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Every year, brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts thousands of the biggest brands to the test, and publishes over 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries.
Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market. Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 150,000 respondents in 38 countries and across 31 sectors.
Brand Finance recently revealed the Middle East’s top 150 most valuable and strongest brands, which are included in the Brand Finance Middle East 150 2023 ranking.
Aramco’s dominance as the most valuable Middle Eastern brand continues
Saudi Arabian oil and gas giant, Aramco (brand value up 4% to US$45.2 billion), remains the most valuable Middle Eastern brand, according to a new report from Brand Finance. Saudi Arabia’s national oil company has benefited from a surge in prices and demand for oil and gas this year.
Etisalat by e& is the strongest brand in the region from any sector, followed by stc, both achieving the prestigious AAA rating
Etisalat by e& (brand value up 4% to US$10.5 billion) has a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.1 out of 100, making it the strongest brand in the Middle East. Etisalat by e& is a telecoms brand of the global technology group e&. Evolved through a brand identity change last year, Etisalat by e& reflects a tech-driven telecoms brand enabled by superior 5G connectivity; elevated NPS scores due to richer personalised customer interactions; and increased employee satisfaction on account of vigorous company culture making it an attractive employer.
Fellow telecommunications brand stc (brand value up 17% to US$12.3 billion) is the 2nd strongest brand in the Middle East and strongest brand in Saudi Arabia with a Brand BSI score of 87 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA rating. The brand also climbed 25 places in the Global 500 ranking, the most by any Middle Eastern brand in the study, profiting from the robust future growth given its dominance in its home market.
Saudi Arabian banking brand Al-Rajhi Bank (brand value up 32% to US$5.7 billion) is the strongest banking brand in the Middle Eastern region with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 85.5 out of 100 and corresponding AAA rating.
ADNOC is the strongest Oil & Gas Brand in the Middle East, remains the most valuable UAE brand
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has seen its Brand Strength Index (BSI) increase to 79.4, retaining its status as the strongest Oil & Gas brand in the region. It is the 2nd most valuable Middle Eastern brand, with a brand value of US$14.2 billion, growing by 11% over the past year.
Saudi Arabian Chemicals Company SABIC (brand value up 1% to US$4.7 billion) is the most valuable chemicals brand in the Middle East. It now has a diverse product offering and looks to further identify opportunities in key end-use applications.
DP World (brand value up 15% to US$1.8 billion) sustained healthy growth and is the most valuable logistics brand in the Middle East. Despite difficult operating conditions, the global logistics brand has continued to deploy technology to create efficient and innovative trade solutions for stakeholders.
QatarEnergy-owned Qatargas is fastest-growing brand, up 147%
Qatargas (brand value up 147% to US$3.1 billion) is one of the world’s leading gas producing brands and is owned by QatarEnergy. This has effectively constrained supply for many gas users and improved sales for Qatargas.
Dubai based Mashreq (brand value up 35% to US$1 billion) followed closely behind as the third fastest growing brand in the UAE. The brand’s new brand identity, launched in 2022, was part of a wider strategy to realign its offerings as a digital-first financial institution.
Mobily (brand value up 18% to US$1.8 billion) maintained its status as the fastest growing telecoms brand in the Middle East. Mobily integrated telecommunications network is among the largest by coverage in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.
Middle Eastern Banking brands continue to excel with 28% average year-on-year brand value growth
QNB (brand value up 9% to US$7.7 billion) is the 5th most valuable Middle Eastern brand and most valuable Qatari brand. QNB is also the most valuable Middle Eastern banking brand. QNB has continued to grow this year and retained its position (45th globally) as amongst the most valuable banking brands in the world. This reflects the success of the bank’s efforts to expand its international presence and offering to an increasingly diverse customer base.
Saudi Arabian, Riyad Bank saw an impressive brand value increase, up 42% this year to a brand value of US$1.8 billion, well above the overall average for Saudi banks. Riyad bank undertook a rebranding effort in September 2022 reflecting its commitment to becoming a bank for a new generation that will focus on technology and innovation in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
UAE based FAB (brand value up 19% to US$3.9 billion) was the 3rd most valuable banking brand in the region and the most valuable banking brand in the UAE. The bank had a successful year, recording 7% year-on-year Group net profits.
Saudia remains one-to-watch as it maintains healthy brand value growth
Saudia’s brand value increased 14% year-on-year to US$650 million, further securing itself as a leading Middle Eastern airline operator. In line with the country’s ‘Vision 2030’ plan, significant investment in the airline and country’s aviation infrastructure is likely to see Saudia continue its growth in the coming years.
Global airline, Emirates (brand value up 2% to US$5.1 billion), remains the most valuable Middle Eastern Airline as its brand value increase stabilised. The Airline has continued to communicate is efforts to operate more sustainably and cement its status amongst consumers as a modern and responsible operator.
Top Middle Eastern healthcare facility King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center enters the ranking for the first time
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC) entered the ranking for the first time with a brand value of US$1.1 billion. Its patient-centric offering and world-class facilities have allowed the Academic Medical Centre to build a strong brand perception amongst patients within the Middle East as one of the premier choices for healthcare.
