with Loulou · 2026-06-16 · 48 min
Where do you put your money in the Gulf right now? Loulou sits down with one of the UAE's most experienced investors to read the region as it actually is in June 2026: the regional war still the dominant story, the World Cup just under way and more. HE Faisal Belhoul is a veteran Emirati investor and entrepreneur, former Vice Chair of Dubai Chambers, and chairman of UAE second-division football club Fursan Hispania (co-built with Real Madrid legend Michel Salgado). He has been one of the most consistent backers of operators building global businesses out of Dubai for two decades. For students, fresh graduates and aspiring founders, Belhoul closes with the single quality he backs in founders, the apprentice model he believes in, and the line he was given by a founder he is mentoring: "I eat 'no' for breakfast." Chapters: 01:57 - The Three Big Stories of the Week 03:15 - Football as a Family Affair: 22 Years Waiting for Arsenal 5:28 - Mohamed Salah and Football's Soft Power 16:38 - Why Sport Survives the AI Era 20:52 - Dubai Chambers and the Private Sector's Role 26:29 - How Moove Grew From $10M to $400M Revenue 36:43 - Can Expats Still Build a Life Here at 60?
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