His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, today visited the headquarters of the Al-Futtaim Group in Dubai Festival City.

During the visit, His Highness said that harnessing the potential of Emiratis is one of the Dubai Government’s highest priorities. He highlighted the government's unwavering commitment to facilitating opportunities for talented Emiratis to contribute to the development of various sectors. He said the government continues to work to advance Emiratisation efforts in the private sector, which is a vital partner and stakeholder in enhancing the capabilities of Emiratis.

His Highness commended the private sector companies that are making significant contributions to achieving Emiratisation objectives and boosting the competitiveness of nationals. "We appreciate the commitment of UAE firms to the development of the Emirati workforce in the private sector. Dubai’s strong ethos of public-private partnerships extends to the development of Emirati human capital. I am confident that the government’s collaboration with the private sector will continue to unlock numerous opportunities for Emiratis across diverse spheres,” he said.

HH Sheikh Ahmed was welcomed at the Al-Futtaim Group’s headquarters by Omar Abdullah Al-Futtaim, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Group and other senior officials of the company.

His Highness attended a meeting of the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai, chaired by His Excellency Sultan Al Mansouri and hosted by the Al-Futtaim Group. During the meeting, HH Sheikh Ahmed was briefed on the results of the Council’s programmes and initiatives, especially its efforts to align educational outcomes with the evolving demands of the job market, especially in strategic sectors. His Highness also learned about the Council's efforts to enhance the skills of Emiratis and raise their employability in the private sector as well as its initiatives to facilitate their increased participation in the nation’s development journey.

Sheikh Ahmed was also briefed about the Al-Futtaim Group’s Emiratisation efforts. Through ‘Sinyar’, the company’s Emirati talent development programme, the Group aims to achieve an Emiratisation rate of 10% over the next two years. Omar Al Futtaim also presented the Group’s strategy to support local talent development, which includes an AED150 million fund to support Emiratisation and the recently launched Al-Futtaim Emiratisation Council.

During the visit, Sheikh Ahmed toured the Group’s offices and met with a number of Emiratis working for the Group across various departments. The employees shared with him their experiences of working in the private sector, and their ideas for attracting more Emiratis to the sector.

Al-Futtaim Group, founded in the 1930s, is one of the region’s largest family-owned conglomerates. With 33,000 employees in five sectors, including automobile, finance and insurance, real estate, retail and healthcare sector, the Group operates in 20 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.