Latest news with #Sweid
Edinburgh Reporter
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Fringe 2025 – Between the River and the Sea ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has generated no shortage of competing and conflicting narratives and part of the potency of Yousef Sweid's one-man play is that, by dint of his family's multi-faceted background, he is able to bring many of them together. Sweid, 49, a Palestinian-Israeli Christian living in Berlin, has two Jewish-Arab children through his two Israeli-Jewish ex-wives. As he explains: 'We are a completely normal family; an Arab, Palestinian, Jewish, Israeli, Austrian, Romanian, Christian family.' After opening against a soundtrack of a demonstration, courtesy of the Israeli-Brazilian sound designer Thomas Moked Blum, and brandishing a few banners ranging from 'Stop the Islamic terror', in Hebrew, and 'Israeli apartheid' to 'From the river to the sea. Christians, Jews and Muslims will live in peace and harmony', Sweid relaxes into storytelling mode. As a child in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, he was called the Israeli Jewish-sounding Yossi by his Jewish friends at kindergarten and school and introduced himself as such to his Jewish acquaintances, only reverting to Yousef when he studied theatre at Tel Aviv University, where it was trendy to have Arab friends. He says he didn't know he was Arab until a four-year-old Jewish boy at kindergarten called him 'a stinking Arab'. Likewise his father, Sliman, whom he impersonates as an affably shouty, lecturing 'baba', was called Shlomo by his Jewish friends. There's a warm, witty interplay between the two of them, relayed via phonecalls as his father has decamped to Canada, just as there is between him and his teenage son, for whom he assumes a more measured demeanour. Sweid's sensitively relayed sexual fantasies with Carolin, whom he met at a Christian youth group in Haifa, and a more lascivious relationship with Shani, whom he fell for while apple-picking at a kibbutz in the Golan Heights close to Syria, bear testament to the uncertainties inherent in his chameleon character as he writhes around on the stage angsting over how best to present himself to them and their families. Yet it is his son's simpler, idealistic fantasies that lift the play into the stratosphere where hope for a peaceful co-existence between people of different faiths resides. The conflict, where it does feature, is often in the context of Sweid's attempts to define his identity and his place in the world, such as in his description of different types of Palestinians. 'I'm a Palestinian Israeli.' 'You're not a Palestinian-Israeli; you're a Palestinian with an Israeli passport,' he interjects as his father. 'There are Palestinians in Gaza who are starving to death, Palestinians living in Canada… I prefer to call us Arabs, not Palestinians. We are the ones who weren't kicked out [of Israel in 1948],' he continues. The human cost of the Hamas atrocities on October 7, 2023, also feature movingly, while referring to Israel's war with Hamas, he says: 'I don't know if you would call it like that any more.' It's an evocative, nuanced and, at times, darkly humorous performance, co-written by Isabella Sedlak, the director, in which the Arab language – 'it's delicious', says Sweid – has to contend with a downside. As Sweid quips sardonically to his son – who queries whether, given his mixed identity and the conflict he is 'lucky' not to live in Israel – he is 'half-lucky and half-screwed… Here [in Germany] they will fear you because you're Arab and hate you because you are Jewish.' One quibble: it could be argued, not unfairly, that there's a theatrical elephant in the room, insofar as in a play that is about people of different backgrounds living together (or not living together) in peace and harmony the main character's two interfaith marriages have broken down and there's no attempt to examine why. On the face of it, it's not a great advert for peaceful coexistence. But perhaps, as Sweid says on several occasions, it's complicated. Between the River and the Sea Zoo Southside Until Aug 13 (not Aug 10) Like this: Like Related
ME Construction
10-07-2025
- Business
- ME Construction
Sweid & Sweid expands in Austin, Texas
Property Sweid & Sweid expands in Austin, Texas By With a presence in both the United Arab Emirates and the United States, Sweid & Sweid continues to serve as a bridge between regional development expertise and investment capital in the US Dubai-based Sweid & Sweid has completed its first phase of apartments at The Nelson, a 370-unit multifamily development nestled in the Austin, Texas submarket. With a presence in both the United Arab Emirates and the United States, Sweid & Sweid continues to serve as a bridge between regional development expertise and investment capital in the US, the firm said. 'Our activity in the US is a long-term strategic diversification play. We currently see great opportunities in both markets, albeit driven by different forces. In the US, the tight supply pipeline driven by high interest rates and low construction starts is predicted to create an acute shortage in the coming years,' said Maher Sweid, Managing Partner of Sweid & Sweid. 'In contrast, Dubai is witnessing a significant amount of oncoming supply, but the demand growth has been impressive and unprecedented.' For Sweid & Sweid, The Nelson represents the latest chapter in a growing portfolio of UAE and U.S. projects. With a track record of identifying opportunities in high-growth, economically diverse markets, the firm continues to expand its footprint across both countries. 'Ultimately, we believe that disciplined capital, applied at the right moments in the cycle to the right product, will continue to generate outsized returns,' added Sweid. Austin's real estate market is at a critical juncture. After years of rapid development, new construction in the city has slowed down considerably, while demand remains strong. According to CoStar, the first quarter saw the strongest absorption rate ever recorded, with 5,470 units sold. However, new construction starts have dropped to their lowest level since 2011, indicating a significant tightening in the supply pipeline.
