Ajman University, in partnership with Al Tamimi & Company, convened a high-level Executive Education Symposium that brought together more than 200 CEOs, board members, and senior decision-makers from across banking, investment, multinational enterprises, and government-linked institutions.
The closed-door forum examined how executive capability must evolve as organizations confront accelerating economic transformation, heightened uncertainty, and decision environments that increasingly demand judgment beyond precedent. Discussions centered on adaptability, decision-making under pressure, and the growing need for continuous leadership development.
The symposium featured an address by H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, who spoke about the evolving demands placed on leaders as the UAE advances its future economy agenda. H.E. emphasized adaptability, forward thinking, and decisiveness as essential leadership qualities in an environment shaped by rapid change, technological disruption, and global interconnectedness. H.E. highlighted that economic competitiveness increasingly depends on leaders who can make informed decisions with confidence and translate long-term national ambitions into practical, institution-level execution.
Held under the theme “Forward Expertise for a Forward Economy,” the symposium aligned with We the UAE 2031, which places leadership readiness and institutional agility at the center of sustainable economic growth.
Global thought leader Dr. Dipak C. Jain, former Dean of INSEAD and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, delivered the keynote address, examining the global evolution of executive education. He highlighted that executive education today is synonymous with lifelong learning, shaped by continuous adaptation rather than episodic credentialing. Dr. Jain outlined emerging trends in executive education, including modular learning, decision-centric program design, and the growing emphasis on helping leaders navigate unfamiliar and rapidly changing environments.
The symposium also marked the official launch of Ajman University Executive Education, a new platform designed to engage senior leaders through rigorous, practice-driven learning experiences grounded in real organizational challenges and informed by global insight. The platform is structured to support CEOs, board members, and C-suite leaders through targeted executive coaching, peer-level engagement, and bespoke programs aligned with institutional priorities and national transformation agendas.
Commenting on the launch, Karim Seghir, Chancellor of Ajman University, said: “At the highest levels of leadership, learning cannot be episodic. It must be continuous, disciplined, and directly connected to the decisions leaders make every day. Executive education today is about sharpening judgment, strengthening adaptability, and learning how to think when certainty is limited. Ajman University Executive Education is built on the conviction that lifelong learning, informed by global insight and anchored in local relevance, is essential to building resilient institutions and sustaining long-term economic progress.”
Furthermore, a fireside discussion moderated by Mr
Essam Al Tamimi, Chairman of Al Tamimi & Company, with Mr. Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum, examined how leadership expectations are shifting in practice, particularly in relation to judgment and decision-making under pressure.
Mr. Al Tamimi stated: “In today’s environment, effective leadership is defined less by authority or tenure and more by the discipline of thought behind every decision. The pace of economic and technological change requires leaders to constantly re-examine their assumptions, challenge their own frameworks, and refine how they think, not just what they know.
Executive education plays a critical role when it creates space for that reflection, when it equips leaders with the intellectual rigor and strategic clarity to respond to uncertainty with composure rather than reaction. The real value lies in strengthening judgment, so that decisions are deliberate, resilient, and aligned with long-term institutional purpose.”
Mr. Jafar said: “In volatile operating environments, leadership is rarely tested by what leaders know. It is tested by how they think when conditions change and clarity is incomplete. Today, adaptability, disciplined judgment, and the ability to recalibrate without losing strategic direction matter more than static capability. Executive education has real value when it helps leaders develop that mindset continuously, not episodically.”
The symposium concluded with reflections on the evolving role of universities as active partners to industry and government in strengthening leadership capability. Through the Executive Education Symposium and the launch of Ajman University Executive Education, Ajman University reaffirmed its role as a convener of strategic dialogue and a contributor to shaping the future of executive learning in the UAE and the wider region.