believes the model could apply to almost any industry where overstock is a problem, from electronics to fashion, from pharmaceuticals to household goods. “The problem of overstock exists everywhere trading takes place,” he notes. The startup is already exploring verticals beyond F&B, demonstrating an ambition to scale both locally and internationally. Convincing suppliers to embrace this new online model has not been without challenges. Beyond technological adaptation, the more significant hurdles are human habits and behavioral resistance. Many businesses remain accustomed to traditional selling methods and are wary of online channels for surplus goods. Maxim addresses this through education and by showcasing the economic and ecological benefits of the platform, gradually shifting perceptions toward a more data-driven, sustainable approach to inventory management. The company’s alignment with the UAE’s broader sustainability goals has been a natural advantage. eJaby contributes to the country’s Vision 2030, which aims to cut food waste by 50% over the next decade. As active participants in the Ne’ma initiative led by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, Maxim and his team see their role as both commercial innovators and social contributors. “We are solving a real problem that benefits society while maintaining a for-profit focus,” he says. The dual impact, economic and environmental, is increasingly rare among startups, making eJaby a standout example of purposeful entrepreneurship. Building eJaby has also reshaped Maxim’s personal perspective on efficiency, surplus, and consumer behavior. As he reflects, “As a startup founder, you are always ‘on,’ and being so invested in your business has a direct impact on how you look at the world. It still cringes when we see perfectly edible food being thrown away at hypermarkets or in the fresh section, knowing that these products will go to waste.” The insight is both human and business-oriented: waste is not only ethically troubling but economically inefficient, and addressing it requires systemic, tech-driven solutions. Looking ahead, Maxim’s vision for eJaby is clear: to build a secondary market infrastructure on existing supply chains. By leveraging a ‘light asset’ model, the company can expand efficiently into new markets without heavy capital investment. The plan is to replicate the success of its UAE platform internationally, offering businesses worldwide a smarter, more profitable, and sustainable way to manage overstock. This vision is grounded in practicality as much as ambition.

A New Milestone in the UAE’s Islamic Sovereign Debt Market The launch of the country’s first 7-year dirham-denominated Islamic Treasury Sukuk marks a significant step in building long-term local capital market depth By Hafsa Qadeer The announcement by the Ministry of Finance that it has successfully issued the UAE’s first 7-year dirham-denominated Islamic Treasury Sukuk may appear, at first glance, like a routine government financing update. In reality, it represents a carefully calculated step in the long-term evolution of the country’s financial markets, one that carries implications far beyond the AED 550 million raised through the transaction. This issuance is not simply about funding; it is about confidence, credibility, and the deliberate construction of a mature Islamic debt market rooted in the local currency. For years, the UAE has been regarded as a global hub for Islamic finance, supported by a sophisticated banking sector, strong regulation, and an economy that combines hydrocarbons with trade, logistics, tourism, and advanced services. Yet even in such an environment, the development of a full and reliable sovereign yield curve, particularly for Islamic instruments, takes time. The introduction of a seven-year Sukuk, the longest maturity under the Islamic Treasury Sukuk programme so far, signals that the market has reached a stage where both issuer and investors are prepared to think further ahead. Maturity length is not a technical detail; it is a statement. Governments do not extend the tenor of their debt unless they are confident in their economic fundamentals and fiscal outlook. Investors, meanwhile, do not commit capital for longer periods unless they believe that stability will persist. The strong demand reported for this issuance therefore reflects a shared assessment between the UAE authorities and the investor community: that the country’s economic direction is steady, its institutions are credible, and its policy framework is reliable enough to support longer-term commitments. Equally important is the decision to issue the Sukuk in dirhams rather than in a foreign currency. Local-currency sovereign debt is the backbone of any resilient financial system. It reduces exposure to external shocks, limits currency mismatches, and allows domestic investors to manage risk more effectively. For Islamic banks in particular, the availability of high-quality, dirham-denominated Sukuk is essential. Such instruments are not merely investments; they are tools for liquidity management, regulatory compliance, and balance-sheet stability. A longer-dated Sukuk expands those possibilities, allowing institutions to better align assets with longer-term liabilities. From a policy perspective, the issuance reflects a broader shift in how the UAE approaches public debt. Rather than relying on ad hoc or opportunistic borrowing, the government has been methodically building a structured programme that emphasizes transparency, predictability, and market engagement. This approach mirrors best practices in advanced sovereign debt management and helps foster a more active secondary market. Over time, this liquidity is what transforms individual issuances into a functioning ecosystem.  