Obediah Ayton: “The future is in the UAE”

Obediah Ayton was raised in the UK but began his professional career studying accounting in the United States of America. Upon his return to the UK, he got a job working at a Family Office under a German entrepreneur, learning about buying companies and becoming a keen Investment Analyst. He then set up shop in the Middle East with a dream of building his own companies.

Despite starting with nothing, he set up several businesses including an accounting company and a media company, before moving into food and beverage management. Now, he runs a holding company that invests in start-ups and has amassed a loyal LinkedIn following of over 64,000 people. He covers topics such as tips for entrepreneurs looking for funding in the UAE and explanations of ruling families, local family offices and groups.

We talk to Obediah about why companies should aim to be camels, not unicorns, how the Family Office ecosystem works in the UAE, and more.

Here's what we discussed:

• Most of the companies are aiming to become unicorns but on LinkedIn you talk about businesses aiming to become camels instead. Could you tell us more about the concept of being a camel? (00:16)
• Could you give us an overview of your career to this point? (02:24)
• What drew you to the UAE? (05:02)
• Could you explain the system that you have in the UAE with regard to Family Offices? (07:04)
• Have you noticed a trend in the size of company that successfully gains investment in the UAE? (14:21)
• How does the UAE view companies with large valuations but are still pre-revenue? (18:27)
• What is the tech scene like in the UAE? (21:26)
• You mentioned on LinkedIn that Dubai is more B2C and Abu Dhabi is more B2B. Could you tell us more about this? (25:01)
• No conversation about the UAE is complete without covering the criticisms, regarding LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of the media etc. How is the way the Middle East is viewed around the world regarded there? (26:57)
• How do companies find looking for talent on the ground in the UAE? (35:21)
• How are you feeling about the opportunities in the UAE over the next decade or so? (39:42)
• The Good News Postcard: What's your favourite sport and why? (42:43)
• What makes a great business leader? (44:58)

Thanks to Chloe from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures.

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