Under the Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Hult International Business School Team Wins 3rd UAE Global Management Challenge
•    Team of 3 students to vie for international title in Macau next month
•    UAE to host Global Finals of the Global Management Challenge in 2018
•    Winners fend off competition from UAE teams comprising over 900 participants

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 15th March, 2016:  Team Elite from Hult International Business School has won the 3rd UAE Global Management Challenge, the world’s largest strategy and management competition for students and professionals. During the Awards Ceremony it was also announced that with the partnership of the international organizers SDG – Simuladores e Modelos de Gestão, UAE will host the Global Finals of the Challenge in 2018.
This year’s Challenge has seen unprecedented interest, whereby it tripled the number of participants and increased UAE National contribution by over 900% against last year. Following a three-month contest, teams from UAE-based Universities and Businesses have competed against each other to gain the title of the UAE Global Management Champion. 

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum extends his full support towards all government and private entities in the United Arab Emirates that aim at creating opportunities and fostering emerging talent, stressing that the development of leadership skills in the youth is vital to create competencies to align talent with future employment opportunities, and is essential to achieve sustainable development and to turn the vision of the government into reality.

As the exclusive sponsor of the 3rd Edition of the UAE Global Management Challenge, Al-Futtaim Automotive strengthened the value proposition by offering tailored learnings such as; masterclasses conducted by over 15 speakers from multiple industries and professions on subjects crucial to the competition, mentoring by senior leaders covering key areas of day to day business operations as well as the simulation in preparation for the Global Finale, and a global best practice trip to Toyota GB and Loughborough University in the UK by offering a platform which bridges the gap between theoretical simulation and real world best in class practices.

The 3 members of the winning team excelled over all contestants from the UAE and will represent the nation in the finals of the Global Management Challenge which takes place next month in Macau where top teams for over 30 countries compete for the global title. Second place went to team Paradigm Shift from Heriot-Watt University and third to team Schemers from Higher Colleges of Technology. 

As the region’s leading representative of auto brands currently operating in 14 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, Al-Futtaim Automotive also partnered with Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the primary knowledge partner for this annual strategic educational initiative, with a unified goal of encouraging innovation to achieve sustainable development, in line with the UAE government’s directives. 

His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of Mohammed Bin Rashid Foundation (MBRF) stressed on the importance of adopting and encouraging innovation in all areas to achieve sustainable development, in line with the directives of the United Arab Emirates’ wise leadership.

“The Global Management Challenge Competition is aligned with the strategic objectives of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation to build a promising generation of future leaders capable of taking forward our communities on the development path at all levels,” HE Bin Huwaireb said. 

Len Hunt, President Al-Futtaim automotive, said: “By winning and outperforming the largest number of competitors this Challenge has ever seen, these young women and men from the Hult International Business School have demonstrated a coveted combination comprising commitment, charisma and capabilities that we hope will carry them on to more accolades in the future.

“Supporting homegrown talent is a key priority for Al-Futtaim Automotive and the development of talent that is deeply-rooted in the UAE is an aspect of massive importance to the long-term success and sustainability of our business,” he added.

Abdulrahman Saqr, Director Human Resources Al-Futtaim automotive, said: “At Al-Futtaim Automotive we feel particularly proud for teaming up with our partners in creating a truly memorable third edition of the UAE Global Management Challenge, which exceeded our wildest expectations having managed to grow it by over an astonishing threefold with almost a third of the total number of participants being Emiratis, which is additional motivation to endorse this Challenge over the years to come.”