By Jan Bart Schober, Partner, Loyens & Loeff It’s 2016; at least, according to the Gregorian calendar. Recently, the Islamic world celebrated Al Hijra, the Islamic New Year. According to the Islamic calendar, it is the year 1437. If you…
When oil prices went into freefall in the winter of 2015, bringing a dramatic end to 18 months of gradual depreciation, few could have predicted the full impact it would have on economies around the GCC. Initial optimism saw governments…
The oil price crash has had long-lasting and in some cases severe effects on GCC economies, with consequences ranging from reduced public spending to shelved development plans. In the private sector, it has all too often manifested in dwindling profit…
Mood swings have become the norm when it comes to the potential of the African continent. Pre 1990’s was described as the dark days of Africa. Post-1990 into the early decades of this 21st century saw an uproar and cheers…
Accountants and credit controllers are on the frontline of ensuring an organisation’s financial health. This involves a number of key processes, including cost accounting. It is vital in today’s economy for accountants to be familiar with both cost reduction and…
The meteoric rise of fintech has left many traditional financial institutions lagging behind in terms of technology – and many banks have chosen to see this as a threat. In a 2015 survey by PwC, 83 percent of financial services…
In May 2016, Chinese investment group Creat Group agreed to acquire UK-based Bio Products Laboratory for 820 million GBP (1.1 billion USD). Headquartered in Hertfordshire, Bio Products Laboratory is a plasma biotherapeutics company that provides therapeutics for conditions related to…
Chinese investors specializing in healthcare are increasingly expanding into the European market with a series of high-profile, strategic investments. This is part of a trend of heightened healthcare deal activity from Chinese investors. Last year, companies based in China announced…
The Middle East is experiencing rising demand for high quality, innovative healthcare solutions. This is particularly true for the region’s largest healthcare market – Saudi Arabia. Saudi entities are increasingly willing to invest in healthcare companies overseas in order to…
Investors based in the Middle East and regional healthcare companies having been actively seeking acquisitions and investment opportunities in the US. Overseas investments provide Middle Eastern individuals and institutions with a way to diversify their portfolios, rather than overexposing their…
The concept of organisational cost reduction has been at the top of corporate agendas ever since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. In the immediate aftermath of the global recession, organisational cost reduction emerged as not only a necessity, but…
With a recent cost survey by Deloitte showing that 88 percent of companies will be pursuing cost-reduction measures over the next 24 months, effective cost strategies have never been in greater demand. As part of Naseba’s ongoing effort to meet…
Earlier this year, the pharmaceutical arm of Fosun International, a Chinese company with a market cap of over 13 billion USD, announced a1.3 billion USD buyout of India based Gland Pharma. Chinese companies are increasingly making healthcare deals abroad in…
I-Bridge Capital, a health-care focused venture capital firm and incubator based in Shanghai, has announced the establishment of a joint venture with BioLineRx Ltd., a drug company based in Israel. The venture will incubate healthcare startups, in order to develop…
For over 20 years, Joy Ajlouny has been an e-commerce industry professional whose business and fashion influence has spanned the globe. Joy is the co-found of Fetchr, a Silicon-Valley backed technology company based in Dubai aimed at solving emerging market…