Financial services · Aviation · Corporate mobility · Trade · Investment — and why companies have stopped debating contingency and started executing it.
The US–Israel–Iran conflict, now in its sixth week, has simultaneously shut the Strait of Hormuz, grounded Gulf aviation, withdrawn maritime insurance, and forced financial institutions into emergency operating modes. 12,300+ flights cancelled across seven Gulf airports in the first week. Maritime war-risk insurance withdrawn by seven major P&I clubs. HSBC Qatar closed until further notice. $600M/day in Gulf tourism revenue losses.
Companies are no longer debating contingency plans — they are executing them, and Istanbul has emerged as the primary destination. Turkish Airlines 2025: $24.1B revenue, 92.6M passengers, 303+ international destinations. IFC corporate tax exemption: first ten years for certified participants. For boards making reallocation calls this quarter, the Istanbul option is not an emergency fallback — it is the default.