The six-month course will take 20 Emiratis aged 25 to 35, with applications and selection scheduled for late 2026. Organisers have not named individual placement slots at global firms.
Applicants will need five to 10 years of professional experience, including time in the financial sector, as well as strong academic qualifications. The six-month course is open to UAE nationals aged 25 to 35.
The second cohort is intended to prepare Emiratis for leadership roles at financial institutions in Dubai. Organisers also see graduates taking roles elsewhere in the UAE or internationally. Registration and candidate selection are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development (MBRCLD), Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Emirates NBD Group signed the agreement on 14 October 2026, according to the Dubai Media Office.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, witnessed the signing. Saeed Al Eter, director general of the Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was a signatory. The other signatories were Essa Kazim, governor of DIFC, and Hisham Abdullah Al Qassim, vice chairman and managing director of Emirates NBD Group.
The programme aims to develop Emirati leaders who can drive innovation at financial institutions in Dubai. Its ambitions also extend to the UAE and international markets.
Selection will test candidates' financial and leadership capabilities. Applicants are expected to have led a team or managed a strategic project. They must also show leadership qualities and the motivation to progress professionally.
The course combines executive education with practical work and direct contact with senior executives. Participants will also meet innovators. The curriculum covers investment and finance. It addresses risk management and financial regulation, then turns to institutional innovation and the future of banking.
Participants will study artificial intelligence and blockchain. The programme also covers fintech and cryptocurrencies. A specialist media course is intended to sharpen communication skills and prepare participants to address different platforms and audiences.
Organisers plan visits to leading fintech and cryptocurrency companies. Participants will examine the technologies used there, along with the companies' solutions and business models. An international study trip is also planned, including visits to global financial institutions. Participants are due to meet leaders in finance. Separate meetings will focus on people working in technology and innovation.
Specialists will mentor participants in investment and finance. Risk management is another area of the mentoring programme. The organisers also aim to arrange professional placements and work-shadowing at major financial companies, including JPMorgan and Visa. Mastercard and Goldman Sachs are also named. The opportunities are intended to give participants first-hand exposure to international workplaces and decision-making. Individual placements have not been announced.
The programme is part of Dubai's wider effort to develop Emirati talent. A separate initiative focused on students and graduates at the Dubai career expo. This course is aimed at professionals with several years of experience.
The agreement was signed during the annual Mohammed bin Rashid Leaders Forum. About 1,000 leaders from Dubai's public and private sectors attended to discuss the future of management and leadership. Sheikh Ahmed said the programme supports the development of national talent for leadership in finance. He also linked it to Dubai's position as a global financial centre and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
The second cohort is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2027, with courses and activities due to finish by that summer. A graduation ceremony is planned for September 2027 at Dubai World Trade Centre, during the Mohammed bin Rashid Leaders Forum.
The financial course is one part of MBRCLD's wider leadership development work. On 14 October 2026, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, attended the graduation of the 2025-2026 MBR Leadership Development Program cohort. It comprised 30 participants from 15 sectors. They came from government and semi-government entities. Others represented the private sector or entrepreneurship.
Over nine months, participants engaged with more than 70 experts. They also worked with 15 strategic partners. The programme involved 31 Emirati leaders, according to the Dubai Media Office announcement.
