WEF's Kelsey Goodman says investors remain confident in Gulf economies
Kelsey Goodman, the World Economic Forum's head of Middle East and North Africa, told two outlets that investor confidence in the Gulf remains strong and that diversification has helped the region withstand shocks. The National places her comments against the Iran war and the IMF's cut to Gulf growth forecasts.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Kelsey Goodman, head of Middle East and North Africa at the World Economic Forum (WEF), said investors remain confident in the Gulf's economic resilience. Arab NewsRC “Investors are increasingly confident in the Gulf's economic resilience, according to Kelsey Goodman from the World Economic Forum” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN ““There’s still widespread investor confidence in the region,” Ms Goodman said.” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2She spoke to Arab News and The National on the sidelines of WEF meetings in Dubai. Arab News describes a meeting held ahead of the forum's annual gathering in Davos. The National places her at the Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders, which concluded on Thursday. Arab NewsRC “Goodman was speaking on the sidelines of a WEF meeting in Dubai, held ahead of the forum's annual gathering in Davos.” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN “Speaking at the Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders in” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2Goodman said the fundamentals of Gulf economies remain solid. In Arab News she called resilience "the word of the year in the Gulf". In The National she said the fundamentals are solid "even if the surrounding area is uncertain". Arab NewsRC “"I really think that resilience is the word of the year in the Gulf," she said.” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN ““The fundamentals are solid even if the surrounding area is uncertain” Read at The National ↗
Right · 1Arab News reports that she cited recent US research showing investors with the largest assets under management are among the most confident about the region. Arab NewsRC “She cited recent research from the US showing that investors with the largest assets under management are some of the most confident about the region.” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2She credited long-term planning and diversification, including of export routes and into sectors beyond oil. She said the economies that had already built in diversity were the most resilient, and that resilience has to be prepared for and cannot be built only in a crisis. Arab NewsRC “Goodman credited this to years of long-term planning by Gulf leaders, who have worked to diversify their economies and export routes” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN ““Resiliency is something that you have to prepare for. It's not something that you can build only in times of crisis.”” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1The National sets her remarks against the economic fall-out from the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It reports that the International Monetary Fund sharply downgraded its 2026 growth forecasts for Gulf economies, and that blocked trade routes have affected shipping and raised petrol prices. Arab News does not mention the war. The NationalN “Her comments come as the International Monetary Fund sharply downgraded its 2026 growth forecasts for Gulf economies amid the effects of the war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”“While blocked trade routes have affected shipping and petrol prices have risen” Read at The National ↗
Centre · 1Goodman said the war's effect on travel and tourism could also affect labour markets, given the Gulf's reliance on a mobile workforce. The National gives the UAE's migrant workforce as about 8.7 million and quotes her saying there could potentially be shortages. The NationalN “The UAE workforce is made up of approximately 8.7 million migrant workers.”““The Gulf really relies on a very mobile labour market with a lot of connections outside the region,” she said.” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets report that she named artificial intelligence as the main opportunity and referred to a new WEF report. Arab News names the report as "Powering AI at Scale" and says it found the region has the capacity to lead in AI. The National says it showed AI could unlock upwards of $1 trillion by 2030 in the region. Arab NewsRC “A new WEF report, "Powering AI at Scale," found that the region has the capacity to become a leader in the field, she added.” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN “A newly published WEF report showed the potential of artificial intelligence in unlocking upwards of $1 trillion by 2030 in the region.” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2She said success in AI depends on data-centre sustainability and resilience, grid upgrades, regulation, energy infrastructure and co-operation across sectors. The National adds that regional uncertainty creates more barriers to reaching these goals. Arab NewsRC “However, Goodman said the success of that effort would depend on getting the sustainability and resilience of data centres right.” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN ““For the economies to realise this value, it's going to take a lot of co-operation across all sectors of society,” she said.” Read at The National ↗
Right · 1Arab News also reports her saying the Gulf is helping to shape global economic priorities through its sovereign wealth funds and investment in advanced manufacturing. She named Saudi Aramco, Emirates Global Aluminium and Qatar Shell as WEF advanced manufacturing "lighthouses". Arab NewsRC “"We're starting to see the Middle East, especially the Gulf, starting to shape in a lot of ways global economic priorities," she said.”“Goodman named Saudi Aramco, Emirates Global Aluminium and Qatar Shell among those that have earned the recognition.” Read at Arab News ↗ Centre · 1The National reports foresight simulations at the Dubai meeting, in which participants rehearsed responses to geopolitical and technological crises. Goodman said dialogue and co-operation are essential when the world is at its most complicated, and that the mood was positive. The NationalN “Foresight simulations were carried out at the meeting on Thursday, in which participants rehearsed responses to unfolding geopolitical and technological crises.”“Even with this in mind, she said the mood at the meeting was positive.” Read at The National ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Frames the comments as a defence of investor confidence under pressure from the Iran war, the Hormuz closure and the IMF's downgrade.
