Abu Dhabi: H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance, today received C S Venkatakrishnan, Group Chief Executive of Barclays, at His Highness's office in Dubai. The meeting focused on discussing ways to enhance collaboration between the UAE and Barclays to foster new growth opportunities.
According to Emirates News Agency, H.H. Sheikh Maktoum emphasized the UAE's ambition to enhance its financial ecosystem, aiming to maintain its status as a leading hub for innovation and competitiveness. The discussions centered on leveraging Dubai's strengths in infrastructure, regulations, and digital transformation to unlock potential growth avenues.
H.H. Sheikh Maktoum highlighted Dubai's strategic position as a base for international financial institutions seeking expansion in regional and emerging markets. He reiterated the UAE's commitment to forming long-term strategic partnerships with global financial entities like Barclays, aligning with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. This agenda aims to double Dubai's GDP and rank it among the world's top three urban economies and top four financial hubs by 2033.
Barclays, a prominent transatlantic consumer, corporate, and investment bank, operates in over 40 countries and employs around 85,000 people. Its Middle East hub is located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The meeting was attended by key Dubai officials, including Abdulla Al Basti, Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Helal Saeed Almarri, and Essa Kazim.