The verdict in three sentences
For an M&A boutique advisory firm in Abu Dhabi, the website is read by founders, family offices and funds before the first call: it must prove sector expertise, partner seniority and discretion, with transactions shown only if they are real and publicly announceable. A serious redesign usually costs between AED 40,000 and 350,000 with a local agency, against a fixed Kolonell grid from 4,900 USD (Growth) to 8,900 USD (Premium, the multilingual tier), delivered in 3 to 4 weeks (4 to 6 for Premium) once content is ready. The real risk is less the budget than the migration: URLs, regulated content and gated areas must be scoped before go-live.
Signals that cost mandates
The head of an Emirati family business or a partner at an ADGM fund judges fast. A few signals are enough to raise doubt.
- Generic tombstones with no sector or year, or client logos for deals that were never made public.
- Two-line partner bios, with no track record or sector coverage.
- A missing or machine-translated Arabic version, with broken RTL layout.
- A contact form asking for revenue, EBITDA and the target's name at first contact.
- No clear statement of the firm's or its entities' regulatory status, even though the rules vary by jurisdiction (onshore, ADGM, DIFC) and by the exact activity.
- A slow mobile site, when many first visits happen on a phone between meetings.
The ground rule fits in one line: show only real, publicly announceable transactions, with the parties' consent. Never inflate a role or a value.
Budget: what a redesign costs in 2026
| Option | 2026 ballpark | Approximate USD equivalent | What is usually included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local freelancer | AED 10,000 to 30,000 | about 2,700 to 8,200 USD | Adapted theme, little copywriting, Arabic rarely polished |
| Mid-tier local agency | AED 40,000 to 120,000 | about 10,900 to 32,700 USD | Custom design, CMS, Arabic often subcontracted |
| Premium Abu Dhabi agency | AED 150,000 to 350,000 | about 40,800 to 95,300 USD | Brand strategy, copywriting, on-site project management |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,900 USD | n/a | Polished brochure site, native copywriting, 3 months of support |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,900 USD | n/a | Richer structure: sectors, team, transactions, insights |
| Kolonell Premium | 8,900 USD | n/a | Multilingual tier, here English and Arabic, RTL scope set in the quote |
Local ranges come from typical agency quotes and are converted as an indication only. Kolonell prices are fixed in USD, with a project manager reachable in the Gulf time zone, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support. Gated areas (light data room, investor portal), CRM integrations and any custom application are on quote, as is maintenance after the 3 included months. Details are on the international offer.
Timeline and risks, phase by phase
| Phase | Indicative duration | Main risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory and scoping | 3 to 5 days | Missing pages that generate inquiries | Search Console export, full URL list |
| Content and sign-off | Variable, client side | Transactions not cleared by the parties | Written approval for each tombstone |
| Design and build | 2 to 3 weeks | Arabic version treated as an afterthought | RTL mockups from day one (Premium) |
| Compliance review | 3 to 7 days | Wording that reads as unauthorised solicitation | Review by legal counsel or compliance |
| Migration and redirects | 1 to 2 days | Loss of organic traffic | 301 redirect map, post-launch checks |
| Go-live | A few hours | Downtime | DNS switch outside office hours, rollback plan |
On personal data, the UAE has Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021, and ADGM and DIFC each have their own regime. For an M&A boutique site, this mainly means minimal forms, a privacy policy suited to the relevant entity and no sensitive data requested online. This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask, and when a local agency is the better choice
Before signing, ask: who writes the Arabic version and how it is reviewed; how current URLs are redirected; what happens if compliance requests changes after acceptance testing; who owns the domain and the access; what a change costs after the 3 included months.
A local agency remains the better choice if you want weekly in-person workshops, a video shoot of the partners in your Al Maryah Island offices or a heavy integration with internal tools. If you need a credible, fast, well-written site, a remote studio at a fixed price holds up.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Corniche Partners, a four-partner boutique focused on energy and healthcare. The current site dates from 2019 and the Arabic version is incomplete. Local option: a quote of AED 95,000, about 25,900 USD. Kolonell option: Premium at 8,900 USD, plus a legal review of the Arabic estimated at 1,500 USD (market assumption) and partner portraits at 2,000 USD (market assumption), for 12,400 USD. The gap of about 13,500 USD easily funds a year of sector content. The boutique still has to clear every transaction it cites, which remains the longest task.
FAQ
Can we show transactions without disclosing their value?
Yes, it is common: sector, year, role (sell-side or buy-side adviser). A transaction should appear only if it was publicly announced and the parties agree, even if that leaves only 6 or 8.
How long does a redesign take?
With Kolonell, 3 to 4 weeks for Starter or Growth, 4 to 6 weeks for Premium, once content is ready. With a local agency, 8 to 16 weeks is common.
Is the Arabic version included?
Multilingual sites sit in the Premium tier at 8,900 USD, with languages and RTL scope set in the quote. A review by an Arabic-speaking lawyer is still advisable.
Can we add a secure investor area?
Yes, on quote, because scope varies widely with access and document management. A simple password page is nothing like a data room.
How do we avoid losing search rankings?
Inventory every URL, build a 301 redirect map and watch Search Console for at least 4 weeks after the switch.
Let's scope your project. An English and Arabic M&A boutique site on the Premium tier is delivered in 4 to 6 weeks once your transactions are cleared. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
