Investing in Dubai: Dubai Holding

Established in 2004, Dubai Holding is the personal investment portfolio of the emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. The company has very quickly amassed an impressive collection of real estate, leisure, infrastructure and commercial interests.

Within a few years of its launch, Dubai Holding opened the Arabian-themed resort Madinat Jumeirah, announced the construction of Dubai Studio City and opened Dubai International Academic City. It also launched Emirates International Communications to invest in numerous comms organisations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. It has not slowed down since.

The mid-2000s saw a raft of projects, including SmartCity, the Dubai Design District and in5, an initiative designed to help early-stage companies grow and thrive in the UAE.

Dubai Holding has also partnered with Aldar Properties to build and manage three major new developments in the emirate. The 3.5 million square metre project will feature over 9,000 units, including villas, townhouses, apartments and retail and community facilities.

This is one of a number of similar ventures. In 2014, Dubai Holding partnered with Emaar Properties to develop Dubai Creek Harbour, a sustainable mixed-use waterfront destination.

Dubai Holding operates many more business groups in the leisure, manufacturing, science, logistics, design and technology industries, including the Jumeirah Group, TECOM Group, Arab Media Group, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, Wild Wadi Waterpark and The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management.

In all, Dubai Holding has over USD 130bn in assets across 13 countries and more than 20,000 employees worldwide.