Leadership, Policy and Innovation in a Disrupted World: Abu Dhabi’s Role at the Centre of Global Change

In today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical and technological landscape, innovation alone is no longer sufficient to secure long-term prosperity. Increasingly, it is the alignment of leadership, policy and capital that determines whether innovation scales responsibly and competitively. These themes were at the forefront of a recent forum in Abu Dhabi, curated by Dartmouth 55 and Hub71 and attended by senior political figures, technologists and investors. Contributions included Lord Cameron and Professor Phil Hart of the Technology Innovation Institute. The emirate is bringing together policy, technology and leadership at a strategic level.

Abu Dhabi and Leadership in an Age of Disruption

Against this backdrop, the global environment is undergoing profound change. Geopolitical tension, economic fragmentation and rapid technological advancement are reshaping how nations and institutions compete. By contrast, post–Cold War assumptions of stability and predictable growth have been replaced by a world that rewards agility, preparedness and long-term vision. In response, Abu Dhabi’s approach reflects this reality. Specifically, rather than reacting to disruption, the emirate has focused on anticipatory governance. It has built institutions, policy frameworks and ecosystems designed to operate effectively under uncertainty and future proving. This approach closely aligns with conclusions reached at global gatherings such as the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Annual Meeting. That gathering emphasised the need for adaptive leadership and forward-looking governance in what it described as the “Intelligent Age”.

Policy as Infrastructure for Innovation

At the same time, a defining feature of Abu Dhabi’s innovation strategy is the recognition that policy itself is a form of infrastructure. Global institutions including the World Bank and OECD have highlighted that AI and advanced technologies require ethical, transparent and coordinated governance frameworks if they are to deliver sustainable economic value. In practice, Abu Dhabi has embedded policy, regulation and investment into a single, coherent innovation strategy. Rather than being treated as a constraint, governance is positioned as an enabler of scale. Instead, it is positioned as an enabler of scale. This gives founders, investors and institutions confidence to deploy capital and build long-term capability. Similarly, the World Economic Forum’s Blueprint for Intelligent Economies echoes this model. It identifies ecosystem-led development and regional coordination as critical to competitiveness in the global AI landscape.

Applied AI and Strategic Capability

More broadly, the global AI race is increasingly shaped not just by who innovates fastest, but by who builds enduring capability. The Stanford 2025 AI Index shows that AI deployment is accelerating across sectors. Nonetheless, outcomes vary widely depending on governance, infrastructure and institutional readiness. Likewise, the IMF has reached similar conclusions. Productivity gains from AI depend heavily on preparedness. This includes access to data, skills, compute and leadership. As a result, Abu Dhabi’s focus on applied research and sovereign capability addresses these challenges directly. By prioritising the transition from research to deployment, the emirate has positioned itself as a creator and exporter of advanced technology, not merely a consumer.

Ecosystem Design: From Capital to Commercialisation

Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem illustrates how deliberate design can accelerate growth. Platforms such as Hub71 bring together startups, investors, researchers and policymakers within a single environment, reducing friction between idea, funding and execution. The launch of Hub71+ AI, providing access to compute infrastructure, cloud credits and global technology partnerships, reflects a clear understanding that infrastructure, talent and capital must move together. Consequently, this ecosystem-led approach has driven rapid growth in the emirate’s AI sector, supported by public–private coordination and long-term capital commitment — a model increasingly referenced in global discussions on innovation policy. From an investment perspective, the question is increasingly less about where the technology is — and more about where governance, talent and capital are aligned.

Technology, Geopolitics and Abu Dhabi’s Strategic Position

As a result of this shift, AI and advanced technologies become central to economic resilience and national competitiveness, technology strategy has become inseparable from geopolitics. Insights from the IMF, OECD and World Economic Forum underline that how AI is governed will shape global influence, trust and stability. Abu Dhabi’s ability to convene global stakeholders — policymakers, investors and technologists — positions it as an influential voice in shaping these norms. In this context, leadership is not simply about managing organisations, but about orchestrating systems: aligning policy, capital, technology and communication to deliver sustained advantage.

 Leadership as Abu Dhabi’s Enduring Advantage

Abu Dhabi’s rise as a global innovation hub is grounded not only in investment or ambition, but in leadership and institutional design. By aligning governance, applied innovation and ecosystem development, the emirate offers a blueprint for how regions can compete — and lead — in a disrupted world. In an era defined by uncertainty, leadership and policy act as navigational instruments, guiding innovation through complexity toward long-term value.

Leadership Talent in High-Growth Ecosystems

As ecosystems like Abu Dhabi’s continue to scale, the demand for exceptional leadership talent is intensifying.

Organisations operating in or alongside these environments require leaders who can:

• Operate confidently across policy, technology and capital

• Lead innovation responsibly under global scrutiny

• Communicate with credibility across borders and institutions

• Translate ambition into execution at scale

These leaders are rare — and increasingly decisive.

Hanson Search MENA  works with boards, investors and institutions to identify and advise exceptional talent capable of leading in environments like Abu Dhabi — where innovation, governance and global influence converge.

In a disrupted world, leadership quality determines outcomes.
Securing that leadership has never mattered more.

Alice Weightman is the Global CEO of Hanson Search Group and heads up the Investment Practice, Hanson Capital.