At once a fascinating insight into an extraordinary leader, and the building of a remarkable nation, “To Be the First” is the authorised biography of a man whose legendary drive and singularity of purpose has built not only Dubai and its many icons and sensational achievements, but transformed his entire nation to rise from the barren sands to shape the world we live in today.
Written by British historian Graeme Wilson, featuring never before heard stories, and pictures from the life of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, “To Be the First” is a unique portrait of the ruler of Dubai as told by those whose lives he has influenced, leaders who His Highness worked with that gives a unique insight into Dubai’s ruler and an understanding of how he has built Dubai into the nation that it is today.
Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner and Group Editor-in-Chief of Motivate Media Group, commented, “We are truly honoured to be publishing this authorised biography of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. To Be the First gives a unique insight into the making of an extraordinary leader and the building of a remarkable nation.”
Through a lifetime of service, Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership style has been rooted in ambition, motivation and the determination and will to not only succeed but excel. His achievements, remarkable by any standard, have taken Sheikh Mohammed and his people from the humblest of beginnings to a place at the centre of the world’s economic future.
Born in an adobe house with no electricity or running water, Sheikh Mohammed witnessed his father, the late Sheikh Rashid, and the late Sheikh Zayed seal the act of union with a handshake. His Highness also saw Sheikh Rashid’s first transformational development projects take shape in Dubai.
Sheikh Mohammed went on to become the world’s youngest Minister of Defence, Crown Prince of Dubai and then Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In that time, he has overseen the extraordinary transformation of a small trading entrepot into a “global city”, bringing millions of people from over 195 nationalities together in a remarkable atmosphere of peace, stability, security, tolerance and vibrant economic opportunity.
Graeme Wilson is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society who has lived in the UAE for 34 years. His first biography was Father of Dubai, on the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. He has gone on to write the authorised biographies of Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with a host of other world leaders across the Middle East and Asia. As a documentary maker he has worked with the likes of Oscar winning actor Morgan Freeman and Sir Patrick Stewart, while his work as a speechwriter has been delivered in the United Nations General Assembly, the United States Senate and Britain’s House of Commons.
Established in 1979, and now celebrating its 45th anniversary, Motivate Media Group (MMG) operates across the GCC and MENA region with a diverse portfolio of media interests comprising print, digital, social, video, exhibitions and events, out-of-home, talent, cinema, and books. Specialising in highly engaging content through market-leading magazines, websites, social platforms, along with video and production, Motivate also offers a wide range of advertising platforms. With a staff of more than 200 experienced professionals, MMG is committed to providing editorial excellence, and a corporate mission to develop integrated communication channels that entertain, inform, and enrich.
