Who remembers 37th place?

Mastercard is in town pushing its Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index and while there are few surprises in the top 10 (see if you can list – one point per city, bonus point for the right ranking), it seems puzzling to see Dubai only at number 37. Puzzling, that is, if you believe all the IPO announcements, takeover deals and real estate mega-project launches make Dubai the center of the world.

In reality 37^th, sandwiched between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, is no bad effort given how much Dubai has progressed over the past 10 years. But Mastercard’s assessment seems to be damning it with faint praise: The region’s air and cargo traffic hub, Dubai also claims a flexible business climate that makes it optimal for growing companies.
Given that the top 10 are rated for their stability, openness and ‘knowledge flow’ (or the number of patents/innovations produced), having a good airport and an open mind towards business does not seem all that great.