Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
The UAE’s stable business environment, progressive reforms and strong infrastructure have helped companies navigate global uncertainty while continuing to grow and innovate.
Business leaders say that the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic strengthened their operations, forcing industries to rethink risk management, embrace digital tools and build more flexible business models.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped how businesses operate across the UAE. Years after the global crisis, many say the lessons learned during that period have helped them become more resilient and better prepared to navigate new challenges ranging from geopolitical tensions to economic uncertainty.
Tyler Davis-Smith, Founder and CEO of Energie Entertainment, said the crisis fundamentally changed how companies plan and deliver experiences.
“The pandemic forced businesses across the events and entertainment industry to rethink how they plan, produce and deliver experiences, with emphasis on the importance of agility, not just operationally but strategically, from diversifying offerings to building more flexible business models,” Davis-Smith told Aletihad.
He noted that the UAE government has been instrumental in creating a stable and supportive environment for businesses, especially during periods of uncertainty.
“Through proactive leadership, clear guidance, and timely interventions, companies have been able to maintain operations, retain talent, and navigate challenging circumstances,” Davis-Smith said.
During the pandemic, authorities in Dubai introduced measures aimed at reducing operating costs for businesses, such as waived fees for permits, licensing, and event-related charges, reducing business licensing costs, and providing exemptions on tourism and municipality fees, helping event organisers and venues manage operating costs when live events were largely suspended, Davis-Smith said.
“These measures have instilled confidence across the industry, enabling businesses to focus on growth, innovation, and experimenting with hybrid or alternative event formats even in difficult conditions,” he added.
Davis-Smith emphasised that economic reforms introduced in recent years have strengthened the UAE’s attractiveness as a business hub, as well as boosted business confidence and attracted global investment.
Reforms such as allowing full foreign ownership and introducing long-term residency programmes like the Golden Visa have helped attract international talent and investment, he explained.
Investments in infrastructure and tourism have also strengthened the country’s position as a global events destination, Davis-Smith noted, stressing the importance of logistics infrastructure to the operational success of businesses in the events sector.
“This capability is essential for delivering complex productions on time, maintaining high-quality standards, and coordinating international talent seamlessly,” he added.
He also noted that these strengths reinforce the country’s position as a global hub for large-scale events.
“Such infrastructure also enables businesses to execute large-scale concerts, festivals, corporate events, and other productions with greater reliability, reinforcing the UAE’s status as a global events hub,” Davis-Smith explained.
He pointed out that lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have helped companies navigate uncertainty. “Our learnings have made the industry far more responsive and operationally efficient, better equipping it to navigate ongoing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and shifting audience expectations,” Davis-Smith said.
Operational planning within the industry has also evolved significantly. “One of the most important operational lessons was the need to plan for uncertainty at every stage of an event,” he said.
Businesses moved away from fixed timelines and instead began developing multiple scenarios and back-up plans. “This included back-up suppliers, flexible contracts and the ability to scale productions up or down quickly depending on changing conditions,” Davis-Smith added
“Businesses today are more structured in how they manage risk, more disciplined in execution, and far better prepared to handle disruption without compromising delivery,” he said.
“Together, these changes have made companies more agile, resilient, and capable of maintaining operational continuity without compromising quality,” Davis-Smith added.
The education sector has also undergone profound changes since the pandemic. Navin Valrani, CEO of Arcadia Education, said the crisis reshaped how schools think about resilience and learning continuity.
“The pandemic served as a global stress test, helping transform our perspective on organisational agility, shifting from a fixed operating model to a more fluid, responsive ecosystem,” Valrani told Aletihad.
Schools moved beyond basic contingency planning to continuous readiness, ensuring that high-quality education is no longer confined to a single physical space, he explained.
Flexible learning models now allow schools to support students regardless of location, Valrani said. “By refining flexible learning models and strengthening our resource management, we ensure that external factors, whether geopolitical shifts or economic uncertainty, never stall a student’s academic journey,” he added.
This approach has also strengthened relationships within the school community. Valrani noted that this approach deepened community trust and helped schools navigate future disruptions as a united community.
Valrani also highlighted the role of government support in enabling the education sector to adapt during the pandemic. “The visionary leadership and proactive support of the government have been the cornerstone of the education sector’s ability to operate during challenging periods,” he said.
He noted that early investments in national digital infrastructure helped ensure continuity in education. “Early investment in national digital infrastructure provided the necessary foundation for a seamless transition to alternative learning modes, while clear and decisive guidance ensures community safety without compromising academic rigour,” Valrani explained.
He said this has helped the UAE maintain its reputation as a global education hub by fostering a culture of innovation that encourages schools to be informed risk-takers, ensuring that the region remains a global benchmark for educational excellence, regardless of how or where learning happens.
By aligning school policies with national strategies, educational institutions have also strengthened resilience for the future, he added. “These experiences have strengthened our dedication to cultivating lifelong learners who are not only digitally savvy but also resilient and ready for the demands of a fast-evolving world,” Valrani said, noting that digital platforms play a central role in this approach.
Schools in the UAE now ensure students can participate in learning regardless of where they are. "Every student possesses the necessary tools for engagement, whether at home or on campus," Valrani added.
