Dubai, UAE, Oct 08, 2026: The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad) has launched a 2-year Executive MBA at its Dubai Campus, expanding its offering in the UAE to prepare senior leaders for the Gulf’s AI-driven economy. Designed for professionals who cannot afford to step away from their leadership roles, the programme brings world-class management education and an AI-integrated curriculum to the heart of the region.
The launch comes as the UAE accelerates its AI agenda, with a target of becoming a global leader in AI by 2031, while the broader GCC is committing significant investment towards AI-led economic transformation. As businesses move from AI experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption, the demand is growing for senior leaders who can translate AI investments into strategic decisions, business outcomes and organisational change.
Ranked #23 globally, #1 in Asia, and #1 in India for Executive Education as per the Financial Times Executive Education Open Rankings 2026, IIM Ahmedabad brings its full academic rigour and legacy to the Gulf at a moment when AI-ready leadership has become a boardroom priority.
Spanning 6 terms, the programme combines in-person weekend classes with a 7-day immersive residency at IIM Ahmedabad’s Ahmedabad campus and an international immersion, followed by a faculty-supervised Executive Capstone Project to make it extremely industry-aligned. The curriculum places participants in consequential, real-world decision-making situations, developing the cross-functional judgment and enterprise-wide perspective required to lead at scale. Programme completion also opens the door to the IIM Ahmedabad alumni network of leaders across industries, functions, and geographies, with active Association Chapters across the UAE, India, and international locations.
Commenting on the launch, Professor Sunil Sharma, Dean, IIM Ahmedabad – Dubai Campus said “The Gulf is witnessing one of the most consequential economic transformations of our time and the demand for leaders who can drive that transformation, has never been more acute. We designed this programme to address what we call the executive blind spot; senior leaders are expected to acquire new capabilities but cannot step away from the leadership responsibilities they have worked hard to earn. This programme is built exactly for that – to provide the full rigour of IIM Ahmedabad’s academic tradition, in-person learning, peer interactions, and an AI-integrated curriculum, structured around their professional lives. We are confident it will equip seasoned professionals with the strategic depth, cross-functional judgment, and AI-ready perspective that organisations across the Gulf will increasingly demand in near and long term.’’
Per the WEF’s data, 41% of UAE workers’ core skills set to change by 2030. The programme’s AI-integrated curriculum and case-based pedagogy are designed to develop exactly the kind of adaptive, strategic leadership the region demands. This marks the third offering from IIM Ahmedabad’s Dubai Campus, expanding the Institute’s growing portfolio of programmes designed to build management and leadership capabilities among professionals in the UAE.
‘’At this stage of a career, senior leaders are not building a network from scratch, they are adding to one strategically. What this programme also offers is a curated cohort of accomplished peers and access to the IIM Ahmedabad alumni community, a network that compounds differently when it is built at the level where boardroom decisions are made and business landscapes are navigated,” he added.
The Executive MBA is supported by global education company Emeritus to drive awareness and outreach, while the on-campus academic delivery and faculty operations are led by IIM Ahmedabad Dubai Campus.
The strategic expansion is deliberate, deepening IIM Ahmedabad’s institutional commitment to one of the world’s most strategically significant business economies and its ambition to become a global AI-first knowledge hub.
Applications are now open. Candidates must have a minimum of 6 (six) years of post-graduation experience, including 3 (three) years in a managerial or leadership role, and are required to submit IIMA Admission Test, GMAT Focus, Executive Assessment, or GRE scores. Admissions follow a rigorous multi-stage selection process.