Harvard Business Review Arabia

What Harvard Business Review Arabia does

Harvard Business Review Arabia (hbrarabic.com) is the licensed Arabic-language edition of Harvard Business Review, operated by Majarra LLC (also referred to as Haykal Media FZ LLC), a privately held company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE free zone. Founded in April 2015 and built on an exclusive licensing agreement with Harvard Business Publishing (Boston, MA, USA), the platform translates and republishes premium management content by globally recognized thinkers including Christensen, Drucker, Porter, Hamel, and Kaplan for Arabic-speaking business professionals across the Middle East and North Africa. Content is delivered through a website, mobile application, video modules, the Tareeqati podcast, and a management concepts glossary, with intellectual property registered in the US, UAE, and Saudi Arabia under the WIPO Copyright Treaty.

The business operates a B2C subscription model priced at $49 USD per year or $8 USD per month, with access bundled across the broader Majarra platform that includes MIT Technology Review Arabic, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Popular Science Arabia under a single subscription. Majarra has expanded the product portfolio to include Manhom, a database platform of Arab figures and institutions, and Majarra Books, a retail store for related print publications. The company accepts payments via Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal, and supports social login through LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, Apple, and Google.

Go-to-market is consumer-direct and content-led, leveraging content marketing through the website and blog, organic social media presence on Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn, video content distribution, email newsletters, and the Tareeqati podcast. The platform has built a partnership ecosystem spanning Renaissance-tier corporate partners (Crescent Enterprises, Network International, GE, SDAIA, Hevolution, UAE Ministry of Environment and Water) and Knowledge-tier academic partners (AUB, AUC, Abu Dhabi University, King Faisal University). The company is privately held with no disclosed venture capital or institutional investors, founded by Abdul Salam Heskel and Ammar Heskel (CEO), and operates under UAE law from its Abu Dhabi base with a dedicated regional presence in Saudi Arabia.

Name

Harvard Business Review Arabia

Legal name

Majarra LLC ذ.م.م.

Website

https://hbrarabic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Harvard Business Review Arabia is the licensed Arabic-language edition of Harvard Business Review, operated by Majarra LLC from Abu Dhabi, translating premium management content for Arabic-speaking executives, academics, and consultants across the MENA region via subscription-based digital access bundled across multiple premium brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Business Media & Content Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Digital media publishing
• Business management content
• Premium content subscription
• Arabic translation licensing
• Executive education media

Headquarters

HQ city

Abu Dhabi

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: The platform generates revenue through annual and monthly subscription plans that provide unlimited access to all content across Majarra platforms, including articles, videos, podcasts, and archived materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Harvard Business Review Arabia is the licensed Arabic-language edition of Harvard Business Review, operated by Majarra LLC, providing translated management and business content to Arabic-speaking professionals. The platform delivers articles, videos, podcasts, webinars, and a management concepts glossary through its website, mobile application, and the unified Majarra subscription service, serving the MENA region with content authored by world-renowned management thinkers.

Product overview

Harvard Business Review Arabia is an Arabic-language licensed edition of the global Harvard Business Review, operated by Majarra (مجرة) under exclusive rights from Harvard Business Publishing. The platform offers a comprehensive portfolio of business and management content delivered through multiple channels: a main website (hbrarabic.com) providing articles, videos, and audio content; a mobile application for on-the-go access; and a printed magazine. Content is organized into modules including written articles, video content, audio/podcasts (such as the Tareeqati podcast), and a management concepts glossary. The platform is accessible through Majarra's unified subscription service, which also provides access to other premium Arabic content platforms. Additional offerings include the Manhom database (من هم) for Arab figures and institutions, and the Majarra Books store for related publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• بودكاست طريقتي (Tareeqati Podcast): A podcast series available on the platform.

