Dubailand (A): Would the Pharaohs Have Dared?

This is the first of a two-case series (IMD328 and IMD330). The idea for Dubailand first came up in early 2002 as part of the country's efforts to diversify the sources of its gross domestic product (GDP) by expanding the tourism market offering. The answer, developed by the Dubai Development and Investment Authority, was the founding principle behind Dubailand - the creation of a globally competitive entertainment and leisure hub. Between 2003 and 2005, a master plan for the project was drafted. International theme park experts and consultants were called on to provide input as to how the land should be divided and what should be included to make the destination globally competitive. In April 2006, Christian Perdrier, current CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Dubailand, was approached by a headhunter based in London about the Dubailand project. They were looking for someone with international experience and industry expertise to lead the project, which was not taking off beyond the master-planning phase. He accepted the challenge and joined the company in February 2007. The case is set in 2007, in the first few months after a CEO is hired to make the vision happen. Between February 2007 and December 2010, the CEO will have to turn a plan into a reality, opening a leisure and entertainment complex of 27,000 hectares, hiring the first wave of the 250,000 people who will ultimately work in a hub that will include dozens of theme parks, hotels, retail and residential units.

• Start-ups
• Leadership vision
• Strategy execution