2024 class of Dubai Business Associates celebrates graduation

Members of the 2024 class of Dubai Business Associates (DBA) have celebrated their graduation from one of the most competitive training programmes around – and are now ready to embark on the next chapter in their professional career.

In September last year, a total of 36 young professionals from 20 different countries were selected to take part in the nine-month DBA programme.

Notably, they were selected out of a pool of 12,500 graduates who sent in their application, with the lucky few coming from countries such as Brazil, France, Poland, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe. Among them were around ten Emiratis.

During the programme, the associates were walked through a comprehensive learning curriculum, spanning topics such as management, business theory, interpersonal skills, and advanced consulting. Training courses were delivered in collaboration with learning partners including PwC, CAPADEV, and Bon Education.

Alongside their classroom learning, the associates simultaneously gained real-world experience by delivering consulting projects at major organizations in Dubai, such as Emirates Airline, Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), Expo City Dubai, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Future Foundation (DFF).

Commenting on the successful closing of the 2024 programme, James Maughan, Director of Dubai Business Associates, said: “We congratulate our graduates on their remarkable achievements and look forward to witnessing their continued success as they embark on their professional journeys. I am especially proud of this cohort’s achievements and am confident that they will continue to excel as ambassadors of Dubai’s dynamic business landscape.”

Meanwhile, the next cohort of associates are already being lined up to kickstart the next edition coming September. Maughan said that the tenth edition of Dubai Business Associates received applications from 166 countries.

Operated under the patronage of the Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Business Associates is fully funded by Dubai’s government, which in part explains why the programme receives so much interest from graduates and media around the world.