emirates7 - The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), in collaboration with the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development (MBRCLD), has launched the inaugural Dubai Financial Expert Programme, welcoming 20 Emirati professionals into a six-month intensive training initiative.
This pioneering programme is crafted to nurture a new generation of Emirati leaders equipped to spearhead innovation in financial institutions across Dubai, the UAE, and globally. It supports Dubai’s goal of solidifying its status as a leading international financial hub. The curriculum is designed to boost participants’ expertise in financial services while fostering leadership abilities and entrepreneurial thinking.
Targeting UAE nationals aged 25 to 35 with five to ten years of work experience—especially in finance—the programme combines top-tier executive education with exclusive networking opportunities involving industry innovators and C-suite executives.
Participants were selected through a rigorous process assessing leadership and financial acumen, educational achievements, strategic project management experience, and a clear ambition for success. The first cohort represents 16 organisations, including Emirates NBD, Dubai Police, the Securities and Commodities Authority, Mastercard, Mashreq Bank, and others.
The programme began with an Orientation Day at Emirates Towers, featuring a high-level roundtable to inspire participants. The cohort has since completed executive training at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, focusing on FinTech, AI transformation in finance, ethics, compliance, digital finance, and future-ready leadership.
Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, noted that this initiative aligns with DIFC’s mission to shape Dubai’s global financial leadership, while Saeed Al Eter, Director-General of The Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, emphasized that the programme reflects the Ruler’s vision of empowering Emirati talent to lead in financial innovation.
In June 2025, participants will undergo job shadowing at leading financial institutions and innovation firms within DIFC. This will be followed by a week-long executive trek to Silicon Valley, where they will visit top tech firms and engage with senior executives to explore cutting-edge innovation and build international networks.
The programme culminates in a capstone project presentation showcasing real-world impact, and a graduation ceremony at the 2025 Mohammed Bin Rashid Leaders Forum at the Dubai World Trade Centre, under the patronage of MBRCLD.
Throughout the journey, participants receive guidance from a distinguished panel of mentors, including senior executives and thought leaders such as Faisal Belhoul, Dr. Tariq bin Hendi, Shamsa Al Falasi, Noor Sweid, and others. These mentors provide valuable industry insights, executive-level knowledge, and decision-making support.
MBRCLD, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, has developed over 850 Emirati leaders who now hold key roles in government and the private sector, including ministers and directors-general. Through its mission to “Create Leaders for Tomorrow,” MBRCLD continues to empower Emiratis with the leadership tools to shape the UAE’s future.
This pioneering programme is crafted to nurture a new generation of Emirati leaders equipped to spearhead innovation in financial institutions across Dubai, the UAE, and globally. It supports Dubai’s goal of solidifying its status as a leading international financial hub. The curriculum is designed to boost participants’ expertise in financial services while fostering leadership abilities and entrepreneurial thinking.
Targeting UAE nationals aged 25 to 35 with five to ten years of work experience—especially in finance—the programme combines top-tier executive education with exclusive networking opportunities involving industry innovators and C-suite executives.
Participants were selected through a rigorous process assessing leadership and financial acumen, educational achievements, strategic project management experience, and a clear ambition for success. The first cohort represents 16 organisations, including Emirates NBD, Dubai Police, the Securities and Commodities Authority, Mastercard, Mashreq Bank, and others.
The programme began with an Orientation Day at Emirates Towers, featuring a high-level roundtable to inspire participants. The cohort has since completed executive training at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, focusing on FinTech, AI transformation in finance, ethics, compliance, digital finance, and future-ready leadership.
Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, noted that this initiative aligns with DIFC’s mission to shape Dubai’s global financial leadership, while Saeed Al Eter, Director-General of The Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, emphasized that the programme reflects the Ruler’s vision of empowering Emirati talent to lead in financial innovation.
In June 2025, participants will undergo job shadowing at leading financial institutions and innovation firms within DIFC. This will be followed by a week-long executive trek to Silicon Valley, where they will visit top tech firms and engage with senior executives to explore cutting-edge innovation and build international networks.
The programme culminates in a capstone project presentation showcasing real-world impact, and a graduation ceremony at the 2025 Mohammed Bin Rashid Leaders Forum at the Dubai World Trade Centre, under the patronage of MBRCLD.
Throughout the journey, participants receive guidance from a distinguished panel of mentors, including senior executives and thought leaders such as Faisal Belhoul, Dr. Tariq bin Hendi, Shamsa Al Falasi, Noor Sweid, and others. These mentors provide valuable industry insights, executive-level knowledge, and decision-making support.
MBRCLD, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, has developed over 850 Emirati leaders who now hold key roles in government and the private sector, including ministers and directors-general. Through its mission to “Create Leaders for Tomorrow,” MBRCLD continues to empower Emiratis with the leadership tools to shape the UAE’s future.