Dubai Business Associates (DBA) has inducted 23 emerging professionals from 15 countries into its 12th cohort, selected from a pool of 14,600 applications worldwide, according to an announcement from the programme.
Run under Falcon and Associates, the fully funded nine-month programme combines executive training in strategy, business, and leadership with consulting projects and placements across Dubai's public and private sectors. Participating associates represent Canada, China, Colombia, France, Morocco, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Participants hold degrees in fields such as engineering, cognitive neuroscience, public policy, international relations, finance, computer science, and sustainability. Academic institutions represented in the cohort include Tsinghua University, Peking University, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, INSEAD, Columbia University, Princeton University, Cornell University, and UCLA.
During the programme, associates will work alongside entities shaping Dubai's economy, including Emirates Airline, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Digital Dubai Authority, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Future District Fund, Dubai Culture, Emirates NBD, Expo City Dubai, Oraseya Capital, and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
Simon Corkill, CEO of Falcon and Associates, stated that the international diversity of the cohort reflects Dubai's sustained appeal to global talent, while DBA Director Rami Tawfiq noted that the initiative builds enduring links between Dubai and markets across the globe. DBA has developed a community of 350 alumni through its first 11 cohorts.
Sources
- PA Media · 2026-10-07
