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The National
a day ago
- Business
- The National
Why Abu Dhabi is becoming more attractive for millionaire investors
Millionaire investors are looking towards Abu Dhabi for long-term investments, according to government data that shows the capital is home to the highest number of luxury property on sale in the UAE. Analysis by real estate developers Bloom Holding found the highest property price growth between 2020 and 2025 was in Abu Dhabi, with the capital having 352 homes for sale valued above $1 million, compared with 343 in Dubai. Abu Dhabi recorded year-on-year growth of 202 per cent in the last five years, with 8,490 properties on sale increasing in value. The capital has 352 homes for sale valued above $1 million, compared with 343 in Dubai. Low taxes and substantial sovereign wealth, along with high living standards, were cited as significant factors in attracting ultra-high-net-worth individuals to choose Abu Dhabi for long-term property investments. Out of the top ten areas in the Emirates reporting the most significant five-year price growth, seven are in Abu Dhabi. While Naseem Villas in Sharjah recorded the highest national property price growth with a staggering increase of 243.27 per cent, Abu Dhabi has two areas in the top three. The first is Remah in Al Ain, which is ranked second with a 241.62 per cent increase, while Zone 12 in Mohamed Bin Zayed City follows in third with 237.90 per cent. A bright future Asad Khan, chief executive of Invest Dubai Real Estate, said Abu Dhabi is becoming a more attractive option for investors. 'With all the government bodies based there, as well as sectors like technology, healthcare, finance and renewable energy all setting up, the bigger players are coming into Abu Dhabi,' he said. 'There's a lot of investment coming into the area, not only from the government but also from the private sector. 'I feel that the future is very, very strong in terms that the entry price is a lot lower in Abu Dhabi – even within the luxury market.' According to the Bloom Holding report that analyses data from online property portals and the Dubai Land Department, Umm Al Quwain has the most expensive average property price in the country at $619 per square metre, followed closely by Dubai at $450 per square metre. 'Abu Dhabi is getting more people coming into that space only because, the entry price is a lot lower,' said Mr Khan. 'You're getting a lot more for your money, both on the commercial side and also on the residential side.' The most expensive place to live, however, is in Abu Dhabi – with Zone 8 of Mohamed Bin Zayed City taking top spot. The capital also has two areas in the top three for property growth. The first is Remah in Al Ain, which is ranked second with a 241.62 per cent increase, followed by Zone 12 in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, which follows in third with a rise of 237.90 per cent. Properties in Al Muroor, Abu Dhabi, have the most million-dollar listings in the UAE, followed by homes in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street. Mushrif Villas and Seashore Villas in Rabdan are the other areas in the emirate with the most luxury properties up for sale. One UAE resident looking to invest in Abu Dhabi is Kevin Goodall, who lives in Dubai with his wife and four sons. Mr Goodall sold his IT business last February and moved to Dubai to rent a family villa in Arabian Ranches in August. He has already purchased off-plan in a luxury development in Dubai, but is now looking towards Abu Dhabi for opportunities. 'I will probably be looking to invest around Yas Island or anywhere near where Disneyland is being proposed,' he said. 'Investing in Abu Dhabi is more of a diversification tactic. Obviously it is very different to Dubai, and they've both got very different appeal. 'There are a lot of attractions there like the F1, theme parks and Disney which is definitely appealing. Investing there is more a strategic tactic.' Population growth In a decade, Abu Dhabi's population has grown 51 per cent, rising from 2.7 million in 2014 to over 4.1 million in 2024. In the first three months of 2025, total real estate transactions in Abu Dhabi grew by 34.5 per cent compared with the same period in 2024, climbing from Dh18.82 billion to Dh25.3 billion. Figures from the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre showed the number of property deals made in that quarter increased from 5,773 to 6,896. Mortgage transactions also recorded strong growth in Abu Dhabi, reaching Dh9.8 billion through 3,077 transactions – a 49 per cent year-on-year increase. 'Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 is a comprehensive long-term plan that aims to transform the emirate into a diversified, sustainable, and globally integrated economy,' said Arun Bose, director of the International Real Estate & Investment Show that takes place in Abu Dhabi in September. 'At the heart of this vision is real estate development, which plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of urban living, economic growth, and social infrastructure. 'The strategy focuses on creating vibrant, liveable communities supported by smart infrastructure, green spaces, and world-class amenities. 'With investments pouring into mixed-use developments, waterfront districts, cultural hubs, and high-tech business zones, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a real estate powerhouse in the region.'
