Institutional leadership and digital infrastructure are entering a phase of total restructuring, according to the latest findings from Capital Club Dubai in its latest publication, Disruption 2035. The report, which gathers insights from 60 global experts, suggests that the next decade will be defined by the convergence of artificial intelligence, tokenised finance, and a fundamental shift in how corporations manage human and machine intelligence.
The publication identifies a move away from static strategic planning toward what Mohamed Karmaoui, general manager of Capital Club Dubai, describes as an agentic enterprise. This model prioritises organisations that can sense, decide, and act with autonomy and accountability in real time. Karmaoui explained that the real ambition for the business community is to build a network that values learning and shared intelligence over rigid structures, particularly as sectors like finance and travel dissolve into data-driven ecosystems.
Artificial intelligence remains a primary driver of this transition. Bashar Kilani, managing partner at Boyden, noted that if today’s generative AI acts as a high-IQ co-pilot, the systems of 2035 will rival the cognitive span of a 500 IQ polymath. This cognitive leap forces a choice between augmentation and abdication. Kilani said that the real divide will not be digital but cognitive, separating those who think better because of AI from those who think less. This sentiment is echoed by Tony Moroney, principal at The Digital Explorer, who argued that leadership will shift from authority to orchestration. Moroney added that strategy will shift from concentrating on what an organisation will do to emphasising what it is continuously learning to become.
The financial landscape is expected to undergo a similarly radical transformation through tokenisation. Matthew White, chief executive officer of the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), stated that the boundary between digital assets and traditional finance will dissolve by 2035. He explained that financial systems will no longer be described as traditional or digital, but will simply be global, programmable, and interoperable. Leon Clarance, chief strategy officer at Seven Stars Legal Funding, supported this view, noting that tokenised real-world assets reached billions in value by late 2024. Clarance explained that tokenisation allow the industry to re-engineer, not merely digitise, finance by removing the paper-based constraints of the past.
Regionally, the UAE is positioned as a primary laboratory for these innovations. Islam Shawky, co-founder and CEO of Paymob, highlighted the importance of standardised infrastructure in the UAE, which enables digital payments to offer instant settlement comparable to cash. Obtaining a full operating licence from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates allows companies to play a central role in the country’s digitisation. Shawky noted that the connected nature of UAE government systems significantly reduces onboarding costs for merchants, particularly regarding know-your-customer (KYC) components.
However, the rapid adoption of technology brings new regulatory and operational challenges. Siobhan Byron, executive vice president of universal banking at Finastra, championed a phased approach to modernisation to de-risk transformation. Byron explained that banks realise the need for change but must manage risk effectively, often by leveraging curated fintech ecosystems rather than attempting a ‘big bang’ replacement of core systems. In markets like the UAE, the demand for instant access is pushing banks toward greater automation.
The human element remains a recurring theme in the 2035 outlook. Michael Clark, a next economy strategist, argued that knowledge is no longer the sole domain of humans, as machines can process information at speeds no person can match. Clark said that success will depend on nurturing uniquely human abilities like critical thinking and empathy. Tom Cheesewright, an applied futurist, added that as digitisation increases, the value of visceral, human, and natural interaction will grow. In 2035, Cheesewright suggested, the most disruptive thing an individual can be is human.
Ultimately, the report suggests that the next decade rewards organisations that treat disruption as a capability rather than an event. Roger Spitz, founder of the Disruptive Futures Institute, concluded that siloed risk management is no longer effective. He said that leaders must embrace complexity and uncertainty as defining features of a dynamic strategic landscape, moving from prediction to imagination.