The Islamic dimension of the Sukuk is also worth examining beyond the usual talking points. Islamic finance is sometimes discussed in symbolic terms, as an identity-driven alternative to conventional finance. In the UAE’s case, however, it is increasingly treated as a fully integrated component of the national financial architecture. Islamic Treasury Sukuk are not positioned as niche products; they sit alongside conventional instruments as equal pillars of the government’s funding strategy. That parity matters, because it reinforces the idea that Shariah-compliant finance can operate at scale, with the same standards of governance, disclosure, and efficiency expected in global markets. Investor interest in this issuance also speaks to the changing profile of demand for Islamic assets. While regional banks remain a core constituency, international investors are paying closer attention to sovereign Sukuk issued by countries with strong credit profiles and clear regulatory frameworks. For many of these investors, Islamic instruments offer diversification benefits and, in some cases, alignment with ethical or sustainability-focused mandates. The UAE’s ability to attract this interest for a longer-tenor Sukuk suggests that its market is increasingly viewed through an international, rather than purely regional, lens. The broader economic context cannot be ignored. Global financial markets continue to navigate uncertainty, shaped by shifting monetary policy expectations, geopolitical tensions, and uneven growth prospects. In such conditions, capital tends to be selective. Investors look for jurisdictions that combine economic resilience with institutional clarity. The success of this Sukuk issuance indicates that the UAE continues to be perceived as such a destination. That perception has been built over years through prudent fiscal management, economic diversification, and a consistent commitment to regulatory reform. For the domestic market, the implications are potentially far-reaching. Sovereign Sukuk serve as benchmarks for pricing across the economy. As the government extends its yield curve, it provides reference points that corporate issuers, government-related entities, and financial institutions can use when accessing the market themselves. This, in turn, can encourage more private-sector issuance, deepening the Islamic debt market and broadening investor choice. Over time, a more active and diverse Sukuk market enhances financial stability by spreading risk and improving price discovery. There is also a strategic dimension to consider. By steadily expanding its Islamic Treasury Sukuk programme, the UAE is reinforcing its ambition to remain at the forefront of Islamic finance globally. Leadership in this field is not achieved through isolated, high-profile deals, but through consistency and depth. Regular issuance, a range of maturities, and active engagement with investors all contribute to that leadership. The seven-year Sukuk fits squarely within this long-term vision. It is worth noting that the size of the issuance, while meaningful, is less important than its structure and reception. AED 550 million is a manageable amount within the context of the UAE’s overall fiscal position. The true value lies in the signal it sends and the groundwork it lays. By demonstrating that longer-dated Islamic instruments can be successfully placed in the local market, the Ministry of Finance has opened the door for further extensions of the curve in the future. Of course, sustaining this momentum will require discipline. Investor confidence is built slowly and can be eroded quickly if issuance becomes unpredictable or if

Dr Rhona Eskander, The Guardian of the Natural Smile By Shazia Sheikh Chelsea is no stranger to polished smiles and bold transformations, yet Dr. Rhona Eskander has built her reputation by moving in the opposite direction. Her work is defined not by what draws attention, but by what disappears. In her world, success is measured by subtlety. If no one can tell dentistry has been done, she considers the job complete. Walking into her practice feels like stepping away from the familiar language of cosmetic perfection. The bright white uniformity that dominates much of modern aesthetic dentistry gives way to something quieter and more thoughtful. Eskander approaches her craft as a meeting point of biology, psychology, and art. Often credited with shaping what has become known as the Chelsea Look, she has spent years challenging the exaggerated smiles that once defined the industry. Restraint, honesty, and respect for individuality guide every decision she makes, even when that means refusing treatment altogether. What many people misunderstand about her philosophy is that it was never designed as a trend.  