Sheikh Hamdan approves first recipient of Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Medal

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, chaired a meeting of the Supervisory Committee of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Medal.

The meeting reviewed the evaluation outcomes for 32 government entities participating in the Medal's inaugural edition.

Recognised as the highest accolade within the Government of Dubai, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Medal aims to instill a work culture that is conducive to developing government leaders and empowering second-tier leadership.

During the meeting, Sheikh Hamdan approved an official of the rank of Director-General as the first recipient of the Medal.

The winner will be announced and honoured at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Forum 2026, organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development, in September.

Sheikh Hamdan emphasised that the Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Medal will be awarded to a Director-General who excels in empowering and developing top second-tier leaders.

He noted that this embodies the approach of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in nurturing government leaders capable of advancing the journey of development and achievement.

Sheikh Hamdan stated, "The sustainability of our government institutions relies primarily on preparing strong, capable young leaders across the second and third tiers. Investing in our national talent and enhancing their leadership capabilities is a top priority to ensure our institutions are ready to navigate future shifts and challenges with efficiency and agility.”

The meeting was attended by Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of The Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Medal; and other members of the committee including Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary-General of The Executive Council of Dubai; and Saeed Al Eter, Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office.

During the meeting, Sheikh Hamdan reviewed outcomes of the evaluation process, which highlighted the readiness of second-tier government leaders and showcased a rich pool of promising talent capable of driving Dubai’s future. The results also outlined key performance indicators for Directors-General in empowering and developing leadership capabilities.

He also reviewed the design of the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Medal, which reflects the award’s prestigious status and embodies its mission to recognise leadership impact, empower talent and cultivate second-tier leaders. The design will be unveiled at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum 2026.

During the meeting, the Committee reviewed outcomes of interviews conducted with participating Directors-General and second-tier leaders, alongside the key leadership practices and models highlighted during the evaluation, particularly in developing leaders and empowering second-tier talent.

The Committee also discussed details about announcing and honouring the medal recipient at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum 2026, ensuring the ceremony reflects the medal’s status and prestige.

The final review for the inaugural edition of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Medal saw the culmination of a comprehensive evaluation process involving 32 Directors-General and second-tier leaders. Over 100 interviews were conducted to assess leadership impact and cover evaluation criteria, engaging 10 independent global leadership experts as evaluators.

The Supervisory Committee of the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Medal ensured the evaluation methodology was conducted across multiple stages, encompassing document and evidence reviews alongside specialised interviews to guarantee the highest standards of objectivity and impartiality in selecting the Director-General who best embodies the medal’s criteria and goals.

During its initial meeting, the Supervisory Committee approved the final list of participating entities for the inaugural edition.

The Committee also approved the regulations, terms and conditions governing the medal to ensure the highest standards of transparency, impartiality and governance across all evaluation stages, while standardising evaluation and selection criteria across all participating entities.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Medal is awarded annually to the Director-General within the Government of Dubai who contributes most to developing, empowering, training and championing second-tier leaders. This is achieved by fostering trust within work teams and institutions, inspiring employees to unlock their full potential to achieve high levels of performance and innovation and promoting a culture of institutional empowerment based on delegating authority, expanding responsibilities, and advancing decentralisation.

The medal aims to establish a leadership empowerment ecosystem within every entity through clear plans and standards. This initiative enhances leadership development efforts and positions Dubai’s experience as a global benchmark in leadership development, measured against international best practices.

The medal also aims to empower leaders to manage priority areas by granting them extended authority, ensuring their early involvement in decision-making and assigning them strategic tasks that build future readiness. It also highlights success stories of entities that have significantly advanced leadership empowerment, making these examples known so that other organisations can replicate their success.

WAM