Mansoor bin Mohammed opens 46th Big 5 Global as 85,000 specialists gather in Dubai

Dubai: Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee, opened the 46th edition of Big 5 Global at Dubai World Trade Centre, marking the launch of one of the world’s largest construction and urban-development events.

Running until November 27, the exhibition has drawn more than 85,000 construction and urban-development specialists and over 2,800 exhibitors from around the world, showcasing 60,000 products across multiple sectors. The event brings together companies involved in construction, geospatial management, facilities management and engineering systems.

Sheikh Mansoor highlighted the construction sector’s role in driving sustainable economic growth and supporting national development priorities. He said the event reflects the UAE’s development ambitions and Dubai’s commitment to accelerating digital transformation, efficient resource planning and advanced engineering. He also underlined the sector’s importance in job creation and in building flexible, future-ready urban systems.

During a tour of the exhibition, Sheikh Mansoor was briefed on the event’s role in strengthening global partnerships and supporting Dubai’s position as a leading city shaping the future of key sectors. He visited several international pavilions, including those of Spain and Italy, and viewed innovations from companies participating in the event. He also visited the Dubai Municipality pavilion, where he was briefed on initiatives promoting infrastructure sustainability, green-building standards and improved energy efficiency.

Future-ready infrastructure

The 46th edition of Big 5 Global reinforces the UAE’s commitment to sustainable development, future-ready infrastructure and long-term economic resilience. The event continues to benefit from the UAE’s strategic location, advanced logistics and access to regional markets.

The accompanying Big 5 Global Leaders Summit was opened by Yousef Abdullah, Assistant Undersecretary for the Federal Infrastructure Projects Sector at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. “The UAE is committed to building smarter, greener and more resilient cities…,” he said, noting the importance of public-private collaboration in advancing national goals.

This year’s edition features an expanded programme of CPD-certified Big 5 Talks and more than 500 speakers across four strategic summits. Nine co-located exhibitions cover the entire construction value chain, from materials and concrete to HVAC, geotechnical engineering, urban design and facilities management.

For more than four decades, Big 5 Global has supported the UAE’s development agenda by providing access to market insights, partnerships and innovation, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for construction and investment.