Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East
- Dates: 25 FEB–13 DEC 2024
- Format: In-Person Learning takes place on the HBS campus or a designated location.
- Locations: HBS Campus, United Arab Emirates
- Fee: $75,000 USD plus Value-Added Tax (VAT)
- 25 FEB–01 MAR 2024 — Module 1 (HBS Campus)
- 19–31 MAY 2024 — Module 2 (Taj Dubai, Dubai, UAE)
- 15–27 SEP 2024 — Module 3 (Taj Dubai, Dubai, UAE)
- 02–13 DEC 2024 — Module 4 (HBS Campus)
- 25 FEB–01 MAR 2024 — Module 1 (HBS Campus)
- 19–31 MAY 2024 — Module 2 (Taj Dubai, Dubai, UAE)
- 15–27 SEP 2024 — Module 3 (Taj Dubai, Dubai, UAE)
- 02–13 DEC 2024 — Module 4 (HBS Campus)

"This program has helped me truly understand the fundamentals of what it means to be a senior executive."
Summary
Change is everywhere in the Middle East today, as many countries seek to diversify their economies and encourage new industries. The region's complex business environment includes distinct political and economic conditions in each country—and an uncertain global economy. That's why businesses seeking the best opportunities for growth in the region need exceptional leaders—executives who are bold decision-makers, global thinkers, and skilled strategists.
Taught in a series of modules offered in Boston and Dubai, this business management program will help you become a stronger leader who can deliver value in a global context, drive new levels of innovation, and build accountable, high-performance organizations.
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Summary
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Change is everywhere in the Middle East today, as many countries seek to diversify their economies and encourage new industries. The region's complex business environment includes distinct political and economic conditions in each country—and an uncertain global economy. That's why businesses seeking the best opportunities for growth in the region need exceptional leaders—executives who are bold decision-makers, global thinkers, and skilled strategists.
Taught in a series of modules offered in Boston and Dubai, this business management program will help you become a stronger leader who can deliver value in a global context, drive new levels of innovation, and build accountable, high-performance organizations.
Key Benefits
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Think strategically, seize growth opportunities, and compete successfully, regionally and globally -
Foster the innovations that will improve your organization's ability to deliver value to customers -
Lead authentically and ethically at all levels and foster a culture of accountability across the organization -
Build confidence in yourself as a leader, decision-maker, and negotiator -
Develop enduring bonds with accomplished peers who span functions, industries, and countries -
Take advantage of resources for lifelong learning as a member of the global HBS alumni community
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Think strategically, seize growth opportunities, and compete successfully, regionally and globally -
Foster the innovations that will improve your organization's ability to deliver value to customers -
Lead authentically and ethically at all levels and foster a culture of accountability across the organization -
Build confidence in yourself as a leader, decision-maker, and negotiator -
Develop enduring bonds with accomplished peers who span functions, industries, and countries -
Take advantage of resources for lifelong learning as a member of the global HBS alumni community
Who Should Attend
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Large, established companies, either private or state-owned -
Entrepreneurial ventures—either new companies or new ventures within established companies -
Growing family businesses -
Multinational firms with an increased presence in the Middle East -
Nonprofit organizations -
Government agencies, especially those working closely with the private sector
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Large, established companies, either private or state-owned -
Entrepreneurial ventures—either new companies or new ventures within established companies -
Growing family businesses -
Multinational firms with an increased presence in the Middle East -
Nonprofit organizations -
Government agencies, especially those working closely with the private sector
An Exceptional Learning Experience
Alumni Status and Lifelong Learning
Upon completing the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East, you will become a lifetime member of the HBS alumni community—gaining exclusive access to our vast global alumni network and an array of resources that facilitate lifelong learning, growth, and success. Learn more.
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Alumni Status and Lifelong Learning
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Upon completing the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East, you will become a lifetime member of the HBS alumni community—gaining exclusive access to our vast global alumni network and an array of resources that facilitate lifelong learning, growth, and success. Learn more.
