Adnoc rose two places to become the sixth most valuable oil and gas brand globally, overtaking TotalEnergies and BP. Victor Besa / The National
Adnoc rose two places to become the sixth most valuable oil and gas brand globally, overtaking TotalEnergies and BP. Victor Besa / The National
Adnoc rose two places to become the sixth most valuable oil and gas brand globally, overtaking TotalEnergies and BP. Victor Besa / The National
Adnoc rose two places to become the sixth most valuable oil and gas brand globally, overtaking TotalEnergies and BP. Victor Besa / The National

Adnoc ranked UAE’s most valuable brand and second in Middle East


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Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has retained its position as the UAE's most valuable brand for the seventh consecutive year with a value of $18.9 billion, while Apple remained the world's most valuable brand, according to a new report by consultancy Brand Finance.

The oil major increased its brand value by 25 per cent year-on-year, becoming the Middle East region's second most valuable brand after Saudi Aramco, according to the Brand Finance Global 500 report released on Tuesday.

Adnoc rose two ranks to become the sixth most valuable oil and gas brand globally, overtaking international oil giants TotalEnergies and BP, and has become the world's fastest growing energy brand.

“This achievement underscores that the true value of our brand lies in the positive impact we create for our community. As Adnoc's global presence grows, we remain deeply committed to delivering sustainable growth and unlocking opportunities that benefit the UAE and its people for generations to come,” said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and managing director and group chief executive of Adnoc.

David Haigh, chairman and chief executive of Brand Finance, said that under Dr Sultan's leadership “Adnoc has solidified its status as the UAE’s leading brand while achieving remarkable progress on the global stage”.

Dr Sultan was ranked first among global energy chief executives and seventh place overall in the Brand Guardianship Index, making him the highest-ranked chief executive outside the US and Europe, according to the Brand Finance report.

Adnoc, responsible for most of the UAE’s oil production, is increasing its international presence. The company recently announced the launch of XRG, a lower-carbon energy and chemicals investment unit, with an enterprise value of more than $80 billion.

Adnoc's growth has propelled it up 23 spots to 105th in the Brand Finance Global 500 – its highest-ever global ranking – while it achieved a Brand Strength Index score of 87.9 out of 100, making it the strongest brand in the UAE.

Brand value is determined through several factors, including marketing investment, stakeholder equity and business performance according to the brand valuation consultancy.

Adnoc's brand strength has improved due to its decarbonisation efforts, artificial intelligence innovations and diversified international growth, Brand Finance said.

The company is increasingly focusing on AI and digital technologies to increase efficiency and lower emissions related to its operations. Last year, it generated $500 million by introducing AI solutions after the integration of more than 30 AI tools across its value chain, from field operations to corporate decision-making, the company said in March last year.

The company was rated the strongest business-to-consumer brand in the UAE, based on consumer sentiment, the report found.

Adnoc's global brand strength increased to 81.9 points according to Brand Finance’s methodology, maintaining a “AAA-” brand strength rating for the second year in a row.

Aramco Middle East's most valuable brand

The world’s biggest oil-producing company, Saudi Aramco, reached a brand value of $41.7 billion in 2025, retaining its title as the most valuable brand in the Middle East, the London-based consultancy said.

Saudi Telecom Company, the kingdom’s biggest mobile operator, recorded a 16 per cent rise in brand value to $16.1 billion. It makes STC rank the third most valuable brand in the region and claim the title of the most valuable telecoms brand in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, e&, the UAE telecoms and technology company, ranked the fastest growing brand by value in the world this year, recording an eight-fold increase in brand value to $15.3 billion. This places e& among the top ten most valuable telecoms brands globally.

This comes as e& enters the final stage of a three-year group rebrand, set to transition brand equity from Etisalat to e& as a platform for international growth, the report said.

“Middle Eastern brands continue to make their mark on the global stage, with a combined $127.4 billion brand value contribution to the Brand Finance Global 500 2025 ranking,” Mr Haigh said.

Saudi Arabia led the Middle East region, contributing $75.5 billion with five Saudi brands, each increasing in brand value, among the world’s top 500.

In the Middle East, telecom and banking giants like STC, e&, QNB, Al-Rajhi Bank and SNB continued to drive growth, each climbing in rank and brand value, “underscoring the rising influence and global competitiveness of Middle Eastern brands”, Mr Haigh said.

Apple overtakes Microsoft and Google

Apple held on to the title of the world's most valuable brand, recording an 11 per cent increase in value to $574.5 billion.

This growth keeps Apple ahead of its closest rival, Microsoft, whose brand value grew 35 per cent to $461 billion. Except for 2023, when Apple briefly trailed Amazon by a margin of just one per cent, it has held the top spot as the world’s most valuable brand since 2021.

Google, the world’s third most valuable brand, increased its brand value by 24 per cent to $413 billion.

“Ongoing investments in AI have enhanced Google’s reputation for innovation while strengthening its consumer appeal and trust,” Brand Finance said.

RESULT

Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1 
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’

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RESULT

Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: 
Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)    

From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases

A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.

One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait,  Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.

In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.

The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.

And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.

 

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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Brief scores:

Juventus 3

Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'

Frosinone 0

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Results for Stage 2

Stage 2 Yas Island to Abu Dhabi, 184 km, Road race

Overall leader: Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)

Stage winners: 1. Fernando Gaviria COL (UAE Team Emirates) 2. Elia Viviani ITA (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) 3. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Men's football draw

Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica

Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea

Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA

Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda

Sunday's fixtures
  • Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm
  • Manchester City v West Ham United, 8pm
The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press

if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

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Three ways to boost your credit score

Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:

1. Make sure you make your payments on time;

2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;

3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.

The%20specs
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Arctic Monkeys

Tranquillity Base Hotel Casino (Domino) 

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 
Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Updated: January 21, 2025, 4:51 PM`