Syria Set to Buy Airbus Jets, Expand Airport in $4 Billion Deal
The government signed an initial deal that includes $250 million in financing to purchase as many as 10 Airbus A320 narrowbody aircraft for Syrian Airlines, the country's national carrier, with a consortium of companies from the US, Qatar and Turkey, according to a statement by Qatar-based UCC Holding.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
2025 IDA Annual Conference Set to Illuminate Abu Dhabi
A Global Gathering of 7,000+ Financial Insurance Elites ABU DHABI, UAE, Aug. 11, 2025 /CNW/ -- The 2025 International Dragon Award (IDA) Annual Conference will be held with grandeur from August 9 to 12, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, the dynamic capital of the United Arab Emirates and a globally renowned "City of Oil". This landmark event is set to convene over 7,000 delegates—including financial insurance elites, senior executives of insurance companies, and industry experts and scholars from across the world—to explore emerging trends, challenges and opportunities within the insurance industry. In 1998, IMM International officially established the International Dragon Award (IDA), intending to set a fair and objective benchmark for the global insurance industry and to uphold the values of "Paragon, Perfection, Nobility". After over two decades of industry engagement, the IDA has garnered widespread acclaim and respect across the industry, establishing itself as an internationally admired honor among financial insurance practitioners. Today, a number of financial insurance institutions have incorporated IDA into their corporate recognition frameworks. By 2025, over 181,000 financial insurance elites from more than 250 insurance institutions across 17 countries and regions have earned the IDA distinction, including 585 IDA Life Members and 16 inductees into the prestigious IDA Hall of Fame. This year also sees 17 outstanding sales teams receiving the esteemed "IDA Hundred-Elite Team" title. As a premier, high-caliber event of vital significance to the global insurance sector, the IDA Annual Conference celebrates the achievements of its members, while empowering financial insurance practitioners worldwide with cutting-edge industry insights, marketing expertise, and leadership philosophies. Since 2000, IMM International has hosted 24 editions of the conference in major cities across the globe—including Chiang Mai, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Melbourne, Bangkok, and multiple cities in China. Its debut in Abu Dhabi in 2025 marks a significant milestone in the conference's global journey. Centered on the theme "Devotion", this year's conference will unite over 120 senior executives from insurance companies, excellent sales agency leaders, top-tier sales agents, and experts and scholars from various fields globally. Featuring over 60 high-value, in-depth sharing sessions—including 12 main sessions, 43 breakout sessions, and 10 "International Finance Outlook Forum" sessions convening financial experts and senior executives from insurance companies—the event will offer a dynamic, open, and interdisciplinary platform for meaningful exchange of ideas, driving continued prosperity and development across the insurance industry. IDA Grand Celebration: Thousands Rise to Claim their IDA Honor As the global insurance industry navigates new challenges emerging in the 2025 volatile economic climate, a resilient cohort of outstanding insurance professionals has chosen to rise against the headwinds, ultimately earning the prestigious IDA honor with their exceptional performance and unwavering resolve. As the highest tribute to the leading force of the industry, this conference has meticulously curated two signature events: "Honor Salute" and "Dragon Night". During these ceremonial sessions, more than 4,000 IDA members will stride along the Walk of Fame marked by "Paragon, Perfection, Nobility", and step proudly onto the award stage to celebrate a glorious moment shared by dedicated achievers. Guided by the ideals of the IDA honor, these distinguished IDA honorees have diligently fulfilled the noble mission of serving 36 households each year. With remarkable professional expertise and selfless dedication, they have not only provided robust insurance protections for their clients, but also exemplified the highest standards of excellence within the insurance industry. The "Honor Salute" and "Dragon Night" award ceremonies celebrate their individual achievements and highlight the enduring value of their professionalism and services. Among the many accolades, two hold particular distinction: The Worldwide Chinese Life Insurance Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor in the global insurance field, is bestowed upon individuals who have dedicated more than 40 years to the industry, made significant contributions, and commanded wide respect. In 2025, this prestigious accolade goes to Mr. Tan Kar Hor, who has held senior executive roles such as general manager, chief executive committee, and chairman at PAMB, CITIC-Prudential Life, AIA Group and other leading insurance companies at home and abroad. His achievements serve as a source of inspiration for insurance practitioners to embrace challenges and press forward with courage. The IDA Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have earned the IDA distinction for 24 consecutive years or 30 cumulative years. These exemplary honorees are crowned with a commemorative seal as a tribute to their steadfast commitment and pioneering spirit in the insurance profession. Contributing to Industry Legacy, Forging Shared Glory:Official Announcement of Global Rankings for IDA Member Companies In 2024, the IDA released its Inaugural Official Announcement of Global Rankings for IDA Member Companies in Hong Kong, China, revealing key development trends and indicators of excellence within the global financial insurance industry. These insights provide invaluable guidance for financial insurance institutions and sales teams. For insurance institutions, the number of IDA members serves as a critical metric of productivity and quality. The presence of a greater number of IDA members within a financial insurance institution reflects its ability to evolve with the industry trends and maintain steady growth in overall performance & productivity, recruitment & training, and talent retention. To further support industry advancement, the IDA Executive Committee will release the Official Announcement of 2025 Global Rankings for IDA Member Companies at the upcoming Abu Dhabi conference. Meanwhile, the IDA Data Analytics Expert Committee has been officially established, comprising distinguished insurance professionals appointed for their expertise in industry insights and trend analysis, and renowned professionalism and credibility. These experts will collaborate with the IDA Executive Committee to contribute meaningfully to the continued advancement and excellence of the financial insurance sector. This year's official announcement also features the presentation of "IDA World Record" awards, designed