Products and services

• Harvard Business Review Arabia Website (موقع هارفارد بزنس ريفيو) The main digital platform providing Arabic-language business and management content including articles, videos, audio content, and podcasts on leadership, strategy, innovation, and career development. Targeted at Arabic-speaking business professionals in the MENA region.
• Harvard Business Review Arabia Mobile Application (تطبيق الهاتف المحمول) A mobile application offering a version of the HBR Arabic website for smartphone users with active subscriptions, allowing browsing of articles, images, videos, and previously purchased magazine issues. App terms updated July 1, 2017.
• Tareeqati Podcast (بودكاست طريقتي) An Arabic-language podcast offering audio content for professional development of business professionals, hosted on a dedicated podcast platform (tareeqati.hbrarabic.com).
• Management Concepts Glossary (المفاهيم الإدارية) A glossary and reference guide for Arabic business and management terminology with explanations and translations of key management concepts for Arabic-speaking professionals.
• Printed Magazine (المجلة المطبوعة) Physical and digital magazine issues of Harvard Business Review Arabia available for purchase, including archived issues, available through the Majarra online store.
• Majarra Unified Subscription Platform (منصة مجرة) A unified subscription platform operated by Majarra that provides access to a network of premium Arabic digital content sites including HBR Arabic, MIT Technology Review Arabic, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Popular Science Arabia, with a single subscription.
• Manhom Platform (منصة من هم) A database platform (قاعدة بيانات) for Arab figures and institutions, described as the only comprehensive database of people and institutions in the Arab world.
• Majarra Books (كتب مجرة) A store for printed books and publications related to the content available on the Majarra platform, accessible via the Majarra online store.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered renaissance partner and knowledge partner.

• Crescent Enterprisesrenaissance partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenaissance partner contributing to enhancing management knowledge in the Arab world and supporting HBR Arabia's mission to reach wider audiences.
• Network Internationalrenaissance partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenaissance partner supporting management knowledge dissemination in the Arab world.
• Ministry of Environment and Water (UAE)renaissance partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenaissance partner contributing to management knowledge initiatives in the Arab world.
• GE (General Electric)renaissance partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenaissance partner supporting management knowledge content and outreach in the Arab world.
• Transtekrenaissance partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenaissance partner contributing to HBR Arabia's mission to spread management knowledge.
• Hevolutionrenaissance partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenaissance partner supporting health and management knowledge initiatives in the Arab world.
• Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA)renaissance partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenaissance partner contributing to AI and data knowledge initiatives in the Arab world.
• American University of Beirut (AUB)knowledge partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner providing academic support and contributing to management knowledge for Arab readers.
• American University in Cairo (AUC)knowledge partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner contributing academic expertise to HBR Arabia's content initiatives.
• Abu Dhabi Universityknowledge partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner supporting management education and knowledge dissemination.
• King Faisal Universityknowledge partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner contributing to academic and management knowledge in the Arab world.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MIT Sloan Management Review: English-language management research publication. Comparable in editorial positioning (academic-management crossover), sister-institution relationship via Majarra's MIT Technology Review Arabic license.
• The Economist (MENA editions): Premium English-language business/management publication with global subscriber base. Competes for the same Arabic-region executive reader willing to pay for international premium content.
• Harvard Business Review (Global): The English-language parent brand whose content HBR Arabia translates. Same authoritative source material but global English audience rather than Arabic MENA focus.
• Bloomberg Al-Mamlaka: Major Arabic-language business news outlet serving MENA professionals. Overlaps in audience but focuses on news rather than long-form management thought leadership.

Direct peers

• Forbes Middle East: Direct competitor targeting Arabic-speaking business executives in MENA with premium business/management content across digital and print channels. Closest external competitor in audience and positioning.
• Entrepreneur Middle East: Arabic-language business publication serving executives and entrepreneurs in MENA. Competes for the same subscriber profile and ad/sponsorship wallet.
• MIT Technology Review Arabia: Sister Arabic-language brand on the same Majarra unified subscription platform with identical translation, distribution, and pricing mechanics as HBR Arabia. Most directly comparable peer.
• Inc. Arabia: Arabic edition serving SMB founders and executives in the region. Overlaps with HBR Arabia's mid-market executive and entrepreneurship audience.
• Popular Science Arabia: Fourth major brand on the Majarra platform, sharing unified subscription and Arabic translation infrastructure with HBR Arabia.
• Stanford Social Innovation Review Arabic: Another sister Arabic brand on the Majarra platform. Same licensed-translation business model, same consumer subscription, same MENA target audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hbrarabia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNX5vi950OqWE3gylFHunZQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/hbrarabia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%B3-%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%88---hbr-arabia
• Instagraminstagram.com/hbrarabia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harvard Business Review Arabia