Dubai, the new hub for African business?
Running African businesses from outside the continent? The situation is nothing new.
But decision-making centres, long headquartered in European capitals, have shifted south-east. One city in particular has succeeded in attracting companies: Dubai.
It sits at the crossroads of three continents, and since the United Arab Emirates was born in 1971, everything has been done to fully harness this asset.
Logistics and international finance
Thus Dubai has gradually established itself as a logistics hub, but also an essential financial centre and, more recently, an attractive hub for senior executives of all nationalities.
Samsung, LG, Ericsson, Thales, Mitsubishi, Airbus, Accor, Porsche, Goodyear, Nikon, Casio, Alibaba and DHL have set up regional headquarters there. Jumia was briefly located there before choosing Abidjan.
In this series, we take you to meet companies – African or not – that chose it for situating their headquarters to manage continental activities.
They detail the reasons behind their decision and describe a personal and professional lifestyle that convinced them.
But behind the veneer of prosperity, Dubai conceals darker aspects marked by scandals.
Understand Africa’s tomorrow… today
We believe that Africa is poorly represented, and badly under-estimated. Beyond the vast opportunity manifest in African markets, we highlight people who make a difference; leaders turning the tide, youth driving change, and an indefatigable business community. That is what we believe will change the continent, and that is what we report on. With hard-hitting investigations, innovative analysis and deep dives into countries and sectors, The Africa Report delivers the insight you need.
Also in this In Depth:
diversify or die
Dubai, oil-free emirate turned business giant
Global connectivity, attractive free-trade zones, grandiose infrastructure… From the outset, the emirate has done everything to set itself apart from the oil-intensive economy of its neighbours. And in doing so, it has attracted the crème de la crème of international business.
company magnet
Africa, a new frontier for Dubai
Initially attracted by Dubai’s connectivity and tax incentives, the African companies that have set up their headquarters there now see the Emirati hub as a magnet for their best and brightest.
shadow self
The dark side of Dubai’s easy money
Financial opacity, a tightly controlled press, wage disparities… While the UAE’s largest city is gradually establishing itself as an essential hub for African business, that success has not been equally distributed.
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