Running African businesses from outside the continent? The situation is nothing new.

But decision-making centres, long headquartered in European capitals, have shifted south-east. One city in particular has succeeded in attracting companies: Dubai.

It sits at the crossroads of three continents, and since the United Arab Emirates was born in 1971, everything has been done to fully harness this asset.

Logistics and international finance

Thus Dubai has gradually established itself as a logistics hub, but also an essential financial centre and, more recently, an attractive hub for senior executives of all nationalities.

Samsung, LG, Ericsson, Thales, Mitsubishi, Airbus, Accor, Porsche, Goodyear, Nikon, Casio, Alibaba and DHL have set up regional headquarters there. Jumia was briefly located there before choosing Abidjan.

In this series, we take you to meet companies – African or not – that chose it for situating their headquarters to manage continental activities.

They detail the reasons behind their decision and describe a personal and professional lifestyle that convinced them.

But behind the veneer of prosperity, Dubai conceals darker aspects marked by scandals.