Month: February 2026

Dubai , February 20, 2026 : As demand for professionally managed private aviation services continues to evolve, Dubai-based Crystal Wings is positioning itself around an integrated operating model focused on reliability, transparency, and long-term value, according to senior leadership.

Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Dubai, the company provides private jet chartering, aircraft management, crew management, air ambulance operations, and aircraft acquisition consulting. Krishna Kumar, who oversees sales and operational functions, said the firm was structured from the outset to respond to increasing regulatory complexity, heightened safety expectations, and the growing sophistication of private aviation clients.

From Charter Provider to Long-Term Aviation Partner

Kumar emphasized that the company was designed to move beyond a purely transactional charter model.

“Crystal Wings was built as a long-term aviation partner rather than a single-service provider,” he said. “Our focus has always been on understanding client requirements in detail and structuring solutions that evolve with them, supported by strong after-sales service and operational continuity.”

The company’s integrated framework combines consultative advisory services, aircraft selection, regulatory compliance, operational management, and ongoing maintenance under a single structure. According to Kumar, this unified approach reduces the need for clients to coordinate with multiple vendors.

“In practical terms, it means one trusted partner managing the entire process,” he noted. “From planning and execution to post-flight support, clients are not required to coordinate across multiple providers.”

Leadership believes this consolidation improves service consistency and reduces operational friction, particularly for high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and institutional clients requiring seamless global mobility.

Balancing Discretion, Safety, and Transparency

Private aviation often requires balancing confidentiality with measurable accountability — a dynamic Kumar described as central to the company’s operating philosophy.

“We separate what needs to remain private from what must remain transparent,” he said. “Clients are always informed about outcomes, standards, and accountability, without unnecessary exposure to internal complexity.”

Safety and professional oversight remain core pillars of the company’s operations. Kumar stressed that aviation reliability depends not only on systems and technology but also on the experience and preparedness of personnel.

“In aviation, systems are important, but people make them work,” he said. “Our pilots, engineers, and operations leaders bring extensive experience and are trained to anticipate complexity, not react to it. That accountability directly supports performance and client confidence.”

The company’s medical aviation division further illustrates this operational philosophy. Air ambulance missions require rapid activation, ICU-level aircraft configuration, and coordinated execution between aeromedical teams and flight crews.

“Medical aviation leaves no margin for ambiguity,” Kumar said. “Our air ambulance operations are designed around readiness, clinical precision, and real-time coordination with medical partners.”

Dubai as a Strategic Global Anchor

Crystal Wings’ leadership identifies Dubai as central to its global strategy, citing the city’s geographic positioning, infrastructure, and regulatory environment as advantages for 24/7 intercontinental operations.

“Dubai gives us geographic reach, infrastructure, and regulatory alignment that supports around-the-clock global missions,” Kumar said. “For urgent charter missions and medical evacuations, that operational readiness is critical.”

Looking ahead, Kumar indicated that growth will remain measured and demand-driven. Fleet expansion and geographic reach, he said, will align with operational capacity rather than scale for its own sake.

“Our priorities are clear,” he added. “Reliability will always come before scale. Integration is our core strength, safety and governance are non-negotiable, and Dubai will remain our global anchor.”

As the private aviation sector increasingly shifts toward structured, professionally governed platforms, Crystal Wings’ leadership believes that operational discipline and consistency will define long-term relevance in the market.

Dubai , February 18, 2026 : M. A. Yusuff Ali, Chairman of Lulu Group International, has been ranked the most influential Indian expatriate in the Middle East, topping The 100 NRIs list released by leading regional business magazine Middle East Entrepreneur.

The annual ranking recognises Indian-origin leaders who have made significant contributions across retail, real estate, healthcare, finance, technology, innovation and strategic investments. According to the magazine, the list was curated after an extensive evaluation of business impact, leadership influence and long-term contribution to regional economic growth.

Yusuff Ali Leads the Rankings

The publication highlighted Yusuff Ali’s transformative role in modernising the retail ecosystem across the Gulf region. Under his leadership, Lulu Group established a professionalised retail model that strengthened supply chains, enhanced food security frameworks and generated large-scale employment opportunities.

Beyond retail, the group’s investments in hospitality, healthcare, financial services and sustainable infrastructure have accelerated diversified economic development in the region, the magazine noted.

