Patrick Chalhoub, Group President

Lynn El Khatib, Vice President Communications

Florence Bulté, Chief Sustainability Officer

Megan Whitehorn, Senior Associate Corporate Social Responsibility

Andreu Marc, Chief Operating Officer

Rafi Dikranian, Head of Startup Studio 

Junaid Mohammed Seraj, Marketing and Communication Partner

Olivier Billon, Founder and CEO

Mohammad Murad, Art Director

Ali Cha'Aban, Creative Director

Mouzzafar Alwan, Head of Strategy

Selim Tira, Associate

Marie de Ducla, Sales Leader

Sky Kurtz, Founder and CEO

Lucio Baron, Head of Strategy 

Iman Ben Chaibah, Director of Community Engagement

Hayat al Hassan, Sourcing and Selection Leader

Hajar Alansari, Academic Partnership Lead

Anaïs Huin, Head of the Regional Economic Department 

Evane Anger, Economic Officer

Theresa Doan, Accelerator Manager Bedayat Business Incubator, SEE Institute

Anastasiia Onishchuk, Business Partnerships and Living Lab Manager

Romain Lalière, Design Center Manager

Emmanuel Legros, Marketing and Strategy Director

Pankaj Sharma, Design and Innovation Strategy Lead

Joy Manzanares, User Experience Designer 

Why is Dubai an attractive place for start-ups and entrepreneurs?

Kaoutar: Several factors make Dubai an innovation hub that attracts more and more start-ups and
entrepreneurs. First, Dubai has this strong desire to position itself as a leader in cutting-edge sectors, including DeepTech, FinTech, HealthTech and ClimateTech for example. Secondly, Dubai is a favorite for "digital nomads" coming from all over the world, in search of financial and geographical freedom. A reassuring legislative framework and proactive policies reinforce their choice and offer them better conditions in terms of taxation and quality of life.

Edgar: Dubai is a city where everything seems possible. I see three main factors in this. On one hand, sovereign wealth funds, which strongly irrigate the economy and create a competitive environment for entrepreneurs, who seek to capture their financing. On the other hand, regulatory simplicity, which allows any motivated entrepreneur to start without being slowed down by a myriad of administrative and legislative obstacles. Finally, and this is also an explanatory factor for the former two, the desire of the Emirates to diversify their economy by creating a global ecosystem capable of attracting and retaining the best talent.

What did you find surprising and/or impressive?... disappointing?

Kaoutar: The quality of life, security and ultra-developed infrastructure offered by the city of Dubai are among the elements that impressed me the most. In terms of entrepreneurship, the idea that Dubai represents a "land of opportunities" without limits, has often come up during our discussions with founders of start-ups, incubators and Venture Capital funds. We find this desire to create, innovate and think "outside the box" everywhere in Dubai, as well as in the other two Emirates that we had the opportunity to discover: Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The fact that Dubai is a city without limits can disappoint some people. Alongside the other participants of the LX, we have often debated the excess and superficiality that govern the city.
 

Edgar: Many things surprised me, such as the quality of services with very high standards, the absence of a city center, due to the dispersion in hubs that meet by major roads, the ambient calm or the sustainable city, a kind of city within the city. The entrepreneurial effervescence we felt during the visits also impressed me.
No aspect particularly disappointed me on site, the negative points of this city being already known: omnipresence of facial recognition cameras, poor air quality, artificiality, high heat...

How was this stay interesting for you? What do you get out of it?

Kaoutar: As a Master's student in Finance and Strategy, this program allowed me to discover an entrepreneurial ecosystem in full effervescence. I had the opportunity to be in contact with entrepreneurship actors who are at the heart of this constant innovation. Some meetings have particularly marked me, for example at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, which supports entrepreneurs in the region to create, launch and develop impact startups, as well as at Hub 71, which promotes the creation of an ecosystem of innovative and disruptive technologies within Abu Dhabi, with a global focus.

Edgar: This stay allowed me to discover a city in which I might not have been so interested personally, and to realize that it has immense scope for opportunities. I derive great satisfaction from it because I was able to discover a totally different functioning from the one we know, which is undeniably enriching on a personal level. 

Did this experience change your vision of entrepreneurship and/or your professional goals?

Kaoutar: This experience has confirmed my willingness to work in the world of entrepreneurship in the long term. In particular, I found our meetings with Venture Capital funds very interesting. I therefore plan to devote part of my professional career to finance in investment banking and then in a VC fund, before launching my own entrepreneurial project.

Edgar: This experience made me realize how much Dubai has developed, and today represents a highly attractive space for entrepreneurs. Personally, I do not exclude the possibility of making a passage there at some point in my career, even if I would not see myself staying there in the long term.

What message do you want to convey to the aspirants of the next Learning Expedition?

Kaoutar: The Learning Expedition is a unique and extremely formative experience where you will discover an innovation hub in a concrete and immersive way. Do not hesitate to apply if you are interested in the world of entrepreneurship!

Edgar: Get started! It is a unique experience and a great chance to be able to immerse yourself in an innovative and entrepreneurially flourishing space. You will undoubtedly be surprised by everything you can discover there, and this is often how opportunities arise.