2020: A year to remember or forget?

Wrapping up the year with Hisham Al Gurg, CEO, the Seed Group and the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum

It’s a wrap! 2020, one of the most unprecedented years in the recent past, has finally come to an end. While the world heaves a sigh of relief with a hope that the Covid-19 vaccine will put an end to all the sufferings and challenges, what 2021 will bring about still remains unclear.

‘Unpredictable’, ‘Perplexing’, ‘Dark’, and ‘Depressing’ – 2020 might have been called by several names and definitions but I would like to call it a year of ‘learning’ – a year worth remembering for the lessons it taught us – from individuals to the businesses.

When the year 2020 started, there was an apparent overriding excitement about entering a new decade. However, it wasn’t long before we realised what awaited us. A virus that soon turned into a pandemic – brought the world to a standstill in the most unimaginable way. Deserted airports, abandoned shopping malls, and empty highways all echoed what the world was up against.

The corporate world transformed as well. The ones that wanted to survive had to alter everything from their basic mode of work to top strategies. And, hence started the fight to stay relevant, show your technological prowess, and prove that as per your vision and mission statements you are ‘AGILE’ in the true sense and ready for the disruptions.

At the Seed Group, on the back of our past commitments and ongoing efforts in the direction of being digitally-prepared and future-ready, the transition from ‘in-person’ to ‘online’ was as easy as breeze. There is no denying the fact that sudden changes posed challenges, but this was a time when it became more about your readiness to change than anything else.

This year taught us why it is important to be innovative and why moving with time is imperative for survival. It acted as a litmus test for governments around the world and evaluated their future-readiness. The UAE, as always, survived and overcame the challenges in a truly exemplary way – thanks to our visionary leadership that has been working in direction of digital proficiency and adoption since much before the pandemic hit. 2020 further cemented the UAE’s position as a true leader.

The stimulus packages for the SMEs, the freelance visas for professionals, and the launch of the new Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology – these were all moves rooted in one basic overarching goal – to become an ideal nation that is ready for any disruptions, always equipped with effective tools to carve path towards success in all situations.

The power of technology was made evident this year like never before. The fact that when all traditional means and modes of business fail, technology comes to rescue couldn’t have been better exemplified.

As an optimist, I would like to wave goodbye to 2020 and welcome the next year with gratitude and appreciation towards each and every one of you, who believed in themselves and made it out of this challenging time stronger and more resilient. Yes, we all wanted 2020 to end, but as it comes to a close, let us not forget the valuable lessons it taught. Because it is our past that shapes our future.