Latifa bint Mohammed meets members of Global Future Councils

- Latifa bint Mohammed meets members of Global Future Councils, including Emirati leaders and experts

- This year’s edition sees 38 Emiratis join the Councils, 26 of whom are new members
- 12 outstanding national experts continue their membership from the previous session to strengthen the Councils’ leadership, foresight and innovation 

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, met with members of the Global Future Councils, including national experts, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. 

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025, organised by the UAE Government in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) until 16 October.

It was attended by His Excellency Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Co-Chair of the Global Future Councils, and Member of the WEF Leadership Council; Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA); Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future; His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications; and Her Excellency Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet.

Active participation of Emirati experts
The Global Future Councils, which bring together over 700 experts and specialists from 93 countries – including prominent leaders, decision makers, academics, entrepreneurs, government officials, and representatives of international organisations – will see 38 national talents join for the 2025–2026 period. This group consists of 26 new members, including Emirati decision makers, experts, and specialists, along with 12 members from the previous session. Their contributions have strengthened the Councils’ leadership, enhanced foresight, promoted innovation, anticipated global transformations and outlined pathways for sustainable development and prosperity. Moreover, they have played a pivotal role in shaping the future of key sectors at the global level.

The new members include a distinguished group of Emirati officials and experts. Her Excellency Salama AlHaj Alawadhi, Assistant Undersecretary of Industry Development at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, joined the Global Future Council on Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains. In the field of health, His Excellency Dr. Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Academic Health Corporation and President of the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), joined the Global Future Council on Antimicrobial Resistance. Dr. Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud, Director at the UAE’s AI Office, joined the Global Future Council on Artificial General Intelligence.

In the field of economy, Saeed Mohammad Al Gergawi, Vice President - Digital Economy Sector, Dubai Chambers, joined the Global Future Council on Business of Economic Growth; while Abdulla AlRemeithi, Director, Environment Policy, Regulation and Climate Change, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, joined the Global Future Council on Clean Air; Dr. Marwan Alzarouni, CEO of AI, Dubai Economy & Tourism Department, joined the Global Future Council on Decentralized Finance; Saif Ghubash AlMarri, Assistant Undersecretary for Petroleum, Gas & Mineral Resources, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, joined the Global Future Council on Energy Nexus; and Dr. Moza Suwaidan CEO of Digital Applications & Platforms Sector, Digital Dubai and Independent Board Member of DEWA, joined the Global Future Council on Energy Technology Frontiers. 

Khalifa bin Braik, Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management, Majid Al Futtaim Management Services LLC, and Her Excellency Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, joined the Global Future Council on Entertainment and Lifestyle Economy; Iman Ustadi, UAE Chief Climate Negotiator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joined the Global Future Council on Equitable Transition; while His Excellency Waleed Al Awadhi, CEO of Securities and Commodities Authority, joined the Global Future Council on Financial Education. His Excellency Mohamed bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services - UAE Government, also joined the Global Future Council on GovTech and Digital Public Infrastructure.

In the area of human capital development, His Excellency Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation, joined the Global Future Council on Human Capital Development. To strengthen cybersecurity and information Integrity, His Excellency Mohammed Al Shehhi, Secretary General of the UAE Media Council, joined the Global Future Council on Information Integrity, while Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Executive Advisor at the Supreme Council for National Security, joined the Global Future Council on Cybersecurity.

Reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to innovative financing for nature and climate, Mohamed Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, joined the Global Future Council on Innovative Financing for Nature and Climate, while Shaima Gargash, Director of Energy and Sustainability at MOFA, joined the Global Future Council on Natural Capital. In the field of international trade and investment, His Excellency Mohammad Alhawi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Investment, joined the Global Future Council on International Trade and Investment. In the field of leadership, Mohamed Al Sharhan, Managing Director of the World Governments Summit Organization, joined the Global Future Council on Leadership.

In neurotechnology, Dr. Mohammad AlOlama, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Rashid Hospital, joined the Global Future Council on Neurotechnology. In the area of next generation computing, Khalifa Al Qama, Director of Dubai Future Labs, joined the Global Future Council on Next Generation Computing. In the field of soil, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Alhammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Food Diversity Sector at MOCCAE, joined the Global Future Council on Soils. Younus Al Nasser, CEO of Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, joined the Global Future Council on Data Frontiers.

Rounding off the list of new members, His Excellency Sultan Al Shamsi, Vice Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, joined the Global Future Council on Reimagining Aid, and Her Excellency Dr. Sheikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, joined the Global Future Council on Human Science of Environment Action.

Continued Emirati presence
A number of distinguished Emirati experts with proven track records continue to serve on various Global Future Councils, further advancing the UAE's vision for foresight and innovative policymaking. Among them are His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Future Foundation, serving on the Global Future Council on Autonomous Systems; Dr. Habiba Al Safar, Director of BTC at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, serving on the Global Future Council on Generative Biology; Dubai Abulhoul, Chief Executive Officer of Fiker Institute, serving on the Global Future Council on Geopolitics; Her Excellency Maryam Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet, and His Excellency Khalid AlHarmoodi, Assistant Secretary General, General Secretariat of the Cabinet, both serving on the Global Future Council on Good Governance.

Her Excellency Mona Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, and Dr. Moza Suwaidan, Secretary-General of the Council, continue their roles on the Global Future Council on Investing in Gender Parity.

His Excellency Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations in New York, serves on the Global Future Council on Nature and Security, while His Excellency Salem Al Marri, Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), continues his membership on the Global Future Council on Space Technologies.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President & CEO of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), continues her role on the Global Future Council on Climate and Nature Governance.

Dr. Hoda Al Khzaimi, Director of the Center of Cyber Security at New York University Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Bushra AlBlooshi, Head of Research and Innovation at the Dubai Electronic Security Center, also continue their membership on the Global Future Council on Cybersecurity, contributing to the formulation of policy options and discussion outcomes.

The participation of national experts in the Global Future Councils reflects the UAE’s vision to solidify its position as a global hub for future foresight and a source of innovative solutions. This active engagement supports the development of advanced national policies and initiatives, enhances international partnerships for knowledge exchange and capacity-building, accelerates progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, and reinforces the UAE’s strategic resilience in navigating future transformations.