The Business Year
The Business Year is a London-based research firm and event organizer founded in 2009 that publishes country-specific economic intelligence and convenes senior government officials, business leaders, and investors at strategic dialogue forums across the GCC region and the UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Business Year does
The Business Year (TBY) is a London-headquartered research firm and event organizer founded in 2009 that publishes country-specific economic business intelligence and convenes senior government officials, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors at strategic dialogue forums. The company operates a horizontal segmentation approach across three primary personas: government officials and policymakers, business leaders and corporate executives, and entrepreneurs and investors, with the GCC region (Qatar, Kuwait, and the broader Gulf) and the UK as its principal operating geographies.
TBY's product portfolio is anchored by recurring flagship events including the UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue at Guildhall London (held under formal patronage of the GCC Secretariat), the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference in Doha, and the Kuwait Thought Leadership Circle supporting Kuwait's Vision 2035 initiative. The company complements these forums with country-specific economic reports and analysis. Core technology is not disclosed and there are no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, patents, or trademarks mentioned; the offering is fundamentally human-driven research and live convening rather than software. The company employs 51-100 staff and is privately held with no disclosed external funding.
TBY's revenue model is event-driven and B2B, monetizing through event sponsorships, delegate fees, and institutional partnerships with government and quasi-governmental bodies such as the GCC Secretariat and various Kuwaiti and Qatari government entities. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and the firm targets enterprise buyers (government entities and major corporations) via direct, invitation-based participation in exclusive forums. The company recently appointed Carlos Martinez as CEO in December 2025, succeeding his prior role as COO and regional director, with an explicit mandate to expand into new regions and scale event operations.
The Business Year firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Business Year
- Website
- https://thebusinessyear.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Business Year is a London-based research firm and event organizer founded in 2009 that publishes country-specific economic intelligence and convenes senior government officials, business leaders, and investors at strategic dialogue forums across the GCC region and the UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Business Year industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Intelligence & Economic Research Publishing
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)
Keywords
Where The Business Year is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Business Year business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Event Organizing and Sponsorships: TBY generates revenue through organizing strategic dialogues, conferences, and summits. These events bring together senior government officials, business leaders, and policymakers to discuss trade, investment, and economic cooperation topics. Revenue is derived from event sponsorships, delegate fees, and partnership arrangements with organizations like the GCC Secretariat.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
The Business Year product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Business Year (TBY) is a research firm and publisher of annual economic resources on national economies. It publishes country-specific business intelligence and organizes high-profile strategic dialogues, conferences, and thought leadership events — including the UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue, the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference, and the Kuwait Thought Leadership Circle — targeting senior government officials, business leaders, and policymakers.
Product overview
The Business Year (TBY) operates as an economic research and event-driven organization offering a portfolio of business intelligence publications and conference services. The core offering consists of country-specific economic reports and analysis, complemented by flagship events including the UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue, the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference, and the Kuwait Thought Leadership Circle. These products work together to deliver market intelligence, networking opportunities, and policy discussions for government officials, business leaders, and investors in target regions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Country-Specific Economic Research Publications Annual economic research and business intelligence publications covering national economies across global markets, providing market intelligence and country-level analysis for government officials, business leaders, and investors.
- UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue High-profile strategic dialogue event held at Guildhall, London, under formal patronage of the GCC Secretariat, bringing together senior government officials, business leaders, and policymakers to advance UK-Gulf economic cooperation in trade, investment, and energy transition.
- Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference Conference held in Doha positioning Qatar as a regional hub for innovation and sustainable economic growth, convening entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers around entrepreneurship, investment, and digital transformation themes in the GCC region.
- Kuwait Thought Leadership Circle Closed-door thought leadership forum in Kuwait advancing the country's Vision 2035 initiative, bringing together government and private sector leaders to discuss digital innovation, AI readiness, and strategic economic initiatives.
- Startup Competitions on AI and SDGs Startup competitions focused on artificial intelligence and sustainable development goals, organized within TBY's event portfolio to promote entrepreneurship and support startup ecosystem development in the GCC region.
Quantifiable outcome
- UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue aims to enhance economic cooperation through senior government officials, business leaders, and policymakers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Business Year
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Business Year technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Business Year partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- GCC SecretariatflagshipThe GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Secretariat provides formal patronage for TBY's UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue event scheduled for April 14, 2026 at Guildhall, London. This partnership positions TBY as the preferred platform for enhancing economic cooperation, trade, investment, and energy transition discussions between the UK and Gulf nations. The formal patronage from the GCC's governing body elevates the prestige and governmental participation in TBY-organized events.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Business Year competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Financial Times (FT Live): FT Live organizes global business and policy events including GCC-focused forums, overlapping with TBY's strategic dialogue format while operating from a much larger editorial and commercial platform.
- The Economist (Economist Events): The Economist operates a global events division producing high-level policy and business conferences, including coverage of GCC economies; it competes for the same senior policymaker and executive audience but at much larger scale and broader geographic remit.
- Bloomberg Media (Bloomberg Live): Bloomberg Live runs high-profile summits and CEO forums across global markets, including Middle East events, competing for the same senior government and corporate buyer sponsorship dollars as TBY.
Direct peers
- Enterprise (MENA): Enterprise is a long-running business media and events brand covering the Middle East, including GCC markets, with awards galas and leadership events aimed at the same CIO/executive buyer profile TBY courts.
- Gulf Business Magazine: Gulf Business is a B2B media and events brand covering the GCC corporate landscape, hosting awards and leadership summits that compete for the same senior executive sponsorship and attendance pool as TBY.
- Arabian Business: Arabian Business delivers GCC-focused business intelligence, awards events, and leadership forums targeting senior executives and policymakers, directly overlapping TBY's audience and event formats.
- Oxford Business Group: Oxford Business Group publishes country-specific economic intelligence reports and organizes B2B conferences on emerging markets, with particularly deep coverage of the GCC and MENA — the closest direct analogue to TBY's country-report-plus-event model.
- MEED (Middle East Economic Digest): MEED produces economic intelligence, country reports, and industry events focused on the Middle East, including GCC markets, and serves a similar audience of government officials, investors, and corporate leaders as TBY.
Regional players
- Forbes Middle East: Forbes Middle East publishes business intelligence and hosts leadership events across the region, addressing an overlapping audience of senior executives and policymakers in GCC markets.
- Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority: QFC organizes investment and innovation events in Qatar and partners with TBY-adjacent conveners to attract international capital; it is a regional entity that overlaps with TBY's Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference agenda.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
The Business Year social profiles
Digital presenceThe Business Year financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Business Year leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Business Year funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Business Year M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Business Year
What does The Business Year do?
The Business Year (TBY) is a research firm and publisher of annual economic resources on national economies. It publishes country-specific business intelligence and organizes high-profile strategic dialogues, conferences, and thought leadership events — including the UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue, the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference, and the Kuwait Thought Leadership Circle — targeting senior government officials, business leaders, and policymakers.
Is The Business Year a public or private company?
The Business Year is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Business Year founded?
The Business Year was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Business Year based?
The Business Year is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Business Year make money?
One revenue line is on record: event Organizing and Sponsorships.
Who are The Business Year's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Financial Times (FT Live), The Economist (Economist Events) and Bloomberg Media (Bloomberg Live). Direct peers are Enterprise (MENA), Gulf Business Magazine, Arabian Business, Oxford Business Group and MEED (Middle East Economic Digest). Regional players are Forbes Middle East and Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority.
Does The Business Year have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Business Year.
What industry is The Business Year in?
The Business Year's product category is Business Intelligence & Economic Research Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAB, Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers. Its NAICS code is 56192.