Dubai Business Associates Celebrates 10 Years of Developing Future Leaders - Middle East Business News and Information
Dubai's world leading graduate talent programme with just a 0.5% acceptance rate, celebrates its 10th year
278 Associates from 44 different countries have successfully completed the future global leader's programme
Associates have delivered 84 strategic projects for partner organisations, saving $27M in consulting fees alone
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the world-leading graduate talent programme, Dubai Business Associates (DBA), this week celebrated its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of developing future global leaders and global ambassadors for Dubai.
As part of the celebrations, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed met with alumni of the programme and said that 'investing in human capital is essential to building a creative, innovation-driven economy, with the goal of empowering future entrepreneurs to transform ideas into impactful projects that address future challenges and benefit society.'
Sheikh Mohammed expressed his delight in meeting graduates of the programme hailing from the UAE and around the world, encouraging them to harness the knowledge and entrepreneurial skills they acquired to shape a future built on knowledge, driven by innovation, and dedicated to improving quality of life.
The anniversary was commemorated with a landmark event at the iconic One&Only One Za'abeel, attended by members of the UAE and Dubai leadership, senior government officials, diplomats, C-suite executives, strategic partners, and more than 100 DBA alumni from around the world.
Among the distinguished guests was His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, who took to the stage to present Partner Appreciation Awards to a selection of key Dubai organisations in recognition of their outstanding contributions and continued support of the DBA programme over the past ten years.
Awards were presented to Learning Partners: PwC Academy, Capadev, and Bon Education; and Strategic Partners: Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), dnata, and Emirates—for their continued commitment to developing young global talent.
Director of Dubai Business Associates, Rami Tawfiq, said: 'Celebrating DBA's 10-year anniversary is a chance to reflect on the impact we've made and look ahead to an even more ambitious future.
We aim to expand our reach to 200 markets, welcome new partners, and continue developing the next generation of global leaders with our innovative and practical approach to professional development.'
Renowned as one of the world's most competitive business and education programmes, DBA receives over 5,500 applications annually from both international and UAE-based graduates. The programme is managed by Falcon and Associates, a Dubai-based entity specialising in marketing, communications, events and innovation, which was established in 2009.
The nine-month course blends academic learning with business placements, industry networking, coaching, and cultural immersion. Its tenth edition welcomed 36 participants from 22 countries, including nine Emiratis, for a nine-month training programme. Associates work on real-world consulting projects with leading Dubai-based organisations including Emirates, DIFC, dnata, DP World, and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
Since its inception in 2014, the programme has attracted 278 associates from 44 countries, including 56 UAE nationals. Furthermore, over 140 work placements have been completed, in partnership with over 30 of Dubai's leading companies. Added to that, 84 consulting projects with a saving of over $27 million in consultancy fees alone, have been delivered, providing myriad benefits for Dubai's wider business ecosystem. In addition, over 30% of applicants come from QS Top 10 global universities.
DBA's academic and professional excellence is ensured by leading learning partners including PwC's Academy, Capadev, and Bon Education, who support the curriculum with world-class training and development to prepare Associates for their professional careers.
Voices of Impact
During the event, CNN anchor Becky Anderson hosted an on-stage discussion with five DBA alumni about the experiences and opportunities this exclusive programme has given them. Speakers included: Majed Bin Thaneya, Youth Leadership Council Member & Talent Partner, Emirates (UAE)
Raymond Zhu, CEO, Dhow Holding (China)
Jodi Cullity, Founder, Eleveno (USA)
Ksenia Trubacheva, Business Analyst, McKinsey (Russia)
Mahrukh Shahid, Managing Partner, Globesight (Pakistan)
Tech entrepreneur Raymond Zhu, who launched MENA's first live shopping platform, Wing Go, credited his DBA placements at the Prime Minister's Office and Dubai Technology Entrepreneurship Centre with providing the skills, experience, and network to succeed.
The DBA programme is unique in its approach to developing future global business leaders and reflects Dubai's position as a hub for talent, innovation, and enterprise,' said Zhu.
'As a graduate, the opportunity to work on real-world projects with top organisations provided the perfect foundation for my career.'
Jodi Cullity, who worked as a strategy consultant for Expo 2020 Dubai, shared how her DBA journey led to working with First Lady Jill Biden at the White House and launching ELEVENO Pickleball.
With a unique blend of cultural immersion, strategic training, and real-world experience, DBA continues to serve as a global launchpad for exceptional talent, while creating Dubai ambassadors around the world. As Dubai cements its position as a leading hub for innovation, opportunity, and enterprise, Dubai Business Associates remains committed to developing the next generation of future global leaders—equipped with the mindset, skills, and ambition to create lasting impact.
Interview Profile: Jodi Cullity (US)
From: Boston, Massachusetts
Education: Shanghai University, International Business and Chinese, 2025
University of Maryland, 2013 – 2016
Experience since DBA Founder and CEO, ELEVENO Pickleball, October 2022 – present
Advance Associate, The White House, March 2016 – present
Protocol Manager, USA Expo 2020, June 2021 – June 2022
Executive Director, Libreum Research Institute, October 2019 – September 2021
Strategy Consultant, Expo 2020 Dubai, October 2018 – July 2019
Consultant, PwC's Academy Middle East, September 2018 – June 2019
Strategy Consultant, Dubai Business Associates, September 2018 – July 2019
Quote: 'DBA provided an optimal balance of hands-on, professional business experience with innovative learning modules that gave me the foundation to succeed in my professional career. I couldn't recommend it enough to aspiring global graduates.'
'And Dubai really is the perfect environment to undertake such a programme. It's a dynamic and forward-thinking city, with unrivalled networking opportunities with like-minded, ambitious individuals.'
Interview profile: Leya Ali (UK)
From: London, England
Education: University of Cambridge, Master of Philosophy, Planning, Growth & Regeneration
Goldsmiths, University of London, Undergraduate Economics
Experience since DBA: Business Development (M&A), dnata, Dubai
Quote: 'The overall DBA experience has not just been about the hard and soft skills you learn in relation to all things 'professional' and 'work'. We were a cohort consisting of almost 20 nationalities, with entirely varied backgrounds and past experiences where there was so much openness about learning each other's culture, religion and stories.'
'DBA really is the place for learning and if you have the quench to study and work really hard in order to grow your skills, experience and business acumen during a small timescale, DBA is for you.'
Interview profile: Raymond Zhu
From: China
Education: Tsinghua University, Research Assistant, Machine Learning
Zi'an Jiaotong University, Bachelor of Science (Engineering), Software Engineering
Experience since DBA: Founder & CEO Dhow Hlding,
Founder & CEO, ZENO,
Co-Founder, Zehn Technologies Group,
CTO, TRADE X
Co-Founder, Machine Colony
Emirates Airline, Data Scientist
Quote: 'Dubai Business Associates is truly a unique programme for entrepreneurs. I was fortune enough to work on major consulting projects including the largest tech incubator in the Middle East, and on the initial model of the first Global Blockchain Council at the Prime Minister's Office.'
'I couldn't recommend the course highly enough. DBA and its key learning and professional partners continue to remain at the cutting edge of graduate education, which is greatly enhanced by its cultural components.'
About the Dubai Business Associates programme:
Run under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Business Associate programme offers outstanding and ambitious graduates from all around the world an unrivalled opportunity to study and work in Dubai, with a dynamic and multicultural hub for global commerce, to develop as future global leaders.
Through a practical, project-based learning approach, Dubai Business Associates facilitates the transition from talented young graduates to future global leaders with highly sought-after skills, thereby serving as a bridge between university and the world of work.
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