The collaboration is part of the Creators HQ initiative. Reuters
The collaboration is part of the Creators HQ initiative. Reuters
The collaboration is part of the Creators HQ initiative. Reuters
The collaboration is part of the Creators HQ initiative. Reuters

UAE launches YouTube academy to drive influencer content


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The UAE on Friday announced the launch of a YouTube academy.

The collaboration, which is part of the Creators HQ initiative, is part of the Emirates’ push to drive content while fostering partnerships with major platforms.

The academy, the first in the region, will offer creators the tools, resources, and expertise to enhance their content creation skills and thrive across YouTube’s diverse formats, while reaching audiences across multiple screens, from mobile to TV, Creators HQ said.

It will also help emerging creators make their content come to life and nurture an audience on YouTube. There is no confirmation at this time of where the academy will be.

“We believe that creators in Mena are the future of entertainment and the heart of the creator economy, Javid Aslanov, Head of YouTube Middle East and North Africa, said. “Our collaboration with CreatorsHQ allows us to expand our support, ensuring more creators have the resources to turn their passion into a thriving, long-term career on YouTube.”

What is Creators HQ?

Creators HQ, has so far attracted 2,415 people from 147 countries in its first six months. Launched in January, it aims to attract 10,000 influencers to the Emirates as part of a plan to build a “comprehensive content economy”.

The community brings together content creators and industry leaders worldwide. It also attracted 78 global companies in the content sector from 24 countries to relocate to the UAE, with the UK, Pakistan, the US, India, France and Germany leading the list.

Collectively, the influencers, who now call the Emirates home, have a combined following of more than 2.45 billion people.

“The content economy is one of the main drivers shaping the world’s future. The UAE is working to be among the first to create and lead that future,” Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said earlier this year.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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 Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)  

 Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

 Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


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Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

 

 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: September 12, 2025, 4:16 PM