This week, a MENA Salary Survey revealed that 60% of employees plan to leave their jobs, citing pay dissatisfaction and limited benefits. DAMAC Chairman Hussain Sajwani pledged $20 billion for US data centre expansion amid growing AI infrastructure demand. ADGM announced new employment regulations effective April 1, 2025, updating workplace rights and obligations. The UAE extended Pakistan’s $2 billion loan repayment following talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. MAGNiTT reported a 40% drop in emerging venture market funding in 2024, with Southeast Asia leading activity despite a 45% decline in funding.
These were the top stories this week as selected by Finance Middle East editors.
MENA Salary Survey reveals gender disparities in compensation, work-life balance
Nearly 60% of employees in the MENA region are planning to leave their current jobs soon, according to a new survey by Bayt.com and Markelytics Solutions. The findings highlight widespread dissatisfaction with salaries, limited benefits and toxic workplace environments as key drivers of job turnover.
The MENA Salary Survey 2025—which surveyed over 1,200 employees across the GCC, North Africa, and the Levant—reveals that men are more likely to receive monetary benefits such as bonuses, while women report better work-life balance. The findings also point to widespread dissatisfaction with salaries, particularly among younger professionals, and a high job turnover rate across the region.
Hussain Sajwani commits $20 billion to US data centre expansion amid AI infrastructure race
Dubai billionaire Hussain Sajwani, chairman of DAMAC Group, has pledged $20 billion to expand the US data centre sector, signalling a major shift toward digital infrastructure investment. The announcement was made at former President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, underscoring the long-standing business ties between the two.
Sajwani indicated that the investment could grow beyond $20 billion, depending on market conditions. DAMAC, which owns the Trump-branded golf resort in Dubai, is moving into the data centre space to capitalise on demand driven by cloud technology and generative AI.
New ADGM employment regulations to take effect in April 2025
The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Registration Authority (RA) has released the Employment Regulations 2024 (referred to as “New Employment Regulations”), set to replace the Employment Regulations 2019. The new framework introduces significant changes aligned with evolving global workplace practices and aims to provide greater legal clarity for both employers and employees regarding their respective rights and obligations.
The New Employment Regulations will come into effect on April 1, 2025, providing employers with a transition period to adjust their internal policies, employment contracts, and related compliance measures.
UAE agrees to extend $2 billion loan repayment for Pakistan as IMF review nears
The UAE has agreed to roll over the repayment of $2 billion owed by Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report.
Sharif stated that the agreement followed a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a private visit to Pakistan on Sunday. “In a one-on-one meeting, he said the $2 billion repayment due is being extended,” Sharif announced during a televised press conference.
Emerging venture markets see 40% drop in funding amid global downturn in 2024
The Emerging Venture Markets (EVM) spanning the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, Türkiye, and Pakistan faced a turbulent year in 2024, with total funding plummeting by 40% to $9.1 billion compared to 2023, according to MAGNiTT’s FY2024 Venture Investment Summary. The total number of deals fell by 20% to 1,527, reflecting the lowest levels recorded since the pre-pandemic period in 2020. This sharp contraction is in line with global trends, as venture capital markets worldwide grapple with rising interest rates, geopolitical tensions and cautious investor sentiment that curbed late-stage funding.
Southeast Asia remained the most active region in the EVM landscape, accounting for 43% of the total activity. However, funding in the region shrank by 45% to $5.6 billion, with the number of deals falling by 14% to 564. Singapore, the region’s most significant player, witnessed a 53% decline in funding to $3.4 billion. Meanwhile, the Middle East showed relative resilience, with funding declining 29% to $1.5 billion but deal activity rising by 10% to 461. The UAE led the region in the number of deals (188), though Saudi Arabia secured the highest funding at $750 million, despite a 44% drop year-on-year.
Other top stories
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Analysis: inflation, interest rates and geopolitical risks shape 2025 investment outlook
Founders in focus: ABHI’s Omair Ansari on lowering the barriers to accessing funds
MANTRA and DAMAC sign $1 billion asset tokenisation deal
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