Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH), the hotel owner and asset manager, was established in 1976. Presently, ADNH has evolved to be a fully-fledged hospitality giant influencing the sectors of hotels, catering, transportation, and many others. This immense growth, combined with the relentless pursuit to deliver unmatched service, has made ADNH a household name within the UAE hospitality industry.

From its launch, ADNH remains the only leader transforming the hospitality sector in the UAE. What had begun as a hotel ownership is now one of the diversified portfolios, managing hotels, restaurants, catering, transportation, and facility management. In the early days, ADNH’s portfolio had included some of the most glamorous hotels in the United Arab Emirates. Amongst others, these include The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal; Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas; Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort; Le Meridien Abu Dhabi; and Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach. With such a massive presence in cities of this stature as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ajman, ADNH has cemented itself to be at the top among leaders in Luxury Accommodation.

ADNH succeeded in diversifying its hotel management division. In 1991, it signed its first management contract under the Al Diar Hotels brand. The company now operates more than 12 luxury hotels, and every property adheres to the highest standards of hospitality. This company does not only own hotels but also operate and manage them, creating a seamless blend of ownership and operational excellence. ADNH has a growing operator division. This arm oversees properties located in the prime city centre, including the Radisson Blu Hotel Ajman and other branded hotels. Therefore, it speaks well of the company’s ability to oversee and run such a vast stretch of properties.

ADNH has not only grown in hotel operations but diversified in various other business lines, with significant impacts in transportation, catering, and destination management, among others. For example, ADNH Catering is an umbrella company of 2001, dominating the catering business in the region and providing services to the healthcare, corporate, and events sectors. In addition, Em Sherif Restaurants – a luxury eatery chain offering traditional Lebanese cuisine – is also run by ADNH. High Spirits and Sunshine Travel & Tours further solidify ADNH’s footprint in the diversified segments of the hospitality sector.

ADNH has taken tremendous leaps in the transport sector with Al Ghazal Transport, launched back in 1988 as the Abu Dhabi first luxury transportation company. The business today is a leader in luxury transportation services in the UAE, from limousines to bus rentals. ADNH has also ventured into facility management through the National Facility Management Company by ADNH. This company provides an integrated facility management service to various sectors. All its managed properties will be kept at their absolute best, it promises.

As of 2024, the ADNH has completed the acquisition of Compass, which is another milestone in strategic growth. This will further enhance ADNH’s ability to deliver high-quality hospitality and related services across the region and beyond.

The long-term vision for the company is one of continuous innovation, expansion, and excellence. ADNH will have opportunities not only to retain and cement leadership in hospitality but also continue its growth into new areas, driven by a combination of deep industry knowledge and strong financials.

This UAE-based firm was transformed from a state-owned organization into one of the world’s leading telecommunications companies with millions of subscribers in its network. Its pinnacle of success not only saw it revolutionize connectivity in the Middle East but also enabled it to achieve a global footprint through the strategic introduction and partnerships of different innovations. Let’s delve into how e& writes the future for telecom.

Etisalat was started as a joint venture between the UAE government and a British company in 1976. The UAE government, however, took control of Etisalat as the majority shareholder during the early years of the 1980s; hence, it established itself as a big telecom operator in the country. Fast forward to 2022, the company branded over to e&, ushering in a new chapter in its quest to transcend traditional telecommunication avenues and into digital services, including innovation in technology. Today, e& ranks as the 16th largest mobile network operator globally by subscribers, serving as a telecommunications hub in the Middle East and Africa. Being the largest carrier of international voice traffic and connecting regions through its robust infrastructure, the company also makes it a flagship. e& operates in over 15 countries with more than 40,000 employees-strong workforce-the very epitome of successful international expansion.

