Dubai Majlis Examines How Global Trust Fuels Sustainable Economic Growth

Majlis Explores Trust as Economic Asset

In her opening remarks, Her Excellency Mona Al Marri explained that a genuine narrative is more than a story or image projected outward; it is an lived experience that people share with others.

She said Dubai has built its narrative on a firm foundation of trust, which gives the city strength, effectiveness and influence.

According to her, Dubai’s accomplishments stem not only from promotional campaigns or media messaging but from real experiences that provide investors, business owners, creatives, innovators and forward‑thinking individuals with the support and opportunities they seek.

She pointed to the Covid‑19 pandemic as one of the toughest periods faced by Dubai and the world.

As uncertainty spread across the globe and trade and travel halted, Dubai reacted not with marketing pushes but with clear decisions and an integrated operational framework, backed by world‑class infrastructure and teams united by a shared commitment to safeguarding people and keeping essential services running.

She noted that this approach helped Dubai recover quickly and allowed it to host Expo 2020 Dubai shortly afterwards, one of the largest global events while many nations were still dealing with major disruption.

Over six months, Expo 2020 Dubai received 24 million visitors.

She said: “We did not need to tell the world that Dubai was ready. The world came, saw and experienced it for itself. This is the most powerful narrative, when people experience what a city offers and discover it for themselves. The impact is far deeper than anything the city could say about itself.”

She added that difficult circumstances only strengthen Dubai’s resolve to emerge stronger and continue its inspiring journey.

She cited the figures: “Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international visitors in 2025. In the same year, the emirate attracted 1,253 new foreign direct investment projects, retaining its position as the world’s leading destination for new FDI projects for the fifth consecutive year.”

She then asked: “These figures raise an important question: why does the world continue to choose Dubai?”

Her Excellency observed that investors do not put money only into assets, tourists do not pick only a hotel, and talented individuals do not select only a job.

She continued: “Each places part of their future in Dubai, making those decisions fundamentally rooted in trust.”

She recalled that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has stressed that the UAE’s trust was built over decades and that protecting, strengthening and building on it is a shared responsibility.

Leadership and Technology in Shaping Narrative

Her Excellency also spoke about the influence of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence on Dubai’s narrative, noting how they affect the speed, reach and impact of information.

Referring to their use during the regional crisis, she highlighted how these tools helped fake news and disinformation spread rapidly, a challenge the UAE met with firm and decisive action.

She said: “If AI can generate disinformation, it must also become part of our ability to counter it. And if it can spread a false narrative within minutes, it must help us detect it, understand it and deliver the truth faster.”

She highlighted the creation of the Dubai Media Narrative Committee, established by a decision of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.

Chaired by Her Excellency, the committee is tasked with reinforcing the foundations of Dubai’s narrative through top‑level coordination across the emirate and ensuring it evolves alongside emerging developments.

Its goal is to make every experience in Dubai a source of trust, founded on transparency, swift action and effective information sharing.

She concluded with: “Let our actions come before our words, our experiences before our storytelling, and let technology be a tool for protecting the truth, not obscuring it. Above all, let trust remain the most powerful story Dubai tells the world.”

Reputation as Magnet for Talent, Investment and Trust

Global reputation expert David Haigh, founder and CEO of Brand Finance, examined how reputation moves from international visibility into a force that shapes decision‑making.

He stressed that leaders play a key role in crafting experiences that build trust and turn it into economic value and lasting global standing.

During a session titled “A dialogue on the new global narrative: how can leaders turn a city’s experience into global trust?”, Haigh looked at city reputation beyond conventional branding and media campaigns.

He said: “A city’s reputation is the sum of the experience people have there. Services, institutions, initiatives and everyday experiences come together to shape its global perception.”

He added: “This is why consistency between the promise a city makes and the experience people have, as well as between its ambitions and the results they see on the ground, is so important.”

Haigh pointed out Dubai’s strong global profile and said the next step is to go beyond mere visibility and deliver more precise, integrated and consistent experiences that deepen trust, boost competitiveness and create long‑term value.

He added that safeguarding a city’s international reputation requires leaders to view every facet of the public experience as a single interconnected system.

He said consistency between ambition and execution is essential for sustaining trust and increasing global value.

In a second session, titled “Reputation as a magnet for talent, investment and trust”, Haigh shifted the focus from how trust is built to how it influences decisions.

He said: “The most important stage in building a global reputation is moving from being known as a city or institution to becoming a preferred choice for people and organisations.”

He continued: “A positive reputation can reduce hesitation, boost confidence and enhance the ability of cities and institutions to attract talent, investment, partnerships and global attention.”

He added that the true worth of reputation lies not just in being recognised but in being chosen.

He said: “When reputation reduces hesitation and strengthens trust, it becomes a powerful influence on investment decisions, talent attraction, visitor and partner engagement, and the expansion of global reach.”

He emphasised that leadership is central to creating this preference through a clear identity, consistent experiences, high‑quality execution and the ability to turn promises into tangible outcomes.

The ‘New Global Narrative’ Majlis was one of several specialist sessions within the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum; other sessions included the ‘Future Economy’ Majlis, which examined growth and innovation trends, and the ‘Future Cities Leadership’ Majlis, which reviewed best practices in urban management and smart‑infrastructure development.

Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the forum gathered more than 1,000 government and private‑sector leaders, together with experts, decision‑makers and academics, for the emirate’s premier annual meeting on management and leadership.