Something Bigger and More Beautiful May Shadow Dubai’s Burj Khalifa Popularity, Says Emirates Boss

New Delhi: Emirates President Sir Tim Clark hinted that Dubai is far from done rewriting architectural history. He suggested that the city may soon unveil a project even grander than the iconic Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

“I daresay there are other things that are going to come along that are bigger and more beautiful than Burj Khalifa – we don't know,” Clark said. 

Sir Tim, described its meteoric rise as nothing short of being “on steroids.” He credited the city's unprecedented growth to visionary leadership and deliberate economic planning that diversified away from fossil fuel dependence.

“This place had to be put on the map not just with iconic structures, but with critical mass in aviation, media, banking, tech, and hospitality,” he said.

At the heart of Dubai’s strategy, according to Clark, was an unwavering decision by the ruler to channel wealth straight into the city’s veins, developing not just infrastructure but inclusive growth that benefited every citizen.

“What the ruler said no, we must put our money in this city and use that money to develop this city – that was part of the model,” he said, pointing to the bold leadership that shaped modern Dubai.

Clark dismissed the idea that Dubai’s rise was spontaneous. Instead, he said that the city’s growth was meticulously “guided and steered,” avoiding the fate of becoming an “undirected metropolis.”

“Dubai's ambition is embedded in its operating DNA,” he said, suggesting that the city’s next big leap is not a matter of “if” but “when.”