The verdict in three sentences
A founder or a Gulf private equity fund thinking of hiring you for a sale checks your site before the first call, looking for clear sector expertise, announceable deals you actually closed, named senior partners and a sense of discretion. A redesign costs, as a 2026 ballpark, AED 40,000 to 110,000 with a local agency, about USD 10,900 to 30,000, against USD 4,900 (Growth) or USD 8,900 (Premium) on Kolonell's fixed grid. The main risk lies in the migration: lost search visibility, regulated content published without review, a careless Arabic version.
Signs your site is losing you mandates
| Signal on the current site | What a business owner concludes | Expected fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tombstones from 2019 or earlier on the homepage | The boutique has no recent deal flow | Dated deals section, limited to what is public and authorised |
| Generic bios with no sector or track record | Junior or unfocused team | One page per partner, sectors covered, years of experience |
| Regulatory status missing or vague | Doubt about the operating framework | Exact statement of the status held, for instance with the DFSA in the DIFC |
| Machine-translated Arabic version | Lack of seriousness towards local families | Arabic written and proofread, right-to-left layout |
| Form asking for too much at first contact | Concern about confidentiality | Short form, clear privacy policy |
| Slow mobile site, over 4 seconds | Dated image | Light pages, optimised images |
Never invent a deal or a value: a tombstone is shown only with the parties' consent and once the transaction has been made public.
The framework to respect in the UAE
In the United Arab Emirates, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 governs personal data protection, while the DIFC and ADGM have their own data protection regimes. An M&A boutique's status varies with where it operates and what it does: some fall under a free zone financial regulator, others do not. Stay factual, display only the authorisations you hold and have sensitive pages reviewed by your counsel before launch. This is not legal advice.
Budget: local agency, freelancer or fixed grid
| Option | 2026 ballpark | Approximate USD equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai freelancer | AED 10,000 to 25,000 | about USD 2,700 to 6,800 | Rarely comfortable with Arabic and compliance |
| Mid-sized local agency | AED 40,000 to 110,000 | about USD 10,900 to 30,000 | On-site workshops, 8 to 14 week timelines are common |
| Premium agency, DIFC or Business Bay | AED 150,000 to 350,000 | about USD 40,800 to 95,300 | Brand strategy and video production |
| Kolonell Starter | USD 2,900 | not applicable | Clean redesign in English |
| Kolonell Growth | USD 4,900 | not applicable | Structured partner, sector and deal pages |
| Kolonell Premium | USD 8,900 | not applicable | Multilingual tier: Arabic and RTL scope set in the quote |
Local figures reflect typical Dubai agency quotes, converted at AED 3.67 to USD 1. Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in the Gulf time zone, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support. A data room, a gated investor area or a CRM integration are priced on quote. See the international offer.
Timeline, risks and safeguards
Once content is ready, Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks, 4 to 6 for Premium: week 1, inventory and architecture; weeks 2 and 3, design and build; final week, compliance review, testing and launch.
| Risk | Possible consequence | Safeguard |
|---|---|---|
| Lost search visibility | The boutique's name drops on Google after the switch | URL inventory, 301 redirect map, Search Console monitoring for 8 weeks |
| Incomplete content migration | Bios or press releases lost | Full export and an approved mapping sheet |
| Regulated content published without review | Inaccurate status statement | Written compliance review before launch |
| Poorly laid out Arabic version | Credibility dented with families | Native proofreading and RTL tests on mobile |
| Downtime during the switch | Site unavailable for a few hours | DNS switch planned for a Friday evening, rollback ready |
When is a local agency the better choice? If you want in-person workshops every week, brand video shot in Dubai, or a heavy integration with an internal tool that requires people on site. Questions to put to any provider: who writes the Arabic version? How do you handle redirects? Who owns the domain and the accounts?
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: "Creekside Partners", 12 professionals in Dubai, receives a local agency quote of AED 90,000, about USD 24,500. The boutique picks Kolonell Premium at USD 8,900, adds USD 2,400 for Arabic copy by a third-party translator and USD 1,800 for partner photography. Total: USD 13,100, about USD 11,400 less, live in 4 to 6 weeks after content approval.
FAQ
How much does an M&A boutique website redesign cost in Dubai?
As a 2026 ballpark, a local agency asks AED 40,000 to 110,000, about USD 10,900 to 30,000. Kolonell's grid runs from USD 2,900 to 8,900.
Is the Arabic version included?
It belongs to the Premium tier at USD 8,900, the multilingual tier, with languages and RTL scope set in the quote. Third-party translation remains a separate cost, often USD 1,500 to 3,000.
Can we show our past deals?
Yes, if they are public and the parties have agreed. A section of 6 to 12 dated, verifiable deals is often enough.
How long does the redesign take?
3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth, 4 to 6 for Premium, once content is ready. Compliance review often adds 1 week.
Will we lose our search visibility?
A 301 plan and Search Console monitoring sharply reduce that risk. A temporary dip of 2 to 4 weeks can occur on some pages.
Let's scope your project. Describe your sectors, languages and timing, and we will propose the right tier with delivery in 3 to 6 weeks. 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.