The Chelsea Look was not created for attention or social media appeal. It emerged naturally from years of watching how faces move, age, and rest. Eskander believes a smile should never overpower a face. The moment it becomes the first thing people notice, balance has been lost. She looks instead for harmony, allowing a smile to sit comfortably within the features rather than announcing itself. Her work celebrates what most cosmetic approaches try to erase. Slight asymmetries, natural texture, and unique tooth shapes are not flaws to be corrected but signatures to be preserved. By keeping as much natural tooth structure as possible and designing smiles that move fluidly during speech and laughter, she creates results that feel believable. Friends do not ask who treated the smile. They simply say the person looks well. For Eskander, coherence matters far more than perfection. This way of working did not appear overnight. Even during her university years, she showed an unusual level of discipline and focus. Winning Best Case Presentation while still a student marked an early milestone, though she did not fully grasp its significance at the time. Looking back, she sees it as proof that careful planning, documentation, and deep curiosity matter more than flash. Excellence, she learned early on, is built quietly. That mindset continues to define her career. While many practitioners chase speed and visibility, Eskander remains committed to precision and patience. Every case is questioned, every decision examined. She believes ambition in healthcare does not need to shout. When work is done thoughtfully and consistently, recognition follows on its own. Beyond technique lies the more delicate reality of fear. As a Dental Phobia Certified practitioner, Eskander understands that the dental chair can be one of the most vulnerable places a person occupies. For many patients, anxiety has little to do with pain and everything to do with control and past experiences of not being heard.  Her process begins long before any treatment. Conversations come first. Time slows down. Urgency disappears. Trust becomes the foundation. Patients are reminded that they remain in control at all times, that they can pause whenever they need to. Once fear softens, treatment becomes possible. Eskander sees this emotional safety as essential, not optional. Without it, no aesthetic result can truly succeed. Orthodontics plays a central role in her philosophy. Rather than viewing alignment as a stepping stone toward cosmetic procedures, she treats it as the core of long term facial harmony. As one of the UK’s leading Diamond Invisalign providers, she focuses on how teeth function over decades. A straight smile means little if it compromises jaw movement, gum health, or natural wear patterns. By prioritizing alignment, she often reduces the need for invasive cosmetic work. Moving natural teeth into their ideal positions allows aesthetics to emerge without force. Her interest lies in sustainability, not instant gratification. A smile should serve someone for life, not just for a photograph. Despite a strong digital presence, Eskander remains cautious about the influence of social media on healthcare. Visibility may bring opportunity, but it can also distort priorities. She draws a firm line between clinical decisions and online perception. Treatment plans are never shaped by how results might look on a screen. Integrity, for her, means ensuring that real world standards never bend to digital pressure. Perhaps the clearest expression of her values is her willingness to say no. Patients often arrive with images of celebrities and expectations that do not suit their own biology. When a request threatens oral health, function, or emotional wellbeing, Eskander refuses to proceed. She sees her role not as a service provider fulfilling demands, but as a clinician protecting patients from choices they may later regret. This honesty builds trust. People recognize when advice is grounded in care rather than profit. Over time, that trust becomes the strongest foundation of her practice. Despite accolades and recognition, Eskander remains deeply focused on diagnosis. She believes the ability to truly see a case before treating it is the most important skill a dentist can develop. Understanding occlusion, wear, gum health, and patient motivation must come before any intervention. Knowing when not to treat is as important as knowing how. When reflecting on success, she does not point to awards or high profile names. She speaks instead about patients who return year after year, families she has treated across generations, and the quiet confidence of someone who can smile without thinking about it. That sense of safety and consistency is what matters most to her. Her approach to beauty is rooted in longevity. She encourages patients to think beyond immediate results and consider how their smile will age alongside them. Subtlety, she believes, lasts. Extremes do not. A smile should belong to the face it lives on, evolving naturally over time. For young women entering dentistry, her advice is simple and firm. Protect your standards. Resist the urge to rush or perform for visibility.

