His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended a ceremony organized by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development (MBRCLD) to mark the completion of 20 years since its establishment.
The ceremony was also attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai; Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council; and Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of the Executive Council, along with a number of dignitaries and senior officials.
Nurturing talent
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid highlighted the positive role of the MBRCLD in nurturing future leaders, emphasizing its contribution to the UAE’s comprehensive development and emergence as a leader on the world stage.
“For two decades, the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development has been a crucible for excellence, graduating over 850 Emirati leaders who now hold vital positions across various sectors,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
Comprehensive programmes
“Today, we celebrate a new generation of exceptional leaders, empowered to shape the future with their vision and dedication. We eagerly anticipate their contributions to their respective fields and are confident in their ability to guide our nation toward an even brighter and more prosperous future. We remain committed to developing comprehensive programmes that nurture a generation of proactive and courageous leaders – leaders who can transform challenges into opportunities, pioneer innovative solutions, and ensure our nation remains at the forefront of progress,” the Dubai Ruler added.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, chairman of the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, attributed MBRCLD’s success over two decades to the onus it had always placed on Sheikh Mohammed’s approach to leadership and his strategic vision for developing a world-class talent pool. This approach, he noted, aligns perfectly with the UAE’s sustainable development ideals and empowers future generations to fulfil the aspirations of the Emirati people while strengthening the nation’s global standing.
“As we celebrate 20 years of MBRCLD, we celebrate its profound impact on Dubai and the UAE, both now and for the future,” Al Gergawi said. “MBRCLD stands as an inspiring model for nurturing national talent while honing leadership skills to meet evolving challenges and seize future opportunities.” He emphasized the center’s success in realizing its key objectives, adding: “Hundreds of MBRCLD graduates have gone on to transform government and institutional work, spearheading innovative projects across vital sectors.”
New graduates
The ceremony saw 106 graduates from various MBRCLD programmes being honored. Among those were 27 graduates of the Impactful Leaders Programme (6th cohort), 20 graduates from the Dubai Leadership Programme (2nd cohort), 27 graduates from the Dubai Economic Leadership Programme (1st cohort), and 32 graduates from the Dubai Family Business Management Programme (1st cohort).
Driving change
The 106 graduates join a distinguished alumni community of over 850 Emirati leaders who have completed MBRCLD programmes over the past two decades. These individuals have gone on to hold influential positions, significantly contributing to the UAE’s development and progress. Among them are seven government ministers, 10 undersecretaries, 17 directors-general, and 89 executive and deputy executive directors.
Since its establishment, MBRCLD has launched 14 programmes including the Government Leaders Programme, Executive Leaders Programme and Young Leadership Programme, among other more specialized programmes addressing family business leadership, economic leadership and global government leadership. Thanks to their specialized training, these individuals have given shape to some 85 sustainable and transformative projects addressing key challenges across vital sectors.
Organized in collaboration with top international universities and leadership institutes, MBRCLD’s latest training and development programmes incorporate six emerging global trends in advanced leadership development: humanitarian leadership in crisis, rapid adaptation to external drivers, decentralized leadership, digital primacy, navigating ambiguity in decision-making, and positivity and perseverance.
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