Nicolas Bruylants is chief visionary officer and co-founder of CNNB Solutions, a global-reaching UAE e-commerce accelerator.
The Belgian first came to Dubai in 2004 for six months with a company building foundations for Palm Jumeirah.
He swiftly returned and, at 25, co-founded citrussTV, the world’s first Arabic shopping network, He built it into a multinational e-commerce company, before selling it in 2017 to leading Chinese omni-retail platform Shark Shopping.
Now 42, Mr Bruylants co-founded Brussels-based AlphaSeed.eu, a food and beverage-focused investment platform, and arid climate irrigation start-up Terraplus, supporting the agricultural sector.
The father of three, who lives in Al Sufouh, Dubai, also breeds and trains horses and competes in showjumping.
How did money feature in your upbringing?
My parents divorced when I was four and I stayed with my mum. She had a pretty normal job, assistant to the chief executive of a large, multinational. My dad has always been an entrepreneur, which meant access to more cash.
We had some tough times, looking back at where we were living and what cars mum was driving. Up to maybe 13, I don’t think you care much about what brands you wear as long as you have food, you’re going to school and have clothes.
My mum was more (about) going to the seaside and dad was taking us skiing, so it was a bit of a contrast.
I would spend 90 per cent of my time with my mum, always being careful what she spent and how. Dad would be trying to enjoy money, or thinking tomorrow there’s going to be more … a very different approach to money from both sides.
Did those contrasting economies influence you?
We were in a modest neighbourhood with my mum, going to a modest school. Thanks to my dad, I was probably one of the richest there. I had two lifestyles. I started riding very early on; the horse riding world is more (for) wealthier people in Europe.
I knew which direction I preferred to go. I was probably informed by my dad to be an entrepreneur as well. Seeing him taking his own decisions, running his business, I always hoped to do at least as good as him.
My dad said early on: “You will only lead my company if you’re the best person to do so, not because you’re my son. You will have to prove yourself.”
That was quite hard, but it pushed me to do something completely different and then I never actually looked at my dad’s company.
How did you first earn cash?
The riding school where I trained used to hire us; (when I was) maybe 14 years old, I was spending holidays teaching younger kids horse riding. We would receive shelter and food plus 6,000 Belgian francs (Dh590) a week.
Teaching was rewarding, my horses were in the same stables, so being paid for that and being able to buy shoes, party or just save was something I enjoyed.
Later, thanks to my mum working for a multinational, I worked in different departments, from accounting and filing to the laboratory, where I cleaned.
Was exiting citrussTV pivotal financially?
We were already making good income — me and my business partner could have a good life, for Dubai standards.
When you get access to cash in the way we did with the sale, you can start also investing in places not possible before. Before, I always had to work to make money, now other people were working to make money for me.
I decided to reinvest in businesses on my own, plus in other people’s businesses. I multiplied the types of sectors I was in and multiplied geographies to be a bit more comfortable.
Do you still invest rather than save?
I’m definitely not the best at that (saving) because I love risk. I have a cushion, I would never be on the street. But I invested most of my money quite quickly. I still do and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
But even when a company is doing well, it’s always a question of how much financing you need — and the scale to which things are growing is very different today.
I always put my money to work. Some is in a safer haven, but maybe still risky. There is nothing safe in what I invest. I enjoy building companies, investing in things where it’s going faster with more risk, but more thrill as well. I’m too young not to enjoy that.
Are horses an indulgence or business?
I took back one of the passions that I left for 12 to 13 years … I still used to own horses, but wouldn’t ride and compete. For the past two years, I’ve travelled for international competitions.
I keep my horses with riders who ride them every day (in Belgium) … it’s quite expensive to get them to travel, the fees and so on, so I make a business out of it where I not only breed, but also buy and sell horses.
My idea is to break even at the end of the year, so I fund my passion. It’s like a company; you train it, grow it and then it increases in value. You have to spread your risk on multiple horses, do it at scale.
How do you feel about money?
For me, money is really to enable me to do what I like, from simply taking a ride in my car in the sun with my kids, being at the seaside with my horses or competing, or taking my kids to see the mountains of Bhutan.
I don’t care for the money; I will never collect it and say I’m sitting on “that much” in my bank account. It’s more about what can money bring as experiences and using money to live. I love the thrill of investments, of competition, of speed, of a beautiful landscape.
I wouldn’t be as happy had I received hundreds of millions from my dad and just lived off the interest. I enjoy the toughness of running companies, going through ups and downs, living through these emotions.
I don’t care for the money; I will never collect it. It’s more about what can money bring as experiences
Nicolas Bruylants,
entrepreneur and investor
And I want my kids to know the value of money, that it doesn’t grow on trees (and) give them the possibility to do something great, but to work hard for it.
Have you learnt any financial lessons?
We need to learn at all times. Obviously, I try not to repeat mistakes I did in the past. I see opportunities I know are risky, but I believe in them and will take them, and some months it’s tough … you have a certain lifestyle and to pay bills.
Though I have much more money than I ever had, it’s always tight because I’m always using it to the maximum. My aim was probably to make as good a life as my dad and I’m beyond that.
Anything you wish you had invested in?
Not really. It’s always: “I should have invested more.” Most of the investments I really like, I did. And I don’t live with regrets.
If I did not do them, most of the time it’s because I didn’t believe in them at the time. Maybe they turned out great, but I don’t follow what I didn’t invest in.
What do you enjoy spending on?
The horses are my main passion, but I like to drive. I like speed. We have four cars; day-to-day a Mercedes G63 and a Porsche Carrera Turbo S convertible for the weekend and fun rides.
Do you have a luxurious lifestyle?
It’s a question of who you compare me with. In Dubai, you have billionaires, they have 30 cars in their basements and three villas here and elsewhere.
Compared with that, I’m not a luxurious guy. If I go back to Europe, yes, because I have more than one car for myself, my wife has a car plus the driver, plus nannies, plus the size of the house and the number of holidays we take.
What are your future goals?
To go back into country life, build big estates where I can grow crops, breed horses, enjoy my investments. I believe that one or two, or three, will have a good exit. At that time, I will probably take a step back.
I don’t have a fixed date, it’s more about the ability to continue investing, to support entrepreneurs, mentor them and finance their growth and, at the same time, have a more relaxed life.
I have responsibility for the people who follow me, to make sure they are well-rewarded and also achieve what they want.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
