Dubai demonstrated its commitment to global business leadership through the Dubai Rising: Building Tomorrow's Global Business Capital conference, held at the iconic Museum of the Future. Co-hosted by Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and the Dubai Media Council, the event brought together 19 international thought leaders — policymakers, business executives, and academics — to discuss how Dubai intends to reshape global commerce.
D33: The Economic Agenda at the Heart of Dubai Rising
The conference was convened to advance the economic and sustainable development vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Central to every discussion was the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) — a 10-year strategy that aims to double Dubai's GDP by 2033 while consolidating its standing as one of the world's top three cities for living, working, and investing.
His Excellency Mohammad Ali bin Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, delivered a keynote outlining the four pillars D33 depends on: attracting international investment, accelerating digital transformation, advancing environmental sustainability, and developing local and global talent.
Panel Discussions: Trade, Technology, and Talent
Four expert panels examined the most critical levers of Dubai's economic advancement.
Her Excellency Maitha Mohammed Al Shamsi and Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni explained how Dubai integrates digital achievements with social empowerment — ensuring that economic growth lifts communities, not just balance sheets.
US Ambassador Martina Strong identified Dubai as an essential global trading hub, a view echoed by Sima Ved of the Apparel Group, who described why the emirate offers an unmatched base for international brands seeking Middle East and South Asia reach.
Salmaan Jaffery, head of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), argued that regulatory innovation must keep pace with physical infrastructure development for Dubai to remain a model for next-generation market formats.
AI and Innovation as Growth Engines
Business leaders Dr. Karim El Solh and Raakin Iqbal addressed the transformative role of artificial intelligence in Dubai's economic landscape. Their discussions covered AI-driven governance, policy frameworks built around emerging technologies, and how sectors from finance to logistics are being reshaped by digital innovation.
The Dubai Rising conference marked the inaugural large-scale academic-government collaboration of its kind, positioning Georgetown's McDonough School as an active research and convening partner in the emirate's D33 journey.
