Dubai ranks in top 20 global hubs

Oliver Wyman Forum’s 2026 “Cities Shaping the Future” report put Dubai 12th in its global top 20 commercial hubs and sixth in connectivity, according to the group’s published rankings. Abu Dhabi also ranked strongly across the index, appearing 29th in commercial hubs and 34th in connectivity in reporting that cited the same study. The index covers 1,500 cities and measures how well they are positioned for future business growth. It uses more than 50 indicators, including multinational presence, venture capital funding, flight connectivity and work visa policies. ### Where did the Dubai ranking come from? Oliver Wyman Forum published the rankings as part of its “Cities Shaping the Future” project, which evaluates cities on business attractiveness and future growth positioning. The forum says the cities in the index account for more than three-quarters of global GDP, about $88 trillion, and host 92% of the world’s listed companies. The published ranking page shows Dubai at No. 12 in the commercial category and No. 6 in connectivity. A separate Oliver Wyman Forum overview says the study compares cities using indicators tied to commerce, transport links, innovation and resilience. ### What exactly was Dubai ranked for? Dubai’s strongest placements were in commercial activity and connectivity. Oliver Wyman Forum’s ranking lists the city 12th globally in the commercial category and sixth in connectivity, placing it among the highest-ranked cities in the Middle East on both measures. Economy Middle East, citing the 2026 report on June 2, said Dubai was also described as 12th globally among the top 20 cities supporting next-decade growth and as the fourth most connected city worldwide under that outlet’s framing of the report. The same report said Dubai’s combined airports serve 288 cities and that Jebel Ali handled 15.5 million TEUs in 2024. ### How did Abu Dhabi fare in the same report? Abu Dhabi was not listed in the top 20 commercial hubs on the Oliver Wyman Forum ranking page, but regional reporting citing the study said it placed 29th in commercial hubs and 34th in connectivity. That placed Abu Dhabi behind Dubai but still high among Gulf cities measured in the index. Economy Middle East said the report pointed to Abu Dhabi’s “institutional and talent strengths.” Ben Simpfendorfer, an Oliver Wyman partner and co-author of the report, told the outlet that “Abu Dhabi’s institutional and talent strengths” were part of the Gulf’s broader appeal to global companies. ### What metrics drove the rankings? Oliver Wyman Forum said it used more than 50 indicators to assess future city growth. Those include the presence of multinationals, venture capital availability, flight connectivity and work visa policies. The forum’s broader materials describe four main lenses in the ranking system: commercial hubs, export champions, mobility connectors and climate resilience. Earlier Oliver Wyman Forum material on the project said the methodology also draws on geospatial analytics, machine learning and alternative datasets such as factory locations and corporate headquarters. ### Why are Gulf cities appearing more often in these rankings? Economy Middle East reported on June 2 that the Oliver Wyman study highlighted Dubai, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi as cities “redefining global business competitiveness.” The article said the report analyzed 1,500 cities representing more than 75% of global GDP across factors including commercial vibrancy, connectivity, supply chains, innovation and climate resilience. Ben Simpfendorfer told the outlet that companies are increasingly looking for “combinations of cities” that provide access to customers, talent, logistics, innovation and resilience. He said Dubai’s connectivity, Abu Dhabi’s institutional base, Riyadh’s Vision 2030 push and Doha’s infrastructure build-out were making the Gulf more relevant to multinational planning. ### Where can readers check the full ranking? Oliver Wyman Forum hosts the full “Cities Shaping the Future” rankings on its website, including category tables for commercial hubs, connectivity, technology and climate. The ranking page lists Dubai in the top 20 for commercial hubs and connectivity, while the overview page sets out the study’s scope and indicators. Regional coverage published on June 2 by Economy Middle East and earlier reporting by Aletihad provide additional city-specific detail for Dubai and Abu Dhabi drawn from the same Oliver Wyman research.