09/01/2026
For decades, the Middle East’s global influence has been closely associated with oil and gas.
But as the region goes through a transition, a different kind of influence is beginning to emerge.
From globally ambitious brands to rapidly growing startup ecosystems, cities like Dubai are showing signs of becoming increasingly important centers of entrepreneurship, creativity, and global brand creation.
Could the Middle East become one of the next major centers of global brand and cultural influence?
In the latest edition of Apricot Pulse, we explore the signals and the brands helping shape what could come next.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/next-wave-global-brands-middle-east-apricot-branding-ms3ke
For much of the modern era, the Middle East's influence on the global economy has been closely associated with energy. Oil transformed the region, generated enormous wealth, and gave Middle Eastern economies greater influence on the global stage.