Dubai’s financial centre: Does on the ground mean in the money?

Some senior bankers are still moving to Dubai; but at least one has already moved away again. Sending rainmakers to the UAE brings as yet unquantifiable rewards. Should global banks keep expanding their Gulf presence? Dominic O’Neill reports from Dubai.

MOST OF DUBAI – including the part allocated for the Dubai International Financial Centre – is an unfinished building site. Relocation of senior bankers has fuelled something of a buzz in the financial centre’s Gate development.

The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and the accompanying regional crisis caused by oil, equity and property crashes has not reversed the trend of senior bankers moving to Dubai, at least not in all business lines. Andrew Dell moved to Dubai as recently as January.

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