Mark Kremers

Innovation has moved from aspiration to imperative for Middle East CEOs. The question is no longer whether to transform, but how fast. The implications for skilling are clear. What is shaping CEO priorities: 32% of Middle East CEOs are focused on accelerating transformation to keep pace with technological change  22% are strengthening innovation capabilities to prepare for an uncertain future  A similar proportion are assessing long-term business viability These signals point to a region accelerating reinvention, while carefully balancing ambition with execution. Explore how CEOs are translating innovation into action in our 29th Global CEO Survey: Middle East findings: https://pwc.to/4t1vFmy  PwC Middle East #CEOSurvey

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Confidence among CEOs in the UAE remains among the strongest globally. Business leaders are entering the next phase of growth backed by capital strength, clear national direction and long-term strategic focus. Key insights from the report: • 91% of CEOs in the UAE are confident in domestic economic growth • Nearly 80% are confident about revenue growth over the next three years • The UAE ranks among the top 10 global destinations for international investment . 85% of CEOs say their organisational culture enables AI adoption • 75% report having a clear AI roadmap in place Explore how confidence is shaping CEO priorities in the UAE in our 29th Global CEO Survey: UAE findings. https://pwc.to/4q2H8zk #CEOSurvey #PwCMiddleEast

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Board performance in the Middle East has strengthened over the past two years – but critical gaps remain. Our 2025 Board Effectiveness Survey, conducted in partnership with the GCC Board Directors Institute, reveals that while most board members recognize strategy as mission-critical, 83% admit they’re not dedicating enough time to strategic value creation. Watch this video to explore how GCC boards can become more effective through proactive succession planning, enhancing board diversity, as well as having greater oversight on AI and geopolitical risks. https://lnkd.in/eReHd7_y #BoardEffectiveness #Leadership #CorporateGovernance #AI #SuccessionPlanning

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Transformation doesn’t happen in silos. It happens when strategy, data and execution come together. In the GCC, #xMOs (execution enabler offices) are stepping into a new role: not just tracking reform but orchestrating it. Our latest EY MENA report explores how xMOs are evolving into strategic control hubs, powered by AI, automation and data-driven planning. By integrating AI-native platforms like #ServiceNow, we’re enabling governments to unify strategy, data and execution in real time. From overcoming fragmented data to unlocking trusted data – it’s exciting to see governments across the region embracing this shift. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dDb_QR5b #AIAdoption #Transformation #EYMENA #ShapeTheFutureWithConfidence Emad Mustafa, Mohamed Sayyed, Faisal Abu Abed, Mehdi Benni, Kahina Anseur, Olivia Hambert

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Up to $700 billion in wealth will transition across generations in the GCC by 2035. This shift is already reshaping family business strategies, succession planning, and investment priorities. We’ve distilled the key trends and actions to watch: https://lnkd.in/d_7eB6sC

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Join us to discuss practical considerations on how to navigate the current business challenges arising from the conflict in the Middle East. #ey #eymena

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🔍 Global valuation trends are reshaping the GCC and Kroll is leading the charge. Hakim Abdeljaouad, Managing Director and Head of Valuation Advisory Services in the Middle East at Kroll, shares how rising investor expectations, IPO readiness and international standards like IVS and IFRS are driving demand for independent, transparent valuations across the region. From mega-projects to family offices, valuation is now a strategic growth lever. Read more: http://ms.spr.ly/6045t31wh

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The GCC model is no longer being questioned for relevance. It is being evaluated for impact. As we move toward 2026, a clear gap is emerging between GCCs that are positioning themselves to thrive and those that are likely to just survive. AI-driven scrutiny, shifting enterprise expectations, and sharper business case evaluations are raising new questions around effectiveness, value, and outcomes. This blog explores the key signals behind that shift and outlines five factors that will define success for GCCs in the years ahead. Read the blog to understand what will separate high-impact GCCs from the rest and why the difference matters more than ever. https://okt.to/iHURSp Get in touch: Bharath M Sundaram #GCC #GlobalCapabilityCenters #EnterpriseTransformation #AI #OperatingModels #FutureOfWork #SharedServices

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As 2026 begins, the GCC faces a more demanding global backdrop but with a clear agenda. Five themes are shaping the year ahead from trade and supply chains to AI deployment, workforce transitions and fiscal resilience. What stands out is the shift from ambition to execution, particularly in technology and diversification. The challenge now is turning this momentum into lasting productivity gains and long-term value creation.    Read the full story: https://pwc.to/3NwrIpp     #GCC #EconomicOutlook #AI #Resilience PwC Middle East

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The GCC model is no longer being questioned for relevance. It is being evaluated for impact. As we move toward 2026, a clear gap is emerging between GCCs that are positioning themselves to thrive and those that are likely to just survive. AI-driven scrutiny, shifting enterprise expectations, and sharper business case evaluations are raising new questions around effectiveness, value, and outcomes. This blog explores the key signals behind that shift and outlines five factors that will define success for GCCs in the years ahead. Read the blog to understand what will separate high-impact GCCs from the rest and why the difference matters more than ever. https://okt.to/H8mFdE Get in touch: Bharath M Sundaram #GCC #GlobalCapabilityCenters #EnterpriseTransformation #AI #OperatingModels #FutureOfWork #SharedServices

