Alia Al Mur On Her Hopes, Highlights and Hard-Won Wisdom
The Chief of Transformation and Partnerships at the Dubai Future Foundation has spent her career putting Dubai, and its people, first…
It’s no secret that the United Arab Emirates is home to unparalleled vision, talent and determination, so to celebrate the country’s 51st National Day, we have chosen three inspiring Emirati women — Alia Al Mur, Hamda Al Fahim and Afra Al Dhaheri — from different fields, who represent the nation’s gloriously multifaceted cultural landscape. With an illustrious CV that includes stints at The Dubai Mall and Smart Dubai to working on the opening of Burj Khalifa and The Museum of the Future, proud Dubaian Alia Al Mur speaks to Bazaar Arabia’s Editor in Chief, Olivia Phillips about her biggest achievements, the importance of mentorship and thoughts on the future of the UAE.
From being on the team that worked on opening The Museum of the Future to working at The Dubai Mall and managing the Smart Dubai Brand, your accomplishments are impressive to say the least. Professionally, what has been your proudest moment?
One of my proudest accomplishments was being part of Smart Dubai. I was employee number five, spending five years helping make Dubai one of the leading global smart cities. I like to believe that I am a true Dubaian and I will do everything I can to help benefit the people and city of Dubai and the UAE. Having spearheaded the opening events of The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa, those are also special accolades that I will carry with me, especially since both have become such iconic landmarks of Dubai.
What’s your biggest motivation?
My family… my sons. Especially since moving from the private to the public sector, I believe the work I do can actually have an impact on their lives.
With such grand-scale projects and big aspirations, does it always follow that the challenges are also to scale?
The challenges of any endeavour are directly proportionate to its ambition, so I have definitely come up against some steep ones. However, I’ve always found that if you dedicate enough time to preparation and gather as much information as possible, the data will never let you down. It’s also very important to surround yourself with dependable people as I have found you are only as strong as your team makes you.
Has gender politics impacted this at all? The UAE is such a fundamentally female-empowering nation, how have you seen that colour your trajectory?
We are fortunate to live in a country where the leadership puts so much emphasis on female empowerment and gender equality. Throughout my career, I’ve never felt that my gender was an issue in any circumstance, positive or negative, and I believe that, in itself, is the goal of gender equality. Even in my current role, we have four C-level of officers reporting to the CEO, two of which are women.
What have each of your roles taught you about yourself?
They’ve each been so different and have each uniquely benefitted me. This was down to the varying missions and environment. And more importantly, I’ve been lucky enough to work under great leaders; one of whom is Dr. Aisha bin Bishr who was the Director General of Smart Dubai who was and continues to be my greatest mentor. She’s always been one of my greatest influences and always pushed me to aim bigger. I truly believe that mentorship is a responsibility on every individual. It’s important to help and build up those around you and pay it forward, which will always have an exponential impact on society, especially when focusing on the next generation.
Speaking of mentoring the next generation, what would you teach young Emiratis looking to create a better future? What would you tell your younger self?
To the next generation: always begin your career in the private sector, then think about joining the government sector. You will be exposed to completely different things than what you will witness in the government, so join after you have gathered great experience. Also, hard work doesn’t go to waste – never. And I would tell my younger self to care less about what people thought of me, and to continue going on the path I was on, as it has given me everything I ever wanted and more.
Tell us about your favourite Emirati designers and artists.
The scene is growing, and it’s very nice to see how everyone is progressing. I love Juma Al Haj, a great artist, and artists Zeinab Al Hashemi, Alia Zaal Lootah, and Latifa Saeed. I like Savolinna Jewelry, Naj Designs – a fashion designer and my mother, and The Kape.
Your experience growing up here in the UAE has had a profound effect on your work and career. How has this shaped your outlook on life?
Change is good, and calculated change is even better.
Change in the UAE happens at a rapid pace. How do you foresee the technological landscape evolving throughout the next 15 years?
The UAE has always been a huge advocate for technology and the country continues to be early adopters of technology whether it be an app that allows access to government services or flying taxis shuttling you around in the near future. In my current and previous job I have seen first-hand the impact technology has on all our daily lives, both positive and negative, and I believe the positive is far greater.
You’re a self-confessed ‘sneakerhead.’ What got you into collecting them? The choice to wear them used to be based on practicality, especially when I started working in The Dubai Mall and spent most of my day running around the biggest mall in the world. As I wear an abaya in public, sneakers soon became my favourite accessory and really allow you to show off your style. They were actually the first thing I bonded over with my husband who’s also an avid collector. I don’t have a favourite pair, but Air Max’s are definitely my signature silhouette.
Photographer: Greg Adamski. Senior Fashion Editor: Nour Bou Ezz. Editor in Chief: Olivia Phillips. Art Director: Oscar Yáñez. Senior Producer: Steff Hawker. Hair and Make-Up: Jazmin Lois Rodriguez. Photographer’s Assistants: Alireza Yahoozadeh and Mark Offemaria. Hair and Make-Up Assistant: Sabiha Perween. Fashion Assistant: Amelie Louisa Klewe. With special thanks to The Museum of the Future
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s December 2022 issue
