Gulf Business & Company Guide
This guide brings together Arab Times News’s coverage of the institutions that shape the Gulf’s economy: the national oil companies, sovereign wealth funds, financial free zones and stock exchanges that sit behind the region’s business headlines, plus practical guides for anyone setting up or investing in the region. Each entry is a standalone explainer, kept up to date as a reference rather than a single day’s news story.
National oil companies
The state-owned energy companies that remain the financial backbone of the Gulf’s largest economies.
- ADNOC – Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
- Saudi Aramco – the world’s largest oil producer by volume
Sovereign wealth funds and state investors
The investment institutions that channel Gulf oil wealth into global and domestic assets.
- ADIA – Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the world’s oldest sovereign wealth funds
- Mubadala – Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment and holding company
Financial free zones
Independent legal and regulatory jurisdictions built to attract international finance and trade.
- DIFC – Dubai International Financial Centre
- ADGM – Abu Dhabi Global Market
- JAFZA – Jebel Ali Free Zone, built around the region’s largest port
Stock exchanges
Where the Gulf’s listed companies, including many of the entities above, actually trade.
Practical guides
For readers setting up a business or relocating to the region.
- Business setup in Dubai – mainland vs free zone vs offshore
- UAE Golden Visa – long-term residence for investors and professionals
Related daily tools: gold price today, oil prices today and AED exchange rates.