Dubai: The first batch of young Emirati women completed the Dubai Women’s Establishment’s (DWE) Innovative Leaders Programme.
The DWE recently celebrated the graduation of 14 female Emirati leaders from the programme in the United Kingdom.
Hosted in collaboration with the distinguished Ashridge-Hult International Business School, the programme was launched under the patronage of Shaikha Manal Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, President of Dubai Women’s Establishment (DWE) and wife of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
Designed to promote a culture of innovation across the country, the Innovative Leaders Programme helps participants transform their leadership approach through experimental and out-of-the-box thinking.
The eight-day programme followed an experiential and interactive learning process — learn, disrupt, apply and integrate, through insight sessions, guest speaker presentations, organisational visits, strategic challenge projects, coaching and networking.
Shaikha Manal said: “We are living in an era of unprecedented change, innovation and opportunity — opportunity to tap into our creativity and break down old ways of thinking, see solutions to challenges rather than obstacles, and build on past achievements to create a better tomorrow. This programme has equipped talented female Emirati leaders, who are already driving change across various sectors in the UAE, with the skills and capabilities to help take their organisations and teams to the next level by leveraging disruptive innovation to the advantage of our nation as a whole.”
During a speech delivered at the ceremony, Mona Al Merri, chairperson of the Board of DWE, said: “Further developing the capabilities of women leaders is a top national priority, and initiatives like the Innovative Leaders Programme play a key role in making that happen. The programme emerged from Dubai Women’s Establishment’s relentless efforts, under the leadership of Shaikha Manal, to advance the leadership capabilities of Emirati women and enhance their contribution to the nation’s socio-economic development.”