Prominent Names in the Top Five

Joining Yusuff Ali in the top five are:

• Sunny Varkey, Founder and Executive Chairman of GEMS Education
• Dr. Adnan Chilwan, Group CEO of Dubai Islamic Bank
• Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder of Aster DM Healthcare
• Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings

The magazine underscored the critical role played by healthcare, education and financial institutions in shaping the Middle East’s long-term growth trajectory.

Business Leaders Dominate Top Ten

Several high-profile Indian business leaders also secured places in the top ten, including:

• Adeeb Ahamed, MD of Lulu Financial Holdings
• Vivek Oberoi, Bollywood actor and Co-founder of BNW Developments
• Ankur Aggarwal, Founder and Chairman of BNW Developments
• Ajay Bhatia, Founder and CEO of SOL Properties
• Manish Malhotra, Creative Director and entrepreneur

Industry Stalwarts Feature in the List

Other notable figures featured include:

P. N. C. Menon of Sobha Group;
Thumbay Moideen of Thumbay Group;
Ravi Pillai of RP Group;
Firoz Merchant of Pure Gold Jewellers;
Rizwan Sajan of Danube Group;
Sohan Roy of Aries Group;
Ramesh Ramakrishnan of Transworld Group;
Joy Alukkas; and
Shamlal Ahamed of Malabar Gold & Diamonds.

Women Leaders Make Strong Presence

The list also highlights the growing influence of women leaders in the region’s corporate landscape. Among those featured prominently are:

Sima Ganwani Ved of Apparel Group;
Prakriti Singh of Mastercard;
Renuka Jagtiani of Landmark Group;
Shobha Menon of Equiti Group;
Vidya Chhabria of Jumbo Group;
Alisha Moopen of Aster DM Healthcare; and
Sonia Gokhale of VentureSouq.

Celebrating Indian Impact in the Gulf

The 100 NRIs list reflects the expanding economic and strategic footprint of the Indian diaspora in the Middle East. From retail and infrastructure to healthcare and fintech, Indian entrepreneurs continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the region’s evolving business landscape.

With strong cross-border trade ties and long-standing cultural connections between India and the Gulf nations, the influence of Indian business leaders in the Middle East shows no signs of slowing down.

Dubai , February 17 , 2026 : An event attended by His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, marked the official launch of Authentic Leadership – Invaluable Lessons from the Life and Natural Leadership Style of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a new book by prominent Emirati business leader and Lootah Holding Chairman Saleh Abdullah Lootah.

The book explores the visionary leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, and offers a timely reflection on the values-driven approach that transformed a collection of coastal emirates into one of the world’s most dynamic and globally respected nations.

A Vision That United a Nation

Sheikh Zayed’s ability to unite diverse tribes and emirates under a shared national vision remains one of the most defining achievements in modern state-building. Through dialogue, conviction, and an unwavering commitment to the greater good, he laid the foundations of the UAE Federation in 1971 and led the country for more than three decades with wisdom, humility, and purpose.

Before unification, the region was known as the Trucial States — a grouping of coastal sheikhdoms navigating complex tribal and geopolitical realities. The emergence of the UAE from these beginnings into a global economic powerhouse required leadership capable of addressing cultural diversity while inspiring unity and shared aspiration.

In less than 55 years since its formation, the UAE has risen to become the world’s 29th largest economy, with Gross Domestic Product reaching approximately US$570 billion — a milestone that underscores the depth of its economic transformation.

From Coastal Emirates to Global Hub

Today, the UAE stands as the second-largest Arab economy and a major global hub for trade, investment, innovation, and talent. In 2025, the nation’s non-oil foreign trade reached Dh3.8 trillion, reflecting sustained growth and resilience amid shifting global dynamics.

The country has become an international destination for entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, professionals, and global talent, widely regarded as one of the safest and most opportunity-rich environments in the world.

According to Lootah, this progress is deeply rooted in Sheikh Zayed’s authentic and people-centred leadership philosophy.

“When the UAE was formed, uniting seven Emirates with distinct identities posed an extraordinary challenge,” Lootah writes. “Sheikh Zayed achieved this unification through the power of vision — speaking with clarity, listening with respect, and inspiring a shared purpose.”

