Aldar's LEAD program aims to boost Emiratisation in the UAE

The program aims to inspire a new generation of leaders by developing UAE nationals in various management skills and help raise the native component in the private and public sector workforce in the UAE.

The inaugural Leadership Lecture is to be held on the 23rd of April at the Rotana Hotel and Towers in Abu Dhabi, and will be presented by two internationally acclaimed professors of management: Gary Hamel and Julian Birkinshaw.

Abdullah Zamzam, Chief Corporate Support Officer, Aldar Properties comments:

"This program will expose participants to international best practices in management and develop them for competitive positions in the UAE workforce. At a time when UAE nationals account for a low percentage of the UAE labour market, the LEAD program stands out as a highly effective approach to boosting emiratisation." Young UAE nationals have the ambition and the responsibility to play a part in shaping their country and its future. The Leadership Lecture can provide the right direction and management skills to take on this duty. We look forward to welcoming Gary Hamel and Julian Birkinshaw to Abu Dhabi to deliver insight to the participants on effective management skills".

Julian Birkinshaw commented, "It is an exciting prospect to be taking part in the forthcoming Leadership Lecture in Abu Dhabi. The emirate itself offers a perspective on innovation and competitiveness. It has made great strides forward in the Middle East, not just by being an attractive place for foreign investment and by investing in human capital, but also by proactively developing its infrastructure in novel and far-sighted ways. One of the things I am looking to get out of my upcoming visit to Abu Dhabi is to get a better understanding of the institutional innovations that have helped the emirate to become a success".

Gary Hamel is on the faculty of the London Business School, and has been heralded by The Journal of Business Strategy as one of the 20th Century's most influential business thinkers. He has authored 15 different articles for the Harvard Business Review.

Julian Birkinshaw is a Professor of strategic management at London Business School.

He has written a book on management entitled Giant Steps in Management which tracks some of the key leaps forward that companies have made over the last 150 years using basic innovations in capital budgeting, divisionalisation, employee motivation, and brand management that has allowed certain companies to generate a lasting competitive advantage.

"We are looking forward to this inaugural Leadership Lecture as the knowledge presented to the students will be a valuable asset to them as they pursue their career goals. Having globally acclaimed speakers in Abu Dhabi delivering current, competitive insight into management and business is a great opportunity for our students to benefit from this program and this lecture allowing them to excel in their future endeavours," commented Stuart McClean, Senior LEAD Program Manager.

Aldar has launched the LEAD program in partnership with Cambridge University and Knowledge Horizon.

The initiative has won the sponsorship support of such leading Abu Dhabi institutions as Al Fahim, the General Secretariat of the Executive Council, Dolphin Energy, the Environment Agency- Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, all of which share the vision for UAE nationals to become leaders in their fields in the UAE.