At 7:30am (UAE time) on the morning of Sunday 28 August, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum visited government offices in Dubai. The emirate’s ruler did not like what he saw.

Senior officials were not yet at work, and in a powerful display of dissatisfaction, videos of him walking around empty desks were posted on government social media channels.

In the internet age, the impact was almost immediate. By midday, government officials were scrambling around bracing for the inevitable fallout. They did not have to wait long. The next day, nine officials from the Dubai Municipality were retired.

The visit came at a key time for the emirate. It has publicly commited to completing new infrastructure schemes ahead of the 2020 Expo, and after a raft of new projects were launched this year, the focus is now on delivery. Sheikh Mohammed has demonstrated he expects nothing less than hard work and commitment from his officials.

In a region where the emphasis since late 2014 has been on slowing down projects and curbing spending, Dubai’s gusto is a breath of fresh air for companies looking for a dynamic market that offers new work opportunities.

But they would be wise to remember one thing: as new projects move forward, the challenge for companies will not be winning work, it will be delivering it ahead of the Expo. Dubai has sent the clearest message possible that it is no mood to compromise on time.