Fast Company
11-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
13 tips for navigating your department's freelance work agreements
Freelancers and contractors have become essential contributors to today's flexible workforce. But managing those relationships requires a different playbook than hiring full-time staff. Department leaders must strike the right balance of collaboration, structure, and adaptability to build high-performing partnerships. To help, 13 Fast Company Executive Board members each share their best advice for negotiating freelance and contract-based work arrangements. Here's how they recommend handling your department's contractor agreements for mutual success. 1. SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS UPFRONT. It is important to set clear expectations from the start. We want to ensure that both parties are on the same page about deliverables, timelines, and compensation. There is flexibility, but there is also structure. Once you complete documented agreements that are clear, and both parties understand the scope of the work, you will be better able to cooperate. – Asad Khan, LambdaTest Inc. Subscribe to the Daily newsletter. Fast Company's trending stories delivered to you every day Privacy Policy | Fast Company Newsletters 2. TREAT CONTRACTOR RELATIONSHIPS LIKE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS. Department leaders should treat freelance and contract negotiations like strategic partnerships, not transactions. Be sure to understand the contractor's strengths, what motivates them, and how their goals align with the team's. Then, be clear on deliverables, timelines, and expectations up front—clarity avoids confusion later. – Pedro Barboglio, Remote Team Solutions 3. TIE PAYMENTS TO ESTABLISHED MILESTONES. Given the nature of the relationship, department leaders should schedule weekly check-ins to ensure that there are clear expectations around deliverables, timelines, and governance. Contracts should tie payments to meeting previously agreed-upon milestones. Ideally, the payment amount is also linked to specific outcomes to align incentives and ensure accountability. – Alejandro Botto, Kyte Systems Inc. 4. WORK WITH FRACTIONAL TALENT PARTNERS Reach out to fractional executive services that can navigate the selection process for you. When you talk to them, they will ask you questions about your goals, market approach, and pain areas, then guide you toward candidates that fit your needs. You don't have to do it alone. – Rich DePencier, Talking Rain Beverage Company 5. ASSESS AND MANAGE RISK CAREFULLY. Go in thoroughly understanding the current market and clearly define the project's scope, milestones, and deadlines before negotiating. Building genuine relationships and offering contractors autonomy within defined boundaries fosters accountability and success. Assess and manage risk carefully by ensuring contracts reflect realistic terms to protect the project and the company. – Larry Brinker Jr., BRINKER 6. TREAT FREELANCERS LIKE COLLABORATORS Treat freelancers like collaborators, not vendors. Be clear on scope, timelines, and communication upfront, but also ask about their goals and working style. At SLTC, we've found that mutual transparency builds trust, which leads to better work, stronger partnerships, and fewer surprises down the line. – Sharon Lee Thony, SLT Consulting 7. BALANCE AUTONOMY WITH ACCOUNTABILITY Department leaders can navigate freelance and contract negotiations by being clear about expectations, timelines, and deliverables from the start. It's important to strike a balance between flexibility and structure, offering autonomy while ensuring accountability. Building a relationship based on trust and open communication goes a long way in making these partnerships successful. – Gianluca Ferruggia, DesignRush advertisement 8. NEGOTIATE FLEXIBLE TIMEFRAMES Earlier in my career, I'd always negotiate a clear start and end date with freelancers. Now I've learned it's smarter to build in flexibility—especially in a world where client needs can shift overnight. Don't lock yourself into a three-month contract when the work might wrap in six weeks. Instead, set mutual expectations and agree upfront on a fair and respectful 'out' clause for both sides. – Matt Hofherr, Barrett Hofherr 9. CLARIFY SUCCESS METRICS EARLY Make sure you can measure success clearly. If you're bringing on a freelancer or contractor, you need to know what success looks like, how you'll track it, and when it's being delivered. Clear goals, simple metrics, and regular check-ins make the relationship productive for both sides. – Travis Schreiber, 10. ALIGN CONTRACTORS WITH TEAM CULTURE Department leaders should approach freelance and contract negotiations with a clear focus on aligning deliverables to business outcomes while maintaining flexibility and cost efficiency. It's also just as important for leaders to integrate contractors into the team culture to foster collaboration, accountability, and a shared sense of purpose. – Brad