James Mitchell
158 POSTS
James Mitchell covers business and markets for Gulf Times Now — company results, economic data, banking, real estate and the deals reshaping the GCC. He writes the numbers side of the Gulf economy: what a figure actually means for the companies and people behind it, rather than the headline it makes. His work runs across our Business and Markets sections.
Exclusive articles:
Riyadh Air Takes Off: Saudi Arabia’s New Airline Launches Commercial Flights with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners
Riyadh Air launched its first commercial passenger flights on June 10, 2026, operating Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on a Riyadh–London Heathrow route, with Dubai, Cairo, Madrid and Manchester routes launching through July. The airline plans a fleet of 72 Dreamliners.
SpaceX IPO: Gulf Sovereign Funds See the Satellite Connectivity Layer Missing From Their AI Portfolios
A potential SpaceX IPO is generating sustained Gulf sovereign fund attention because Starlink — the world's most commercially advanced satellite internet constellation — represents the connectivity layer that is conspicuously absent from portfolios that already cover AI models, chips, and data centre infrastructure.
Dubai Off-Plan Correction 2026: Buyers Find Units 15% Below Investor Price as Supply and Visa Rules Shift
Off-plan apartments purchased in 2021-23 and now reselling near completion are trading 10-15 per cent below original investor prices in supply-heavy Dubai communities — creating a genuine buyer opportunity alongside the removal of the AED 750,000 residency visa threshold and a 65,000-unit pipeline being delayed to 2027.
GCC Salary Guide 2026: Average Pay by Role, Sector and Country
Salaries in the Gulf Cooperation Council states remain among the highest in the world for professional expatriates, driven by the zero-income-tax environment, strong employer...
UAE PMI 52.6 in May 2026: Business Expansion Continues Despite Hormuz Delivery Delays at Worst Since April 2020
The UAE's non-oil PMI reached 52.6 in May 2026, maintaining expansion, but supplier delivery times deteriorated to the worst level since April 2020 as Hormuz shipping disruptions extend import lead times across the economy — forcing businesses to rethink inventory and supply chain strategies.
Breaking
Qatar Police Clearance Costs QR 10 in Doha and 80 Pounds in London
Qatar issues its Good Conduct Certificate for QR 10 in about two weeks. The London embassy charges 80 pounds and takes three months. Both routes, and the catch.
Bahrain’s Good Conduct Certificate Costs One Dinar, Not Three
Bahrain's Good Conduct Certificate costs 1 BD and takes five working days, not the three dinars widely quoted. Fees, documents, and the rule for former residents.
The UAE Travel Ban Page Everyone Links To Does Not Exist
The ICP travel ban inquiry everyone links to returns a 404. Where the check actually lives in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and what the 2022 cheque law changed.
Kuwait’s Police Certificate Lives in an App, and Closes When You Leave
Kuwait issues its police clearance as a Criminal Status Certificate through the Sahel app, and only to current residents aged 18 and over. The verified process.


