Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East

Change is everywhere in the Middle East today as countries seek to diversify their economies and encourage new industries. The region's complex business environment is surrounded by distinct political and economic challenges in each country and an uncertain global economy. Businesses seeking opportunities for growth in the region need exceptional leaders—executives who are bold decision-makers, global thinkers, and skilled strategists.

The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME) will prepare leaders for this evolving scenario. Taught in a series of modules offered in Boston and Dubai, this business management program will help you become a more capable leader who can deliver value in the global context, drive new levels of innovation, and build accountable, high-performance organizations.

Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East

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A Comprehensive Learning Journey

Grow
Grow

Experience an in-depth curriculum taught by HBS faculty that gives you the knowledge and tools to advance as a business leader, maximize your organization’s potential, and gain a competitive advantage.

Interact
Interact

Immerse yourself in the business and tech ecosystems of Dubai and Boston to gain insights from industry experts, engage with high-achieving peers from around the globe, and expand your network.

Execute
Execute

Turn insight into action through dynamic case discussions, engaging small group exercises, and a value mapping strategy project. Make an immediate and direct impact on your organization’s business goals.

Key Takeaways

HBS Alumni Status

Join a global community of successful executives. Your HBS experience continues to deliver benefits long after the program ends. Graduates of the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East become alumni of Harvard Business School, joining a network of highly accomplished executives.
As a lifetime member of the HBS alumni community, you will be able to:

Curriculum

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

Program Calendar

Module 1

Lead in a Global Economy

  • 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

Module 2

Establish a Culture of Innovation and Discipline

  • 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

Module 3

Create Customer Value and Strategic Advantage

  • 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

Module 4

Become a Transformational Leader

  • 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 Features

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.

Hallmark HBS case method

Pioneered by HBS, the case method engages you in a dynamic and collaborative process of identifying relevant issues and applying practical business solutions to your own situation and organization.

Value Mapping Strategy Project

Throughout the program, you will work on an individual project addressing a strategic challenge facing your organization. You will consider value from the customer’s perspective, compare your own offering with those of competitors, refine your strategy, and develop an action plan for driving the changes that will improve value and sustain success.

360-degree assessment

Using the 360-degree leadership 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.

HBS Executive coaching

Our distinctive coaching method is highly integrated into the program to accelerate both individual and team growth. Through one-on-one and group coaching, your professional coach can help you realize your true leadership potential.

Faculty

Every Harvard Business School Executive Education program is developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. In the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East, participants will have the privilege of working with four Senior Associate Deans from HBS, in addition to 10 award-winning senior faculty. Through publishing, consulting, and teaching, HBS faculty leverage their business expertise and field-based research to develop enduring concepts that shape the practice of management. The result is an Executive Education teaching team whose groundbreaking insights challenge participants' thinking and enable them to become superior business leaders.

Tarun Khanna
Tarun Khanna
Faculty Chair | Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor
Note: Faculty list is subject to change

Who Should Attend

The program is ideal for:

Past Participant Profiles

Job Titles*
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Board Member and Partner
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Chief Operating Officer
  • Deputy Executive Director
  • Deputy Governor
  • General Manager
  • Chief Administrative Officer
  • Chief Information Officer
  • Consultant—Medical Doctor
  • Deputy General Manager
  • Director
*Partial list
Countries*
  • UAEUAE
  • EgyptEgypt
  • IndiaIndia
  • JordanJordan
  • KuwaitKuwait
  • MoroccoMorocco
  • RussiaRussia
  • BahrainBahrain
  • FranceFrance
  • IraqIraq
  • KenyaKenya
  • LebanonLebanon
  • PakistanPakistan
  • Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
*Partial list
Organizations*
  • ADIA
  • DGCX
  • Deloitte
  • Emirates REIT
  • Equate
  • Finance House
  • Gencallar
  • Joyalukkas
  • The Royal Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • Sarooj
  • STC
*Partial list

Is SELPME Right For You?

This program is designed for experienced senior executives who are general managers or functional leaders. It is particularly appropriate for those assuming new responsibilities or driving new growth initiatives in organizations that have experienced success within the Middle East, whether on their own or with regional partners. Participants could represent a number of organizations, including:

Participant Testimonials

Dates and Fees

Module Date Location Program Fee
Module 1 09–14 FEB 2025 HBS Campus, Boston, USA US$80,000 plus Value Added Tax (VAT)
Module 2 18–30 MAY 2025 Taj Dubai, Dubai, UAE
Module 3 28 SEP–10 OCT 2025 Taj Dubai, Dubai, UAE
Module 4 01–12 DEC 2025 HBS Campus, Boston, USA

Participants should expect to spend approximately 25 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.

Note: The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.

Application Deadlines

Round Date
Round 1 June 28, 2024
Round 2 August 30, 2024
Round 3 November 01, 2024
Final Round January 10, 2025

Please note that admissions to the program are evaluated on a rolling basis. We strongly recommend interested participants apply early.

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