

Amal Al Jabry,
an Emirati
journalist and presenter from
Dubai reporting for Emirates
News on Dubai One TV
Thoughts on UAE’s
rapid development
in creative sectors
I’m in awe of how the UAE has
transformed itself in such an
unimaginably short span of
time, and needless to say that
living here in the midst of that
metamorphosis is truly jaw-
dropping. And as if Dubai
Opera, Dubai Tram, and IMG
Worlds of Adventure weren’t
enough, it’s the continuous
landscape changes, the roads
and bridges alone continue
to surprise me. Poor Google
maps gets confused at times
too!
Fostering growth
in your field
Media is an industry here
that’s experiencing a dynamic
growth, and it’s a field
that’s hugely supported and
encouraged by the UAE
Government. In fact, His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum
was quoted in saying ‘the
media serves as the first
line of defense to protect
the significant achievements
of civilization’. So we have a
pretty huge responsibility on
our shoulders, and are proud to
implement it with our best foot
forward.
Where do you
envision Dubai in
the next five years?
With all the rapid changes taking
place right now ahead of the
World Expo 2020, and with the
support and encouragement
from the UAE leadership, it’s
easy to see Dubai bounce it’s way
to being the Smartest City in the
world, and not only is this city
looking towards the future, but
with all the latest technology
already being adopted and
utilized here, Dubai has become
THE future.
Rahma Himid
is a creative
Emirati entrepreneur who
founded Grace & Garbo,
a Public Relations and
Marketing firm focusing in
fashion, entertainment, and
F&B industries.
Thoughts on UAE’s
rapid development
in creative sectors
The UAE wins accolades
for being at the forefront of
unified strategy, consistency, and
combined efforts to realize the
overall vision.
Where do you
envision Dubai in
the next five years?
The sky is the limit; in Dubai, we
do not conform to the norms.
We break records and barriers in
our bid to become an example
of a modern city. We have 2020
ahead of us however; we are
busy projecting post 2020. Our
leaders envision for us what
we cannot comprehend; this
has been instilled from our
forefathers so we understand
when we have to take the
leap of faith. Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum personifies a
visionary; he leads by example
and encourages us not to limit
ourselves.
development and innovation.
Key projects like Dubai Opera,
several hotels and shopping
malls, (City Walk, Box Park,
The Mall) and Dubai Parks
will further add to the city’s
landmarks, but those are minor
milestones. As we prepare to
unveil the envisioned Smart City
strategy, we see several locations
becoming Wifi equipped, and
the driverless car tested recently
is a testimony of where we are
progressing towards.
Fostering growth in
your field
Dubai is a perfect example of
how PR strategy should look
like. The city’s marketing and
PR machine is one of its kind;
45 years ago no one knew where
Dubai was, today everyone is
here, wants to be here or aspires
to be here. This is achieved by a
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Nov/Dec 2016