The session brought together three international icons who shared how the UAE’s ecosystem continues to attract global names seeking purpose beyond their sporting identities
The UAE’s growing appeal as a global hub for talent, creativity and entrepreneurship took center stage at a high-level session titled “Beyond Borders: What Makes the UAE Home for Global Icons” during the Sharjah Investment Forum – World Investment Conference (SIF-WIC 2025).
Moderated by Rania Saadi, the session brought together three international icons – two-time world boxing champion Amir Khan, former Dutch footballer and entrepreneur Edgar Davids, and ex-French football captain turned investor Patrice Evra – who shared how the UAE’s ecosystem continues to attract global names seeking purpose beyond their sporting identities.
Amir Khan spotlights importance of UAE’s safety
“When it comes to business, this is the place to be,” said Amir Khan, who runs several boxing academies and partnerships, including the AK Academy by BoxIQ in the UAE, focusing on youth development. “The UAE brings together people of all nationalities and faiths with an incredible sense of opportunity. I’ve traveled and lived in many countries, but nowhere feels as safe and welcoming – it truly ticks all the boxes and feels like home to me.”
Recalling the moment he was robbed of his 72,000-pound (AED352,000) watch in front of his wife at gunpoint in London in 2022, the former Olympic boxing silver medallist also drove home how aspects of safety in the country particularly give the UAE a decisive business edge.
“In that moment [when someone put a gun to my head], all I wanted was to stay alive. That experience changed everything for me. It made me realize the value of safety and respect – things the UAE offers in abundance. Here, people respect you, your time and your space. It’s a safe, hospitable country that truly makes you feel protected and at peace,” he added.
UAE is the center of the world, says Patrice Evra
On the SIF-WIC 2025 stage, ex-Manchester United star Patrice Evra, who made his first business investment in the UAE while still at the peak of his playing career in 2014, noted how nearly two-thirds of the world’s population are just a four-hour flight away from the UAE – a fact that, he said, continues to anchor the country’s status as a global crossroads for business, travel and innovation.
“The UAE is truly the center of the world. As someone who travels constantly, its strategic location has transformed how I live and work. When I had my company in the UK, the world felt far away. Now, I can attend global business meetings in the Far East and can still be back home by evening. The UAE has made my life easier and more connected,” said the former defender, who played for other clubs including Juventus and Marseille before moving to the UAE six years ago to launch his business career.
Today, he divides his time between five companies spanning the realms of technology, wellness and beauty, and real estate, among others. “In the UAE, you’re always meeting someone who shares your vision. There’s absolutely no other place I’d rather be.”
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Edgar Davids highlights country’s ‘power to inspire’
Former Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids, who moved to the UAE in 2016 to kickstart his entrepreneurial journey building a diverse portfolio spanning real estate and import–export ventures before turning to art, reflected on the country’s ‘power to inspire’.
“There’s so much happening in the UAE’s art scene. Especially in Sharjah, where you have events like the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), cultural hubs like the House of Wisdom, and then the vast desert [in itself] – all of which have been incredible sources of inspiration [for me as an artist]. Sharjah is definitely a place that inspires. It teaches you, welcomes you and reminds you that this is your home – where communities truly live and create together.”
The discussion was part of the second day of SIF-WIC 2025, held under the theme Transforming Our World: Investing for a Resilient and Sustainable Future. The two-day forum, organized by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in partnership with WAIPA and the UAE Ministry of Investment, has drawn more than 10,000 participants from 142 countries and 130 international speakers.
