The UAE's visionary leadership has prepared for the future by putting women on the map

I'm a “daughter of our late President and the Father of the nation, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan”. I believe this is the best way to describe all Emiratis, as it embodies the meaningful journey of our nation to challenge the possibilities, such as transforming a desert into what is today a futuristic and an emerging global power.

We’re surrounded and inspired by our visionary leaders. Our ecosystem is buzzing with creativity and innovations, which is reflected in tech startups and some of them have become unicorns at a record-breaking speed. We’ve been blessed to experience the rapid growth of our young nation.

As an Emirati woman, I’ve always been encouraged by my mother, and her mother to be strong, confident and to be led by my conscience. My country provided me with an unparalleled environment for my personal growth and development. I received an excellent education and got all-round support to gain wide-ranging experience in business across diverse sectors.

Our government cares about the success of its people, which is embodied in my stellar journey as an entrepreneur. My nation puts a premium on women’s empowerment. This was critical in my personal journey to set up multiple business ventures across diverse sectors. Perhaps, the UAE is one of the best countries in the world as far as ease of doing business is concerned. It has developed world-class infrastructure to scale up any business.

I’m a challenger by birth, who has always loved to explore new untapped grounds. There’s no better place on earth for me to do this than the UAE. At present, I’m working with an international team of scientists and technologists to make homegrown solutions and indigenous projects for diverse new-age sectors such as renewable energy, Blockchain, climate change and food security. This has been possible because impossibility doesn’t exist in my country’s lexicon. Our leadership’s far-sightedness, which is reflected in its ambitious plan for the next 50 years, will help us achieve solutions that many developed countries with myopic vision are failing to cash in on.

The challenges that the world is likely to be facing in the future will require a collaborative approach. Fortunately, my country is future-ready. I’ve been inspired by several role models, such our late President and the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the current President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Similarly, among the women, the Mother of the nation, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, and Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum.

I thank one and all who are involved in creating a global example of maximum governance with minimum interference to make my country a model Arab state.

(The author is a thought leader and the founder and the CEO of The Futurist Company)

• Dubai