Why Brands are Investing in the GCC Region

In an increasingly competitive retail landscape, more brands are looking for new markets with high growth potential.

That’s put the GCC (Gulf Cooperative Council) region on more brands’ radar.

The region includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, nations that have strong spending power and continue to invest in retail development.

In this episode of A Seat at The Table we’re sitting down with Dr. Heike Lieb-Wilson, a trusted advisor and market expansion strategist for global brands entering the GCC and MENA region.

With over a decade of hands-on experience in the UAE – and more than 40 years in international business – she combines strategic clarity with deep regional insight.

As the founder of Brightly Labs LLC in Dubai, Heike helps premium European brands navigate complex entry challenges, from licensing and localization to retail growth and partner vetting.
Her agent-based model offers brands a low-risk, high-impact pathway to scale in the region – backed by trusted networks and proven frameworks.