Rosenfeld, Allvue Systems 11. NEGOTIATE AROUND MINDSET AND AGILITY Go beyond experience and skillset and look at mindset. Negotiate around levels of ownership and quality contribution. Negotiate around flexibility to adapt to fluctuating circumstances and collapsing or expanding times. Negotiate across pacing and operating with urgency when needed. Explore levels of agility to change behaviors when required. Negotiate tolerances for compliance with risk levels. – Jay Steven Levin, WinThinking 12. INVITE FREELANCERS TO CO-CREATE Imagine you are a skilled chef in a bustling kitchen. Instead of ordering ingredients, create a collaborative recipe. Invite freelancers to co-design projects, blending their flavors with your team. Emphasize flexibility and experimentation, like tasting dishes during preparation. Foster an open dialogue, transforming negotiations into a culinary adventure where input spices up the final dish. – Shawn Galloway, ProAct Safety, Inc. 13. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, NOT JUST CONTRACTS Negotiate relationships, not just rates. Cultivate collaborations, not just contracts. Start with a shared vision, not scope. Beyond deliverables, invest time to understand what success means for both sides to build trust. Create rituals like weekly check-ins, celebrating small wins, and honest retrospectives. The best freelancers become partners when you nurture growth, not just manage output. – Dr. Camille Preston, AIM Leadership, LLC
Business Wire
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Google Cloud Managed Lustre, Powered by DDN EXAScaler Offering High-Performance File System, Now Generally Available for AI and HPC Workloads
CHATSWORTH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DDN®, the global leader in AI and data intelligence solutions, today announced that Google Cloud Managed Lustre, a fully managed, high-performance parallel file system service, powered by DDN's industry-leading EXAScaler® technology, is now generally available. Designed to accelerate the most demanding workloads in AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and data-intensive enterprise environments, Google Cloud Managed Lustre brings the power of Lustre — the world's most scalable parallel file system — natively into the Google Cloud ecosystem. The service is now generally available globally. 'By bringing our EXAScaler technology to Google Cloud customers as a fully managed service, we're enabling organizations across industries to accelerate innovation without the overhead of managing complex infrastructure,' said Paul Bloch, Co-Founder and President at DDN. "Partnering with DDN allows us to bring their industry-leading parallel file systems to Google Cloud as a deeply integrated, first-party service,' said Asad Khan, Senior Director, Product Management, Google Cloud Storage. 'By combining DDN's decades of expertise in high-performance Lustre with Google Cloud's global infrastructure and AI ecosystem, we are delivering a foundational capability that removes storage bottlenecks and helps our customers solve their most complex challenges in AI and HPC." "Enterprises today demand AI infrastructure that combines accelerated computing with high-performance storage solutions to deliver uncompromising speed, seamless scalability and cost efficiency at scale,' said Dave Salvator, Director of Accelerated Computing Products, NVIDIA. 'Google and DDN's collaboration on Google Cloud Managed Lustre creates a better-together solution uniquely suited to meet these needs. By integrating DDN's enterprise-grade data platforms and Google's global cloud capabilities, organizations can readily access vast amounts of data and unlock the full potential of AI with the NVIDIA AI platform (or NVIDIA accelerated computing platform) on Google Cloud —reducing time-to-insight, maximizing GPU utilization, and lowering total cost of ownership.' Purpose-Built for Performance, Simplicity, and Scale Google Cloud Managed Lustre delivers industry-leading performance of up to 1 TB/s read throughput with <1ms latency and can scale seamlessly from 18 TiB to 8 PiB+. With multiple performance tiers (125 MB/s/TiB to 1000 MB/s/TiB), organizations can tailor performance to meet the specific needs of their AI, simulation, or analytics workloads. The service offers: Fully managed operations through the Google Cloud Console, CLI, and APIs through the Google Cloud Console, CLI, and APIs Native integration with Google Cloud services like Google Cloud Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), IAM, VPC Service Controls, and Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform with Google Cloud services like Google Cloud Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), IAM, VPC Service Controls, and Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform Optimized performance for AI/ML training, financial modeling, rendering, genomic analysis, and more for AI/ML training, financial modeling, rendering, genomic analysis, and more Enterprise-grade reliability with a 99.9% SLA