Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

The travel, tourism, and aviation sector is capitalizing on a convergence of strong fundamentals: rising global mobility, aggressive destination marketing, and government investment in hospitality and experience infrastructure. As visitor targets grow more ambitious and competition between destinations intensifies, the sector is under pressure to deliver quality and scale in equal measure.

flydubai

For putting more of the world within reach

In 2025, flydubai set a new record by carrying 15.7 million passengers to over 140 destinations in 58 countries, including many places that previously had no direct flights from Dubai. The airline’s partnership with Emirates helped more than 2.5 million passengers travel across a combined network of 243 destinations in 103 countries. Over the year, flydubai added 11 new interline agreements, bringing the total to 42 partners and giving passengers access to more than 300 destinations. The airline also introduced a dedicated Business Class check-in and lounge at Dubai Terminal 2. It began offering complimentary meals and entertainment in all classes on every route, while keeping fares unchanged.

The post The brand that matters in travel, tourism & aviation in 2026 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

Every smart city, every AI deployment, every digital government service runs on telecom infrastructure. Across the region, that dependency is sharpening operator focus and attracting fresh investment into networks that need to be faster, more resilient, and significantly more intelligent. Connectivity is no longer a utility. It is a strategic asset.

du 

For moving well beyond the network it was built on

du has moved from being just a connectivity provider to becoming a full digital services operator. Its 5G network now handles more than 70% of mobile traffic and covers 99% of the population. The new 5G-Advanced service, which reaches speeds of 5.1 Gbps, is the first of its kind to be launched commercially in the region. du Pay, the company’s financial platform launched less than two years ago, has processed over AED 1.5 billion in transactions, reached one million downloads, and supports remittances to 200 countries, mainly helping blue-collar workers and migrant communities. The company has also reorganized into three sub-brands: du Tech, du Infra, and du Business. It has rolled out sovereign cloud infrastructure with Oracle Alloy and formed AI partnerships with Nvidia, Microsoft, and AWS.

The post The brand that matters in telecom in 2026 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

Technology has become the common language of regional ambition. Whether it is smart city infrastructure, AI-powered government services, or a venture-backed startup rewriting an entire industry, the sector sits at the center of how the region imagines and builds its next chapter. The infrastructure is being laid. The talent is arriving. The question now is what gets built with it.

Archer Aviation

For turning the daily commute into a flight path

Archer Aviation is creating a new kind of aircraft. Its main eVTOL model, Midnight, can carry four passengers at speeds up to 150 mph, produces almost no emissions, and is much quieter than a helicopter. Midnight meets airline-level safety standards, using 12 redundant rotors on six booms. Archer designed the propulsion system in-house, and EDGE Group and Anduril have now licensed it for the Omen autonomous air vehicle. This is the first time eVTOL propulsion technology has been used outside of passenger aviation. Midnight’s performance was tested in the Gulf at Al Bateen Executive Airport and Al Ain Airport. Abu Dhabi is the first launch edition market, with a commercial agreement signed with Abu Dhabi Aviation and approval for the UAE’s first hybrid vertiport at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal.

Globant

For powering the digital intelligence of the region’s most ambitious projects 

Globant increased its Middle East and APAC revenue by over 84% year-on-year in Q1 2025, thanks to partnerships with some of the region’s largest giga-projects. The company is working with Qiddiya Investment Company to build a digital ecosystem for a city with more than 400 tourist attractions. For Red Sea Global, Globant is handling the digital guest experience for Saudi Arabia’s leading regenerative tourism project. The company also launched an AI-powered Competition Management Solution for the Saudi Pro League. In May 2025, Globant opened its regional headquarters in Riyadh as an AI Center of Excellence. About 30-40% of its Saudi team comes from local talent, supported by a graduate program focused on entertainment and tourism expertise. Its AI Pods model is the industry’s first subscription-based service for AI-driven engineering and product development.

Presight

For building the foundations of an AI-driven future 

Presight builds AI into the foundational systems that governments operate on, with deployments across energy, finance, public safety, and smart city infrastructure in the UAE and 17 countries across five continents. Its domestic footprint includes the Central Bank of the UAE’s CBDC and payments infrastructure, ADNOC’s upstream operations, Abu Dhabi Police’s AI Policing Suite, and national energy and water management through the AD.WE platform. In Kazakhstan, Alem.ai R&D lab runs with a team of 50 specialists, over 60% of whom are local hires. Its AI Startup Accelerator drew over 120 applications from 17 countries in its first cohort. The company is valued at approximately $5 billion, based on 12 consecutive quarters of growth.

