FIERCE COMPETITION
Simpson, an expariate from Great Britain, finds life in Dubai very accommodating, as does Dr. Farid Mahrous, the general manager of the Al Hajjan Group, Emirates. Mahrous comes from Cairo, and family considerations and a desire to live in his homeland will make him return.
But he has nothing but good things to say about Dubai. Holding a master of pharmacology degree, Mahrous handles sales of drugs for the poultry industry. His is a very competitive business, and he banks on quality to offset the lower price of the generic drug market. "The key is gaining the trust of the farmers," said Mahrous, "otherwise our message is very difficult to accept. Like most places, customers here are very price conscious."
That is somewhat surprising since the average income in Dubai is approximately $50,000 (US). But the cost of living is high, and bringing in good workers is challenging. "We recruit worldwide," said Mahrous. He added, however, that the overall financial strength of the country, the fact that it is very secure and that business leaders are willing to invest in their own country, far outweigh the negatives.
FROM DUST TO GOLD
The state of Dubai is one that defies what most believe the Middle East is all about. It has exploded onto the scene over the past twenty years, much as Las Vegas rose from the desert in the 1950s. But Dubai’s fortunes are not based on a roll of dice. Business leadership and the government’s open-door policies have taken what was once a area of sand and dust and turned it into the "City of Gold."
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