with a 99.9% SLA Terraform support, bulk data movement with Google Cloud Storage, and a Managed CSI Driver for GKE Unlocking Value Across Industries From LLM training and risk analysis to climate research and drug discovery, Google Cloud Managed Lustre serves customers in financial services, life sciences, manufacturing, public sector, and media and entertainment. "I consolidated the previous storage systems into one centralized DDN storage system using a global EXAScaler Lustre file system, which can deliver the needed performance and scalability. Having spent 20 years implementing DDN systems successfully, it was an easy decision for me to choose DDN for Helmholtz Munich's infrastructure rehaul,' said Dr Alf Wachsmann, Head of DigIT Infrastructure & Scientific Computing | Helmholtz Munich. Availability and Getting Started Google Cloud Managed Lustre is generally available. Customers can deploy instances directly through the Google Cloud Console or speak with Google Cloud or DDN representatives for tailored guidance and support. To learn more, read the Google blog: About DDN DDN is the world's leading AI and data intelligence company, empowering organizations to maximize the value of their data with end-to-end HPC and AI-focused solutions. Its customers range from the largest global enterprises and AI hyperscalers to cutting-edge research centers, all leveraging DDN's proven data intelligence platform for scalable, secure, and high-performance AI deployments that drive 10x returns. Follow DDN: LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why you should start planning for retirement in your 20s
Experts are urging people to start planning for retirement as early as their 20s. This may seem premature, but early planning is said to lead to greater financial security in later years. life insurance experts, alongside retirement finance specialists, have pinpointed how sensible savings habits and timely protections can contribute to a strong financial footing in the future. READ: Majority of savers unhappy with interest rate on savings accounts According to new data, buying life insurance in your 20s could save you up to £440 annually compared to starting a policy closer to retirement. Independent financial planning consultant, Asad Khan, was enlisted by to help people understand the steps to take at different life stages. Asad said: "Planning for retirement can be beneficial from the moment someone enters the workforce, around the age of 21, for example. "Starting early allows more time for pension contributions to potentially grow through compound returns and investment performance over the long term." READ: Experts share 5 mortgage myths, and one that's actually true Asad mapped out the key actions for each decade of life: In your 20s, join your workplace pension scheme, understand your employer's contributions and start consistent saving. In your 30s, increase your pension contributions, consolidate old pensions and set retirement goals. In your 40s, assess your retirement progress, review investment strategies and consider ISAs. In your 50s, prepare for income drawdown, reduce investment risk and finalise your retirement timeline, all while getting advice from an FCA-regulated financial adviser. Tom Vaughan, a life insurance expert at highlighted the lack of focus on protection at the retirement stage. READ: Calls for council pension fund to axe investments linked to military action in Gaza Tom said: "There's often a lot of focus on saving for retirement, but not enough thought goes into what protection looks like at that stage of life. "Retirement doesn't mean your financial responsibilities disappear, they just take a different shape. "That's where life insurance can still play a valuable role. It's not just for when you're raising a family or paying off a mortgage. "Including it in your later-life planning can help tie everything together, giving you a bit more clarity and your loved ones some added peace of mind." Explaining the cost-effectiveness of early life insurance purchases, Tom said the younger and healthier you are, the lower the risk is considered to be. As a result, buying a policy in your 20s is more cost-effective than purchasing one in your 60s. The average monthly premium for someone in their 20s is just £13.74 compared to £50.47 per month for those in their 60s. This is a difference of more than £440 annually. READ: HMRC to change some pensioners' tax codes to take back Winter Fuel Payments Tom said: "Crucially, getting in early doesn't just offer short-term savings. "Many life insurance policies come with fixed premiums, meaning once you've locked in a low monthly rate, it stays the same for the duration of the policy. "That long-term value is what makes early planning so worthwhile." Recent changes in UK pension policy also mean one should stay informed and regularly review their pension plans. Key policy updates include the value for money framework to improve workplace pension transparency and government plans to consolidate small pension pots.
