The Middle East

Sharjah is home to four local banks and two insurance companies, with a banking market that is characterised by significant minority government ownership stakes in several key players, as well as a tendency for local banks to eschew the retail and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) markets in favour of larger corporate and government-...

With 45 commercial banks operating in the UAE, according to the country’s central bank, and a national population of 9.27m, according to World Bank figures for 2016, the Emirati financial services market is often described as overbanked and in need of consolidation. Pressure for such consolidation is increasing as intensifying regulatory...

How will strategic investments, total customer deposits and financing of new infrastructure projects affect the UAE banking sector?

Once reserved for ambitious start-ups and industry-leading tech operators, financial technology (fintech) has more recently caught the attention of major private sector firms and government planners alike, becoming a regular feature in budget speeches and strategic development plans. As fintech progressively plays a larger part in the lives of...

As it works to build a knowledge-based economy, education has become an increasing priority for the UAE. The emirate of Sharjah is placing particular emphasis on innovation and quality as it positions itself as a centre for education within the federation and the wider region. This recognition of the centrality of education is not news,...

Across the UAE – including in Sharjah – the education system has developed from almost nothing to a system of universal schooling in a relatively short space of time. This achievement has also been made during a period of rapid technological advances, with students and teachers now required to constantly adapt to the changing needs of society...