Space42 

For bringing connectivity beyond boundaries

Space42 is the UAE’s first AI-powered SpaceTech company with global reach. In its first year, it launched Thuraya-4, the most advanced GEO L-band satellite in the region, now serving over 100 countries with connectivity across isolated communities, maritime routes, and disaster zones. Its Foresight satellite constellation, integrated with the AI-driven geospatial platform GIQ, delivers near real-time Earth observation intelligence that helped coordinate flood response during the 2024 UAE floods and is now being applied to wildfire monitoring in Spain, the first civilian operational authorization of HAPS technology in Europe. Its autonomous ride-hailing service, TXAI, has completed nearly 600,000 kilometers and over 20,000 passenger trips across Abu Dhabi without incident. Through its planned Equatys venture with Viasat, Space42 is developing a multi-tenant satellite infrastructure spanning up to 2,800 satellites to enable direct-to-device 5G connectivity for populations beyond the reach of traditional networks

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Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

The sustainability and clean tech sector is translating policy ambition into investable opportunity at pace. As governments set binding emissions targets and sovereign funds allocate capital toward green infrastructure, a maturing ecosystem of startups, developers, and technology providers is emerging to meet demand. Execution remains the critical variable separating credible transition from well-branded intent.

Etihad Water and Electricity 

For engineering water and energy security from the ground up

Etihad Water and Electricity serves over two million residents across the Northern Emirates and has completed the UAE’s first full transition to Reverse Osmosis desalination, eliminating thermal desalination across its entire network. The shift materially reduces energy intensity in water production and advances both the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy and Water Security Strategy 2036. Over 500,000 smart meters have been deployed as part of an AED 200 million upgrade. A 17-workstream Non-Revenue Water program combining AI-enabled analytics and acoustic leak detection improved detection and resolution times by up to 70%. Preferential tariffs support over 9,000 farms, rooftop solar integration has been enabled through its Distributed Solar System, and over 120 EV chargers have been deployed with a target of 1,000 by 2030. Beyond the UAE, the company is participating in the 1,500 MW Dawadmi Wind Project in Saudi Arabia, which set a new global record for the lowest wind power generation cost.

Msheireb Properties

For building a city where sustainability was never an afterthought

Msheireb Downtown Doha covers 31 hectares in the heart of Doha. Every building in the district has earned LEED Gold or Platinum certification, and the district uses about 30% less energy than typical developments. In 2025, Msheireb Properties introduced Qatar’s first major decarbonization plan for a large property portfolio, working with Cundall to set a science-based path to net-zero carbon for over 100 buildings. The area is equipped with more than 430 kilometers of fiber-optic cable and 650,000 IoT devices, enabling real-time monitoring of utilities, traffic, and building systems. The design focuses on climate, using passive cooling, solar power, and water recycling, guided by the Seven Principles framework throughout the project.

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Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

Services is a sector defined by its breadth and underestimated for exactly that reason. As regional economies diversify and the private sector expands, demand for high-quality, scalable service providers is intensifying across every vertical. The organizations winning in this space are those treating service delivery not as a cost center but as a genuine source of competitive advantage.

Justlife

For turning home services into a platform people actually rely on

Justlife’s brand is built on a simple idea: helping people reclaim their time. In today’s busy world, where it’s hard to juggle work, family, and personal life, Justlife has become the UAE’s top home services platform by making everyday help easier to access, more dependable, and more convenient. In the past year, Justlife hit a major milestone, reaching 15 million service bookings. 

The company started with home cleaning but has grown into a platform offering cleaning, maintenance, beauty, wellness, laundry, and home healthcare services. Innovation has always been at the heart of this growth. The launch of the “We Got You” brand platform helped connect with customers, and the introduction of Justlife Healthcare brought regulated healthcare services to people’s homes through licensed medical partners. Now, customers can book doctor visits, nursing care, physiotherapy, psychotherapy, lab tests, and wellness services all in one place. Justlife has changed what people expect from convenience, care, and quality, becoming a well-known name in the UAE’s service industry.