Business Wire
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
LambdaTest Announces Deeper Collaboration with Appium as Strategic Partnership
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LambdaTest, a unified agentic AI and cloud engineering platform, has announced it has become a strategic sponsor of Appium, the world's most widely used open-source framework for mobile automation. This collaboration aims to significantly simplify and accelerate mobile test automation by integrating Appium's capabilities into LambdaTest's cloud-based distributed testing platform. LambdaTest Announces Deeper Collaboration with Appium as Strategic Partnership Share LambdaTest has an active open-source program that provides access to LambdaTest's testing infrastructure to community projects, so maintainers can run comprehensive test suites without worrying about servers or setup. The organization had also launched LambdaTest Grants for Open Source to support innovation in software testing frameworks and toolsets. As part of the Grants, LambdaTest had announced a $250,000 grant for open source projects and contributors building solutions for the QA and Testing community. With this Appium Strategic Partnership, LambdaTest is doubling down on the commitment made to the open source community. Through this partnership, LambdaTest users will gain tighter integration and early access to improvements. Since Appium is at the heart of the LambdaTest platform, our contributions will allow the platform to incorporate updates and new capabilities faster than ever. This partnership also sets an example of how commercial platforms and open-source projects can join forces to uplift the entire tech community. By combining Appium's flexible automation capabilities with LambdaTest's powerful real device cloud, users gain the ability to test native, hybrid, and web apps on actual hardware, ensuring 100% accuracy. LambdaTest's real device testing environment captures true device behaviour, performance, and user interactions, offering detailed insights through app logs, crash reports, video recordings, and network data. Built specifically for Appium automation at scale, LambdaTest's infrastructure supports high-performance parallel testing, allowing faster release cycles and greater test coverage. Teams can simulate various network conditions and offline modes to assess real-world performance, while geolocation testing enables validation of app behaviour in over 170 countries. 'Appium is a cornerstone of modern mobile test automation, and we're proud to be their strategic partner,' says Asad Khan, CEO & Co-Founder at LambdaTest. 'Our platform empowers testers to execute faster, more secure, and globally distributed Appium tests, turning quality engineering into a competitive advantage.' About LambdaTest LambdaTest is an AI-native, omnichannel software quality platform that empowers businesses to accelerate time to market through intelligent, cloud-based test authoring, orchestration, and execution. With over 15,000 customers and 2.3 million+ users across 130+ countries, LambdaTest is the trusted choice for modern software testing. Browser & App Testing Cloud: Enables manual and automated testing of web and mobile apps across 10,000+ browsers, real devices, and OS environments, ensuring cross-platform consistency. HyperExecute: An AI-native test execution and orchestration cloud that runs tests up to 70% faster than traditional grids, offering smart test distribution, automatic retries, real-time logs, and seamless CI/CD integration. KaneAI: The world's first GenAI-native testing agent, leveraging LLMs for effortless test creation, intelligent automation, and self-evolving test execution. It integrates directly with Jira, Slack, GitHub, and other DevOps tools.
