Three out of the five most valuable brands in the Middle East are located in the UAE, according to a report.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is ranked on the 2019 Brand Finance Global 500 list as the most valuable Middle East brand at $8.9 billion. Etisalat is valued at $8.3bn on the list, while Etisalat group of companies, with operations in 15 countries, set a record as the first in the Middle East to break the $10bn barrier for its portfolio brand value. Emirates scaled up to a value of $6.3bn from $5.3bn last year and remains the strongest Middle East brand in terms of factors such as customer familiarity and corporate reputation.
“It is a real testament to the leadership of the United Arab Emirates that Emirati brands are leading the charge for the Middle East among the world’s most valuable brands,” said David Haigh, chief executive of Brand Finance, an independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy.
Adnoc, ranked 206th, is the first regional energy company brand to be featured in the list. The company entered the global capital markets two years ago and listed unit Adnoc Distribution in the largest IPO on the Abu Dhabi stock exchange in the past decade.
Adnoc positioning "reflects the realignment of our group of companies, bringing together our people, businesses, products and services, under one powerful Adnoc identity that promotes the scale of our business, the size of our contribution to the UAE and Abu Dhabi, and the extent of our impact," chief executive Dr Sultan Al Jaber told The National.
“Adnoc has been undergoing a significant business transformation, underpinned by strategic partnerships and innovative investments that are key to unlocking greater value across our full portfolio,” he added.
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Read more:
Etisalat brand is the most valuable in the Middle East
Adnoc to tap 'uneconomical gas' to become net exporter of the fuel, CEO says
Adnoc among top 10 oil and gas firms worldwide, new ranking finds
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The state-owned company recently opened its first fuel stations in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and announced plans to increase its oil production capacity to 4 million barrels per day by the end of 2020. Adnoc is also focused on putting the UAE on a path to gas self-sufficiency and to becoming a net exporter of the commodity.
"Being number one in the Middle East is a recognition of both Adnoc’s financial value and our long-term strategic objectives," said Dr Al Jaber. "Our ranking reinforces our global competitiveness, and supports our focus on generating differential returns, unlocking new opportunities, and shaping new value-add partnerships."
Etisalat, which has seen 8 per cent growth in brand value since last year, has retained its position as the most valuable portfolio brand in the region. Operating across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, its portfolio includes Etisalat, Mobily, Ufone, Maroc Telecom and Pakistan Telecommunication. Ranked 226th on the Brand Finance list, the brand has grown its presence internationally with high-profile sports sponsorships of the English Premier League football team Manchester City.
Ranked 329th, Emirates' brand value has grown 18 per cent since last year's listing. In addition, its "brand strength" rating was 85.8 out of 100, making it the strongest in the region. The Brand Finance report highlighted the airline’s world-renowned loyalty programme, flydubai partnership and new passenger routes for further underpinning the brand.
"The inclusion of Adnoc and other UAE companies, like Etisalat and Emirates, in the list of the world’s top 500 most valuable brands is a great source of pride and demonstrates the emergence of globally reputable companies from the UAE," said Dr Al Jaber.
Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Telecom recorded 7 per cent growth in brand value since 2018 to $7.1bn. Globally, the top five most valuable brands are: Amazon; Apple; Google; Microsoft; and Samsung, according to Brand Finance.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
