_Commercial growth in Dubai - Key drivers for multinationals
Dubai is well established as the GCC’s financial and trade hub, with a reported GDP of AED 390 billion in 2017. The emirate’s excellent infrastructure is undisputed, with extensive connectivity, strong economic prospects, low tax system and safe haven status. The fundamentals of real estate, healthcare and education are complemented by world-class amenities, while continually improving business legislations mean Dubai has long surpassed its regional peers.
"As the GCC’s commercial landscape matures Dubai’s evolution must continue to cement its position as the location of choice for multinationals eyeing a Middle East HQ. "
At Knight Frank, we believe opportunity for future growth lies in the further development of Dubai’s soft infrastructure, to keep aligned to the rapid hard infrastructure improvements made. To be a true magnet for global corporations, Dubai needs to prove it has the foundations in place to attract the talent that will make these multinationals move.
The fundamentals
Infrastructure has been a key driver of Dubai’s growth to date. Around 300 infrastructure projects have been completed since 2004, worth an estimated AED 42 billion. A further 128 projects worth in excess of AED 55 billion are in planning or execution stages to be delivered by 2045, according to research from Knight Frank and MEED Projects.
- The commercial sector is transforming, with increasing accessibility via free zones having significant impact. Let’s look at the numbers:
- Over 20 free zones and 39,000 active businesses recorded in 2018
- 55.6% growth in Dubai’s domestic financial and business services sector in the last decade (second only to Shanghai in the Knight Frank Hub Report)
- DIFC ranked among the top 10 global financial centres by The Banker
- AED 27.3 billion of foreign direct investments in 2017, ranking 10th globally
- FDI flows of AED 17.76 billion in the first six months of the 2018, also ranking 10th
- 248 greenfield projects approved or launched involving FDI in 2018, ranking third worldwide
Most recently, the UAE has climbed 10 spots to 11th place out of 190 in the World Bank’s annual ease of doing business ranking, in recognition of four reforms related to ease of starting business, getting electricity, registering real estate and gaining access to credit.
These rankings reflect investor confidence in Dubai’s economy and reaffirm the diversity, competitiveness and attractiveness of the emirate. So, what’s next? How can Dubai best leverage its position as a trading hub to be the destination of choice for the global corporates seeking a base not just in GCC, but in MENASA?
Human Capital
We believe that people will play a vital role in Dubai’s future commercial growth. The next era of development should revolve around investment in people via the soft infrastructure that makes Dubai one of the world’s most desirable places to live and work.
A new report from Knight Frank, Your Space, predicts a conscious movement towards workspaces close to talent pools, but which also have the amenity, service and infrastructure to assist in the retention of that talent.
Here opportunities abound. Of the 100 global corporate real estate leaders surveyed in the Knight Frank Global Occupier Survey, 62.1 per cent of respondents said the total space in their global portfolio would increase over the next three years. More than a quarter (26.4 per cent) said ‘access to talent’ would be the key driver in their business’ mobility over the next three years. A quarter of the FTSE 350 have already moved headquarters in the past three years. Occupiers are increasingly active and ready to move.
According to Your Space, occupiers across all industry sectors are gravitating to markets or submarkets that were once terra incognita, as they search for the human capital needed to change focus and thrive in an operating environment disrupted by digital and new wave technologies. Critically, the skills almost all companies are seeking, namely creative and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) expertise, are in short supply globally.
Corporates are settling in those locations where the talent concentrates rather than in those locations that simply provide financial incentives, have a historical connection with the company or meet with the locational preferences of the company’s leadership. Skilled staff determine the modern corporate location decision. The report concludes that as tech and creative talent gravitates towards locations that are urban, amenity rich, relatively affordable, and highly accessible with a solid transport infrastructure, companies follow.
Next steps
This is where Knight Frank sees huge potential for Dubai to compete on a global scale. It has the transport, real estate, healthcare, and education infrastructure in place, lifestyles are among the best in the world and masterplanning for new communities, attractions and amenities continues, with construction active as we enter the New Year.
It’s behind the scenes, in the soft infrastructure, where there are opportunities for further development to attract the aforementioned talent. Recently, the TECOM freezone introduced a GoFreelance permit in Dubai Internet City (DIC), designed to help bring top talent to the emirate’s Technology community and foster creativity and innovation through independent, entrepreneurial minds.
We expect to see more initiatives like this over the next year as part of Smart Dubai 2021, the emirate’s critical vision to be the world’s smartest and happiest city. Its six pillars include Smart Economy, with innovative economic conditions fueling entrepreneurship; Smart Living – an exceptional quality of life, accessible education, and culturally vibrant lifestyle; and Smart People, based on a culture of continual learning, innovation and participation in an inclusive society.
Growth in these areas will help bring talent to Dubai, making it more attractive for those global corporates eyeing the region and ensuring it maintains its preeminent position as the GCC’s financial and trading hub. Ultimately, it’s people that will drive the next transformation in Dubai’s commercial sector.