Harvard Business Review “Breakthrough Idea”: Islamic Finance: The New Global Player

The Harvard Business Review (HBR), in its annual list of “Breakthrough Ideas,” has included my article highlighting Islamic finance as “the new global player” in the world’s financial system. The article was co-authored by Dr. S. Nazim Ali, Director of the Islamic Finance Program at the Harvard Law School.

The HBR’s recognition of Islamic finance is yet another indication of the industry’s mainstream relevance and reflects the fact that no financial services institution can be truly global without expertise in Shariah-compliant products and services.

Increased Public Engagement: Acknowledging US-Gulf Interdependency

The Gulf states and the US have long-standing, highly interdependent relationships. Events of the past week, in the GCC and here in the US, have demonstrated both increased public acknowledgment of this interdependence and visible signs of growing connectivity between the GCC and the US economies. This trend is an important one for global business leaders to watch.

Wharton Leadership Digest Interview: Leading in the Gulf

The January edition of the Wharton Leadership Digest (WLD) features an interview with me on the topic of “Leading the Gulf: Making Sense of Business Leadership in Dubai and Beyond.” The interview touched on a wide range of interesting topics, including:

• how much of Dubai’s success is a “leadership story,”
• the degree to which business leaders need to adapt to thrive in the Gulf environment,
• women in the workforce,
• effects of the Dubai Ports World controversy, and more.

Cisco’s Aspiration: A Fully Networked Gulf City?

A business unit of Cisco Systems, according to a recent report in the Financial Times, has revealed an ambitious goal: networking entire cities. City-wide Internet Protocol (IP) networks would not only give Web access to residents but also enable the Web-based management of government services and infrastructure (traffic lights, ports, etc.).

Don’t be surprised if, in 2008, we find Gulf cities competing to be the first to attain “fully networked” status. Besides the PR splash, are there real benefits to such a move?