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Prince Sultan Bin Khalid Bin Faisal was appointed chief executive of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) early January. At the SIDF, which was set up in 1974, Sultan takes over from Ibrahim Al-Mojel, who had held the role since 2018.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan’s approach to statecraft has slowly emerged in the eight months since ‘MBZ’ formally took over as head of state from his late half-brother Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed. A security-led approach to foreign engagement has been accompanied by increased economic diplomacy, but a new crown prince has yet to be appointed, even as the Bani Fatima brothers further consolidate their power and economic control.

For all United Nations special envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg’s efforts at shuttle diplomacy, the continued failure to relaunch the UN-backed ceasefire – which ended in October – has raised the prospect of renewed threats to shipping in the waters around Yemen. This has particular resonance for the UAE, which has often resorted to using commercial vessels as part of its security response.

Amiri Yachts, which acts as a holding company for a fleet of Qatari royal yachts, has filed a claim in the High Court of Justice in London, seeking a refund from Lebanon’s Privinvest Holding for work carried out on the Katara superyacht at Privinvest’s German shipyard.

A member of the family behind one of Saudi Arabia’s leading privately-owned construction companies, El Seif Engineering Contracting (Esec), is rising up the social ranks, with a wedding between Esec chairman’s daughter, Rajwa Bint Khaled Al-Seif, to Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein Bin Abdullah due to take place on 1 June.

Huge investments by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund the Public Investment Fund (PIF) – chaired by Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) – and its subsidiaries and affiliates are continuing to define wider Saudi strategy. Recent big deals include Saudi National Bank (SNB)’s move to buy nearly 10% of Credit Suisse, a big potential bank takeover in Egypt and efforts to boost tourism-focused investment in marginalised areas of the kingdom.

Qatar has invested heavily in Europe’s largest economy, favouring large investments in companies with high political value or systemic importance.

Probably not the region’s worst offender, Doha has bristled about western criticism of its human rights record before and during the football World Cup, with comments from German government ministers proving a particular irritation. However, European politicians have other concerns about Qatari actions closer to home, with a corruption scandal involving alleged influence-peddling in the European Parliament among the issues that could threaten Doha’s perceptions of which allies are most worth cultivating.

Just when it thought exciting football on the pitch had overtaken negative coverage of human rights issues, Qatar has been embroiled in a growing scandal in Belgium, amid allegations that unnamed power-brokers in Doha had tried to improperly influence proceedings by offering cash and other gifts to members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

Saudi real estate company Dar Al-Arkan has signed an agreement with former United States president Donald Trump’s Trump Organisation to develop a resort close to the  Muscat.

A reported bid by an Ajman-based consortium to buy Doncaster Sheffield Airport in the United Kingdom from the local Peel Group appears to have failed, after the approach was blocked by the current owner.

Sohar International Bank announced a binding merger deal with HSBC Oman on 16 November. Sohar will take over HSBC Oman’s assets, with the latter’s shareholders paid in cash and Sohar shares.

Farhad Azima has been granted permission by the High Court in London to try and overturn a fraud and conspiracy ruling against him secured by Ras Al-Khaimah Investment Authority (Rakia) in 2020, after uncovering apparent new evidence of Rakia’s involvement in hacking his email accounts.

Recently-appointed Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) chief executive Sheikh Nawaf Saud Al-Sabah has reshuffled the senior management of the state-owned group’s main subsidiaries, in the latest sign of change in the country’s energy sector.

Doha has struggled to deal with criticism from global media and former Fifa insiders as it prepares for the start of the 2022 World Cup. Its insistence that “everyone is welcome” will be tested in the coming weeks, but GSN’s research shows that one group has already done very well from the event, with Qatar’s big business families – including the ruling Al-Thanis – having secured major construction contracts.