Dubai Business Associates opens applications process for 11th year

Dubai Business Associates, a fully funded, nine-month program for graduates, has opened the recruitment process for its 11th cohort.

Established in 2014, the future leaders program hosts graduates from around the world for nine months in Dubai, taking associates on a holistic and immersive learning journey that bridges the gap between academia and professional life. Graduates from any country can apply for the program, however, the competition is intense: last year more than 5,400 applications were received for just about 30 positions.

The next edition of the program commences in September 2025, with the first round of applications to close on the 31 January 2025. 

Director of Dubai Business Associates, Rami Tawfiq, said: “We look forward to welcoming the next generation of leaders as part of Dubai Business Associates’ eleventh cohort. We continue to attract the brightest graduates from around the world and offer an unrivalled platform for success in their professional lives post-graduation.”

The program blends practical business fundamentals, work placements, management consulting training, coaching, industry networking, and personal development, with the aim to help graduates build the skills they need to kickstart their career in business. According to analysis conducted on the paths of alumni, a large crop of those who graduate end up landing a job at leading consulting firms, banks or corporates.

Dubai Business Associates is delivered in collaboration with its long-standing partners PwC, Capadev, and Bon Education. “We’ve worked closely with our learning and professional partners to curate a programme that is innovative, practical, and unique, and we are excited to see the impact that these new Associates will have on ‘real world’ projects across the Dubai economic landscape,” Tawfiq said.

Consulting projects

A core feature of the programme is a three-month work placement and consulting project with leading organisations in Dubai, such as the Emirates Group, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), DP World, Dubai Holding, and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

Over the course of a decade, Dubai Business Associates has successfully delivered 84 consulting projects for more than 30 leading entities across Dubai, spanning both the private and public sectors.

These consulting projects have included attracting new sources of investment into the financial services industry, growing new brands within the tourism and hospitality sectors, championing clean energy for a leading air services company, and boosting government service efficiency with blockchain technology.