Sheikh Hamdan honours graduates of Lead & Design Programme, empowering UAE’s future innovators

Programme aims to empower Emirati talent with future-focused design and leadership skills

Last updated: October 28, 2025 | 19:42

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Sheikh Hamdan honours graduates of Lead & Design Programme, empowering UAE’s future innovators

X / @HamdanMohammed

Dubai: 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 Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), on Tuesday attended the graduation ceremony of the second cohort of the Lead & Design Programme.

An initiative by the Dubai Future Foundation, the programme aims to empower Emirati talent with future-focused design and leadership skills. It equips participants with the tools of creative problem-solving and design thinking methodologies that prioritise community needs, helping them develop innovative, human-centred solutions.

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Sheikh Hamdan affirmed that Dubai considers its youth central to shaping the emirate’s future, stressing the importance of equipping them with design thinking skills to create forward-looking, people-focused services within their organisations.

“Developing national talent will continue to be one of our top strategic priorities in shaping the future of Dubai and the UAE,” he said. “We are determined to ensure Dubai remains one of the world’s most future-ready cities, driven by its creative talent, design-thinking mindset, and visionary leadership.”

He added: “Design thinking is an innovative and vital approach to addressing challenges and improving services. We expect participants in the Lead & Design Programme to make valuable contributions to their entities by applying future-focused skills, identifying new opportunities, and developing solutions that place people first.”

The ceremony was attended by Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Vice Chairman of the DFF’s Board of Trustees; Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications and Deputy Managing Director of DFF; Helal Al Marri, Director-General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and DFF Board Member; and Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of DFF.

The second cohort of the Lead & Design Programme comprised 38 participants from the UAE’s public and private sectors. Over 14 weeks, they took part in interactive workshops, local and international field visits, and lectures on design thinking and leadership development.

The curriculum introduced participants to a wide range of design thinking tools and approaches and guided them on how to apply these concepts to future strategies. Experts and practitioners in design thinking led the sessions, helping participants explore future scenarios and gain practical experience.

The programme concluded with participants presenting their final projects, which proposed innovative solutions to improve government services, enhance quality of life, protect the environment, advance education, and empower People of Determination

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