Within one man’s lifetime, Dubai has risen from being a small coastal town with no electricity or running water to become a global city, home to millions from some 190 nationalities and to a number of the world’s leading trading, transport, logistics and commercial operations.
The man behind Dubai is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The incredible story of this city, and the growth of the UAE from a tiny British protectorate into the most dynamic economy in the Middle East, is told as never before in Sheikh Mohammed’s newly-released memoir, My Story: 50 Memories from Fifty Years of Service
Published by Explorer Group to coincide with Sheikh Mohammed’s five decades of public service, this important collection of anecdotes and reminiscences shares many never-before-told stories behind the development of Dubai from a small and bustling trading port to a global city at the heart of worldwide trade. They mark the creation of the UAE from a shared ideal and a handshake between two men to a nation where millions from around the world live and work in peace, harmony and prosperity. And they reveal insights from a man whose drive, determination and will to succeed have become legendary.
Within these stories, broken down into 50 themed and richly-illustrated chapters, lies the heart of Sheikh Mohammed as a statesman, leader, horseman and poet. They variously recount…
- The lessons in leadership he learned from valued mentors including his father, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
- How the UAE’s founding fathers, including its first President, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Rashid, its first Vice-President, were instrumental in turning the long-held dream of a Union into a reality
- The transformation of Dubai with the creation of the world’s largest manmade harbour, the Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone; the foundation of the world’s leading international airline, Emirates; and the expansion of Dubai International into the world’s busiest airport
- His passionate support for open, service-led government and his tireless work as a philanthropist
- His dealings with President George W. Bush and President Saddam Hussein in the run-up to the Second Gulf War
- The creation of the world-famous Godolphin racing stables and Darley thoroughbred breeding centre, as well as the world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup
My Story will inspire and inform a new generation of readers with its record of a remarkable legacy that continues to grow.