Holcim UAE officially launched ECOCycle® at the Make It In The Emirates event at ADNEC Centre, Abu Dhabi, marking a landmark moment in the country’s journey toward smarter, more sustainable construction. ECOCycle uses Holcim’s advanced circular technology to accelerate change, building cities from cities and closing the loop in construction.

The UAE generates enormous volumes of construction demolition materials every year, accounting for an estimated 70% to 75% of the nation’s total solid waste. ECOCycle directly addresses this challenge by transforming this into new, high-quality building materials, giving discarded resources a second life rather than sending them to landfill. ECOCycle, Holcim’s circularity technology platform, guarantees a minimum of 10% up to 100% recycled construction demolition materials in every labeled product, with no compromise on quality or performance.

Speaking at the launch, Ali Said, CEO of Holcim UAE and Oman, said: “With ECOCycle, we’re building cities from cities, closing the loop in construction and helping our customers achieve their ambitious circularity goals – by providing building materials and solutions that carry this label, with no compromise on quality and performance. At the same time, we’re reducing the use of primary materials, conserving natural resources, and minimizing the volume of materials sent to landfill.”

The concept is simple but powerful. Instead of extracting new raw materials for every construction project, ECOCycle recovers and reprocesses materials from old structures, feeding them back into the construction cycle. The result is a genuinely closed-loop system that reduces waste, conserves natural resources, and supports the UAE’s ambition to divert 75% of waste from landfill.

This is not an untested idea. Holcim has already used this technology across multiple markets worldwide, including in France where – in a world first – an entire residential building was constructed using 100% recycled concrete. The UAE launch brings that proven track record to this region for the first time.

ECOCycleproducts can contribute to internationally recognized green building certifications, giving developers, architects, and contractors confidence that they are building responsibly. From foundations to facades, ECOCycle is how Holcim turns the cities of today into the building materials of tomorrow, building cities from cities.

Dubai Taxi Company PJSC (“DTC”), the leading provider of mobility services in Dubai, and its strategic partner Bolt today announced the entry of Bolt’s ride-hailing services in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant step in the partnership’s expansion across the UAE.

The expansion builds on strong e-hailing momentum across the DTC–Bolt strategic partnership. In 2025, DTC reported a 24% year-on-year increase in e-hailing activity across its taxi and limousine segments, supported by continued fleet expansion and growing customer adoption of digital booking channels.

Bolt will initially launch limousine services where customers in Abu Dhabi will be able to access ride-hailing services backed by a huge network of fleet owners, drivers, and vehicles. This will be followed by taxi services in weeks to follow.

Vasilis Hadjiaslanis, General Manager of Bolt UAE, said: “Abu Dhabi is a natural next step for Bolt in the UAE. We have seen exceptional demand for reliable, app-based mobility, and this milestone gives residents and visitors in the capital access to a service that is fast, convenient, and built around their needs. We are proud to be on this journey alongside our partners at DTC, and we look forward to continuing to grow our presence across the UAE.”

That momentum carried into Q1 2026, with e-hailing activity rising a further 9% year-on-year, reflecting the continued resilience of app-based mobility and the long-term growth potential of digital transport services in the UAE.

The expansion also relies on the partnership’s growth in Dubai, where Q1 2026 saw the integration of 1,823 National Taxi vehicles into the Bolt platform. Broadening Bolt’s UAE footprint and strengthens its role in supporting the country’s evolving ecosystem, shaping how residents, visitors, and businesses move across cities.

Driven by this high demand, Bolt expansion into Abu Dhabi reinforces DTC’s commitment to delivering more accessible mobility solutions for residents, visitors, and businesses nationwide, and support the UAE’s wider shift toward smart mobility.

London Business School (LBS) hosted its 23rd Annual MENA Conference at its London campus, bringing together policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, academics, and industry leaders to discuss the forces reshaping the Middle East and North Africa’s economic future.

Over the years, the conference has evolved into one of the region’s most recognised platforms for discussions around innovation, entrepreneurship, investment, and economic transformation. This year’s edition focused heavily on the intersection of technology, capital, sustainability, and policy, reflecting the region’s growing role within the global digital economy.

“This year’s MENA Conference highlights how the region is positioning itself at the intersection of capital, innovation, and global economic transformation,” said Florin Vasvari, Executive Dean of Executive Education, Middle East, at London Business School.

The agenda explored themes including global capital flows, fintech, climate resilience, artificial intelligence, and the financing landscape surrounding the region’s technology ecosystem. Discussions also examined how regional markets are evolving to support stronger startup ecosystems, deeper capital markets, and long-term economic competitiveness.

Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the defining themes of the conference, with speakers discussing how regional organisations can build sustainable AI capabilities through investments in infrastructure, talent, data, and capital. Conversations also explored how fintech is reshaping financial infrastructure and improving access to digital financial services across the region.

Throughout the event, senior executives, policymakers, founders, and investors shared perspectives on the MENA region’s evolving role within global markets, as governments and businesses increasingly position technology and innovation at the centre of long-term economic diversification strategies.

The conference also highlighted London Business School’s growing regional engagement, following the opening of its executive office in Riyadh alongside its longstanding Dubai campus, strengthening its support for leadership development and executive education across the GCC.