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Apple Retains Top Spot As World’s Most Valuable Brand 

Apple has once again claimed the title of the world’s most valuable brand for 2025, with a brand value of $574.5 billion, according to Brand Finance. The tech giant has maintained its leading position, surpassing its closest competitor, Microsoft, valued at $461 billion. Apple’s reign as the top brand has remained largely uninterrupted since 2021, aside from a brief dip in 2023 when it trailed Amazon by a slim margin of 1 percent.

Brand Finance’s latest research, unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, highlights that three of the top five brands globally are technology-driven, with Apple, Microsoft, and Google leading the pack. Google’s brand is valued at $413 billion, while Amazon sits in fourth place at $356.4 billion, followed by Walmart at $137.2 billion. Despite global economic growth projections stagnating at 2.8 percent, the total value of the world’s top 500 brands has soared, rising 10 percent year-on-year from $8.6 trillion in 2024 to $9.5 trillion in 2025.

Fastest-Growing Brands: Rising Stars In Tech And Beyond

While Apple remains the dominant force, one of the standout stories this year is the phenomenal growth of e&, which has seen its brand value skyrocket by eight times to $15.3 billion. This surge marks the culmination of a strategic rebranding from Etisalat to e&, aimed at expanding its international footprint. Meanwhile, Nvidia’s organic growth of 98 percent has made it the second-fastest-growing brand, with its brand value climbing steadily as the company leads the charge in semiconductor technology.

TikTok, though only evaluated by Brand Finance since 2022, has seen impressive growth, with its brand value up by 79 percent to $105.8 billion in just four years, placing it among the high-growth leaders. Chinese brands like TikTok, Pinduoduo, and BYD are challenging the dominance of traditional Western giants, underscoring China’s evolving brand-building strategies and global influence.

David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, emphasizes that the rapid brand growth isn’t limited to tech companies. Emerging sectors like e-commerce, gaming, and electric vehicles are also witnessing remarkable value creation. DraftKings and Fanduel are benefitting from the US legalizing online gambling, while BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle maker, is capitalizing on the global shift towards sustainable transport.

AI And Innovation Powering Brand Success

Google’s 24 percent growth to $413 billion and Amazon’s 15 percent increase in brand value reflect the ongoing integration of AI and innovation into their operations. Google, in particular, has cemented its position as an innovation leader, with investments in AI boosting its consumer trust and appeal. Amazon, on the other hand, continues to enhance its customer-centric approach through AI, from personalized recommendations to cutting-edge logistics systems.

WeChat, the Chinese messaging and social platform, maintains its status as the world’s strongest brand for the second year in a row, with an outstanding Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 95.2 out of 100. Its seamless integration into the lives of millions of users worldwide makes it a leading global player.

The Rise Of China And The Dominance of American Brands

Apple’s success is part of a broader trend, with the US continuing to dominate the global brand rankings. Of the 193 American brands featured in the top 500, they collectively contribute more than half of the total brand value. China and Germany follow, with 69 and 27 brands, respectively, accounting for 15 percent and 6 percent of the global brand value.

Among industries, banking leads the way, with 79 brands contributing 13 percent of the total brand value. Retail follows closely with 45 brands, making up 11 percent, while media comes in third with 23 brands representing 10 percent.

In a world where technology continues to shape the future of business, Apple’s consistent leadership serves as a testament to the power of innovation, while brands like e& and Nvidia demonstrate that emerging players can also achieve extraordinary growth. As AI, e-commerce, and sustainable industries continue to evolve, the brand landscape is poised for even more disruption and opportunity.

Forbes Middle East Unveils 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen Of 2025

Forbes Middle East has unveiled its much-anticipated 2025 ranking of the region’s top businesswomen, spotlighting influential leaders reshaping industries and driving meaningful transformation. The list was based on business size, individual accomplishments, leadership impact, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Top Spot For Hana Al Rostamani

For the third consecutive year, Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank (UAE’s largest bank by assets), claims the top position. In addition to retaining her position in the Forbes Middle East ranking, she was also featured on Forbes’ 2024 list of the World’s Most Powerful Women, securing the 60th position globally. Under her leadership, the bank achieved an impressive $3.5 billion in net profits and $334.8 billion in assets in the first nine months of 2024.

Rising Stars In The Top 10

Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar of NBK Group and Shaista Asif, cofounder and Group CEO of PureHealth Holding, take the second and third spots respectively, completing the top three.

The top 10 remains largely unchanged from last year, with Tayba Al Hashemi of ADNOC Offshore, Alisha Moopen of Aster DM Healthcare GCC, and Suzanne Al Anani of Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) making their debut in the top 10. In total, 27 new leaders have joined the list this year.

A Diverse And Powerful Group Of Women

This year’s list features 100 women from 32 sectors and 29 nationalities, underlining the diversity of talent driving the region’s progress. The banking and financial services sector leads with 25 entries, followed by healthcare and technology with nine each, and venture capital with five. Remarkably, 40% of the top 10 women are from the banking and financial services sector. Notably, Shaista Asif (PureHealth Holding) and Alisha Moopen (Aster DM Healthcare GCC) are the only non-Arab women in the top 10.

UAE Leads With 46 Leaders

The UAE continues to dominate, with 46 of the women on the list hailing from the country, solidifying its status as a global business hub. Egypt follows with 18 influential women, and Saudi Arabia claims nine entries. Egyptians lead in representation, followed by Emiratis and Lebanese women.

Empowering Women Through Initiatives

Several of the leaders have focused on upskilling and creating opportunities for women. Susana Rodriguez Puerta launched the ‘sAIdaty’ initiative in collaboration with the Dubai Business Women Council, aimed at providing 500 female council members in the UAE with AI skills. Similarly, Lamia Tazi of SOTHEMA collaborated with the Foundation for Research, Development, and Innovation in Science and Engineering to provide scholarships to PhD students from low-income backgrounds.

Click here for the full list.

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