RAG Holdings has been shortlisted for Consulting Firm of the Year at the Arabian Business Industry Awards 2026. Arabian Business published the full shortlist on 15 October 2026, with ten firms named in our category.
We share that category with nine other firms, most of them global names in strategy and management consulting. For a company that started with two people in 2013, that is quite a room to be in.
What are the Arabian Business Industry Awards?
The Arabian Business Industry Awards are a new program from Arabian Business, and 2026 is the very first edition. As one of the newest UAE business awards, it looks back at what companies achieved over the last 12 months.
Judges consider growth, performance, innovation, and impact across that period. There are 25 categories, each with a shortlist of ten, covering sectors from property and banking to aviation.
Other awards look at sustainability, workplace practices, and overseas growth, with Grand Prix titles for startups, SMEs, and large enterprises.
Who else is on the Consulting Firm of the Year shortlist?
Ten firms made the Consulting Firm of the Year shortlist, which Arabian Business lists in alphabetical order:
- Accenture
- Bain and Company
- Boston Consulting Group
- Deloitte Middle East
- Kearney
- Oliver Wyman
- RAG Holdings
- Strategy& Middle East
- ValuStrat
- WSP Middle East
Several of the top consulting firms in Dubai and the wider Gulf are on that list, mostly advising large corporates. Among business consulting firms in Dubai, RAG focuses on business setup consulting, company formation, PRO services, and office space.
A busy 12 months for RAG Holdings
The awards look at the past year, and it has been a full one for our team. Here is what changed for RAG since late 2025:
- January 2026: Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry classified RAG among the country’s Big Five business consulting firms.
- July 2026: RAG earned Great Place to Work® Certification™, based on confidential feedback from our own staff.
- September 2026: We opened RAG Holdings, Calicut, a base in India for our Gulf and Singapore client work.
- October 2026: RAG was named in the Best Workplaces in the Middle East™ 2026, small business category.
Through all of it, the day job stayed the same: helping people open and run companies in the UAE.
A word from our founder
Rassal Ahmed, founder and CEO of RAG Holdings, shared his reaction when the shortlist went live:
“Seeing our name next to firms we’ve read about for years is humbling. Whatever happens on 25 November, the credit for this shortlist belongs to our team. They earned it one client at a time, and I’m proud of every one of them.”
What this shortlist means for our clients
For clients, the shortlist is an outside signal, coming from a regional business publication rather than from us. If you’re comparing consulting firms in Dubai, independent recognition like this is one useful thing to check.
It doesn’t replace a proper conversation, so we’re always happy to talk through your plans first.
About RAG Holdings
RAG Holdings helps founders, startups, and growing companies set up and run their businesses in the UAE. Since 2013, we have supported more than 9,500 businesses from our Dubai base.
Our services cover company formation, PRO services, Golden Visa support, accounting and bookkeeping, trademark registration, and office space. Our three Dubai business centers are in Al Qusais, Al Barsha, and Sheikh Zayed Road.
Outside the UAE, our people also work in Qatar, Singapore, and India. You can learn more about RAG Holdings and the people behind it here.