Prof. Saeed Al Dhaheri Shaping A Humane Future For Artificial Intelligence By Michelle Clark For Prof. Saeed Al Dhaheri, the future of artificial intelligence is not a contest between humans and machines, but a partnership built on shared purpose. Over the next decade, he envisions a decisive shift away from simple task automation toward the augmentation of human judgment. In this model, intelligent systems handle heavy cognitive lifting while humans remain responsible for context, values, and wisdom. Collaboration, he believes, will outweigh competition only if three conditions are met, clear human accountability, where machines advise but people decide, ethical and inclusive design aligned with human rights and cultural values, and continuous reskilling so societies evolve alongside technology rather than being displaced by it. When governance and skills are aligned, AI becomes an invisible infrastructure that amplifies human potential, a future the UAE is actively designing rather than passively awaiting. As generative AI reshapes art, media, and storytelling, Prof. Al Dhaheri sees creativity not as a disappearing human trait, but as one that is expanding into a hybrid era. Creativity, he explains, has always been rooted in lived experience, emotion, and meaning. Today’s AI systems are impressive, but they remain derivative, generating outputs based on existing data rather than original lived understanding. While he acknowledges that artificial general intelligence may one day enable machines to create autonomously, he believes that moment is still years away.  Until then, the most powerful creative force will remain human intention, emotion, and the ability to assign purpose and narrative to what is created. In this emerging hybrid model, humans define meaning while machines expand the boundaries of what is possible. Ethical concerns around AI, in his view, stem less from malicious intent and more from the speed of technological evolution outpacing governance. Two areas stand out as particularly urgent. Autonomous systems that learn, adapt, and act with limited human oversight pose profound risks, especially in military contexts where life and death decisions may be delegated to machines. Current regulations were designed for static software, not systems that continuously evolve in unpredictable environments. Equally concerning is the growing autonomy of AI in critical domains such as healthcare, justice, finance, and security. Here, opacity, hidden bias, and unclear accountability present serious challenges, especially when algorithmic decisions can alter life outcomes. Existing legal frameworks still struggle with explainability, traceability, and liability in such high-stakes scenarios. Preparing for a future where humans and intelligent systems coexist requires transformation at both individual and national levels. Prof. Al Dhaheri argues that individuals must move from task-based work to judgment-based roles, embracing continuous learning and developing AI fluency rather than narrow technical skills. Understanding how AI works, where it fails, and how to collaborate with it effectively will be essential across professions. At the national level, governments must invest deeply in human capital, embedding ethical governance into every AI initiative while simultaneously cultivating future industries such as robotics, quantum computing, and biotechnology. The UAE, he notes, offers a strong example of this proactive approach, building policy, talent, and infrastructure in parallel. Integrating Emirati and regional values into the global AI conversation is, for Prof. Al Dhaheri, a matter of balancing universal ethics with local expression. Principles such as human dignity, justice, and accountability are universal, but their application must reflect cultural context. He highlights recent national initiatives designed to ensure AI systems understand and reflect Emirati culture, values, and dialects, rather than diluting them. Equally important is investing in linguistic and cultural sovereignty through local data and models. Without this, AI trained solely on foreign datasets will inevitably mirror foreign values. Progress made in Arabic language models provides a foundation for future systems that respect and understand regional norms. Beyond automation, Prof. Al Dhaheri sees AI as a powerful tool for addressing pressing societal challenges. From climate modeling and energy optimization to early mental health detection and personalized education, AI has the potential to enhance societal well-being. However, this potential can only be realized through strong governance, transparency, bias mitigation, and constant human oversight. Without these safeguards, solutions risk creating new inequalities rather than resolving existing ones. As a futurist and foresight expert, Prof. Al Dhaheri does not attempt to predict a single future. Instead, he maps multiple plausible futures by scanning weak signals across social, technological, economic, environmental, and political domains. Using foresight tools such as scenario planning, futures wheels, and backcasting, he treats forecasts as evolving hypotheses rather than fixed truths. Humility, curiosity, and ethical responsibility guide his work, ensuring insights translate into resilience regardless of which future unfolds. On regulation, he rejects the idea that ethical oversight stifles innovation. Instead, he advocates for smart regulation that sets clear boundaries without micromanaging technology. Regulatory sandboxes, human oversight, and accountability mechanisms allow experimentation while maintaining trust. Drawing parallels with finance and aviation, he argues that strong standards did not hinder innovation in those sectors, but rather enabled safer and more trusted progress. AI, he believes, must follow a similar path. Despite rapid advances, Prof. Al Dhaheri remains firm that conscience and responsibility are uniquely human traits. AI systems do not possess moral awareness, their outputs are statistical results shaped by data and objectives, not ethical judgment. Society must therefore treat AI as a powerful instrument, ensuring responsibility remains with the humans who design, deploy, and govern it. Explainability, auditability, appeal mechanisms, and clear liability are essential, especially in high-stakes applications. Looking ahead, Prof. Saeed Al Dhaheri hopes his legacy will be one of responsible foresight and humane innovation. He aspires to have contributed to a world where intelligence, both human and artificial, advances with wisdom, dignity, and purpose. If future generations inherit technologies that empower them, protect their identities, and expand their horizons, he believes that will be the true measure of success. For him, the future is not something humanity enters passively, but something shaped deliberately through responsible choices made today.