Admissions Criteria and Process
The Application Process
To apply, you will submit:
- The application, telling us about your experience, your organization, and your current responsibilities, goals, and challenges
- A letter of reference from someone familiar with your work
Answering Your Questions
Letter of Reference
Application Submission
English Proficiency
Learning Commitment
Application Review
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
The Application Process
To apply, you will submit:
- The application, telling us about your experience, your organization, and your current responsibilities, goals, and challenges
- A letter of reference from someone familiar with your work
Answering Your Questions
Letter of Reference
Application Submission
English Proficiency
Learning Commitment
Application Review
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
What You Will Learn
The innovative and comprehensive curriculum of the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East focuses on the challenges of greatest concern to corporate leaders today—across the Middle East and the globe. Requiring just seven weeks away from the office, the unique format maximizes learning and the development of a global perspective, while minimizing consecutive days away from home and work.
Four intensive learning modules—two in Boston and two in Dubai—include faculty presentations, case discussions, guest speakers, personal coaching, and skill-building exercises. You will examine the practices of successful business leaders around the world and assess your own leadership approach. Between modules, you will work on an an individual Value Mapping Strategy Project and sharpen your leadership skills. As you try out new approaches in your workplace, you will reflect on your experience, receive feedback from your boss and colleagues, and bring new insights back to the classroom.
Participants should expect to spend approximately 45-50 hours on self-paced case preparation prior to attending Module 1 of the program. Case materials will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.
-
What You Will Learn
-
The innovative and comprehensive curriculum of the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East focuses on the challenges of greatest concern to corporate leaders today—across the Middle East and the globe. Requiring just seven weeks away from the office, the unique format maximizes learning and the development of a global perspective, while minimizing consecutive days away from home and work.
Four intensive learning modules—two in Boston and two in Dubai—include faculty presentations, case discussions, guest speakers, personal coaching, and skill-building exercises. You will examine the practices of successful business leaders around the world and assess your own leadership approach. Between modules, you will work on an an individual Value Mapping Strategy Project and sharpen your leadership skills. As you try out new approaches in your workplace, you will reflect on your experience, receive feedback from your boss and colleagues, and bring new insights back to the classroom.
Participants should expect to spend approximately 45-50 hours on self-paced case preparation prior to attending Module 1 of the program. Case materials will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.
Key TopicsExpand AllCollapse All
LeadershipLeadership
- Leading teams and managing talent
- Driving organizational change
- Becoming a more effective negotiator
- Managing corporate finance
- Leading an accountable organization
InnovationInnovation
- Developing a more innovative organization
- Understanding and promoting design thinking
- Leveraging digital technologies
- Becoming an entrepreneurial leader
GlobalizationGlobalization
- Understanding the global economy
- Building businesses in emerging markets
- Expanding your global perspective
Imperatives for today's organizations and leadersImperatives for today's organizations and leaders
Expand your ability to think entrepreneurially about your company and its offerings in the context of the local, regional, and global business environment. Diving deeply into the case method of learning, you will open yourself to new insights as you work individually, in small groups, and in the larger classroom.
- Explore the dynamics of the global economy and globalization
- Recognize the opportunities and challenges created by the interactions among business, government, and the international economy
- Identify, evaluate, and select high-potential opportunities in developed or emerging markets
- Use a detailed questionnaire as the basis for starting work with your personal coach
Creating innovative, high-performance organizationCreating innovative, high-performance organization
Rejoining HBS faculty and peers, you will expand your ability to evolve an organization that can innovate continuously—in products, services, organizational structures, and business processes. You will develop new ways to sustain exceptional performance and deliver more value to stakeholders.
- Nurture an experimentation mindset and a culture of innovation
- Embrace the strategic and tactical opportunities presented by new technologies and trends
- Create corporate value by strengthening financial management
- Translate corporate mission and business strategy into a comprehensive set of performance targets and measures
- Improve management-board relationships while strengthening governance, accountability, and risk management
Creating customer value and strategic advantageCreating customer value and strategic advantage
You will explore how companies build competitive advantage by focusing on specific markets and delivering what customers truly value. Examining how the rise of digital technology has generated both obstacles and opportunities, you will continue to find new ways to create value for customers—and for your business.