to celebrate peak achievements and inspire financial insurance practitioners worldwide to benchmark against top performers, strive for continuous advancement and improvement, and ultimately create their own IDA records. The Official Announcement of Global Rankings for IDA Member Companies embodies the mission and determination of IMM International and IDA to enhance the professional competency, image, and social standing of practitioners in the global financial insurance industry. It defines clear benchmarks for enduring excellence and sustainable growth, while offering financial insurance institutions valuable reference, guidance, and support in institutional mechanisms and product development—ultimately driving the global insurance industry's transformation toward high-quality development. Moving forward, IDA will continue its steadfast commitment to fostering the prosperity, development, and advancement of the global financial insurance sector, partnering with leading institutions and exceptional professionals in their quest for unparalleled excellence. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE IDA Annual Conference View original content to download multimedia: Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Entrepreneur
2 hours ago
- Entrepreneur
VC Voices: Ali A. Abussaud, CEO, Hala VC
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. This article is part of VC Voices: Insights to Help Startups Succeed by Entrepreneur Middle East - a series where the MENA region's leading venture capitalists share practical advice to help founders navigate the challenges of building and scaling a startup. Fundraising lessons from Ali A. Abussaud, CEO, Hala VC. What are the top 3 things founders should absolutely do when preparing to raise their first round? Founders should start by clearly articulating the problem they're solving and why now is the right time to solve it. The sense of timing and urgency is often what differentiates a compelling pitch from an average one. They should also come prepared with a solid understanding of their numbers. You don't need to build out a full-blown financial model, but you do need to know your burn rate, your assumptions around customer acquisition, and how much you're raising relative to the milestones you plan to achieve. Moreover, it's important to approach fundraising as a relationship-building process. Take the time to research which investors are the right fit for your stage and industry. Reaching out with a tailored message shows professionalism and sets the tone for future interactions. Lastly, founders should listen carefully to the feedback and use it to validate or enhance the business model. What are you really looking for when evaluating early-stage startups? We're looking for several things: a strong founding team with a minimum of two co-founders, traction, and an interesting problem to solve with a large addressable market size. It doesn't always have to be massive traction, but we want to see clear signs that the team knows how to execute, learn fast, and move forward. And the problem they're solving should be both relevant and timely, preferably with a unique angle or insight that sets them apart. Can you share a personal anecdote—either a pitch that truly impressed you, or one that missed the mark and why? One company that really impressed us is Intella, one of our portfolio companies. They built a high-quality AI product specializing in Arabic Speech technology with advanced automation and analytics, but what stood out even more was how they managed to commercialize it effectively. Rather than staying in R&D mode, they focused early on enterprise adoption, creating tailored solutions and onboarding major clients. Their ability to bridge advanced technology with practical, revenue-generating use cases helped them take the enterprise AI space by storm. It's a great example of strong tech backed by business focus. How should founders approach a "no"? What's the best way to build long-term investor relationships even if they don't get a cheque right away? A no is not always permanent. It's often a "not right now." The best founders stay in touch by sharing occasional updates that highlight their progress. It could be product developments, new hires, or traction milestones. When those updates are concise and relevant, they help build trust over time. Many of our current portfolio companies came back to us months after an initial rejection, and by then, the progress they had achieved made the decision easy. Fundraising is often about timing, and staying on an investor's radar can make all the difference. What startup sector or trend are you most excited about right now—and why? We're particularly excited about fintech, including proptech and insuretech, where there's still plenty of room for innovation in the region. AI solutions are of course a key area of focus, especially those with localized applications and strong commercial potential. Logistics is also undergoing massive transformation, with startups using tech to solve infrastructure gaps in a scalable way. Related: VC Voices: Shane Shin, Founding Partner, Shorooq
Skift
2 hours ago
- Skift
Exclusive: The 29 Aviation Startups in IAG's 2025 Accelerator Revealed
With AI now ubiquitous and early-stage sustainability startups multiplying, this year's cohort reflects both immediate and longer-term bets. IAG is more than doubling the intake for its startup accelerator, selecting 29 companies for 2025. Now in its ninth year, the increasingly influential list has become an industry bellwether for where airline innovation is heading and what's worth backing. This year, the airline group – which includes British Airways and Iberia – is placing its biggest bets on AI and climate tech. The startups are drawn from 11 countries and, for the first time, split into two streams. New for 2025 is a 'Discover' track for early-stage startups, particularly those in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and energy transition tech. These 15 companies will participate in a six-month mentoring program to prepare them for possible future deployment. It runs alongside the more commercially focused "Deploy" track, which offers 12-week proofs of concept directly with IAG operating companies. The IAGi Accelerator is the group's flagship innovation program, fast-tracking collaboration with startups across six focus areas including AI, robotics, sustainability, and next-gen computing. Speaking exclusively to Skift, Nisha Basson-Mugnier, IAG's innovation principal, explained the new dual strategy: 'We saw the opportunity to engage with early-stage deep-tech startups in a better way. We've worked with these types of companies before in our traditional format, but launched the Discover track to reflect how much activity and innovation we're now seeing – especially in the energy transition space.' SAF is seen as the most scalable near-term solution to decarbonize long-haul flying – and regulators in both the EU and UK are beginning to mandate its use. That urgency is pushing airline groups like IAG to engage earlier
