What's driving the UAE's surging influx of global talent?

Global figures from tech, business, literature and sport are choosing the UAE as their base. Revolut CEO Nik Storonsky, bestselling Indian author Chetan Bhagat, and former England footballer Rio Ferdinand are among those who have recently relocated, each drawn by the country’s mix of opportunity, stability, and global reach. A few days ago, Indian-origin billionaire and ArcelorMittal founder Lakshmi N. Mittal – one of Britain’s wealthiest residents – also made headlines after reports suggested he is planning a move to Dubai amid the UK’s new tax reforms.

Their moves reflect a wider global trend: the UAE is increasingly seen as more than a stopover. It has become a hub where professionals and creatives can build, grow, and call home. Chetan Bhagat highlights the city’s ability to inspire and enrich his writing, while Rio Ferdinand points to lifestyle, safety, education, and business opportunities as reasons why Dubai is an ideal destination for the next phase of his life and career.

And as the nation celebrates its 54th Eid Al Etihad, the timing couldn’t be more symbolic. This year, the festivities feel bigger, brighter, and more inclusive, as the UAE welcomes more people than ever.

The numbers tell a compelling story

In 2025, the UAE’s population hit 11.44 million, with expats making up the vast majority ¬ around 10 million people from over 200 nationalities. Dubai alone now boasts nearly four million residents, while Abu Dhabi is close behind at 3.78 million. This surge reflects deliberate policies and a vision to create a global hub for talent, innovation, and opportunity.

From tax-free income and world-class infrastructure to progressive visa schemes like the Golden Visa, the UAE has rewritten the rulebook on attracting entrepreneurs and professionals. The government’s National Agenda for Entrepreneurship and SMEs aims to make the UAE an entrepreneurial nation by 2031, while its Startup Capital of the World campaign targets 10 unicorns and 30,000 jobs by 2030. No wonder the country is buzzing with ambition.

So, what’s driving this influx? Beyond financial benefits, the UAE offers something harder to quantify - a sense of possibility.

As Chris Harrison, a therapeutic psychosynthesis coach known as ‘The Healthier Life Coach’ puts it: “Every city hums with its own frequency. Some are too loud, too hurried. Others too still. Dubai, though — it vibrates at a rare pitch: a place built by people who dared to imagine more.

Growth, opportunity, and success

For ambitious companies, the appeal of the UAE is unmistakable.

Matt Hubball, CEO and Co-Founder of Anglo-Arab Trading, relocated nine months ago to launch a distribution business for clinically backed skincare and medical devices.

Back for a second Stint

Italian entrepreneur returns to the UAE to balance family and business

For Barbara Francini, Co-owner and Partner at Mayor Digital, the UAE isn’t just where her career began. This is where she returned for her second stint, coming back with her husband and children after a few years in Italy to take the next step in her professional journey.

Francini first moved to Dubai in 2006, arriving from Italy. “It’s a country where design, craftsmanship and entrepreneurship are part of the culture,” she says. Fresh out of university, she built her PR and communication career here.

“I met my husband in Dubai and I had my two beautiful children.” Dubai became the place where her professional life and family life grew side by side.

In 2019, the family moved back to Italy for personal commitments. But even then, her link to the Middle East didn’t fade. “Funny enough, while in Italy, I kept on working with the Middle East. I had a few clients approaching the market which required my expertise to support,” she says. During that time she also expanded her skills in digital marketing, e-commerce and performance-led strategy.

By 2024, the decision to return to the UAE felt right for all of them. “What inspired me to move to the UAE was the same thing that inspires every entrepreneur here: momentum,” she says.

With that momentum in mind, she decided it was time to build something of her own. She launched Mayor Digital with her business partner, Alessandro Picchianti.

Choosing the UAE again as the base for her next move was straightforward. “The UAE stands out because it offers something extremely rare: a business ecosystem where ideas are met with action.”

Setting up Mayor Digital took less than a month. The clarity of processes and quick growth across industries showed her why Dubai remains a strong launchpad.

“While many countries talk about being global hubs, the UAE actually operates like one. The country has built a playground for serious entrepreneurs. For a marketing agency working with companies that want to grow fast and think globally, this was the natural home,” she says, adding, “In Europe, that level of acceleration would have taken years.”

Her experience the second time around has been shaped as much by raising a family as running a company. “On a personal level, raising our children in a place that is multicultural, safe and forward-looking has been one of the greatest gifts of this journey,” she says. “The UAE allows families to grow with the same ambition they put into their businesses.”

What still stands out to her is how accessible people are. “In Europe, meeting decision-makers can take months. Here, a meaningful connection can happen in a single event or over a coffee. As an expat entrepreneur, you feel supported ¬ whether you’re dealing with banks, government services or industry events, there is always a sense that the country wants you to succeed.”

For Francini, the sense of belonging is clear. “As for my family, the UAE has become home in the truest sense: a place where our kids will grow up surrounded by safety, diversity and opportunity,” she says. “Home is where your ambitions are nurtured and where your family feels protected ¬ and for us, that place is unequivocally the UAE.”

By Chiranti Sengupta, Senior Editor