Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE, on Sunday met Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google.
In the meeting held at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Sheikh Maktoum highlighted Dubai’s vision of a future driven by technological innovation and its commitment to providing all industry players with a platform for transformative growth. As one of the world’s most future-ready cities and a leader in embracing innovation, Dubai is keen to bring together all who share its vision, to tap the unparalleled opportunities the rapidly evolving world of technology presents, he said.
Sheikh Maktoum reiterated Dubai’s commitment to propelling digital transformation across various sectors and its aspiration to make itself the global epicentre for future industries. He said Dubai is rapidly growing in profile as a hub for key stakeholders in the global technology industry including leading international and regional players, innovators, start-ups, venture capitalists and industry experts to work collaboratively to open new horizons for the sector.
The integration of future-oriented technologies, notably Artificial Intelligence (AI), is at the core of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33’s ambitious goal to generate an annual economic value of Dh100 billion through digital transformation initiatives over the next decade. Partnerships with the world’s foremost technology players like Google are integral to Dubai’s efforts to enhance its technology ecosystem and accelerate growth, efficiency and innovation in the industry, Sheikh Maktoum said.
Sheikh Maktoum further said the dynamic base provided by the city has not only accelerated the growth of established tech giants but has also been instrumental in enabling promising start-ups to script remarkable success stories on a global scale.
The meeting was attended by Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs; Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications; and Malek Al Malek, Chairman of Tecom and CEO of Dubai Holding Asset management.
Google opened its regional headquarters in Dubai in 2008, from where it manages all its operations across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reported global revenues of $282.8 billion in 2022.