The growth of e& has been impressive in terms of financial aspects. At the end of 2021, the company had consolidated revenue at AED 53.3 billion, and the net profit was AED 11.1 billion. e& continues its great run with revenue of AED 13 billion so far in 2023. Its diversified portfolio representing mobile, broadband, digital services, and business solutions are a part of e&’s success. Innovative internet packages like eLife 10G and 5G Ultra Fusion ensured that it kept its leading edge status in consumer services. Business solutions ranging from cloud services to facilities management helped expand reach into the corporate sector.

e& claimed to be the first telecom operator in the Middle East to start commercial 5G network in the year 2018. This achievement was a precedent for the growth of technological advancements in the region while setting e& as a visionary innovator. With the 5G network, the technology would be delivered at much faster speeds and lower latency along with vastly increased use cases such as autonomous automobiles, smart cities, and healthcare. The global-scale influence was further fueled by international market investments into e&. The company has highly invested in Africa and Asia, claiming shares in telecommunication firms and expanding the size of operations. The takeover of the 14.6% shareholding in Vodafone Group during the year 2023 featured one of the highest moments in international dealings. The move has been labeled hotly contested because of claims to national security and has elicited reactions from the British government.

e& has, in the European market, invested in PPF Telecom Group and bought a 50.1% stake for this expansion. The expansion exemplifies company ambition to strongly establish itself in international markets and be a leader in global telecommunications. e& is leading many innovations in the tech spectrum: from cloud services to digital transformation, with its portfolio being quite diversified in positioning it not only as a telco provider but also as a tech company carving the future of digitization.

As with all multinational corporations, e& faces its share of challenges. The major ones are increased global competition in the telecom sector, potential issues with regulatory concerns, and geopolitical risks given the investments e& maintains in Europe and Africa. However, it is well situated atop this adversity because of a great leadership team with a keen sense of vision for future growth.

Noor Naim, otherwise known as the prolific creator under the online moniker “Noor Stars,” is no doubt one of the brightest content creators in the Arab world. Born in Iraq but raised across the Middle East, the journey to becoming digital stardom saw her defy all odds and create pathways for her imagination to run wild. The Arab Influencer Noor Started creating content for YouTube back in 2014, and since then, Noor Stars have grown exponentially. Noor, with over 19 million subscribers on YouTube, nearly 12.7 million followers on Instagram, and close to 8 million followers on TikTok, became one of the most-watched influencers in the Arab world.

Noor Stars rose meteorically from early videos on YouTube that featured beauty tutorials and makeup tips to comedic skits. Her very first video, “What’s on my iPhone,” was one of those moments in which she established her style and approachable personality to a small but growing audience. Relatively quickly, the authentic persona started gaining popularity amongst viewers, particularly young women from the Middle East. She did vlogs, challenges, and even started doing lifestyle content over time, becoming the voice for this new era of Arab women embracing modernity yet keeping hold of their tradition. By 2018, Noor Stars was a name most people could recognize in the Arab region but increasingly in global terms. Her connection with millions of viewers, cutting across various platforms, is unmatched, and she uniquely drew special recognition as the first Arab You Tuber to reach 18 million subscribers. Noor’s influence goes beyond social media. The Arab Woman of the Year Award recognized her in 2022 for achievements so far.

The success of these celebrities has also garnered her the most popular collaborations with the major brands. Noor has worked with Sunsilk, Pantene, KitKat, and Bellami and endorsed beauty and lifestyle products for the said companies. These brand collaborations present the diversity and appeal that she brings across various industries.

As flashy as Noor’s lifestyle is and as huge of a fan base she has, people have nickname her “Arab Kim Kardashian.” Similar to Kardashian, Noor Stars shares glimpses into her luxurious life yet has an approachable and authentic online personality. Again, the glitz and glam aside, the Noor content is very relatable-she sometimes discusses self-confidence, mental health, and body positivity. This creates a space for that young individual to feel heard and seen.

During 2024, Noor Stars continued to make history by joining the line-up for Netflix’s reality show “Super Rich in Korea,” documenting life behind the scenes of really rich people in South Korea. Having Noor as the only Arab participant on this segment exposes her to a broader international audience, further strengthening her as an international influencer. This makes her want to be in other cultures and work hard to make it to the names in the world. Noor’s change from this little girl from Baghdad to one of the most influential Arab influencers inspires millions of young women. It challenges stereotypes about Arab women in the media and entertainment, as she is a voice who persists and is able to hold on to cultural values without compromising her aim to shine at a global level. She never stops inspiring and uplifting; she stimulates her audience to pursue their passion and to embrace being different.

Noor’s influence goes far beyond just number and followers—so much of her content speaks to personal development, self-love, and authenticity in a world that often polishes for perfection. Whether she’s talking about her beauty routines, giving a sneak peek into day-to-day life, or joking around with her siblings, Noor is always authentic and positive.