Dirhams & Dollars

Everyone who works in retail has heard that shopping malls are the dominant shopping force in the UAE. Well, if this past Black Friday was any indicator, things may be changing. While preliminary figures are still not available for the past weekend, anecdotal evidence suggests that defenders of brick and mortar stores may have to eat a little crow with their turkey this year. Malls, due largely to their communal nature, still did a brisk business this past weekend due to the emirate-wide Super Sale, but Black (and White!) Friday sales online were also booming, so much so that several retailers had to delay some deliveries due to a surge in demand. It ain’t over yet, either. Today is Cyber Monday, which means more online deals. It’s just time to face facts. E-Commerce, thanks largely to Souq.com and a few others, has arrived in the Middle East. The new question is: What will physical retailers do to adapt? Ed will be talking to retailers at the Middle East Retail Forum, which starts today.

Here in the UAE, we have a comfortable history of (legally) not paying taxes. We all know that will official end on January 1, 2018 with the introduction of the value-add tax (VAT). Sure, we’re already paying taxes on sugary drinks and tobacco, but those are things you can do without. But car insurance, mobile phone service, and cleaning contracts… these are things essential to modern living. And they all requires contracts, so unless you’re lucky enough to have only have contracts that run from January 1 to December 31, you’re going to have contracts that run across *MULTIPLE TAX YEARS*. That could have an impact on your bills, especially if you paid them early. We knows it sounds complicated. Speaking to tax experts gave Ed a headache. But knowing how to deal with contracts from both a consumer and business standpoint is now going to be critical knowledge for everyone. So listen to this episode, because we talk what services will be taxed, what companies are doing about and even about the legalese tha

Following a blockbuster week in the UAE featuring three key business exhibitions, this week was always going to feel quiet. Thankfully. That’s not to say that the gears of commerce are not already beginning to turn: This weekend is one of the biggest in the retail calendar. Here in the UAE, we have the annual White Friday sale. We discuss what this means for the e-Commerce market here, and whether Noon.com will need to start introducing big events of its own in the retail calendar if it is to keep pace with the well-established Souq. We also discuss the minutes of November’s Fed meeting and what, if any, implication it will have on December’s interest rate hike, and the Autumn budget set to be presented by the conservative government in Britain.

When the UAE throws a party, everyone shows up. When the UAE throws three major parties, well, it makes for one of the busiest business weeks of the year. That’s what happened this week that started with the Dubai Air Show, which has been loaded with Airbus drama. For the more economically minded among you, we also have Adipec, the major oil show in Abu Dhabi. After years of saying that shale oil isn’t sustainable, has the industry finally accepted that $50-$60 is a balanced price for oil? Finally, the week is ending on the road (sort of). The Dubai Motor Shows kicked off with something to love for every auto enthusiast.

Boeing and Airbus compete for $15 billion Emirates pie by Gulf News

Today, more than ever, travel is an essential part of many people’s lives, be it for business or for pleasure. This inevitably involves, cars, aircraft, and trains. The question of today’s episode is: Would you let a computer drive yours? And more importantly, will you even have a choice? Pilotless commercial aircraft could save the industry $35 billion a year, according to UBS. Passengers are not so keen, however. We unpackage the likelihood of a shift to pilotless aircraft, how it might be introduced, and what might incentivise people to fly on a pilotless aircraft.

While the US finally saw a new chairman of the Federal Reserve nominated to replace outgoing Janet Yellen, Saudi Arabia saw a government shake up of its own, with several high profile ministerial replacements. We discuss the implications of Jerome Powell’s nomination, and why Donald Trump chose Powell over Yellen (hint: it’s to do with his political affiliation). We also discuss Saturday night’s events in the kingdom, including the creation of an anti-corruption commission headed by the powerful Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud, and the apparent arrest of several prominent business people, according to local Saudi media.

The question on many people’s mind ahead of Friday’s release of the iPhone X is; can a phone possibly be worth Dh4,000?! As soon as Scott got his hands on the 10th anniversary edition iPhone, we knew we had to head in to the studio with deputy editor of GN Tech, Daanesh Kalyaniwalla, to try to answer this question. Is the black notch on the screen a minor gripe, or will it be a consistent issue? Will people miss the home button? Just how stunning is the new screen? And of course, most important of all, can it take good selfies? The team investigates live on the podcast, as they try and help listeners decide whether to splash the cash, or save it for a different phone.

It’s the question of the weekend: Just who is Robert Mueller arresting come Monday morning? Will it be Former Trump-campaign manager Paul Manafort, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, or someone who’s last name begins with “T?” Regardless of whether you’re #MAGA or a #NeverTrump-er, the answer could have major implications for the world’s markets. If you’re not convinced, just wait until Thursday. That’s when the world’s most valuable public company, Apple Inc, announces its financial results.

