Dubai: In the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the ‘New Global Narrative’ Majlis explored how Dubai can translate the trust it has built globally into sustainable economic value, enhancing its ability to attract investment, business and talent while strengthening its competitiveness in the global economy.
Held as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum, the discussion comes at a time when trust is playing an increasingly significant role in shaping investment and business decisions, destination preferences and market trends.
The Majlis was attended by Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office, along with several Dubai leaders and distinguished international experts.
In her opening remarks, Her Excellency Mona Al Marri stressed that a genuine narrative goes beyond a story or image presented to the world, describing it instead as an experience people live and share with others.
She said Dubai has succeeded in building a narrative founded on a solid base of trust, giving it strength, effectiveness and influence.
According to Her Excellency, Dubai’s achievements have not been driven by promotional campaigns or media messaging alone, but by real experiences through which investors, business owners, creatives, innovators and forward-thinking individuals have found the support and opportunities they seek.
She cited the Covid-19 pandemic as one of the most challenging periods faced by both Dubai and the wider world.
As uncertainty spread globally and trade and travel came to a standstill, Dubai responded not with promotional campaigns but through clear decisions and an integrated operational framework, supported by world-class infrastructure and teams united by a shared commitment to protecting people and maintaining essential services.
This approach, she noted, contributed to Dubai’s rapid recovery and enabled it to host Expo 2020 Dubai shortly afterwards, one of the world’s largest events at a time when many countries were still facing significant disruption.
Over six months, Expo 2020 Dubai welcomed 24 million visitors.
“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,” Her Excellency Al Marri said.
She added that challenging circumstances only strengthen Dubai’s determination to emerge stronger and continue its inspiring journey.
“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 said.
“These figures raise an important question: why does the world continue to choose Dubai?”
Her Excellency noted that investors do not invest only in assets, tourists do not choose only a hotel, and talented individuals do not select only a job.
“Each places part of their future in Dubai, making those decisions fundamentally rooted in trust,” she added.
She recalled how His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has emphasised that the UAE has built this trust over decades and that it is a shared responsibility to strengthen, protect and build upon it.
Her Excellency also addressed the role of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence in shaping Dubai’s narrative, noting their impact on the speed, reach and influence of information.
Referring to the use of these technologies during the regional crisis, she highlighted how they contributed to the rapid spread of fake news and disinformation, which the UAE confronted firmly and decisively.
“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 said.
She also highlighted the establishment of the Dubai Media Narrative Committee through a decision by 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 the highest levels of coordination across the emirate and ensuring it continues to evolve in line with emerging developments.
Its work aims to ensure every experience in Dubai becomes a source of trust, built on transparency, swift action and effective information sharing.
“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,” she said.
Global reputation expert David Haigh, founder and CEO of Brand Finance, explored how reputation evolves from international visibility into a powerful force that influences decision-making.
He highlighted the role of leaders in creating experiences that build trust and convert 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 examined city reputation beyond traditional branding and media campaigns.
He said a city’s image is shaped by the collective experience people have of its services, institutions, initiatives, projects and everyday life.
“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 said.
“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.”
He highlighted Dubai’s strong global profile, noting that the next phase requires moving beyond international visibility towards delivering more precise, integrated and consistent experiences that strengthen trust, enhance competitiveness and create long-term value.
He added that protecting a city’s international reputation requires leaders to view every aspect of the public experience as part of a single interconnected system.
Consistency between ambition and execution, he said, is essential to sustaining trust and increasing global value.
In a second session, titled “Reputation as a magnet for talent, investment and trust”, Haigh shifted the discussion from how trust is built to how it influences decisions.
“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 said.
“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 value of reputation lies not simply in being recognised, but in being chosen.
“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 said.
He emphasised that leadership plays a central role in 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 specialised sessions held as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum. Other sessions included the ‘Future Economy’ Majlis, which explored 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 Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum brought together more than 1,000 government and private-sector leaders, alongside experts, decision-makers and academics, for the emirate’s premier annual gathering focused on management and leadership.
