Built for uncertainty: Why Middle Eastern brands remain resilient despite market headwinds

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Middle East’s most valuable brands continue to demonstrate strong resilience despite geopolitical tensions, oil price fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, and broader macroeconomic pressures, according to the Middle East 150 2026 report from Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy.

Rather than being driven by a single factor, this resilience reflects a combination of scale, sector positioning, and strategic agility, allowing the region’s leading brands to protect value during downturns and accelerate recovery as conditions improve.

Aramco retains its position as the Middle East’s most valuable brand for the seventh consecutive year, recording a 14% increase in brand value to USD47.3 billion. Its continued strength reflects the benefits of scale, strategic investment, and the ability to evolve beyond traditional oil production. Key milestones in 2025 included progress towards its gas production growth target, global retail expansion, advancement of its petrochemical's strategy, and further innovation in carbon capture.

ADNOC (brand value up 11% to USD21.1 billion) also retains its position as the region’s second most valuable brand for the seventh consecutive year, underscoring the resilience of the UAE’s key sectors and the strength of its national energy champion. The brand continues to reinforce its leadership through a combination of large-scale investments, technological innovations, and sustainability driven growth.

stc (brand value up 9% to USD17.6 billion) holds its position as the third most valuable brand in the region in 2026. Its growth reflects the sustained execution of its Masterbrand strategy, which has successfully extended the brand beyond traditional telecommunications into high-growth adjacencies, including fintech, cybersecurity, cloud, and IT services.

Savio D’Souza, Managing Director Middle East and Africa, Brand Finance, commented:

“The 2026 results send a clear message: the Middle East’s leading brands are not simply weathering uncertainty; they are built to navigate it. With total brand value reaching USD245.3 billion, the data reflects a region defined by structural strength, strategic discipline, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. The brands performing best are those combining scale, sector resilience, and long-term investment with the agility to respond decisively during periods of volatility.”

Four banking brands, QNB, Al Rajhi Bank, SNB, Emirates NBD and FAB, rank among the region’s top 10 most valuable brands, highlighting the continued strength and resilience of Middle Eastern banking brands despite a more challenging global operating environment. Their performance reflects a combination of strong capitalisation, diversified income streams, digital transformation, international expansion, and sustained customer trust.

Across the group, these banks continue to benefit from rising lending activity, stronger fee generation, improving profitability, and greater operational efficiency. They are also strengthening their competitive positions through investment in digital banking, AI-driven capabilities, fintech partnerships, tokenisation, and broader regional expansion. As a result, the banking sector remains one of the Middle East’s most valuable and stable sectors, providing a strong foundation for overall brand value growth across the region.

Saudi Energy, which rebranded from Saudi Electricity Company in February 2026, has been identified as a brand to watch. The brand's value grew 25% to USD2.4 billion, reflecting strong underlying business performance as Saudi Arabia's national electricity provider. The rebrand repositions the organisation beyond its traditional utility identity, towards a broader role as a national energy systems enabler supporting the Kingdom's long-term economic transformation.

Despite shifting economic conditions and evolving market dynamics, the Middle East's leading brands recorded only limited movement in 2026, underscoring the resilience of the region's most prominent corporate names. The total brand value of the Middle East's top 150 brands now stands at USD280.3 billion, reflecting steady performance amid a complex macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop.

The healthcare sector is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments in Brand Finance’s Middle East rankings, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) (brand value at USD1.7 billion) recognised as the region’s leading healthcare brand by brand value.

Note to Editors

The full ranking, additional insights, charts, information about the methodology, and definitions of key terms are available in the ⁠Brand Finance Middle East 150 2026 report.

About Brand Finance

Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy.

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