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Five Minutes With… Imad Charafeddine, President, Francorp

The Middle East’s franchising industry is booming, says Charafeddine.

The Alpha And The Omega

Raynald Aeschlimann, Omega’s vice president and international sales director, reveals how the company has uniquely positioned itself as a luxury watch brand through association.

Exclusive: Montblanc CEO On Why Dubai Is Growing

As Montblanc continues expansion across the southern hemisphere and in the UAE, Emma Hodgson meets new global CEO of Montblanc, Jerome Lambert, to discuss business in the Gulf.

30 Seconds On The Business Of… App Development In The GCC

Gulf Business speaks to Dinesh Lalvani, founder and CEO at Growl Media.

Exclusive Interview: Damac’s Boss On Rebuilding The Company

Ziad El Chaar, MD of Dubai-based property developer Damac, explains how the company has built itself back up in 2013, following structural damage in the real estate crash.

Wake Up And Smell The Luxury Coffee

Nespresso CEO Jean-Marc Duvoisin speaks to Robert Anderson trackside about producing luxury coffee and expanding the company’s boutique network in the Middle East.

Kuwait Spy Chief Worried By Turmoil In Iraq

Sheikh Thamer al-Sabah, president of Kuwait’s National Security Bureau, said his relationships with his counterparts in Iraq and Iran needed improvement.

Five Minutes With… David Ross, SVP, FedEx Express MEA & Indian Subcontinent

The UAE’s logistics sector will greatly benefit from Dubai’s successful Expo 2020 bid, says Ross.

Big Data & Cloud Technology In Formula One

How important are the two buzzwords in today’s IT market to the most glamourous sport in the world? We asked Graeme Hackland, IT and IS director at the Lotus F1 Team.

Laurent Abadie: Panasonic’s Renaissance Man

In an exclusive interview with Gulf Business, Laurent Abadie, CEO for Europe and CIS, reveals the firm’s comeback plans and a massive drive into B2B.

Five Minutes With Ashley Roberts, Event Director, Life & Style Show UAE

Winning Expo 2020 will hugely benefit the UAE’s events industry, says Roberts.

Mashreq Executive VP: The Changing Shape Of Retail Banking

Farhad Irani, EVP and head of retail banking group at the UAE’s Mashreq, spoke to Gulf Business on Mashreq’s performance in 2013 and the state of the banking market.

Five Minutes With…Dadkarim Mulla, CEO & Co-Founder, Amodoria

Lead by example and inspire those around you, says the co-founder of luxury technology brand Amodoria.

King Of The Skies: James Hogan Interview

Etihad boss James Hogan talks strategy, partnerships and luxury in the skies as he pushes to cap another strong year of performance for the carrier.

Hungry For Success: Mike Archer, President, Applebee’s

Kansas-based Applebee’s is opening new restaurants and hiring more people across the Middle East. Aarti Nagraj sat down for a late lunch with global president, Mike Archer.

Damas CEO: Plotting Global Expansion

GCC jeweller Damas has declared its global ambitions with the intention to expand the Damas brand to the largest jewellery markets and fashion capitals of the world. Gulf Business spoke to Damas CEO Anan Fakhreddin just after the announcement.

Interview: Rise Of Homeopathy In Gulf

In an exclusive interview with Gulf Business, healthcare mogul Dr. Mukesh Batra reveals his grand plans to take the alternative medicine empire to every corner of the world.

Middle East Sunglasses – A Saturated Market?

Marco Bonapace, founder of Vision EyeWear, explains how boutique brands can crack the sunglasses market.

Prototype CEO: Why Your Company Needs Mobile Apps

Alexander Rauser, CEO of mobile application builder Prototype Interactive, shared his insights on the industry in the Middle East with Gulf Business.

Jaguar Land Rover: Gearing Up For 2014

Jaguar Land Rover’s sales director for MENA, Justin Weaving, spoke to Gulf Business in the lead up to this week’s Dubai Motor Show, from November 5 to 9 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

30 Seconds On The Business Of…The F1 Hospitality Industry

Gulf Business speaks to Chris Buncombe, co-founder and director of Halcyon Events.

The Business Of Securing The Web – Kaspersky Interview

Garry Kondakov, chief sales, marketing & support officer at internet security firm Kaspersky Lab, talks increased IT security awareness, B2B and B2C trends and expansion plans in the Middle East.

Five Minutes With… Reda Raad, COO TBWA\RAAD

The regional advertising industry still needs to mature, says Reda Raad.

Biker Chic: Interview With Harley Davidson GM

Steve Beattie, general manager of Harley Davidson UAE, talks about expansion plans for the brand and the MENA HOG rally.

EXCLUSIVE: Al Habtoor Group Could File IPO In 2016 – Chairman

Khalaf Al Habtoor said he would list the firm once Al Habtoor City is completed in ’30 months’.

How Business Powers Polo – And Vice Versa

In an exclusive on-the-field interview, Ron Wahid, CEO of RJI Capital, reveals how polo and business go hand-in-hand in the English countryside.

Five Minutes With…Saygin Yalcin, founder, SellAnyCar.com

The used car market in the UAE is a $2 billion business and is growing by 15 per cent year on year, says Saygin Yalcin.

A Brand New Claw: Markus Thesslef Interview

Dubai restaurateur Markus Thesslef speaks to Gulf Business about his latest venue, plans for a hotel and the region’s F&B bubble.

Private Banking Special: Arjuna Mahendran, Emirates NBD

Emirates NBD has lowered its bad debts forecasts and paid back Dhs7.8 billion of crisis-era funding to the Ministry of Finance.

Private Banking Special: Arnaud Leclercq, Lombard Odier

Lombard Odier plans to increase its assets in the Middle East to 20 per cent of its global business by the end of 2017.