- Design and execute sound competitive strategies and growth plans
- Foster a culture of customer centricity
- Develop service excellence as a competitive advantage
- Update your brand strategy
- Determine your company's ideal size—and whether to operate locally, regionally, or globally
- Maximize the value of partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions
Becoming a transformational leaderBecoming a transformational leader
You will refine your personal leadership strategies, continue to explore opportunities created by ongoing digital innovation, evaluate your leadership journey over the past several months, and prepare to continue developing yourself and your organization.
- Invest in and empower the people who will enable your organization to succeed
- Recognize and exploit disruptive opportunities
- Drive the changes that align your organization to achieve strategic goals
- Adapt your leadership style to the needs of your team and your organization
- Negotiate more effectively—in routine situations and in high-stakes deals on which your company's future depends
Strategy
- Practicing strategic thinking
- Building strategic advantage through service and operational excellence
- Creating customer value and building brands
- Designing and executing growth strategies
- Driving corporate performance
Leadership
- Leading teams and managing talent
- Driving organizational change
- Becoming a more effective negotiator
- Managing corporate finance
- Leading an accountable organization
Innovation
- Developing a more innovative organization
- Understanding and promoting design thinking
- Leveraging digital technologies
- Becoming an entrepreneurial leader
Globalization
- Understanding the global economy
- Building businesses in emerging markets
- Expanding your global perspective
Imperatives for today's organizations and leaders
Expand your ability to think entrepreneurially about your company and its offerings in the context of the local, regional, and global business environment. Diving deeply into the case method of learning, you will open yourself to new insights as you work individually, in small groups, and in the larger classroom.
- Explore the dynamics of the global economy and globalization
- Recognize the opportunities and challenges created by the interactions among business, government, and the international economy
- Identify, evaluate, and select high-potential opportunities in developed or emerging markets
- Use a detailed questionnaire as the basis for starting work with your personal coach
Creating innovative, high-performance organization
Rejoining HBS faculty and peers, you will expand your ability to evolve an organization that can innovate continuously—in products, services, organizational structures, and business processes. You will develop new ways to sustain exceptional performance and deliver more value to stakeholders.
- Nurture an experimentation mindset and a culture of innovation
- Embrace the strategic and tactical opportunities presented by new technologies and trends
- Create corporate value by strengthening financial management
- Translate corporate mission and business strategy into a comprehensive set of performance targets and measures
- Improve management-board relationships while strengthening governance, accountability, and risk management
Creating customer value and strategic advantage
You will explore how companies build competitive advantage by focusing on specific markets and delivering what customers truly value. Examining how the rise of digital technology has generated both obstacles and opportunities, you will continue to find new ways to create value for customers—and for your business.
- Design and execute sound competitive strategies and growth plans
- Foster a culture of customer centricity
- Develop service excellence as a competitive advantage
- Update your brand strategy
- Determine your company's ideal size—and whether to operate locally, regionally, or globally
- Maximize the value of partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions
Becoming a transformational leader
You will refine your personal leadership strategies, continue to explore opportunities created by ongoing digital innovation, evaluate your leadership journey over the past several months, and prepare to continue developing yourself and your organization.
- Invest in and empower the people who will enable your organization to succeed
- Recognize and exploit disruptive opportunities
- Drive the changes that align your organization to achieve strategic goals
- Adapt your leadership style to the needs of your team and your organization
- Negotiate more effectively—in routine situations and in high-stakes deals on which your company's future depends
Special Program FeaturesExpand AllCollapse All
Living/learning group workLiving/learning group work
A four-module program creates the opportunity to build close, trusting relationships with a small, diverse group of peer executives who can understand your challenges—but are not part of your organization. Throughout the program, you will work with a small group of peers who will stimulate your learning as you:
- Absorb global insights by working with executives from different countries, cultures, and professional backgrounds
- Share diverse perspectives as you discuss cases and assignments
- Complete small group exercises and projects as a team
- Give and receive feedback and advice—personal and professional—in a safe environment
While on the HBS campus in Boston, you will share living quarters with your living group, forging relationships that serve as a valuable source of peer feedback, support, and advice.
360-degree feedback assessment360-degree feedback assessment
Through a customized 360-degree assessment of your current skills, you will examine your leadership and management strengths and identify areas for improvement.
Professional coachingProfessional coaching
Each living group works with a professional coach to optimize group dynamics and maximize the value of the group learning experience. In addition, your coach will work with you one-on-one to help you develop a personal leadership style that works for you.