Web Release
08-07-2025
- Business
- Web Release
Sweid & Sweid Expands U.S. Presence with Development in Austin, Texas.
Sweid & Sweid, the Dubai-based international real estate development and investment group, has announced completion of its first phase of apartments at The Nelson, a 370-unit multifamily development located in the thriving Austin, Texas submarket. With a presence in both the UAE and U.S. markets, Sweid & Sweid continues to serve as a conduit for delivering regional development expertise and investment capital to the U.S., which has historically been counter-cyclical to the UAE's market. 'Our activity in the U.S. is a long-term strategic diversification play. We currently see great opportunities in both markets, albeit driven by different forces. In the U.S., the tight supply pipeline driven by high interest rates and low construction starts is predicted to create an acute shortage in the coming years,' said Maher Sweid, Managing Partner of Sweid & Sweid. 'In contrast, Dubai is witnessing a significant amount of oncoming supply, but the demand growth has been impressive and unprecedented.' The milestone comes at a pivotal time in Austin's real estate landscape. Following several years of elevated development activity, new construction in the city has slowed significantly, while demand remains resilient. According to CoStar, first-quarter absorption reached 5,470 units—the strongest first-quarter performance on record—while new construction starts dropped to their lowest level since 2011, signalling a substantial tightening in the supply pipeline. For Sweid & Sweid, The Nelson represents the latest chapter in a growing portfolio of UAE and U.S. projects. With a track record of identifying opportunities in high-growth, economically diverse markets, the firm continues to expand its footprint across both countries. 'Ultimately, we believe that disciplined capital, applied at the right moments in the cycle to the right product, will continue to generate outsized returns,' added Sweid.
Arabian Business
01-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Sweid & Sweid expands portfolio with Aurora Tower acquisition in Dubai Media City
Sweid & Sweid, the Dubai-based real estate private equity and development firm, announced the completion of the acquisition of Aurora Tower, a 27-storey office building located in Dubai Media City. Aurora Tower will be Sweid & Sweid's fourth project within the business district, enhancing the firm's growing reputation for delivering Grade-A commercial office space within one of Dubai's most in-demand submarkets. With a leasable area of 223,000 square feet, Aurora Tower is currently home to a distinguished tenant base including Spotify, Universal Music Group, Nielsen, The Economist Group, and Beyond One – spanning sectors such as media, technology, finance, and professional services. 'We see tremendous value creation opportunities in Aurora Tower – not only because of its location and tenant mix, but because of the new life our investment and operations teams will deliver to this 20-year-old building,' said Maher Sweid, Managing Partner of Sweid & Sweid. 'Our strategy will focus on executing thoughtful upgrades to further align the asset with global occupier standards,' he said. Sweid said the acquisition exemplifies the company's approach – disciplined, value-enhancing, and grounded in deep sector knowledge.
