Dubai: H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, attended the graduation of the second cohort of the Lead & Design Programme.

An initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the Lead & Design Programme aims to empower national talent with future-focused design skills and equip them with the necessary tools of creative leadership rooted in design thinking methodologies that center on meeting community needs and aspirations to develop innovative solutions.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan affirmed that Dubai views its youth as an integral part of all efforts to shape the emirate’s future, emphasising the importance of equipping them with design thinking skills and fostering creativity to develop innovative, human-centered services within their respective entities.

He said, “Developing national talent will continue to be one of our most important strategic priorities in shaping the future of Dubai and the UAE. We are determined to ensure that Dubai remains one of the world’s most future-ready cities – driven by its creative talent, design-thinking mindset, and forward-looking leadership.”

He added, “Design thinking is an innovative and vital approach to addressing challenges and improving services. We expect participants in the Lead & Design Program to make notable contributions to their teams and their entities, enhance their future readiness by identifying promising opportunities, and apply future-focused skills to projects and services that place people first.”

The graduation event was attended by Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation and Managing Director of DFF; Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Deputy Managing Director of DFF; Helal Al Marri, Director-General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and Board Member of the DFF; and Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the DFF.

The second cohort of the Lead & Design Programme included 38 participants from the UAE’s public and private sectors. Over 14 weeks, they participated in interactive workshops and field visits locally and abroad, in addition to lectures on design thinking and leadership development.

The Programme introduced participants to a wide range of design thinking tools and skills and explained how to apply them in the context of future strategies. Subject matter experts and specialists in design thinking guided participants through future scenarios, providing insights and hands-on experience.

The Programme comprised multiple training phases focusing on understanding societal challenges while prototyping innovative solutions. It culminated with participants presenting their projects, which included solutions for improving government services, quality of life, the environment, and education, as well as empowering People of Determination.