When Magnus Olsson and Mudassir Sheikha quit their jobs to start ride-sharing platform Careem in 2012, Uber was busy spanning the world, ready to break into Australia and reach a $330 million valuation. Today, Careem is worth more than $1 billion.
While Uber's value was estimated at $72bn in February, Careem and other UAE home-grown enterprises – including airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways and hotel operators Jumeirah and Rotana – offer something which even the most successful international players cannot: a genuine understanding of the region, its people and their needs.
The value of that goes beyond what an investor might pay for a company.
Etihad in particular has shown the importance of its roots since it launched in 2003. With its vision to outclass its competitors and connect the globe via Abu Dhabi, its growth has already had a huge impact on the lives of people in the UAE and the wider region.
Careem is also hoping to provide greater freedom and control for its customers in the many markets in which it operates. These are noble aims that have a social value that is increasingly rare in global players – particularly if a large investment needs to be justified in bottom line terms.
For both Etihad and Careem, rapid early success is now giving way to more mature phases of operations. For Careem, this means comparisons with Uber. The choices its management make at this stage will have reverberations for the region's start-up scene as a whole.
Partnerships and tie-ups with global brands such as online retailer Souq’s acquisition by Amazon, present huge opportunties. So too does continuing to build independently. Perhaps for Careem, being taken seriously by Uber could be a springboard for it to compete with it globally, beyond the Middle East and south east Asia.
Similarly, Etihad, which is coming through a challenging period for commercial aviation in the region, sits at a crossroads.
Group chief executive Tony Douglas has set out an ambitious and expansive plan to create more partnerships with other airlines around the world and to grow its point-to-point network which will provide greater opportunities for it and Abu Dhabi's tourism sector as a whole. Mr Douglas' proposal to use technology and digital tools to improve passenger experience also could give it a competitive edge.
As always, its identity as an Abu Dhabi airline will be at the heart of whatever steps it takes.
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
PRISCILLA
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
