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This chapter contains an overview of the tax framework in which local and foreign investors operate, including an outline of the incentives available in the free zones and a look at the opportunities in the Dubai International Financial Centre. This chapter contains a viewpoint from Mahmud Merali, Managing Partner, MERALI’S.

Dubai plays host to more than 2000 major media companies, including 120 TV channels and broadcasters, and 180 production houses. While the effects of the global financial crisis have resulted in some residual caution among market players, there is plenty of upside for Dubai’s media and advertising outfits to tap into. In first-quarter 2014 newspapers had the highest advertising expenditure, pulling in $227m, or 57% of the total amount spent in those three months. Major potential for Arabic language content and a thriving pay TV sector, which in 2013 had an 85% penetration rate in the UAE, are expanding the sector’s offering.

The manufacturing sector has recorded consistent growth in recent years, accounting for 13.7% of the emirate’s GDP in 2013. Free zones such as the Jebel Ali Free Zone and the Dubai Auto Zone continue to play an important role in the sector, with incentives helping to draw in international players. According to the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority, its 625 automotive companies generated trade worth around $4.6bn in 2013, up 13% on 2012, while Dubai Auto Zone recorded a 63% rise in trade in the first half of 2014, illustrating the emirate’s continuing development as an export and re-export centre for the automotive sector. The emirate’s growing logistics and transport capabilities as it gears up to host Dubai Expo 2020 are also expected to help drive further growth. This chapter contains an interview with Khamis Juma Buamim, Chairman, Drydocks World and Maritime World.

The emirate continues to benefit from well-developed telecommunications infrastructure with high penetration rates for both mobile and fixed-line services and a local population that is highly concentrated, tech-savvy, and global in both composition and outlook. With saturation rates reached in the local market, telecoms players are looking overseas for growth opportunities. The e-commerce segment is on a strong growth trajectory, with companies hoping to capture a share of the MENA retail market, which is set to reach $15bn by end-2015, up from $12bn in 2012. Online content streaming is becoming another important revenue generator. The launch of Dubai Smart City initiative in 2014 aims to complete the “third phase” of the emirate’s development, propelling it to be a leading global smart city as it integrates more than 100 initiatives and 1000 government services into a single platform. This chapter contains interviews with Osman Sultan, CEO, du; and Ahmed Bin Humaidan, Director-General, Dubai Smart Government.

The government and private providers are investing to meet growing demand as the emirate estimates that the number of students attending private schools in Dubai will double from 183,000 in 2010 to 366,000 in 2020. Underpinning this sustained growth in school pupil numbers has been a shift in behaviour by the expatriate labour force in recent years from temporary stays to more permanent residence. As the number of tertiary institutions in the sector continues to rise, competition to attract students has intensified, with private universities are likely to come under increasing pressure to publish graduate employment data. The higher education industry is working to foster stronger links between industry and higher education providers and to look for ways university research may be tailored to benefit businesses in the emirate.

The rollout of universal health insurance commenced in October 2014 with the first of three deadlines for employers to ensure their staff are covered by health insurance, and is due to be completed by mid-2016. The universal cover will offer improved treatment options for many expatriate workers, while also enabling the government to make changes to funding mechanisms and priorities. A range of new hospitals and health care facilities are set to come on-line in the coming years, with three new hospitals and 40 new health care centres due to be built as a part of the Dubai Health Strategy 2013-25, announced in May 2013. Another key goal of Dubai Health Strategy is the development of medical tourism, as the emirate aims to leverage its geographical location, its status as an air travel hub, and its reputation as a luxury retail and hospitality destination as part of its offering. This chapter contains an interview with Raja Al Gurg, Vice-Chairperson, Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA).