Brands
Upgrad teams up with Seed Group to power AI-led workforce revamp across the MENA region
MUMBAI: Dubai’s skyline isn’t the only thing rising high—its ambition to become a global knowledge powerhouse just got a big ‘Upgrade’.
Upgrad, the Indian edtech heavyweight, and Seed Group, part of The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum. Together, they’ve fired up an AI-fuelled alliance to transform workforce upskilling across the UAE and the broader MENA region.
The two giants announced a strategic partnership that could reshape how professionals and enterprises across the middle east access new-age skilling, especially in high-demand areas like generative AI, digital transformation, and executive education. With this move, Upgrad—already present in 15+ countries—is planting a firm flag in the Gulf’s growing edtech terrain, ready to turn boardrooms into classrooms and laptops into launchpads.
“As Dubai invests in human capital development, the need for industry-aligned upskilling has never been greater. Upgrad’s outcome-focused innovative programs in domains like GenAI will bridge skill gaps,” said Seed Group CEO and The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, Hisham Al Gurg. “In turn, this will empower businesses with the advanced knowledge needed to excel in a high-powered digital economy such as Dubai. The institution’s distinguished expertise in professional education makes it an invaluable addition to our network of strategic partners.”
Upgrad plans to leverage its portfolio of online degrees, bootcamps and hybrid certification courses to train individuals and institutions alike. From MBAs to machine learning modules, their offerings are engineered for ROI—return on intelligence.
“We are making significant investments to expand our footprint across global markets. We are proud to launch this partnership with Seed Group, a market leader in driving innovation, so there is no doubt that with the support of the Seed Group leadership strategy in the UAE and MENA, we will drive stronger adoption of AI-led upskilling. Acquiring new-age hands-on capabilities has become a global imperative and is essential for both individuals and organisations to remain competitive. Business and government leaders across the UAE’s economy are recognising the growing influence of AI on organisational capabilities and are increasingly looking to invest in advanced technologies,” said Upgrad CEO – International consumer business Myleeta AgaWilliams.
Over the years, Upgrad has carved out a reputation as one of Asia’s most formidable skilling machines—earning global nods from GSV and the FT for its growth and impact. And now, with Dubai acting as its regional launchpad, the company aims to support governments, enterprises and individuals with future-proof education that moves beyond theory and into execution.
In the coming months, the alliance will roll out initiatives aimed at creating a digitally capable and highly competitive workforce—one that’s ready to tackle the demands of tomorrow’s AI-first economy. For MENA, it’s a catalyst for a smarter, sharper labour force that’s globally fluent and locally relevant.
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
