Gulf technology founder accelerates Hong Kong expansion as Iran conflict persists
Paul Bratby, founder of Dubai-based xBratAI, says his company established a Hong Kong entity earlier than planned after the Iran conflict widened. The move reflects a broader shift among Gulf technology firms towards Asian locations, according to the South China Morning Post, as regional security and shipping concerns continue.
Paul Bratby, founder of Dubai-based AI trading-signals platform xBratAI, brought forward plans to expand into Hong Kong after war broke out in the Middle East earlier this year, the South China Morning Post reports. Bratby said the company had originally expected to establish a Hong Kong entity several years later. Instead, it completed the move in early 2026 as the conflict involving Iran continued and widened.
“Our Hong Kong entity had been scheduled for a few years later, but we established it in early 2026,” Bratby said, according to the report. The newspaper said Bratby was not alone in looking east, as missiles continued to target Gulf capitals and shipping was affected. The available report does not provide details of how many companies have moved, or describe the legal, financial or operational arrangements involved.
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