The shock removal of Dubai’s de facto finance minister this week came as the result of an internal battle between him and a senior adviser to Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, officials indicated on Tuesday.

The vacuum of information surrounding the departure of Nasser al-Shaikh, Dubai's department of finance chief, has set the Dubai rumour mill alight. But senior Dubai officials said on Tuesday he had fallen foul of a senior adviser to Sheikh Mohammed as Mr Shaikh gained a higher profile through his efforts to combat the effects of the global economic crisis.