Dubai Innovation and Financial Foresight Forum wraps up

Dubai Finance (DOF) announced the successful conclusion of the ‘Dubai Innovation and Financial Foresight Forum’, which brought together government leaders, industry experts, and academics to discuss the future of financial management, innovation, and policymaking.

The forum served as a platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange, highlighting global trends and best practices in financial innovation and future foresight and exploring their role in advancing government operations, enhancing financial management efficiency, and strengthening the readiness of government entities for future challenges.

Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Director-General of DOF, stated, “The forum reflects the Department’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and future foresight across government operations, in line with the leadership’s vision to advance public financial management and enhance institutional readiness for the future. The rapid economic and technological changes shaping the world today require government financial entities to adopt a more agile, forward-looking approach to planning and decision-making.”

Addressing the forum, he added, “Advancing public financial management is no longer limited to updating tools and procedures. It requires rethinking operating models and embracing innovative solutions that enhance efficiency and improve service quality. This supports fiscal sustainability and strengthens governments readiness for the future. Foresight has become essential for enabling government entities to navigate challenges, seize emerging opportunities, and develop more agile and adaptable policies.”

“This forum provides an important platform for sharing expertise and showcasing best practices in financial innovation and future foresight. It contributes to building a more innovative and sustainable public finance ecosystem that strengthens Dubai’s competitiveness and supports its future visions,” he concluded.

Abdullah Ali Bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director-General of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR), said, “The forum reflects the importance of integrating government development and human capacity building, as both closely linked pillars in strengthening institutions readiness for the future. The rapid global transformations make investment in people, empowering talent, and fostering a culture of innovation and forward thinking essential to ensuring the sustainability of government performance and enhancing its efficiency and agility.”

“DGHR’s participation underscores its commitment to supporting initiatives and knowledge platforms that encourage the exchange of expertise, foster future-focused thinking, and advance government operating models that are more agile, adaptive, and capable of creating opportunities, in line with Dubai’s vision and ambitious future aspirations,” he added.

Aref Abdulrahman Ahli, Executive Director of the Planning & General Budget Sector at DOF, affirmed that innovation and foresight are essential drivers in advancing public financial management and enabling it to keep pace with rapid economic and technological changes.

“The upcoming phases require a more proactive approach to financial planning and government budgeting, built on the effective use of data, future-focused analytics, and multiple scenarios to support decision-making and enhance the efficiency of resource allocation,” he stated.

“Government budgets have become a strategic tool for supporting development priorities and delivering sustainable impact. Strengthening the integration between strategic planning, financial management, and foresight contributes to building a more agile government model that is better equipped to adapt to global changes. It also enhances the readiness of government entities to address future challenges and opportunities efficiently and effectively, supporting the sustainability of public finance and advancing the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda and long-term vision,” he added.

Fatima Buti Al Suwaidi, Director of Strategy and Corporate Performance at DOF, stated, “The forum reflects efforts to build a government financial system that is more agile, resilient, and capable of anticipating future developments. The Accelerating global economic and technological transformations require government entities to adopt more agile and innovative operating models that can adapt to change and seize emerging opportunities.”

“The future of public financial management is no longer limited to managing resources efficiently. It is increasingly linked to an organisation’s ability to leverage data, advanced technologies, and future insights to support decision-making and policymaking,” she added.

WAM