Apr 9, 2026 · 40 min · 9 segments
What if the drive that made you successful is the same thing holding you back? What if the ten-year-old version of you is still running the show in the boardroom? In this episode of Highest You, Kate…
Kate KingHost
So I know that you're a really passionate advocate of leadership and that you sometimes feel that it's not given the importance that it should have in this region.
From a region point of view, I think, look, I came to this region in 2007.
And you've got to go back that the region was at a rapid speed, right? Everything was moving at rapid speed.
And I guess back then, performance was and speed was far more important than leadership.
Results was more important, right? And you know what? You don't need great leadership to get great results because results were coming.
We were moving and Dubai was at a breakneck speed and therefore the importance of leadership wasn't always there.
But I do think as we have matured and as Dubai has matured, great leaders have come into this region.
But I think if you don't have great leadership, it won't be sustainable, right? And I think I've learned that if you want to build great businesses, great teams that are sustainable, you've got to have great leadership.
You can argue that you can get quick results, maybe one year, maybe two years.
It's the difference between driving, driving for now and building something for the future.
And I think even today, the quality of talent that's coming to Dubai has changed.
You're getting really good, phenomenal talent that can work anywhere in the world.
Now, you'll only get the best out of them if you can lead them, right? They're not here because they don't have a choice.
They've chosen to come to Dubai because they want to be the best version of themselves.
Because if we can't provide great leadership, you know what, they're not going to follow you.
So I know that you're a really passionate advocate of leadership and that you sometimes feel that it's not given the importance that it should have in this region.
From a region point of view, I think, look, I came to this region in 2007.
And you've got to go back that the region was at a rapid speed, right? Everything was moving at rapid speed.
And I guess back then, performance was and speed was far more important than leadership.
Results was more important, right? And you know what? You don't need great leadership to get great results because results were coming.
We were moving and Dubai was at a breakneck speed and therefore the importance of leadership wasn't always there.
But I do think as we have matured and as Dubai has matured, great leaders have come into this region.
But I think if you don't have great leadership, it won't be sustainable, right? And I think I've learned that if you want to build great businesses, great teams that are sustainable, you've got to have great leadership.
You can argue that you can get quick results, maybe one year, maybe two years.
It's the difference between driving, driving for now and building something for the future.
And I think even today, the quality of talent that's coming to Dubai has changed.
You're getting really good, phenomenal talent that can work anywhere in the world.
Now, you'll only get the best out of them if you can lead them, right? They're not here because they don't have a choice.
They've chosen to come to Dubai because they want to be the best version of themselves.
Because if we can't provide great leadership, you know what, they're not going to follow you.
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