"The real oil of Dubai" by Alejandro Ubach

How has Dubai built a culture where ideas become reality?

Cities that execute quickly attract opportunities before those that only debate them.

What has impressed me most about Dubai since I moved here is not its skyscrapers or its landmark projects, but the speed at which an idea can become reality. It is a city that has developed an exceptional culture of execution. When an initiative makes economic sense and creates value for the city, the conversation usually focuses on how to make it happen, not on why it shouldn't. This mindset attracts talent from all over the world. In my day-to-day work, I collaborate with professionals from dozens of different nationalities who have chosen Dubai because they see it as a place where they can develop projects with less friction and greater speed. Government, businesses, and entrepreneurs share a common vision: to compete globally for investment, talent, and new opportunities. Dubai also stands out for its pragmatism. It is a young city, unafraid to experiment and highly capable of adapting its processes when new needs emerge. This combination of ambition, international openness, and execution-oriented thinking has transformed a small trading port into one of the world's leading economic and cultural hubs in just a few decades.

How can Barcelona strengthen its competitiveness?

The city needs to regain the ambition to think big and the ability to act more quickly.

Barcelona does not need to become like Dubai. Its history, identity, and urban model are different, and they are an essential part of its appeal. However, it could certainly adopt some of that culture of execution and shared ambition. As someone from Barcelona, I believe few cities have as many strengths to compete on the global stage as Barcelona: talent, creativity, an exceptional quality of life, and a globally recognized brand. That is why it is frustrating to see opportunities take years to materialize while other cities move forward much faster. The challenge is not generating new ideas, but turning them into tangible projects with greater speed and efficiency. Barcelona could benefit from stronger alignment between the public and private sectors around a shared vision for growth. Cities that compete globally understand that attracting talent, investment, and economic activity is not incompatible with preserving their local identity; on the contrary, it is one of the best ways to strengthen it. Dubai shows that speed of execution is a competitive advantage. Barcelona has everything it needs to remain one of the world's most admired cities. Perhaps the next step is to regain the confidence to think big and act more quickly.

Read the full article here.

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