M&A, corporate strategy and major deals in the region
Qatar has spent the post-World-Cup years rewiring its investment framework to compete with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Foreign Investment Law No. 1 of 2019 dismantled the old 49% ownership ceiling, and the QFC and QFZ platforms give international founders common-law comfort and tax holidays.
The UAE’s Economic Substance Regulations (ESR) framework was one of the country’s most disruptive compliance regimes when it launched in 2019. Six years later, the rules have been formally withdrawn for recent financial years — but the historical…
The UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism charges AED 6,500 per class over a 3-to-4-month process to register a trademark under Federal Law 36 of 2021. This guide covers fees, documents, the opposition window, and the 10-year renewal cycle.
Federal Decree-Law 10 of 2025 replaced the UAE’s earlier AML regime on 14 October 2025 and raised corporate penalties to AED 100 million. This guide covers goAML registration, DNFBP obligations, VASP treatment, and the enforcement timeline.
UAE mainland and non-financial free zone companies must disclose their beneficial owners. This 2026 guide covers the 25% threshold, three required registers, 60-day filing deadlines, and the AED 10,000-100,000 penalty ladder under Cabinet Decision 132/2023.
The UAE Personal Data Protection Law is Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021, the first federal data protection statute in the United Arab Emirates. It defines how personal data of UAE residents may be collected, processed, stored and transferred, and…
A UAE e-commerce free zone is a federally or emirate-designated economic area where online sellers can register a company with 100% foreign ownership, hold a dedicated e-commerce trade licence and access customs-bonded warehousing without engaging a…
Dubai suits trading, e-commerce, retail, logistics, and consumer brands that value speed, breadth of free zones, and a dense international market. Abu Dhabi suits finance, energy, deep technology, and government-facing businesses that benefit from se
A free zone visa quota is the maximum number of residence visas a company may sponsor under its current licence and workspace. It is set by the free zone authority at licensing, printed on the establishment card, and enforced by UAE immigration when
For any company hiring inside Dubai International Financial Centre or Abu Dhabi Global Market, the mainland Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 does not apply. Payroll, end-of-service benefits, leave, and dispute resolution all follow the free zone’s own rule
