‘They Answer At Even 1 AM’: Burj Khalifa Builder Mohamed Alabbar Praises Indians, Explains Why They Are His Top Hire

Last Updated:May 06, 2026, 16:53 IST

The man who built the world’s tallest tower believes Indian professionals are the key to surviving any crisis

Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar, the founder and managing director of Emaar Properties, and the man behind Burj Khalifa among many other properties, recently shared a viral perspective on why Indian professionals are his first choice. Speaking at the Make it in the Emirates summit in Abu Dhabi, Alabbar bypassed traditional corporate jargon to highlight how he values reliability above everything else.

“The harder you work, the luckier you will get," Alabbar noted, citing a famous adage. But he took it a step further by linking it to his own experience with Indian talent. “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard, and this is why I like to hire Indians—because they answer the phone even at one o’clock in the morning," Alabbar was quoted by Gulf News.

Alabbar described Indian professionals as “highly committed and dependable," noting that their readiness to show up prepared, regardless of the hour, reinforces his confidence in their ability to lead his global ventures.

Alabbar, who grew up in government housing in Old Dubai before building a global empire that spans real estate, retail, and e-commerce, was remarkably candid about his own journey. “I always tell people, from my own perspective, my IQ is average, but my hard work is the best. I believe in hard work," he stated.

By his logic, the success of Emaar—from the Dubai Mall to the world’s tallest tower—is built on a culture of persistence. He underlined that companies navigating uncertain environments are those that remain vigilant, continuously reassess risks, and push teams to deliver consistently.

Reflecting on major disruptions such as the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, Alabbar noted that businesses must build resilience proactively rather than reacting after challenges arise. “There was hard lesson for everyone. We had some hard lessons during the COVID pandemic as well as other crises. When you learn from 2008 and from COVID, you have to build an agile and resilient business that can handle these circumstances," Alabbar explained.

News viral ‘They Answer At Even 1 AM’: Burj Khalifa Builder Mohamed Alabbar Praises Indians, Explains Why They Are His Top Hire

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