UAE business leaders signal next phase of growth despite disruption, new Publicis Groupe Middle East report finds
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 April 2026 – Publicis Groupe Middle East has launched the Resilience Business Pulse, a market intelligence report offering a cross-sector view of how UAE business leaders responded to a period of regional disruption, and what those responses reveal about how the next phase of business in the country is likely to unfold.
Bassel Kakish, CEO Publicis Groupe ME&T
Drawing on insights from 60+ senior leaders, including CEOs, CMOs and general managers across FMCG, hospitality, automotive, QSR, retail, energy, logistics, financial services alongside paid media intelligence and a 300+ consumer survey powered by the Youth Studio – the Groupe’s proprietary intelligence hub on youth culture, the report points to a market that is recalibrating rather than retreating with confidence, investment and consumer behaviour all pointing in the same direction: forward.
Among its strongest findings, the report shows that:
- 100% of leaders surveyed remain confident in the UAE’s trajectory*;
- 94% trust the government to protect the business environment;
- 78% believe the country will emerge in a stronger competitive position;
- 56% would still recommend it as an investment destination today.
While many businesses are facing real pressure, particularly across supply chains and margins, the data suggests consumers are migrating across channels, categories and price points rather than exiting the market altogether. 17% of leaders are seeing demand grow and another 17% report demand shifting rather than falling. At the same time, 41% cite supply chain disruption as a key revenue pressure, rising to 77% in FMCG.
Crucially, the findings suggest that disruption is accelerating structural shifts already underway, with businesses moving faster toward digital commerce, performance-led media, AI-enabled efficiency and more selective, value-driven consumer engagement. The findings suggest that the disruption has accelerated trends that were already underway, rather than creating entirely new ones.
The report also highlights that only 8% of leaders fully paused marketing, while 38% reallocated spend internally with total investment intact, rising to 60% in FMCG, reinforcing the shift toward recalibration rather than retreat.
Bassel Kakish, Chief Executive Officer of Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey, said, “We set out to build the Resilience Business Pulse to move beyond commentary and understand how business leaders were actually responding under pressure. What stands out most in these findings is the depth of conviction in the UAE itself. Every single leader expressed confidence in the country’s trajectory. That is not a sentiment; it is a signal. It reflects a market that continues to move forward, even under pressure. Confidence at this level, sustained through real disruption, is a strategic asset. It is the foundation on which recovery accelerates, and a clear indicator of how the next phase of business will take shape.”
Jennifer Fischer, Chief Innovation and Growth Officer, Publicis Groupe Middle East, added, “There is a significant gap between what international markets are saying about this region and what business leaders here are actually living. We wanted to capture the real story, at scale and at speed, and that is where AI made the difference. AI-powered interviews allowed us to reach sixty senior leaders in under ten days, with a depth of candour that traditional research methods rarely achieve. The picture that emerged is more resilient and more dynamic than the headlines suggest. We are genuinely grateful to every leader who took the time to participate and speak openly while managing through real pressure. That generosity is what gives this report its edge.”
Developed using a combination of structured survey data, qualitative leadership interviews and media intelligence, the Resilience Business Pulse provides a timely view of where confidence held, where pressure was felt most, how businesses recalibrated, and which shifts are likely to outlast the disruption.
At a time when much of the conversation has focused on either immediate disruption or brand response, the report offers a business-led view of what changed beneath the headlines, and what those changes reveal about the next operating model for business in the UAE.
The full Resilience Business Pulse report can be accessed here: https://pulse.potentialis.ai
*Selected at least one positive UAE trajectory statement
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About Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey
Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey (ME&T) is a regional leader in communication, media, marketing and digital business transformation. Through its world-class brands and the ability to architect, build and orchestrate end-to-end solutions, Publicis Groupe ME&T is uniquely positioned to help clients unlock growth in the platform world through the intersection of data, creativity, media and technology. Headquartered in Dubai, UAE but present across eight markets across the Middle East and North Africa, Publicis Groupe ME&T brings together 3,600 minds with expertise in data, technology, media, strategy, creativity and business transformation.
For more information, please visit: www.publicisgroupe.com