Faced with a calendar packed with over 400 events year-round, not just when the weather is pleasant, Dubai Sports Council have mastered the art of adapting to the city’s sizzling summers helping to attract global talent.
In an interview with The HR Observer, HE Saeed Mohammad Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council explains how they have to take a different innovative approach to ensure their sports projects are ongoing despite the heat whilst also attracting global talent to the city’s capabilities.
The sports council turns Dubai Trade Centre, an exhibition center, into a haven for athletes and spectators alike. However, the council’s ability to innovate does not stop there. Imagine competing in a badminton tournament or a thrilling basketball game- all while surrounded by snow, he explains.
“To get [to] the idea we think what exactly do we want? Is it just to build a community and have local sports teams?” HE Hareb explains. But instead, they leverage the heat challenge as an opportunity to develop better products that can attract further talent.
For the council, sporting excellence goes hand-in-hand with global recognition; it is not only about making sure that sports are taking place during the summer, but also about including a better place to attract global talent, by showing that the city is safe and peaceful.
For them, he explains, project management is not just about grand events. The Dubai Fitness Challenge exemplifies this perfectly. This city-wide initiative encourages everyone to participate in 30 minutes of daily exercise for 30 days. This well-managed project fosters a healthy lifestyle, reduces healthcare costs, and most importantly, builds a sense of community by encouraging participation from all residents.
“We want to reduce the cost of healthcare and want to make sure that those 200 nationalities living here have access to [a healthier lifestyle],” he adds, explaining further that such initiatives show how the city looks after the people who work with them.
“We want to be number one in our organisation, so how can we make that?” he adds.
The impact of these events goes beyond trophies and headlines in the press. These events aren’t just about competition; they’re a strategic game to connect sports with tourism. By attracting renowned athletes and their families, Dubai hopes to ignite a passion for the city, not just for its sporting prowess, but also for its safety, investment opportunities, and tourism experiences. In other words, they use these events to attract global talent into their workforce.
“The events we organise are not just events, but they are to convince people with [peace],” he added.
Dubai’s Sports Council demonstrates that exceptional project management in the sporting world goes beyond logistics. It’s about innovation, strategic vision, and a commitment to building a safe, healthy, and globally-recognised city. By defying the desert heat and uniting residents through the power of sports, they have written a new chapter in how to attract talent.
The council understands that prestigious events are more than just competitions. They are viewed as pivotal gateways to tourism. Therefore, HE Saeed Mohammad Hareb explains that by attracting celebrity athletes and their families, Dubai ignites a passion for the city, not just for its sporting prowess, but also for its safety, investment opportunities, and world-class attractions.
These sports events become carefully managed projects that deliver long-term benefits for the city in terms of attracting the right talent to it, he adds.