TAG: UAE: Abu Dhabi
Higher and more stable oil prices have undoubtedly buoyed Gulf countries in 2018. While this is, in some senses, good news for the region, where oil plays such a crucial role in terms of income, it also raises important questions about the need for – and the pace of – reform. In speaking with close to 900 of the region’s executives in face-to-face interviews, the latest OBG Business Barometer: Gulf CEO Survey illuminates how the rollercoaster of the past year has impacted near-term business plans in the private sector, and how executives are factoring uncertainty into their development strategies.
As 2018 draws to a close and I look to the results of the most recent Oxford Business Group Business Barometer surveys, it makes for interesting reading against a backdrop of increased global economic and political uncertainty.
Despite dropping prices in the real estate market, a key sector helping the UAE steer away from its dependence on the oil industry, Oxford Business Group’s Business Barometer: UAE CEO Survey found that the sentiment among 110 business leaders is largely positive – over 60% of respondents anticipate that they will make a significant capital investment in the coming 12 months. In particular, tech investments are set to grow, with 80% indicating that they will increase spending on smart tech and research and development.