Choose the UAE, says Sheikh Mohammed. Seven expats explain why they did

Dubai - The United Global Emirates campaign seeks to highlight incentives and benefits offered to investors, entrepreneurs and talents

"Our roots are Arab, our ambitions are global."

That's what His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said on Monday when he announced the launch of a global media economic campaign called United Global Emirates.

Calling on investors and special talents everywhere, the visionary leader noted that the new drive aims to secure the UAE’s position as one of the strongest global economies over the next 50 years.

Watch the Dubai Ruler invite one and all to make their dreams come true here:

Of course, the appeal of the UAE as a place to live, work and thrive in is not novel. In fact, the young desert nation has drawn millions of people from every walk of life to its shores since before it was established in 1971.

Khaleej Times spoke to seven residents on why they chose to make the UAE home — and why others should, too.

Indian actress Shilpa Shirodkar, who was among the leading Bollywood stars of the 90s, moved to the UAE in 2018 to join her husband who works as a banker. Here, she found a ‘sense of belonging’ she had never experienced in any other place.

“My family and I have lived in various parts of the world, but the sense of belonging we feel in this country was instant... It never left us,” Shirodkar told Khaleej Times.

“We feel extremely happy to live here. Our love and respect for the UAE has gone several notches higher after we saw how the country’s leadership handled the Covid-19 pandemic. It is something to be extremely proud of and I feel lucky to be living in this beautiful country that I call my second home.

The actress said she hopes to stay on in the UAE “forever", while passing on what she has learnt from her time in the entertainment industry.

"My message to all the talented people across the globe is that the UAE is a land of opportunities. Come and explore it. You won’t be disappointed.”

Pakistani entrepreneur Ammar Akhtar was able to set up his own business only after moving to the UAE.

Akhtar is the founder and CEO of Finalrentals.com, a car rental marketplace in the UAE that has now expanded to seven other countries, including the UK, US, Saudi Arabia and other parts of Europe.

“Thanks to the UAE, we are now the first car rental brand coming out of the UAE that has gone global,” said the expat.

After landing in the UAE in January 2007, Akhtar's first project was to create a website for Budget Rent A Car, followed by e-commerce platforms for Thrifty, Dollar and other car rental companies. From there, his company grew.

“People may have innovative ideas and great talents but, at times, you are not able to grow as you are not in the right place," he said.

“The UAE is a place that is already globalised and well connected to the entire world. It is very open to startups and allows anyone to set up their company without much hassle.”

Akhtar added that the country provides the ecosystem required for one to flourish and offers the space to do what one is passionate about. "If you are doing the right thing in an honest way, the UAE is the best place to give your dreams wings to fly.”

Lebanese expat Walid Mansour came to the UAE in 2006 and worked in the Prime Minister's executive office. In 2010, he was given an opportunity to do an MBA abroad on scholarship. After he graduated, he returned to serve the country.

Today, Mansour is an established venture capital investor and, in the last 15 years, he has invested millions of dollars in more than 60 startup companies in the UAE, helping create thousands of jobs and also attracting hundreds of millions of dollars of investments.

“I have really benefited from the infrastructure and support the country provided at every step. I have also tried to do my bit by contributing to the UAE’s economy,” Mansour said.

“I chose the UAE as it is the land of opportunities and the best place to be in every possible way. While other countries have their own fixations and boundaries and are focused on their own narratives, the UAE has a unique narrative which creates opportunities for talented people, irrespective of their backgrounds.”

Pointing to the UAE's strong domestic market, he added that it is a "great launchpad for companies" — not only in the region, but from across the world.

Ahmed Raza is the current captain of the UAE’s men cricket team. His career in cricket stemmed from a love of the game instilled by his father, who had moved to Sharjah in 1972.

Born and raised in the UAE, the Pakistani expat started his cricket journey at an academy at the age of 12. He played for under-17 UAE in 2004 and made his men’s debut in 2006.

“My job is to represent the UAE and I have been playing cricket for the UAE for the last 15 years. This is my home as I was born and raised here and I don’t intend to leave this place — it is my source of livelihood that I would want to pass on to the next generation.

“Being a sportsperson, I feel the UAE offers the best in terms of opportunities and the infrastructure that keeps getting better each day. When people move here, they think they will stay here for a little while and leave but the UAE has gives this sense of belonging that makes people want to live here for as long as they can.”

I am extremely happy to have taken this decision as it offers so many different doorways to professional success. I am certain this is just the launch of my career and I owe it all to the UAE.”