The Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi (Stern at NYUAD) today welcomed its inaugural Executive MBA cohort. The program brings together a group of experienced senior professionals from across the region into a 23-month curriculum designed to develop advanced leadership capabilities in an increasingly globally connected world.
As the highest globally ranked US business school offering an EMBA in the MENA region, the program offers a flexible part-time structure that allows experienced professionals to pursue their education without pausing their careers. This format enables organizations to retain and further develop their top talent, while allowing them to apply growth-focused strategies, the latest business frameworks, and develop leadership competencies in the workplace.
The Executive MBA is delivered over almost two years with monthly weekend modules on NYUAD’s campus and week-long study residencies in Abu Dhabi, New York, and Shanghai.
Students benefit from continuous interaction with Stern at NYUAD’s full-time faculty, a distinguished group of global scholars and industry experts based in Abu Dhabi. Throughout the year, the cohort will have access to the vibrant academic community and facilities of NYUAD and the NYU network.
EMBA candidates will undertake applied learning projects throughout the program and complete immersive residencies in major global business centers at New York and Shanghai. Together, these opportunities broaden participants’ perspectives and strengthen their ability to lead more effectively within their organizations.
The cohort comprises 37 senior professionals, representing 21 countries, with significant industry experience across sectors including finance, energy, technology, and consulting. They come from some of the largest local and international organizations, including ADNOC Offshore, Mitsubishi Power, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, HUMAIN, and several other international and local private sector and government agencies.
Candidates will engage in a curriculum inspired by NYU Stern’s EMBA programs and contextualized for the MENA region, developing their strategic problem-solving skills through classroom study and hands-on experiential learning. Working with leading regional and international corporations, they will tackle real-world business challenges and opportunities while building connections with Stern at NYUAD’s full-time MBA students and NYU alumni worldwide. Graduates will receive a fully accredited MBA degree, jointly conferred by NYU Stern and NYU Abu Dhabi, and join NYU Stern’s global alumni network of more than 115,000 graduates across 130 countries.
“By bringing NYU Stern’s academic approach to Abu Dhabi, we are creating an environment where experienced executives can engage deeply with both global business thinking and the realities of local and regional markets,” said Dean Salomon.
This integration with the regional business community reflects Stern at NYUAD’s role as an anchor institution supporting the UAE’s economic diversification and knowledge economy and reflects its commitment to developing advanced business education rooted in the region while remaining globally integrated.
Stern at NYUAD will be graduating its second cohort of full-time MBA students in December. The MBA Class of 2025 graduated on the mainstage of ADFW last year and have since achieved an 85 percent employment rate within 3 months of graduation, placing the cohort among some of the best full time MBA employment outcomes globally.
