Sheikh Zayed’s vision steered the UAE to become a global player, a new book, Authentic Leadership, shows

An event where His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism was the guest of honour witnessed the launch of Authentic Leadership – Invaluable Lessons from the Life and Natural Leadership Style of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a new book by prominent Emirati business leader and Lootah Holding Chairman Saleh Abdullah Lootah, exploring the visionary leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding father of the United Arab Emirates.

The book offers a timely reflection on the values-driven leadership that shaped the UAE’s remarkable transformation from a collection of coastal emirates into one of the world’s most dynamic and globally respected nations.

Sheikh Zayed’s ability to unite diverse tribes and Emirates under a shared national vision remains one of the most defining achievements in modern state-building. Through dialogue, conviction, and an unwavering commitment to the greater good, he laid the foundations of the UAE Federation in 1971 and led the country for more than three decades with wisdom, humility, and purpose.

Today, the UAE stands as the second-largest Arab economy and a major global hub for trade, investment, innovation, and talent. In 2025, the nation’s non-oil foreign trade reached Dh3.8 trillion, reflecting continued growth and resilience in an evolving global landscape.

In his book, Lootah draws on both leadership scholarship and lived national experience to present Sheikh Zayed as a powerful example of “authentic leadership”, a style grounded in integrity, responsibility, empathy, and long-term vision.

“When the UAE was formed, uniting seven Emirates with distinct identities posed an extraordinary challenge,” Lootah writes. “Sheikh Zayed achieved this unification through the power of vision – speaking with clarity, listening with respect, and inspiring a shared purpose.”

The book is currently available in English and Arabic through Amazon.

The book also highlights how the UAE’s leadership has consistently turned global challenges into opportunities, from financial crises to the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating adaptability, courage, and people-centred governance.

Saleh Lootah’s book on Authentic Leadership serves as both a tribute to Sheikh Zayed’s enduring legacy and a blueprint for the next generation of leaders – those committed to building trust, driving impact, and shaping a future rooted in values and purpose.

The emergence of the UAE from coastal emirates in the 1960s to a global economic powerhouse needed a visionary and authentic leadership that addressed the diverse cultural differences of nomadic tribes while uniting them under a vision that upheld their aspirations.

The people of the region were living under what was known as the Trucial States. In less than 55 years since its formation through a coming together of these Trucial States, the UAE has emerged as the 29^th largest economy with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) touching US$570 billion. One would wonder how this relatively small country could achieve such huge economic milestones.

Today, the richest and the most successful businessmen, professionals, celebrities, scientists and researchers are moving to the UAE to make it their next home – as the country has become the safest haven in the world for people to live, earn and prosper.

What one sees today in the UAE and its economic and social progress is due to the visionary leadership of Sheikh Zayed.  Saleh Lootah’s book evaluates this leadership approach from the lens of modern global management approaches, which Sheikh Zayed reflected intuitively.

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