ABU DHABI // Aisha al Zaabi used to be the shy girl at work. But then the 28-year-old, who manages a call centre at the Emirates Identity Authority, enrolled in the Leadership Excellence Applied Diplomas (Lead) programme.
"I learnt how to be assertive and how to share my ideas," she said at a graduation ceremony for the course's first batch of students last week. "I have learnt how to lead and encourage my employees and get the best out of them."
She was one of the 25 men and women who marched onto the stage on Wednesday to receive their diplomas at the Yas Hotel in front of a crowd of friends and family. The year-long programme, associated with the Judge Business School, which is part of Cambridge University in the UK, selects young professionals for their potential. The courses then attempt to educated them in the skills necessary to become the future leaders of industry.
"The objective is to develop leadership capacity among Abu Dhabi youth," said Dr Mohan Guruswamy, the director of Lead. "We need good people to implement the long-term plans for the UAE." Sayed al Amiri, a 31-year-old employee of the Al Ain municipality, was full of praise for the programme. "[Our professors] taught us how to talk to people, how to plan. "Most people don't even know the meaning of leadership. We already see the fruits of what we learnt at work," he said.
Ms al Zaabi now has bigger ambitions. The young Emirati has a plan to make her fortune. "I want to sell perfumes and creams that I make myself. I already make some at home, but now I want to form my own company." smclain@thenational.ae
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Naga
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