HAS THE MENA MOMENT ARRIVED FOR INVESTORS?

The panel discusses investment opportunities and growth in the MENA region. Yousef Ali emphasizes the importance of visionary leadership, a strong economy, security, and good infrastructure for investors, highlighting Lulu Group's expansion in Saudi Arabia. Omar Al-Majdawi notes the emergence of unicorns and decacorns in the region, driven by the replacement of legacy software with homegrown solutions. Ali Ayyub points to the increasing interest of international investors in infrastructure assets due to balance sheet optimization. Raj Ganguly highlights the potential for a circular tech ecosystem and the region's energy and youth resources, emphasizing the need for companies to build to scale. The discussion also covers the integration of technology and AI in retail and infrastructure, along with the need for training and development of local talent to support this growth.