Atelier Aayushi Shah, Entrepreneur Where Silk Becomes Sovereign, Cultural Codes of Power, Legacy, and Wearable Art By Poulami Kundu Luxury, at its highest register, has never been about display. It has belonged instead to those who understand restraint, to cultural elites and royal lineages for whom value is instinctive rather than announced. Within this rarified world, recognition is earned through material intelligence, provenance, and meaning. Aayushi Shah Atelier speaks fluently in this language, offering silk not as ornament, but as authority. At the helm of the Atelier, Aayushi Shah approaches textile as a sovereign medium. Her work rejects visual noise in favour of tactile conviction, privileging what is felt over what is seen. “We exist in a visually loud era,” Shah explains. “My collector values quietude. While the eye can be seduced, the hand remains an honest judge.” This philosophy defines a clientele accustomed to discretion, individuals for whom luxury is private, almost ceremonial. When fingers meet the Atelier’s proprietary Japanese silk blend, recognition is immediate. Density, weight, and resistance speak without the need for labels. The dialogue is intimate, occurring solely between fabric and skin. Central to Shah’s practice is the concept of memory. Her silk is engineered to possess resilience, emerging from travel with instinctive composure, yet its deeper significance lies beyond performance. Silk, in her view, is a living archive. Absorbent and responsive, it carries the atmosphere of rooms, the warmth of the body, the gestures of its wearer. Over time, it accumulates a patina of experience, transforming each piece into a witness of private histories. Memory, here, is not nostalgia. It is continuity. Operating between Japan and India, the Atelier embodies a form of cultural nomadism long associated with royal courts and intellectual elites. Shah resists geographic definition, choosing instead to create textiles that are culturally fluent. Her silks respect the discipline of Savile Row tailoring as naturally as they honour the drape of a sari, the formality of a kimono, or the ease of a summer dress. Whether worn in a Dubai boardroom or a Kyoto residence, the textile adapts to the codes of its environment without surrendering identity. The brand is not anchored to place, but to purpose. This sensibility extends beyond fashion into the domestic realm. Many collectors choose to live with the pieces rather than wear them, framing silks as art, draping them across consoles, or unfurling them to soften architectural lines. Shah situates her work at the intersection of fine art, architecture, and heirloom jewellery. Each piece is conceived as part of an owner’s private landscape, intended to age with grace and relevance rather than trend. Bespoke commissions form the intellectual core of the Atelier. For ultra-high-net-worth patrons, exclusivity alone is insufficient. What is sought is specificity. Shah distinguishes between her Signature Collections, which articulate the Atelier’s creative vocabulary, and Bespoke Commissions, which translate the client’s personal narrative into textile form. Family crests, significant dates, ancestral estates, and shared histories are woven into silk with the same care once reserved for royal tapestries. These projects reveal a contemporary understanding of legacy: not something sealed away, but something lived with daily. Architecture and geography often serve as quiet muses in this process. Shah does not replicate structures; she distils them. A colour palette drawn from a private estate, a recurring motif embedded in a family residence, a symbolic architectural detail becomes fluid pattern. The transformation of static grandeur into wearable intimacy allows the owner to carry the spirit of a sanctuary with them, whether knotted at the neck, tied to a wrist, or draped as a mantle. This philosophy has also reshaped the language of ceremonial gifting. For nuptial and summit commissions, the Atelier’s silks function as codes of belonging rather than decorative favours. Hosts of significance increasingly favour symbolism over spectacle. When guests share a unifying textile, a specific print or colour, it creates a visual and psychological bond. Presence is marked. Allegiance is acknowledged. The gathering becomes a collective identity rather than a fleeting event. Shah refers to her creations as soft assets, a term that resonates in an age of financial volatility. Markets fluctuate, but narrative value endures. A bespoke silk that commemorates lineage or a pivotal life moment carries emotional equity that cannot be eroded. Holding such an object offers grounding, a sense of permanence amid constant change. Her design process thrives on tension. Structure meets fluidity. Restraint encounters expression. The pocket square and the scarf become archetypes. One demands architectural precision, the other invites movement and air. Prints are disciplined enough to appear razor-sharp when folded, yet expansive enough to read as painterly when unfurled. The hem anchors the form. The print liberates it. Authorship, for Shah, is never singular. She provides the language: fabric, composition, and quality. The wearer completes the work through choice, gesture, and context. Silk at rest holds only potential. It becomes art through interaction. In that moment, creation passes from the Atelier to the individual. Aayushi Shah Atelier occupies a space once reserved for court artisans and cultural custodians. These are not accessories of consumption, but objects of continuity. Collected, curated, and preserved, they define a modern expression of quiet power, where wearable art becomes legacy, and silk, sovereign.