Houssem Jemili (Bain) discusses GCC’s future of investment and transformation

At the ‘Converting Change into Opportunity’ event in Abu Dhabi, leaders from government and business came together to discuss geopolitical changes, trade war, AI, and deglobalization. Houssem Jemili, senior partner at Bain & Company, joined a panel to explore the GCC’s path toward economic transformation and innovation-led growth.

Hosted by Multiply Group, an investment holding company from Abu Dhabi, the event convened a diverse group of leading public and private sector investment-related stakeholders from organisations such as Amazon, Microsoft, Dell, the UAE Ministry of Economy, World Bank, International Finance Corporation, Public Investment Fund, Visa, and Brookings Institution.

The agenda featured several keynotes, discussions and panels, with Houssem Jemili part of the panel titled ‘Transitioning to a new economic model: the GCC’s evolution into a global innovation and growth hub’, alongside Mohamed Bardastani (Chief Economist for CEMEA at Visa), Alexander Perjessy (Senior Credit Officer at Moody’s), and Lamya AlFozan (Senior Director of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs at the Public Investment Fund).

Reflecting on the region’s evolution, Jemili emphasized the catalytic role of technology and policy alignment in driving economic diversification. “We are witnessing a profound transformation in the GCC, where regulatory innovation, visionary leadership, and digital acceleration are converging to create future-ready economies. What sets this region apart today is not just the ambition to diversify, but the speed and scale at which ecosystems are being built.”

A major focus of the panel was the evolving role of ESG principles in economic planning and capital deployment. Jemili noted that ESG is no longer a compliance checkbox but a foundational pillar of strategy: “We’re seeing a shift where ESG is increasingly recognized as a driver of long-term competitiveness. Governance, in particular, is becoming central to how capital is allocated and how partnerships are formed, especially in sectors like infrastructure, clean tech, and urban development.”

The conversation also highlighted the region’s bold move toward artificial intelligence (AI), Gen AI, and digital innovation. Governments across the GCC are actively investing in AI infrastructure, data ecosystems, and public–private partnerships to position themselves as competitive global hubs for emerging technology.

“AI is not just about automation – it is about reimagining public services, building smarter economies, and enabling entirely new industries. The GCC has the opportunity to lead, provided we continue to invest in skills, data ecosystems, and scalable AI applications,” said Jemili at the event.

At Bain & Company, Jemili is a member of the Technology, Digital, and Advanced Manufacturing and Services practices. He has 20 years of strategic and digital consulting experience across Europe and the Middle East, with a focus on topics such as digital strategy, digital transformation, performance improvement, IT strategy, business and growth strategy, as well as organization and governance.