Mohamed Alabbar: Dubai's Master Builder and the Next Frontier of Urban Innovation

Overlooking the glittering skyline from Emaar's Downtown Dubai offices—home to the Burj Khalifa and the world's most visited mall—Mohamed Alabbar reflects on a career that has redefined skylines and economies. At 64, the founder of Emaar Properties and Noon.com has orchestrated $350 billion in developments across 18 countries, from Madagascar's beaches to Riyadh's factories. This dialogue captures his unyielding drive to blend ambition with accountability in a world demanding sustainable growth.

CSuite: You founded Emaar in 1997 with a vision to modernize Dubai. Nearly three decades later, it's a global powerhouse. What timeless principle has kept the momentum alive?

Vision without execution is hallucination. We started with a simple mandate: Build cities that inspire and sustain. Downtown Dubai wasn't just towers; it was an ecosystem—retail, residences, entertainment—creating 5% of the emirate's GDP alone. The principle?

Obsess over quality and user experience. Every project must add lasting value, not temporary buzz.

CSuite: Dubai Mall draws 150 million visitors yearly, making it Earth's most visited destination. You're pushing for 200 million with content creators. How do you leverage digital natives in real estate?

Mohamed Alabbar: Content is the new concrete. Traditional ads are dead; we need authentic stories that pull people in. At the 1 Billion Followers Summit, I challenged creators: Give me a killer idea to promote Dubai, and I'll sign the check. It's not charity—it's collaboration. Dubai Mall thrives because it's shareable: Fireworks, aquariums, fashion weeks. Creators amplify that exponentially, turning visitors into advocates.

CSuite: You famously let go of your entire marketing team at Noon because they couldn't tie spend to sales. What does that say about measuring impact in 2025?

Marketing without metrics is madness. At Noon, we were burning cash on campaigns that didn't move the needle. I demanded: Show me how every dirham drives revenue. They couldn't, so out they went. Today, everything's data-first—AI tracks ROI in real-time. For Emaar, it's the same: Does this campaign fill hotels or sell units?

If not, pivot or perish. Focus on what sells, not what shines.

CSuite: Dubai Square Mall, your $49 billion behemoth, opens in three years—three times Downtown's size, with indoor EV charging. How does it future-proof retail amid e-commerce dominance?

Retail isn't dying; it's evolving into experiences. Dubai Square isn't a mall; it's a lifestyle ecosystem—shops, theaters, green spaces—for 100 million annual visitors. EVs inside?

That's Dubai's green pledge: Seamless charging to make sustainability effortless. We've got 15 years of intel from Dubai Mall; now we scale it smarter, with retailers co-designing for relevance. E-commerce complements; we capture the moments it can't.

CSuite: You're expanding into emerging markets like Madagascar with a $1 billion+ mega-project. What draws you to untapped frontiers over saturated ones?

Opportunity hides in the overlooked. Madagascar's fourth-most-beautiful island?

Pristine potential for eco-tourism and resorts that preserve as they prosper. We've done Egypt's Marassi Bay ($17 billion JV) and eyed India, China—places hungry for iconic developments. Risk? High. But Dubai was a desert dream once. I chase where vision meets viability: Strong partners, local impact, 15-20% returns.

CSuite: On Gaza reconstruction, you've said, "Everybody should clean up their garbage." As a builder of nations, how do you weigh ethics against opportunity?

Mohamed Alabbar: Accountability first. We've not been approached for Gaza, and frankly, we wouldn't lead it—those who broke it should fix it. My focus: Projects that unite, not divide. Emaar's in stable growth corridors—Saudi's $100 million Riyadh plant with Americana, UAE's urban renewal. Ethics isn't avoidance; it's choosing fights that build peace through prosperity.

CSuite: You've urged UAE entrepreneurs to pivot to manufacturing, calling it the next GDP driver. Why industry over apps in a tech-saturated world?

Apps are oxygen; factories are the lungs. UAE's manufacturing is 15% of GDP now—we can double it with discipline and integrity. At Sharjah's Investment Forum, I told the next gen: Build things that employ thousands, export globally. My poverty-rooted drive?

Overcome scarcity by creating abundance. Noon taught e-commerce; Eagle Hills, real assets. Industry scales nations—focus there for real legacy.

CSuite: Talent development is core—Emirati skill-building in Dubai Square, mentorship across ventures. How do you cultivate leaders in hyper-growth?

Hands-on immersion. Young Emiratis rotate through sites, learning from blueprint to handover. I mentor personally: Share failures, like early Emaar setbacks, to build grit. Retention?

Purpose plus equity—they own the wins. In a talent war, we win by investing in people as assets, not costs. Every project trains 1,000+ locals; that's our moat.

CSuite: Noon's e-commerce empire and Emaar's hospitality arm face global headwinds. How do you allocate amid volatility?

Diversified discipline: 60% core real estate, 20% tech/retail, 20% emerging bets. We model scenarios—oil dips, recessions—and stress-test for 12%+ IRR. Flexibility rules: Pause non-essentials if yields slip. 2025's $60 billion pipeline?

Prioritize high-conviction plays like Riyadh expansions. Returns guide; resilience endures.

CSuite: Three non-negotiables shaping your next decade?

Mohamed Alabbar:

1. Integrity—every deal clean, every promise kept.
2. Innovation—blend tech with timeless design for experiential edges.
3. Impact—5% GDP uplift per project, jobs for generations.

CSuite: Final counsel for builders in uncertain times?

Mohamed Alabbar: Dream audaciously, execute meticulously. Poverty taught me: Opportunity favors the prepared. Align vision with value—build what lasts, and wealth follows.

CSuite: Thank you, Mohamed.

Mohamed Alabbar: The journey continues. Let's shape tomorrow.