The Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) has announced impressive annual results for 2025, showcasing the resilience of its operational model and the effectiveness of its integrated economic environment. The authority reported a revenue growth of 19.4% and a net profit increase of 17.8% compared to 2024.
DIEZ highlighted that these positive indicators are largely driven by the expansion of its activities and efficiency improvements, alongside the growing appeal of its three economic zones: Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai Commercity. By the end of 2025, the total number of registered companies within the DIEZ framework increased by 24.6%, while the workforce of firms operating in these three free zones reached 106,359 employees, reflecting a growth rate of 26.2% compared to the previous year. This indicates the expanding economic activity and the vibrancy of the job market in these locations.
In remarks on this occasion, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, stated that the results for 2025 reaffirm DIEZ’s ongoing contribution to the economy and its role as a catalyst for enhancing Dubai’s competitiveness on the global trade and investment landscape. This aligns with the vision of the leadership to promote sustainable growth and diversify the economy.
He emphasized that the revenue growth reflects DIEZ’s capability to convert opportunities into tangible economic value, supported by a flexible business environment, advanced infrastructure, and smart solutions that enhance efficiency and enable companies to expand from Dubai to regional and global markets.
Furthermore, he noted that Dubai’s economy is robust and diverse, capable of overcoming various challenges. He stressed that the upcoming period requires accelerating innovation and digital transformation, while maximizing added value in priority sectors to support the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, aiming to position the emirate among the top three economic cities globally within the next decade.
His Highness remarked that DIEZ will continue to invest in its institutional capabilities and develop its integrated framework to ensure sustainable growth and enhance competitiveness, focusing on empowering the business community and boosting the contribution of economic zones in Dubai’s journey toward a more resilient and future-ready economy.
Dr. Mohammed Al Zarouni, CEO of DIEZ, stated that the results for 2025 reflect an operational approach based on financial discipline and efficiency enhancement, coupled with a boost in the returns from the services and products provided by DIEZ to the investor and business community.
He added that the growth in profitability indicators alongside revenue increases confirms DIEZ’s success in generating sustainable value while maintaining a balanced development trajectory that meets global market demands and adapts to supply chain and trade transformations.
The increase in the number of companies and their employees within the DIEZ framework by the end of 2025 serves as a direct indicator of the strong investment appeal and operational effectiveness in the authority’s zones. He confirmed that efforts would continue to enhance smart services, improve the customer experience, and strengthen integration among the three economic areas.
Dr. Al Zarouni highlighted that the upcoming phase will prioritize expanding the economic impact through future sectors, supporting companies in increasing their productivity and growth, in line with Dubai’s vision of creating an economy based on knowledge, innovation, and advanced technology applications.
Recently, DIEZ witnessed the launch of several expansion projects in Dubai Silicon Oasis, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with investments amounting to 12.8 billion dirhams.
The expansion plan features two major projects: District Io and Block 14. The District Io project, with investments totaling 11 billion dirhams, aims to provide infrastructure supporting the development of future technologies and enhancing the research, development, and innovation ecosystem in Dubai.
This initiative is expected to create over 70,000 direct and indirect job opportunities within ten years and contribute approximately 103 billion dirhams to Dubai’s GDP by 2036, along with attracting up to 30 billion dirhams in foreign direct investments by 2036.
The project is designed to accommodate more than 6,500 global, small, medium, and startup companies in future sectors, focusing on six key areas: smart mobility, 3D printing, robotics, transformative technologies (X-Tech), artificial intelligence and quantum computing, and Web3 technologies, among others.
The initial phase of the Block 14 project aims to develop a business and residential environment in alignment with the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, supporting transit-oriented development (TOD) concepts, with investments amounting to 1.8 billion dirhams. This project is situated near the Dubai Metro (Blue Line) station in Dubai Silicon Oasis and will include the development of a commercial building, two residential towers, a retail area, and the integration of the region with the Dubai Metro.
In 2025, DIEZ achieved several strategic milestones in asset expansion and business enhancement, including the approval of the second phase of the Rochester Institute of Technology – Dubai campus expansion in Dubai Silicon Oasis, with a cost exceeding 313 million dirhams and a building area of more than 85,000 square meters, raising the total campus area to over 124,000 square meters—an increase of 217% compared to existing buildings.
This expansion is expected to increase the university’s capacity to around 4,500 students, representing a 115% increase, with the addition of nine new academic and administrative buildings, advanced educational facilities, and parking spaces, thereby enhancing the university’s status as a global center for innovation and scientific research.
Throughout the year, DIEZ strengthened its partnerships with global companies. His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the UAE Olympic Committee, witnessed the launch of a new initiative by Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation. This initiative, valued at 100 million dirhams, aims to support talent empowerment in the UAE, coinciding with the official opening of Schneider Electric’s new headquarters, “The Nest” in Dubai, the first of its kind under the company’s global Impact program; situated within Dubai Silicon Oasis under the authority’s auspices.