Mohamed Alabbar to Businesses Navigating Uncertainty: “Don’t Be a Child”

At AIM 2026, the fireside conversation “The Tycoon in the Storm: How the World’s Most Consequential Capital Holders Navigate 2026” featured Mohamed Alabbar, founder and Managing Director of Emaar Properties, for a candid discussion on where he sees opportunity amid global volatility.

The moderator started by asking whether investors are hesitant to enter the UAE and regional markets now. Alabbar said, “In November 2025, we had 700 unit cancellations, but sold 2,500 per month. And when the war started this year, in March 2026, we had 1,100 cancellations, and after the ceasefire, the number of cancellations came down to 150.”

“So, indications are really good,” he continued. “I’ll be honest, there is a war in the area, but then again, we had years of crazy growth, crazy margins, crazy profits. We can wait a little bit. It’s okay. Maybe it’s time for us to reorganize our companies, as growing 30-40% a year is too much. Now we can slow down and look at it with more time and focus.”

Offering advice to the business community, he said, “I don’t see any difference from the Ukraine war or what is happening in our region. If you look at history, we have had crises all the time. If you are intelligent, you know that it is never stable. I think, as businessmen, we build businesses for the long term, so you should know that something will be coming all the time. Don’t be a child. Do you have enough capital, no debt, good people? Are you honest with your customers and society?”

“You have to do this every second of your life, not in your business quarters, but all the time,” Alabbar added.

Speaking about the importance of continuity in leadership for the growth of the private sector and investment, Alabbar said: “We all want this world to progress, from Russia and China to the US, and the US is 40% of the global economy. That is why I love my Chinese friends. They compete with the US, but say, ‘We need to make sure that the US is healthy.’”

“So, everywhere, stability of leadership is important, and in my country, the UAE, our leadership uses every crisis to check and improve further. That makes them special.”

Concluding by reaffirming that he is betting on Dubai now more than ever, Alabbar said, “We all know that every crisis lasts two to three years, and it stops, so we have to be ready for that.

“Right now, we have developers who give 15-20% discounts, but we do not do that. This place, Dubai and the UAE, will grow even more after this.”

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