Expertise
Expertise & Background Knowledge
The Arab Gulf states have emerged as influential and powerful actors that must adapt to a rapidly changing world while simultaneously striving for global influence. Surrounded by crises and wars, they present themselves as political and economic networkers, trade hubs, and centers of innovation, investment, and interconnectivity yet they often remain difficult to understand and full of contradictions.
Dialogue & Nuanced Perspectives
I aim to better understand these contradictions and provide a realistic picture of the direction in which the Gulf states are developing. Through my expertise and networks, I seek to contribute to a dialogue based on speaking with one another rather than about one another, to foster exchange in an increasingly polarized world, and to emphasize the opportunities for cooperation.
Topics & Trends
I am particularly fascinated by and engaged with the complex political, economic, social, and cultural developments in the Arab Gulf states especially Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar, their relations with Germany, Europe, and the African continent, as well as their foreign, security, energy, and development policies. I maintain extensive and long-standing networks with political, academic, economic, and cultural stakeholders across the Arab Gulf region.
Sports & Politics
As a former sports journalist and passionate football fan, I focus in particular on the growing importance of the Gulf states in international sports and especially in football. As hosts of major tournaments and global investors in professional sports, the Gulf states are increasingly moving into the center of international sports politics. These developments have sparked controversial debates and accusations of sportswashing, which became especially evident before and during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Although the FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia will not take place until 2034, it is already casting its shadow ahead. The Kingdom has long established itself as an influential actor in global sports whether in football, golf, Formula 1, or tennis. This trend will continue, and debates surrounding Saudi Arabia are likely to intensify. All the more reason why it is essential to understand what is happening there and why.