Author: Mahdeehassan

Dubai, UAE : NEO PAY, the UAE’s leading digital payments and merchant solutions provider, has announced a strategic partnership with Biz2X, a global fintech platform powering more than US$32 billion in SME lending worldwide through its AI-first technology. This collaboration marks a major milestone in NEO PAY’s mission to unlock embedded financing for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UAE. By integrating Biz2X’s advanced AI-powered lending engine into NEO PAY’s merchant ecosystem, the partnership will create a marketplace for lenders and borrowers, enabling real- time credit decisioning, tailored financing, and accelerated loan disbursement, all directly embedded within NEO PAY’s…

Kuwait City, Kuwait – Dizlee, Zain Group’s API (application programming interface) digital monetization ecosystem provider has entered a strategic partnership with Aduna, enabling faster deployment of new digital services across multiple Zain markets and Omantel, opening new revenue streams and enhancing the customer mobile experience. Aduna, a global aggregator of standardized network API, is a venture between some of the world’s leading telecom operators and Ericsson, dedicated to enabling developers worldwide to accelerate innovation and adoption by leveraging networks to their full potential via common network APIs. This collaboration will allow Dizlee to act as the gateway between Zain operating companies, Omantel…

Dubai’s villa market is entering a new phase of maturity, defined by an increasingly analytical approach to acquisition and investment BlackBrick Property shares its 12-month outlook for Dubai’s best performing prime villa communities End-user demand and lifestyle-led communities drive sustained price growth of up to 20% y-o-y Dubai, UAE: Global property and advisory firm BlackBrick, founded on over 20 years senior real estate leadership, today reveals the top performing villa communities in Dubai for the next 12 months. The findings, backed by BlackBrick’s client data, are supported with insights as to the key trends driving Dubai’s continual villa demand in…

Morocco- and Uganda-based VC firm First Circle Capital has secured $6 million in funding from IFC, part of the World Bank Group, to back high-growth early-stage fintech startups across Africa. The fund targets pre-seed and seed-stage companies solving critical challenges in financial inclusion, infrastructure, and digital finance, providing both capital and operational support to prepare startups for Series A readiness. With a target fund size of $30 million, First Circle has already invested in 15 startups across eight African markets, with 30% of its portfolio led or co-founded by women and half operating across multiple countries. In addition to IFC’s…

DALLAS – Jacobs (NYSE: J), in joint venture with AECOM, has been appointed by New Murabba Development Company to provide design services for the landmark The Mukaab — the iconic centerpiece of Riyadh’s New Murabba development. The project forms part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program to create a sustainable, connected and human-centered urban future. Designed as one of the world’s largest built structures, the 247-acre (100-hectare) Mukaab will anchor a new mixed-used modern downtown development combining residential, hospitality, retail and cultural spaces. Drawing inspiration from Najdi architecture — the traditional style of central Saudi Arabia — and integrating cutting-edge…

Elm, a leading digital solutions company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bahrain Electronic Network for Financial Transactions (BENEFIT), the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service. The signing took place on the sidelines of the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2025, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain from 2 to 3 November 2025. The agreement aims to explore areas of collaboration between the two parties across several strategic domains, including the development of shared digital services, enabling digital onboarding for financial services, and creating innovative solutions that enhance the digital empowerment of the…

Dubai/Mumbai – IndusInd International Holdings Limited (“IIHL”), promoter of IndusInd Bank, and Invesco Ltd. (“Invesco”) announced today that they have completed the formation of their asset management joint venture (“JV”) following IIHL’s acquisition of a 60% ownership stake in Invesco Asset Management India (“IAMI”) following all regulatory approvals and closing conditions. With Invesco retaining the balance 40% stake, both IIHL and Invesco will hold joint sponsor status under the regulatory framework. As of September 2025, IAMI is the 16th largest domestic asset manager in India with combined onshore and offshore (through advisory) average assets under management of INR 148,358 crores for quarter ending…

Mashreq reported an increase in Operating Income to AED 9.4 billion for the 9M 2025. The third quarter Operating Income of AED 3.2 billion, is an increase of 4% Quarter-on-Quarter and 8% Year-on-Year, reflecting strong profitable growth across all its core businesses, mainly driven by rising client activity, resilient Net Interest Income and high non-interest income growth (20% Year-on-Year). Net Profit Before Tax of AED 6.1 billion, underscoring the Bank’s ability to continue to deliver strong profitability amid a moderating rate environment, supported by a Net Interest Margin of 3.2%, a Cost-to-Income Ratio of 31%, and a Return on Equity…

Riyadh, PIF and ACWA Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities to develop power and water infrastructure for PIF’s local real estate portfolio companies. Under the MoU signed at the 9th edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh, PIF and ACWA Power will collaborate to further advance resilient utilities and sustainable infrastructure projects. The parties intend to cooperate across the spectrum of utilities projects to provide the critical energy and water infrastructure and services to PIF-owned local real estate projects. The cooperation between PIF and ACWA Power will expand the delivery of quality utilities infrastructure in…

Manama, Bahrain: Umniah by Beyon has announced a landmark partnership with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to advance the next phase of connectivity in Jordan, reinforcing Umniah’s commitment to innovation, digital inclusion, and national progress. The agreement was signed in the presence of Beyon Group Chairman H.E. Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and senior management, during Gateway Gulf at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bahrain, marking a new chapter in Umniah’s journey as part of Beyon’s regional vision. Under the five-year agreement, Ericsson will serve as Umniah’s exclusive radio access network (RAN) provider for 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies. The partnership…