MBN Iran Podcast Briefing | How Gulf businesses have adjusted to war as the new normal ?

In this edition of the Iran Briefing podcast I'm joined by Scott Wilcox, Senior Advisor at the Sicuro Group, a global risk management and operational resilience firm. We take up how Gulf businesses have adjusted to war as the new normal, why the brunt of the strikes has fallen on Bahrain and Kuwait while the UAE and Saudi Arabia have stayed largely insulated, and how shifting expat demographics and personal tax exposure are reshaping hiring decisions across the region. Scott also tells me why Iran’s cyber and disinformation campaigns worry him more than its missiles, and why he doesn't buy the 60-day peace process timeline. 

What is MBN Iran Podcast Briefing ?

The war around Iran is no longer confined to the battlefield—it is rapidly spilling into global markets, energy supplies, and regional stability. In today’s Iran Briefing podcast, three MBN senior voices unpack the latest developments: Iran’s new leadership doubling down on escalation, attacks spreading across the Gulf, and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. With tanker traffic collapsing and oil prices surging above $100 amid the conflict, the conversation looks at how this crisis could reshape Gulf economies, global trade, and the geopolitical balance far beyond the region.