Following the launch of Apple Pay in the UAE on Tuesday, the D&D gang sits down to compare their experiences using digital wallets. Retail reporter Ed Clowes’ favourite so far is Samsung Pay, while our in-house fanboy Scott Shuey obviously leans towards the simplicity of Apple Pay. Sarah Diaa, our resident Luddite, still refuses to give up her Windows phone, so we’re not sure what she’s going to be able to buy. Using these wallets has been a mixed bag so far, not because of the technology but due to retailers’ reactions. Apparently, not everyone has gotten the memo regarding how mobile wallets work. (NO, we aren’t offering to trade our phones for those jeans.) The big question for the team is whether these digital wallets, which promise to provide greater simplicity and security than credit cards, will help drive greater adoption of e-commerce. With the arrival of Amazon and launch of the Noon.com in the region, demand for secure payments options will definitely increase. Will Samsung or Apple become th

It’s all about results this week and not just here in the UAE. Tech stocks, banks stocks, property stocks – we’re expecting them all. Who will shine? Who will go home empty-handed? Who will just “meet expectations?” Will Amazon tank two quarters in a row? Really, this is better than the Oscars for us (yes, journalists are a sad group of people). And there is Bitcoin. We’re not at all bitter that we didn’t buy in at $150. Not. A. Bit. Because it hit a new record $6,100 over the weekend before falling back to $5,900. We talk about just why the cryptocurrency is seeing this meteoric rise - again. Finally, we wrap up talking about just when the tweet announcing the new Chairperson of the US Federal Reserve will come. In the era of President Donald Trump, you just know this is how it’s going to be announced. We also argue about baseball. Feel free to ignore what Sarah and Ed say.

Tackling a more serious topic, the team looks at what makes sexual harassment and assault so prevalent in workplaces, and what can be done to curb that. Drawing from personal experiences and research, the team tries to unpackage some of the ways in which men oppress women in professional settings, and how inappropriate or illegal behaviour can take place and yet, never be discovered. Why don’t women come forward with their experiences? Why don’t more men stop their colleagues from behaving inappropriately? And what can be done at companies to change these dynamics, and foster a more inclusive, transparent environment? We look at these, and other questions.

Looking at the last few days and the week ahead in important business stories, the team looks at Trump’s decision not to recertify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and what it means for companies hoping to do deals with Iran. We also look at what Trump’s stance on the deal means for global oil. Can Trump afford to be drawn in to costly international spats as he tries to focus his time and efforts on his domestic agenda? Moving on, we then discuss the start to the earnings season, including Netflix, which releases its third quarter earnings on October 16.

Dubai: Physically and mentally exhausted, the team gathers for a late night podcast to discuss everything and anything from Gitex 2017. Specifically looking at the role of startups in this year’s event, this episode features three interviews with women entrepreneurs who have started their businesses in the UAE.

It’s all about technology this week with GITEX currently taking place in Dubai, and the Business team delves into everything happening at the event from artificial intelligence and cool robots to virtual reality and even cooler video games. The team also discusses the upcoming round of negotiations between the UK and the EU regarding Brexit, and whether they’ll go anywhere, with the UK still unable to finalise a settlement bill. Finally, the team talks about Iran’s nuclear deal with the US that looks likely to be rolled back by Donald Trump.

From Kurdistan to Catalonia and all the way to California, there seems to be a wave of secession around the world, with different movements calling for separating from trade blocs or countries. The Business team delves into that wave of separatism, and discusses the recent independence referendum in Catalonia, the referendum in Kurdistan, and of course, the key event that started this snowball; Brexit. Why do different peoples want to have sovereignty? And what does that mean for global economy? Is the world better off with more divisions or does unity benefit all?

In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” This week, the residents of the UAE got a taste of that certainty, as they went to purchase their cigarettes and can of soda, only to find them both more expensive. The business team discuss the new tax, what impact it might have, and whether or not it’ll encourage people to live healthier lives. The team also talks about Etihad finally appointing a new CEO. Who is he, and what is he bringing to the table?

When Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that women would be allowed to drive from June 2018, people’s fist reaction was to celebrate a momentous victory for women’s rights. But beneath that celebration, there lies another cause for happiness: Women being able to get behind the wheel may kick start economic activity in Saudi in a big way. On today’s podcast, we discuss the news, and look at its implications for women in the workforce, efficiency, car sales, insurance, and Uber and Careem, among other things. We discuss all the ways that this announcement might benefit Saudi Arabia, not least to mention improve its image internationally, and precipitate some goodwill towards the conservative kingdom.

When your company is hit by scandal, who do you call? Omar Qirem, a crisis communications expert and former Chief Press Officer in the British Government, joins us in the studio to talk about what happens when a company is thrown in to crisis. From United Airlines to BP, we discuss what companies get right, and what they get horribly wrong, when their name is dragged through the dirt. In the era of the 24-hour news cycle and social media, how people like Omar advise companies to handle crises has changed, as one ill-advised tweet can elevate the crisis to new levels. Finally, we talk about the opportunity that a crisis often presents, and how companies can best capitalise on that opportunity.

With the news flicking between nuclear annihilation and the National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) controversies, we try to unpackage the important stuff happening this week: Gitex Shopper. Whilst it is admittedly a quiet week on the home front, this past weekend brought a number of important developments to two of the world’s biggest technology companies: Apple and Uber. Planet Earth’s most valuable company Apple has seen its share price dip by around 8 per cent since the launch of the iPhone 8 last week, and we look at the various factors that might have contributed to the slump. We also ask whether Apple is in a crisis, or if last week was simply just a bump in the road. Next on the agenda is Uber, which lost its license to operate in London on the weekend. The team discusses the reasons behind the ban, and what Uber might be able to do to appeal London’s decision, and possibly regain its license. Finally, we take a look at Gitex Shopper, taking place this week at D