Leadership Through a Modern Lens

In the book, Lootah draws on leadership scholarship and lived national experience to present Sheikh Zayed as a model of “authentic leadership” — a style grounded in integrity, responsibility, empathy, and long-term vision.

The publication also examines how the UAE’s leadership has consistently transformed global challenges into opportunities — from financial crises to the COVID-19 pandemic — demonstrating adaptability, courage, and governance focused on people and long-term sustainability.

By evaluating Sheikh Zayed’s approach through the lens of modern global management frameworks, Lootah argues that the founding father intuitively embodied principles that today’s leadership theorists formally define.

A Blueprint for Future Leaders

Now available in English and Arabic through Amazon, Authentic Leadership serves as both a tribute to Sheikh Zayed’s enduring legacy and a blueprint for the next generation of leaders — those committed to building trust, driving meaningful impact, and shaping a future rooted in values and purpose.

The launch event underscored the continued relevance of Sheikh Zayed’s philosophy at a time when leadership worldwide faces increasing complexity. More than a historical reflection, the book positions authentic, values-based leadership as essential to sustainable national and organizational success in the 21st century.

Dubai ,February 17 , 2026 : 2026: Dealing , a new global investing platform, has officially launched with a clear mission to reshape how investors access, understand, and participate in global financial markets. Built as an investment-first platform, Dealing is designed for long-term investors who prioritise diversification, discipline, sustainable wealth creation, and exposure.

Starting today, Dealing will offer opportunities to invest in more than 30,000 financial assets across 10+ global markets operating under 30+ licenses and registrations. Through a single unified account, investors can participate across stocks, ETFs, derivatives, and other global instruments, enabling meaningful diversification across markets.

The platform’s core focus is to provide a fully transparent, secure, simple, and compliant investing experience across mobile and web. It is built on an education-led approach that empowers investors to make informed decisions with the right mindset, free from pressure, urgency, or impulsive actions. At a time when global equity participation remains structurally limited, Dealing unlocks borderless access, enabling investors to participate across markets worldwide and access wealth-creation opportunities that extend beyond the ordinary, beyond borders, and beyond the obvious.

The global investing platform is first consumer-facing platform under the broader umbrella offered by Dealing Investment Banking Services headquartered in Mauritius. Dealing Investment Banking Services offers corporate finance advisory, product structuring and distribution, wealth management and investment advisory, market making / liquidity facilitation and brokerage and execution services through the global investing platform. 

Tajinder Virk, Co-Founder and CEO, Finvasia Group and Dealing said at the launch,“Dealing was born from a simple insight: global investing isn’t a lack of opportunity, it’s the complexity and fragmentation that hold most investors back. Even today, around 90% of global stocks remain out of reach for individual investors. Dealing was created to remove these barriers, uniting global markets, opportunities, and assets into a single, transparent experience so investors can participate confidently and focus on long-term wealth creation.The global investing platform is a part of Dealing Investment Banking Services and it is going to revolutionize how investment banking is done. This is our first step of bringing investment bank to the masses.”

Backed by the Finvasia Group, Dealing Investment Banking Services operates within a robust global regulatory and compliance framework, including an FSC Mauritius Investment Banking License, CySEC regulation, and authorisation under the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), alongside other international registrations. The platform’s fully-owned technology stack and direct regulatory licensing provide rare end-to-end control over infrastructure, compliance, execution, and data security, reducing reliance on intermediaries while enhancing transparency and investor protection. The group has been serving investors across 120+ countries. 

The launch of Dealing was marked at IFX Dubai Expo, one of the world’s leading global fintech and trading industry forums, reflecting the platform’s global ambition and institutional-grade foundations. 

Following its launch, Dealing will initially focus on expanding its presence across GCC markets, with plans to progressively scale into Europe, Africa (including South Africa), and other key global regions. As global markets evolve, Dealing will continue to add more assets, more markets, and broader opportunities. As investors increasingly seek international exposure across developed, emerging, and fast-growing markets, Dealing prioritises education over speculation, alignment over activity, and long-term wealth creation over short-term noise. 

With its launch, Dealing sets out to redefine what global investing should look like in the modern era: accessible, responsible, and built around the investor.