Dubai, Hong Kong better partners than rivals, Hadi Badri says

Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corp., said the UAE business center and Hong Kong should act more as partners than rivals.

“Dubai and Hong Kong are often framed as competitors,” Badri said in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday after visiting the city, which acts a financial gateway to China.

 “Yet, families and institutions I met are no longer asking, “’Which hub do I choose?’” They are asking, “’How do these two hubs work together?’’ Badri said. “For a growing number, the answer now includes both,” Badri said.

Speaking on a panel at last week’s UBS Asian Investment Conference Wealth Forum in Hong Kong, Badri said that the cities are complementary by design – Hong Kong bringing decades of deep capital markets and institutional trust, while Dubai serves as the gateway to the Middle East, India, Africa, and Eastern Europe.