- “My Story: 50 Memories from Fifty Years of Service” by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- “The Sheikh CEO: Lessons in Leadership from Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum” by Dr Yasser Jarrar.
These books offer rare, firsthand insight into leadership, vision, and values in Dubai and the UAE – from the very people shaping the country.
My Story – Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- It gives a personal and authentic view of Dubai’s transformation, told by its ruler.
- The book explains how vision, discipline, and responsibility shaped the city and the nation.
- It highlights values such as service to the people, humility, resilience, and long-term thinking.
- Readers understand why Dubai functions the way it does, culturally and institutionally—not just what it looks like from the outside.
The Sheikh CEO
- This book translates leadership principles into practical, modern management lessons.
- It shows how government leadership and business leadership overlap in Dubai.
- The focus on execution, accountability, innovation, and speed makes it highly relevant for managers, entrepreneurs, and investors.
- It explains why high service standards and efficiency are not accidental, but designed and enforced through leadership.
Why they are especially powerful together
- My Story explains the values and vision behind Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reflects on his life and leadership, sharing the values and vision that shaped Dubai’s growth and success. The book offers an intimate look at how his personal experiences and leadership principles have guided the development of Dubai and the UAE, making it one of the most dynamic and influential cities in the world.
- The Sheikh CEO shows how those values are applied in daily leadership and operations. In this book, Dr. Yasser Jarrar explores how Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership principles are put into practice in the management and operation of Dubai, particularly in the context of business leadership, government management, and the visionary decisions that have shaped the city. The book focuses on practical application – how the values and philosophy from Sheikh Mohammed’s vision are integrated into everyday leadership and decision-making.
- Together, they help readers understand why Dubai works so effectively – as a city, a government, and a business environment – combining strong returns on investment with customer-centered leadership..
Who benefits most from these books
- Investors and entrepreneurs who want to understand the mindset behind Dubai’s success
- Professionals and leaders interested in high-performance cultures
- Residents and newcomers who want cultural context beyond rules and regulations
- Anyone curious about modern leadership outside a Western framework
In short, these books are recommendable because they do far more than tell stories – they reveal how vision becomes reality and why leadership culture is the foundation of Dubai’s success. After reading them, understanding Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership, and experiencing Dubai firsthand, it becomes clear that his philosophy is not abstract or symbolic. It is vision brought to life. Such alignment between words and action is rare in national leadership, especially in a country that brings together many cultures and unites them in harmony under a shared purpose.