The post The brand that matters in services in 2026 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

Retail is in the middle of its most interesting chapter yet. Physical stores are being reimagined as experience destinations, e-commerce is maturing beyond convenience into expectation, and homegrown brands are competing credibly with global names. The consumer has never been more demanding or more worth winning.

Huda Beauty 

For building a beauty brand guided by community feedback

Huda Beauty has spent the past year reinforcing what made it relevant in the first place. With founder Huda Kattan back as CEO, the brand refocused on fewer, higher-impact launches guided by community feedback and founder-led transparency. The result was a streamlined portfolio, improved hero formulations, and product innovations that moved beyond conventional beauty formats, including a long-wear lip stain built on a proprietary formula, a pressed powder compact integrated with a phone grip, and the Ube Easy Bake, which popularized the blushed undereye look and helped define the ballerina-core aesthetic across social and editorial platforms. 

Starbucks 

For turning its purpose into real results

Starbucks, owned by Alshaya Group, has strengthened its presence in the Middle East by turning its purpose into real results. EmpowerME is a three-year, $6 million project backed by The Starbucks Foundation and Alshaya Group, and delivered with INJAZ Al Arab/JA MENA and Habitat Association. The program aims to give 250,000 underserved young people in MENA, Türkiye, and Kazakhstan the skills they need for the future. In its first year, it reached over 86,000 youth. EmpowerME focuses on those who face extra challenges, such as young women, refugees, orphans, and vocational students. It offers learning, mentorship, and practical guidance. Starbucks employees are involved too, with 61 staff members volunteering as mentors, coaches, and judges.

Starbucks is also working to promote inclusion in other ways. For example, it has opened sign language stores in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, partnering with local groups and providing special training for staff. The company has also connected more with local culture by working with regional artists, creating drinks inspired by local tastes, and sharing stories that highlight local voices.

The post The brand that matters in retail in 2026 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

Property has long reflected confidence, and today that confidence is strong. From luxury towers to logistics parks and mixed-use spaces, real estate is turning the region’s growth ambitions into reality. The key question for the next decade is not whether to build, but what to build, who it’s for, and how it will affect the communities that live there.

Ellington Properties

For proving that design-led living sells itself

Ellington Properties has built its reputation by redefining luxury real estate through a design-led approach that prioritizes lifestyle, liveability, and long-term value. It helped shape a more discerning residential market in Dubai.

In the past year, Ellington grew its market presence with several new projects, especially The Meriva Collection on the Dubai Islands. This hospitality-inspired development showed Ellington’s move toward experience-focused living and was met with strong demand. Over 75% of the available units were sold within 48 hours, and sales reached AED 2.4 billion in the first week. More than 1,600 people showed interest in 938 units, showing the brand’s strong appeal to both investors and homebuyers.

Beyond development, Ellington has invested in community and culture through initiatives such as the Ellington Sports Foundation and Ellington Art Foundation.

The results are reflected in performance. Sales increased by 41% year-on-year to AED 12.69 billion in 2025, while strong repeat purchases and referrals demonstrate growing customer loyalty.

The post The brand that matters in real estate in 2026 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

Few industries show a destination’s ambitions as clearly as its hotels. Across the region, new properties focus on guest experiences while governments invest in tourism and compete for global travelers. Hotel operators now face pressure to meet high standards that justify these investments and encourage repeat visits. The most successful brands are those that see hospitality as both a cultural experience and a disciplined business.

FIVE

For building hotels where the numbers speak loud

FIVE Hotels and Resorts recorded total revenue of AED 2.2 billion in 2025, with hospitality revenues rising 20% year-on-year to AED 1.98 billion. In a Dubai market averaging 80.7% occupancy, FIVE Jumeirah Village hit 90.5%, FIVE Palm Jumeirah reached 89.8%, and FIVE LUXE JBR achieved 86.7% in its first full year of operation. RevPAR at FIVE LUXE JBR reached AED 1,391, 198% above the city average. Live events contributed to revenue across the Dubai portfolio, anchored by the Pacha ICONS series, which alone generated AED 50 million. Ronin at FIVE LUXE was named Opening of the Year in the 2025 Michelin Dubai Guide. In June 2025, the group launched Destino Five Ibiza.

The post The brand that matters in hotels & resorts in 2026 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

Wellness is no longer a luxury category. It has become a mainstream expectation, woven into how people eat, move, work, and age. The sector now spans everything from mental health platforms and precision medicine to corporate well-being programs and longevity clinics. What unites them is a population that is paying closer attention to how it lives, not just how long.