Using the 360-degree feedback assessment tool as a starting point, your personal coach will work closely with you to identify your strengths, target areas for improvement, and help you develop a personal action plan for ongoing development. All coaching sessions are strictly confidential, giving you the freedom to share your personal goals and professional challenges.
Value Mapping Strategy ProjectValue Mapping Strategy Project
Throughout the program, you will work on an individual Value Mapping Strategy Project that addresses a strategic challenge facing your organization. In the process, you will:
- Utilize a powerful framework for analyzing the value of your offering or business line, considering value from the customer's perspective
- Compare your own offering with those of competitors
- Refine your competitive strategy and develop a short presentation based on feedback from faculty, peers, and your personal coach
- Share your Value Mapping Strategy with your organization and team, and develop an action plan for driving the changes that will improve value and sustain success
Living/learning group work
A four-module program creates the opportunity to build close, trusting relationships with a small, diverse group of peer executives who can understand your challenges—but are not part of your organization. Throughout the program, you will work with a small group of peers who will stimulate your learning as you:
- Absorb global insights by working with executives from different countries, cultures, and professional backgrounds
- Share diverse perspectives as you discuss cases and assignments
- Complete small group exercises and projects as a team
- Give and receive feedback and advice—personal and professional—in a safe environment
While on the HBS campus in Boston, you will share living quarters with your living group, forging relationships that serve as a valuable source of peer feedback, support, and advice.
360-degree feedback assessment
Through a customized 360-degree assessment of your current skills, you will examine your leadership and management strengths and identify areas for improvement.
Professional coaching
Each living group works with a professional coach to optimize group dynamics and maximize the value of the group learning experience. In addition, your coach will work with you one-on-one to help you develop a personal leadership style that works for you.
Using the 360-degree feedback assessment tool as a starting point, your personal coach will work closely with you to identify your strengths, target areas for improvement, and help you develop a personal action plan for ongoing development. All coaching sessions are strictly confidential, giving you the freedom to share your personal goals and professional challenges.
Value Mapping Strategy Project
Throughout the program, you will work on an individual Value Mapping Strategy Project that addresses a strategic challenge facing your organization. In the process, you will:
- Utilize a powerful framework for analyzing the value of your offering or business line, considering value from the customer's perspective
- Compare your own offering with those of competitors
- Refine your competitive strategy and develop a short presentation based on feedback from faculty, peers, and your personal coach
- Share your Value Mapping Strategy with your organization and team, and develop an action plan for driving the changes that will improve value and sustain success
The HBS Advantage
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East is developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Dwight P. Robinson, Jr. Professor of Business Administration
Assistant Professor of Business Administration; Hellman Faculty Fellow
André R. Jakurski Professor of Business Administration
Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration
Professor of Business Administration, Joseph L. Rice, III Faculty Fellow
Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
Andreas Andresen Professor of Business Administration
Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration
Gordon Donaldson Professor of Business Administration
MBA Class of 1952 Professor of Business Administration
William Barclay Harding Professor of Business Administration
Baker Foundation Professor, Paul R. Lawrence MBA Class of 1942 Professor of Business Administration
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The HBS Advantage
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The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East is developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Faculty ChairFacultyDwight P. Robinson, Jr. Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Accounting and ManagementAssistant Professor of Business Administration; Hellman Faculty Fellow
HBS Unit:Business, Government and the International EconomyAndré R. Jakurski Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:FinanceWallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Organizational BehaviorProfessor of Business Administration, Joseph L. Rice, III Faculty Fellow
HBS Unit:General ManagementSenior Lecturer of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Negotiation, Organizations & MarketsAndreas Andresen Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:StrategyRoss Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration
HBS Units:Accounting and ManagementGeneral ManagementGordon Donaldson Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Negotiation, Organizations & MarketsMBA Class of 1952 Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Business, Government and the International EconomyWilliam Barclay Harding Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Technology and Operations ManagementBaker Foundation Professor, Paul R. Lawrence MBA Class of 1942 Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Organizational Behavior
Your Peers Expand Your Learning
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Your Peers Expand Your Learning
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Global PerspectiveExperience the world in your classroom.