TBY launches Dubai 2017

TBY is proud to announce the launch of its sixth edition on the Emirate, The Business Year: Dubai 2017, in partnership with Dubai FDI

The publication features almost 150 interviews with top executives and government officials and is opened by a special contribution from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in which he discussed progress on the Smart Dubai Happiness Agenda, a number of standout projects over the last year, and the ethos behind the “Year of Giving.”

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum notes in the publication’s opening, “Our success has allowed us to look beyond the conventional and achieve the exceptional.” He explains how, “Sustainability continues to be a key focus for us. We have completed the second phase of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, an USD13.6 billion investment, which by 2030 will become the largest single-site solar park in the world.”

The publication features face-to-face interviews with key government officials such as Hamad Al Buamim, CEO and President of Dubai Chamber and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman & CEO of DP World, who shared their thoughts on the Emirate’s drive for further diversification, boosting global competitiveness, and sustainability

This year’s publication includes additional coverage of the Emirate’s drive to be a smart, knowledge-driven economy. As well as featuring excerpts from TBY’s Global Roundtable in Dubai entitled “Smart Cities/Smart Solutions,” this year’s coverage highlights Dubai’s Smart Grid initiative, Dubai’s futuristic transport solution known as the Hyperloop, and the importance of happiness. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum also discussed the Dubai Data initiative, which he described as “the single most comprehensive city-wide data initiative for accessing and sharing city data across the public and private sectors. By unlocking the greatest value from data, the initiative aims to benefit all stakeholders, including government departments, private organizations, investors, residents, and visitors.”

HE Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of the Department of Economic Development, explains that cultivating forward minded initiatives is the Emirate’s long-term goal. “Moving forward, our role is to develop regulations and disciplines looking to future knowledge-based industries rather than traditional industries,” he notes. “Our focus is on market development rather than product development.”

The publication’s supporting partner, Dubai FDI, contributed immensely in providing statistics on exports, the business environment, and legal frameworks to encourage local and foreign investors to choose Dubai. As Fahad Al Gergawi, CEO of Dubai FDI, explained, “The Dubai government has established clear signposts for development plans and strategic initiatives across key growth sectors that provide unique investment opportunities, ranging from healthcare and education to tourism, aviation, transport, information and communications technology, manufacturing, finance, and renewable energy. The government is providing both hard and soft infrastructure needed for business success.”

The sentiment was echoed by His Highness Sheik Mohammed, who outlined his driving philosophy, “As a government, we know that a society cannot be sustained without a culture of giving and a sense of community responsibility among both people and organizations. HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, declared 2017 as the ‘Year of Giving.’ The spirit of giving is embedded in the UAE’s heritage and culture, and the government seeks to work with the private sector closely to instill this even more deeply in our social fabric. This ethos of cooperation and partnership is what we seek to convey to the world as Expo 2020 draws closer.”

Dubai’s economic accomplishments and its rise up the World Business Doing Business report bear testament to its spirit of innovation. The Business Year Dubai 2017 pulls together numerous voices from across the economy working to build the future of Dubai, and endeavoring to make it the smartest, most innovative, and happiest city in the world.

TBY is a global media and research firm, present in over 25 countries. Each country-specific edition contains a comprehensive range of interviews and analyses, offering an inside look at doing business in the world’s most dynamic economies. TBY’s interviewees, readers, and partners comprise an international network of thought-leaders who are helping to define the future of the global economy.