Aster DM Healthcare

For making quality healthcare accessible, not just available

Aster DM Healthcare has built one of the region’s most trusted healthcare ecosystems. Operating 15 hospitals, 128 clinics, and 345 pharmacies across the GCC, Jordan, and India, Aster serves more than 20 million patients annually while advancing accessible, patient-centered healthcare.

Over the past year, the company expanded in Saudi Arabia, including the launch of myAster in the kingdom. Developed in partnership with Google Cloud, the platform became one of the region’s first healthcare applications to integrate Generative AI and Arabic voice recognition, enabling patients to access care through a localized digital experience. 

Innovation remains central to Aster’s growth strategy. The myAster platform has transformed healthcare access through teleconsultations, pharmacy delivery, digital records, and AI-powered patient journeys. At the same time, Aster continues to pioneer advanced treatments, robotics, and patient-reported outcome measures, helping shift healthcare toward a more preventive and outcomes-focused model.

Daman

For advancing health insurance through measurable impact

Daman surpassed 3.2 million members in 2025, ranking as the UAE’s most valuable insurer with a brand value of $283 million. The company designed and implemented the region’s first Value-Based Care reimbursement model, linking provider payment to measurable clinical outcomes rather than volume, and expanded it through pilot Disease Management Programs across its network. AI-powered tools now cover fraud detection, drug adjudication, and claims processing, while 90% of outpatient pre-authorizations are completed within six hours. Customer satisfaction rose from 90 to 95, NPS from 68 to 77, and complaints declined 22% year-on-year. Through its Steppi digital well-being campaign, over 3,000 participants logged more than 250 million steps in 19 days. 

M42 

For making healthcare more precise and preventive

M42 is transforming healthcare by integrating artificial intelligence, genomics, digital health, and advanced clinical care. Its goal is to make healthcare more accurate, predictive, preventive, and available to more people. In 2025, this Abu Dhabi-based company expanded its global presence by entering Saudi Arabia, partnering with Bahrain Royal Medical Services, and forming over 45 new healthcare and innovation partnerships. M42 is leading the way in precision medicine through the Emirati Genome Program, which has sequenced over 850,000 genomes and now includes newborns. Through Malaffi, Abu Dhabi’s health information exchange, M42 has linked more than 3.9 billion clinical records, making it one of the most connected healthcare systems in the world. Innovation is at the heart of M42’s progress. 

In 2025, it started a UAE-wide liquid biopsy project with AstraZeneca and Sophia Genetics, improved AI-powered diagnostics, and grew its longevity-focused healthcare through new investments and partnerships. M42 also works to create positive social change through health awareness, community outreach, and healthcare access programs in 27 countries, serving over 15 million patients each year.

The post The brand that matters in health & wellness in 2026 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Fast Company Middle East unveils the Brands That Matter 2026 list, celebrating 32 winners across 19 categories. These brands are making a real difference, combining purpose with performance to create lasting impact. From advertising and banking & finance to retail and technology, they’re reshaping industries and championing values that matter most today

The food sector is contending with pressure from every direction. Supply chain vulnerabilities, sustainability mandates, shifting consumer preferences, and the rise of alternative proteins are forcing producers, retailers, and restaurateurs to rethink fundamentals. The brands navigating this moment best are those treating food not just as a product but as a position.

Pure Harvest Smart Farms 

For strengthening food security 

Pure Harvest Smart Farms is helping strengthen food security by leveraging advanced controlled-environment agriculture and smart-farming technologies. The company has created a new category of premium local produce that delivers on taste, freshness, consistency, and quality while reducing reliance on imports.

In the past year, Pure Harvest has grown from selling fresh produce to becoming a wider food brand. After finding success with its tomatoes and berries, the company started making 100% natural tomato sauces and strawberry preserves from its own crops. These new products generate more income and help reduce food waste by using imperfect produce. Pure Harvest has also launched fresh-fruit popsicles, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a spiced tomato mix for restaurants, showing how new ideas in farming can create exciting products for customers.

Pure Harvest has also shown its commitment to the community by donating extra produce during recent regional challenges, helping hospitality businesses, and providing ingredients for over 4,000 meals. By focusing on innovation, sustainability, and local production, Pure Harvest is strengthening the region’s food system.

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