Gulf Business
13-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Global Ventures' Noor Sweid on Coming of Age and the region's startup landscape
Image: Supplied N oor Sweid, founder and managing partner of Global Ventures, has witnessed firsthand the transformation of the MENA region's entrepreneurial and investment landscape. From scaling businesses to angel investing and launching her venture capital firm to publishing her book, Sweid's journey is a testament to the region's burgeoning innovation. Sweid's book, Coming of Age: How Technology and Entrepreneurship Are Changing the Face of MENA, published by Motivate Media Group's , span ning industries as diverse as fintech, healthtech and agritech all of which have emerged out of the desert since the new millennium to produce global-leading transformative ventures, and leapfrogging technologies. In this interview, she discusses her founding journey, the vision behind Global Ventures, her book and the excitement surrounding MENA's emergence as a global tech hub. Sweid also shares her insights into the future of the region's investment scene, tips for entrepreneurs, and the sectors poised for disruption in the coming years. Tell us about Global Ventures' founding journey. What inspired you to start a venture capital firm? I have been fortunate and blessed to have had many experiences in my career — from consulting in the biopharma industry to working in the family business to scale and IPO Depa, to being an entrepreneur myself in establishing ZenYoga, which grew into the largest chain of yoga and Pilates studios in the Middle East before being successfully sold to a private equity firm in 2014. Finally, my experiences gave me the privilege of working in the Dubai Future Foundation, realising the incredible vision for innovation that the leadership has. Whereas all of these different experiences had steep learning curves, running an IPO and subsequently being involved in the public company, which was listed at over $1bn was challenging, my firsthand experience in scaling a regional startup from scratch helped me realise and understand the challenges that entrepreneurs face – and discover how tough it was. This is what led me to begin angel investing and supporting founders across the region. Mentoring founders and angel investing further revealed a significant funding gap for startups. This realisation drove me to establish Global Ventures, pooling capital to back extraordinary founders building solutions that positively impact millions of lives. Since starting Global Ventures, it has been inspirational to see venture capital evolve from its regional infancy to where it is now. Congratulations on the launch of your book. What motivated you to write it? Thank you. I'm thrilled to share Coming of Age , which explores how technology and entrepreneurship are transforming the MENA region. I believe that there are so many incredible stories of founders across the region, and many of them have yet to be told. In particular, the personal journeys and trials and tribulations are still not shared. Every time I listen to these founders; I am incredibly inspired and moved. So, I felt it would make sense to share these stories with the world as much as possible. The book features the experiences of 35 pioneering regional founders, highlighting their transformative ventures, leapfrogging technologies, and the critical industries they have shaped that address acute market needs, including fintech, healthtech, agritech and transformative sectors like AI, blockchain, crypto and energy. To buy the book, go to : Image: What does the book focus on? The book chronicles MENA's remarkable entrepreneurial journey, weaving together its history and current status as a global innovation hub. While the coming-of-age stories of emerging markets like China, India, and Brazil have been well-documented, I noticed a lack of similar narratives for MENA, despite its impressive economic growth and entrepreneurial evolution. Having invested in the region for over 15 years, I've witnessed incredible innovations by regional founders who are leveraging technology to drive both regional and global impact. The region's story needed to be told, not only to celebrate its journey but also to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. What is the most important takeaway from the book for readers? There are so many, but if I had to choose one, it would be how promising MENA's future is. A decade ago, MENA was largely a blank canvas for innovation. Many of the early founders, those I refer to as the 'Originals' in the book, faced the solitude of building in uncharted territory. Today, however, that creative isolation has given way to a thriving ecosystem teeming with talent, capital, and opportunity. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are positioning themselves as global venture capital hubs, attracting international investors while nurturing home-grown startups that promise to make a global impact. MENA's cities have evolved into innovation centres, addressing pressing challenges such as financial inclusion, food security, and healthcare access. The region is no longer just a consumer market but a launchpad for ideas that can change the world. The 'Originals' paved the way, and now the next generation of innovators is building on their legacy. As MENA comes of age, the future is ours to imagine, create, and shape. It's an incredibly exciting time. Share your insights on the region's VC and entrepreneurial landscape. How do you see the investment landscape evolving in the GCC, particularly in 2025? The MENA investment landscape is vibrant and evolving. While regional venture funding dipped in 2024, mirroring global private capital trends, the overall trajectory since 2019 has been upward, with the sector growing from $990m to $2.6bn in just four years, reaching its peak in 2022. In 2024, over half of venture capital investments (52 per cent) originated from international sources, a significant shift from the primarily domestic funding base just five years ago. International investors are drawn to the region's focus on profitability and capital efficiency. We expect this momentum to continue, fuelled by larger investment rounds, increasing M&A activity, and maturing capital markets. Regional exits, for example, have doubled over the last five years. Government initiatives also play a key role, in fostering an innovation-friendly environment. What has Global Ventures recently invested in? We recently invested in BioSapien, a patented drug delivery platform treating cancer locally. Its flagship product, MediChip, is a 3D-printed, slow-release delivery system that minimises systemic side effects by concentrating treatment within the tumour microenvironment. This technology improves oncology outcomes and represents a cost-effective innovation with far-reaching patient benefits. These are the types of innovations we see coming out of the MENA region and enabling us to create new technologies and solutions that are applicable around the world. What is your long-term vision for Global Ventures? Global Ventures will continue to back emerging-market founders who are creating transformative change. As highlighted in my book, the MENA region has transitioned from being an emerging market to a global innovation powerhouse. It has the perfect blend of youthful energy, cutting-edge technology, and progressive regulatory frameworks to catalyse growth and leapfrog into the future. Our vision is to remain at the heart of this transformation, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. These are exciting times for both Global Ventures and the region. What tips do you have for entrepreneurs to succeed? Do what you love : Entrepreneurship is demanding, so it's essential to enjoy what you do. Just start : The entrepreneurial journey is rarely linear or predictable. Momentum follows action. Solve clear problems : This not only defines your market but also provides clarity on your business and product. Avoid being distracted by the solution and focus on the problem you're solving. Build the right team : Surround yourself with talented, positive people. They will help you reach your goals faster and more effectively.