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Excited to share highlights from the EY GCC Pulse Survey 2025, which captures how India’s Global Capability Centers are rewiring their mandate for an AI-first future. A few shifts that stood out to me: 1. From efficiency to enterprise value - GCCs are no longer just cost and scale engines, they’re becoming value orchestrators, taking increased ownership of end-to-end global processes and influencing strategic decisions for the enterprise. 2. AI at enterprise scale, not just pilots - 83% of GCCs are already investing in GenAI, and 58% are investing in Agentic AI (with another 29% planning to do so in the next year), signaling a clear move from experimentation to embedded, AI-led operating models. 3. Data and digital skills at the core - Business intelligence, data strategy and AI/ML capabilities are now foundational, as GCCs shift from “reporting the past” to powering real-time, insight-led decision making. 4. Talent, not just tools, will decide winners - Hybrid is now the norm for 95% of GCCs, attrition has dropped and the Employee Value Proposition is increasingly anchored in innovation culture, career development and cross-functional opportunities, not just compensation. 5. Risk, tax and cyber getting sharper focus - Transfer pricing, complex multi-jurisdictional compliance and data privacy remain top concerns, even as GCCs step up cybersecurity maturity, third-party monitoring and zero-trust thinking. The big question ahead: how far and how fast can India’s GCCs go in shaping an AI-driven, innovation-led future for their global enterprises? If you’d like a copy of the report or to discuss what these findings mean for your GCC strategy, happy to connect. https://lnkd.in/g2dUTnwn #eygcc Manish Madan Arpit Dharma Aniket Deshpande Maheswaran R Vikas Bajaj Sumit Gupta Kamalanand Nithianandan Vijay Shankar

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Is your workforce ready for its next move? 
Vision 2030 is opening a new era of talent mobility in Saudi Arabia, from AI-powered internal marketplaces to targeted reskilling that keeps people future-ready. In my latest Arab News article, I show how forward-looking organizations are turning linear career ladders into dynamic, opportunity-rich pathways. Why it matters:
✅ Higher retention and engagement by matching today’s skills with tomorrow’s roles
✅ Compliance with Saudization while tapping a diverse international talent pool
✅ National upskilling initiatives that grow businesses and people together 📖 Read the full piece here https://arab.news/wm3ze How is your company rethinking internal mobility in 2025? Share your thoughts below or DM me - let’s exchange ideas💡 #TalentMobility #SaudiVision2030 #PeopleAnalytics #Reskilling #WorkforceTransformation

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Having embedded localization into national transformation agendas such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the UAE's "We the UAE 2031", the GCC has laid strong foundations for industrial resilience and economic diversification. The next step is to scale and accelerate impact, moving toward a more structured, value chain-led approach to maximize economic return and resilience. In Efficio’s latest whitepaper, “Catalyzing national transformation: How the GCC can accelerate In-Country Value through value chain development”, Emmanuel Adu-Awuku, MEng (Chemical), Mehul Shah, and Youri Bejjani, CAPM outline how governments and industries can identify high-impact opportunities and leverage AI-driven intelligence to take localization to the next level. 💡 Read the whitepaper here: https://bit.ly/4p048ii

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The GCC’s rail ambitions are evolving with data and new operating models. On the back of the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition & Conference, I sat down with Global Supply Chain ME to discuss how the region is adapting its plan to fully capture what rail can unlock: stronger cross-border connectivity, higher productivity, and better passenger experiences. This transformation will be shaped by data-driven decisions and essential operator-regulator collaboration. It demonstrates how clear governance, and a long-term vision are turning infrastructure investments into sustainable growth. Thank you to Global Supply Chain Magazine for the thoughtful conversation. You can read the full interview here: https://owy.mn/47D9xoy (p.40) #GlobalRail2025 #OliverWyman

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Are you one of the leaders stepping up their game on sustainability in 2025? Our 2025 Middle East C-Suite Sustainability Report surveyed 100+ executives across KSA, UAE, and Qatar as part of a global study on climate and sustainability. It shows how businesses are investing more, using smart tech, and finding fresh ways to make a real difference, even with all the challenges out there. #Sustainability remains a core business priority, fueled by rising investment and technology-driven progress.

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🚀 Talent mobility is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s fast becoming a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s workforce transformation. Great to see my friend and colleague Francesco Cotrone sharing his perspectives in this insightful piece by Arab News on how internal marketplaces, AI-driven job-matching, and reskilling programs are reshaping the Kingdom’s labor landscape under Vision 2030. 💡 Francesco Cotrone points out the shift from static, linear careers to dynamic, opportunity-rich paths — powered by platforms that match talent not just to what they can do today, but what they could grow into tomorrow. 🔍 He refers to examples of how local mobility providers are enabling seamless career transitions across industries — connecting skills to high-demand sectors like healthcare and tech. 📈 As Saudi Arabia doubles down on localization, agility, and private sector growth, talent mobility providers are becoming strategic partners in workforce planning, Saudization, and long-term capability building. 📊 AI + workforce analytics 🔁 Internal career agility 🎯 Skills-based development 🌍 Vision 2030-aligned outcomes Read the full article below #SaudiArabia #Vision2030 #TalentMobility #WorkforceTransformation #Reskilling #FutureOfWork #AIinHR #FrancescoCotrone #ArthurDLittle #HumanCapital #GCCWorkforce #InternalMarketplaces #HRTech #Saudization #Taqat #Upskilling

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Countries in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and across the Middle East are pursuing ambitious transformation agendas. Public sector modernization, economic diversification, and tech innovation are at the heart of these plans, but the region’s civil aviation opportunity stands out. Authored by @‌Hassen Benothman @‌Andreas Dietze @‌Giovanni Moscatelli @‌Luis Ponce de León @‌Meto Trajkovski @‌Rami Mourtada @‌Mousseyed Sidha @‌Dmitry Makarov @‌Arkapol Basu this new @‌BCG Platinion thought leadership article explores how aviation authorities can build trusted, future-ready data foundations (grounded in accountability, strong governance, and the right operating model from the start) to support sustainable growth and long-term impact. 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ghzw4QkA #AviationTransformation #DigitalTrust #Analytics #OperatingModels #FutureOfMobility https://bcg.smh.re/I6I

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