Dubai Municipality celebrated the graduation of a cohort from its 'Future Leaders' programme, one of its strategic initiatives aimed at preparing and empowering second- and third-tier leaders, strengthening their readiness to drive institutional transformation, and contributing to the achievement of Dubai's future targets — in line with the emirate's vision of building world-leading government institutions.
The graduation ceremony was attended by His Excellency Saeed Al Atar, Director General of the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Excellency Engineer Marwan Ahmed bin Ghulaita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, alongside a select group of the municipality's leadership from various sectors and entities. The programme ran over six months.
It comprised specialised training and applied tracks focused on developing leadership competencies across the areas of leadership and influence, building effective teams, strategic communication, project management, systems thinking, crisis management, and decision-making, in addition to innovative entrepreneurship and institutional transformation.
This falls within Dubai Municipality's commitment to investing in human capital, developing leaders capable of keeping pace with change and anticipating future opportunities, and enhancing the efficiency of government work.
His Excellency Engineer Marwan Ahmed bin Ghulaita affirmed that investing in the development of national leadership represents a fundamental pillar for sustaining institutional excellence and ensuring that government entities are ready to meet the demands of the future.
He noted that the 'Future Leaders' programme embodies the municipality's commitment to building a cadre of leaders who possess the vision and skills required to drive institutional transformation and create a positive impact that supports Dubai's journey towards global leadership.
He added that the municipality takes pride in graduating an elite group of promising leaders who demonstrated, throughout the programme, an advanced level of readiness, commitment, and ambition — qualities that reinforce the sustainability of institutional performance and align with the emirate's future aspirations.
For his part, Sayed Ismail Al Hashimi, Acting Executive Director of the Corporate Support Services Sector at the municipality, said the programme reflects the municipality's commitment to developing a sustainable leadership ecosystem grounded in capacity building, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and linking leadership development to actual operational needs.
He explained that it was designed to combine knowledge with practical application, enabling participants to gain hands-on experience that contributes to improving performance, raising the efficiency of work teams, and enhancing the ability to lead institutional initiatives with competence and effectiveness.
The programme was distinguished by its integration of academic and applied elements through a comprehensive training system that included interactive workshops and specialised discussions. Participants also designed and developed developmental projects addressing real challenges linked to the work environment, contributing to service development, improving institutional performance, and generating added value in support of Dubai Municipality's strategic objectives.
The graduation ceremony was hosted by 'Saeed', Dubai Municipality's first AI-powered virtual media spokesperson, who served as master of ceremonies in his capacity as the municipality's official digital face — a step that embodies its orientation towards employing the latest artificial intelligence and smart government communication technologies, and reinforces Dubai's leadership in innovation and digital transformation.