Dubai Leaps in Innovation as GCC Cities Rise to Global Prominence
Dubai and Abu Dhabi have clinched the top global rank for ease of entry in a new study, cementing their positions as go-to destinations for international talent.
Dubai, once again, held its leading position in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) on Kearney’s Global Cities Index, ranking 24th globally and securing a place in the top 25 for the fourth consecutive year.
This impressive standing comes as ease of entry—a newly introduced metric under the human capital dimension—shines a spotlight on both cities’ success in attracting and retaining foreign professionals.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Dammam have also demonstrated remarkable adaptability to global economic and geopolitical challenges. Dammam, in particular, saw a massive 19-rank jump in business activity, driven by a 71% surge in its services sector, with five leading global service firms establishing operations there.
“This underscores the growing importance of services, particularly in the GCC region, where economic diversification is a key priority,” a statement said. Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s top rankings have been driven by open immigration policies specifically designed to lure top talent, while Riyadh achieved significant momentum by advancing in rankings for unicorn companies, the statement added.
Kearney’s annual Global Cities Report assesses cities on five key factors: human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, political engagement, and business activity. This year’s findings reflect the rising global influence of Middle Eastern cities, driven by the GCC’s strategic focus on economic diversification.
“Our analysis shows a new form of globalisation emerging — one that is more distributed and networked, and highly uncertain in the near term. As patterns of global trade and capital flows shift, cities in the Middle East have enormous opportunity to leverage their strategic location, robust economies, attractive immigration policies, and underlying digital infrastructure to not only mitigate risks, but also propel economic growth,” said Rudolph Lohmeyer, Kearney partner at National Transformations Institute.
Even amid economic uncertainty, Dubai, Makkah, and Muscat exemplify resilience. Dubai surged by 10 ranks in innovation, while Makkah climbed eight places, and Muscat advanced 11—each benefiting from private investment and low real interest rates. Their focus on innovation and economic diversification positions them as powerful contenders in the global economy.
Despite facing economic and geopolitical pressures, global cities are also grappling with rising environmental challenges, exacerbated by climate change. “Climate disasters have caused significant financial losses, and cities — being major consumers of energy and producers of greenhouse gas emissions — are both victims of and contributors to these issues,” the report noted.
“We see significant efforts from cities to address challenges related to sustainability and climate change, but too often these are piecemeal reactions to individual symptoms. Cities must shift their perspective toward being more systems-oriented and proactive. This is possible through what we call a regenerative approach – one that focuses on building institutional capabilities and readiness to address the challenges of today and tomorrow holistically, and for the benefit of all,” said Sascha Treppte, Partner, Kearney Middle East, and Africa.
In the face of global economic shifts and environmental hurdles, cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are proving that forward-thinking policies and innovation can propel them to the forefront of global prominence.
