In a year when energy – demand and prices – dominated, Aramco in Saudi Arabia and ADNOC in the UAE reinforced their status as the Middle East’s most powerful brands. Aramco’s brand value went up a hefty 4 per cent to $45.2 billion, more than enough to retain its numerous uno status, according to the UK consultancy Brand Finance.
ADNOC was second placed at $14.2 billion, gaining 11 per cent. The clout was extended by IPOs from JV entities Borouge and Fertiglobe, and now comes the one from ADNOC Gas.
This is as far as brand value goes, When it comes to brand strength the UAE tech-telco entity e& (formerly Etisalat) is at the top of the hustings, with a value of $10.1 billion (up 18 per cent). That was enough to make it the strongest brand in the global telecom sector with a score of 89.2 out of 100.
It was last year that e& adopted the new identity and since then went into a raft of deals to work on its credentials as a super-app, build up a presence in the enterprise business, and also go big globally with stake purchases in UK’s Vodafone.
The ‘focus on enhancing customer experience and living the ethos of ’Together Matters’ helped the brand to increase its BSI score by 1.8 points, breaking into the Top 20 strongest brands globally, claiming 18th place,” says Brand Finance.
An entrenched domestic presence and one of the fastest expansions overseas helped UAE’s DP World anchor in with a brand value of $1.8 billion. “Despite difficult operating conditions, the global logistics brand has continued to deploy technology to create efficient and innovative trade solutions for stakeholders,” says the report.
Dubai headquartered Mashreq (brand value up 35 per cent to $1 billion) is the third fastest growing brand in the UAE. A refreshed brand identity, launched in 2022, was ‘part of a wider strategy to realign its offerings as a digital-first financial institution’. And at a time when standalone digital banks are coming to the party, not least the…
