'More brands will be built here': Dubai businesses report growth despite turbulent start of year

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Founders of some of Dubai's most popular businesses say they are confident about growing their companies in the emirate despite a challenging year. Speaking to The National at the…

Founders of some of Dubai's most popular businesses say they are confident about growing their companies in the emirate despite a challenging year.

Speaking to The National at the Dubai-it Awards on Wednesday, various entrepreneurs praised the emirate as a catalyst for business growth, saying any slowdown caused by regional unrest has been mitigated by Dubai's resilience and versatility.

Izu Ani, the popular chef, has developed more than 30 hospitality projects, including Gaia, Carine and La Maison Ani, and has expanded his business into at least 10 countries. He said Dubai offered opportunities that encouraged people to pursue their ambitions.

“The tensions only affected me because of the environment I work in, hospitality, because it's also based on tourism,” he told The National. “But to be honest, it never affected my belief in where I live.

“For me, this place is the best place to live in the world. A lot of people come to Dubai having a transit mentality, but then when you focus on saying 'no, I want to live here and leave something here' it gets recognised.”

The Dubai-it Awards, which took place in Expo City on Wednesday, do just that, rewarding individuals and companies for building successful businesses or delivering major projects in the emirate.

The initiative was launched under the directive of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.

Payments platform Ziina's transactions fell by up to 20 per cent earlier in the year but it has undergone a strong rebound, with volumes doubling and more businesses joining.

Faisal Toukan, co-founder and chief executive, told The National: “People feel they can come, build whatever their ambitions or desires are. They can achieve it here [in Dubai].”

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