- Emphasis
- War fall-out, IMF downgrade, shipping and petrol prices, labour-market risks for migrant workers, and the need for dialogue and peace.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the US research on large investors or the manufacturing lighthouses.
- Charged language
- “Iran war”“fall-out”
- For example
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“Investor confidence in the region remains strong despite the economic fall-out from the” — The National
“These are areas where there could potentially be short” — The National
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents the interview as good news for the Gulf: the world's biggest investors are increasingly confident and the region is shaping global priorities.
- Emphasis
- Investor confidence, AI infrastructure as the main opportunity, sovereign wealth funds and WEF manufacturing lighthouses at Saudi Aramco, EGA and Qatar Shell.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz closure, the IMF downgrade or labour-market risks.
- Charged language
- “winning over”“resilience is the word of the year”
What every side reports
- Kelsey Goodman, WEF head of Middle East and North Africa, said investors remain confident in the Gulf.
- She said Gulf economic fundamentals are solid and credited diversification and long-term planning.
- She spoke at a WEF meeting in Dubai.
- She named AI as a key opportunity and cited a new WEF report.
Where accounts differ
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Whether investor confidence is described as growing or as holding up despite the war
- Centre
- The National says confidence "remains strong despite" the Iran war and notes the IMF's sharp downgrade of 2026 Gulf growth forecasts.
- Right
- Arab News says investors are "increasingly confident" and that resilience is "winning over" the world's biggest investors, without mentioning the war.
Kelsey Goodman person
Says investor confidence in the Gulf is strong and fundamentals are solid. She credits diversification and long-term planning, sees AI as the main opportunity, and warns of regional uncertainty and possible labour shortages.
“"At the end of the day, the fundamentals of the Gulf economy remain solid. Investors remain confident in the Gulf."” — Arab News
““Diversification really is key” — The National
World Economic Forum organisation
Through its regional head, presents the Gulf as resilient and well placed to lead on AI. It cites its own report and its manufacturing lighthouse designations.
“A new WEF report, "Powering AI at Scale," found that the region has the capacity to become a leader in the field, she added.” — Arab News
“A newly published WEF report showed the potential of artificial intelligence in unlocking upwards of $1 trillion by 2030 in the region.” — The National
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Investor confidence in Gulf remains strong despite war, says World Economic Forum's regional chief
Mixed Reports confidence as holding up despite the Iran war and IMF downgrade, and adds her warnings about trade routes, tourism and labour shortages.
Right1 article
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Gulf resilience winning over world's biggest investors, says senior World Economic Forum official
Celebratory Upbeat interview write-up on rising investor confidence, AI opportunity and the Gulf's growing global influence, with no mention of the war.
- 14 Oct 11:38 First Arab NewsRC Gulf resilience winning over world's biggest investors, says senior World Economic Forum official
- 16 Oct 06:58 +43h 19m The NationalN Investor confidence in Gulf remains strong despite war, says World Economic Forum's regional chief
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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