RiyalPolitik is a newsletter about the economic story of a changing Middle East.

The region is still in the midst of a convulsive conflict—but that turbulence is accelerating strategic and economic shifts with lasting impact.  Capital is moving. Technologies are being developed and deployed. New partnerships are forming across borders and sectors. And businesses and investors are already positioning for the day after.  We focus on the emerging economic story beneath the headlines: investment flows, tech partnerships, reconstruction efforts, infrastructure bets, sanctions regimes, and the policy tools—carrots and sticks—shaping these trends. The conflict isn’t over but the region is already moving.  A post conflict vision is being shaped – not through peace deals or summits, but through capital allocation and strategic investment.  

Our goal is to unpack the trends, deals, and dynamics reshaping the Middle East through the lens of economic statecraft. From capital allocation to infrastructure projects, from rebuilding shattered economies to accelerating cross-border trade, Riyalpolitik tracks the tools, players, and power moves shaping the region’s economic future.

Written by two insiders with experience at the intersection of national security, foreign policy, finance, and economic development, this newsletter offers a dual perspective on how power is exercised in the Middle East. One of us comes from the world of intelligence and economic statecraft; the other from global investment and commercial strategy. We’ve worked across governments, markets, and multilateral spaces—both advising executives on decisions that shape economies, alliances, and the tools of influence across the Middle East.