Shape the Future of Work,
Learning & People 

150 Senior Executives. Two Days. One Stage. Meaningful Connections.

Future of Work Dubai: Leadership Forum brings together an exclusive group of 150 senior HR, People, Talent and L&D leaders from across the Middle East for two days of thought-provoking discussions, fresh perspectives and valuable connections.

Designed to go beyond the traditional conference experience, the Forum features one carefully curated conference track, bringing together influential HR executives and industry leaders to explore the challenges, opportunities and innovations shaping the future of work.

From workforce transformation and employee experience to talent strategy, learning and leadership, the programme focuses on the priorities that matter most to today's people leaders.


 

Previous Speakers

 

Why sponsor Dubai Leadership Forum?

The Middle East's must-attend conference for HR, Talent, People & EX, and L&D leaders.

Sponsorship at Dubai's Leadership Forum gives your brand the opportunity to stand out as a key leader in workplace transformation. With a powerful mix of  speaking on stage, dedicated networking opportunties and a small intimate exhibition area, you’ll showcase your solutions directly to senior decision-makers who are actively investing in the future of work.

By sponsoring, you’ll:

  • Be recognised as a thought leader driving the conversation on workplace innovation.
  • Connect face-to-face with high-value prospects to build relationships and trust.
  • Generate a strong pipeline of qualified leads and boost sales opportunities.
  • Position your brand as a must-know partner for HR, Talent, and L&D executives.

At Dubai's Leadership Forum, you don’t just participate, you help shape the future of work.

 

2027 Agenda

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10:15
  1. 45 mins

    A CHRO, CFO and COO in conversation

    • How can HR help lead the business while making decisions that work for its people?
    • What have CHROs done to better understand how the business works, makes money and grows?
    • Does HR need to change how it works, and what should it stop doing or take on as AI and organisational structures change?
    • What do the CEO, CFO and COO need from HR, and how should this guide its priorities?
    • How can HR show that its people decisions are improving business results?
11:00
  1. 30 mins
    • What was not working in the previous structure, and how did decision-making change?
    • How many management layers did the organisation need, and who became responsible for what?
    • What changed in cost and the speed of decisions?
    • When management layers were removed, who took on the work?
    • Did the changes make career progression or succession planning harder?
    • How did the changes affect managers’ workloads, team sizes and time to lead?
    • What didn’t work, and what would they do differently?
12:00
  1. 30 mins
    •  Are we hiring, developing and keeping people in the areas that matter most to the business?
    • Which roles and skills make the biggest difference to business results?
    • How can we move people to where they are needed as priorities change?
    • Does workforce planning help us make these decisions, or does it need to change?
    • Where should HR spend more, spend less or do things differently, and how do we know it is working?
13:00
  1. 30 mins
    • How can employers offer competitive pay while keeping pay fair across locations and job levels?
    • How can employers reward new skills without undervaluing experience and knowledge of the business?
    • Can specialists progress in pay and status without moving into people management?
    • How should end-of-service benefits and savings schemes fit into the overall pay and benefits package?
    • How can employers explain pay decisions clearly and keep employees’ trust?
13:30
  1. 60 mins
14:30
  1. 45 mins
    •  How can organisations redesign roles and workflows rather than simply add AI into existing processes?
    •  Which tasks should be removed, automated, supported by AI or retained?
    • How should HR, technology and operational leaders work together on work redesign?
    • How does work redesign affect roles, skills and organisation structure?
    • How can organisations do this within an already heavy workload?
15:15
  1. 30 mins
    • What business problem was the organisation trying to solve?
    • How did the results compare with their expected outcomes?
    • What impact did the investment have on their productivity, quality and employees?
    • Where did the implementation take longer and/ or cost more than expected?
    • What would they do differently if they were to implement other AI solutions in future?
15:45
  1. 30 mins
    • Which decisions about people should the CHRO be responsible for when AI is involved?
    • What should HR ask before introducing an AI tool that affects hiring, performance or pay?
    • How can organisations protect employee data as more teams use AI?
    • Who sets the rules and checks how AI is used across HR, technology, legal and the business?
    • How can organisations keep up with changing regulation in the UAE and across the region?
10:15
  1. 45 mins
    • Which senior and specialist roles are hardest to fill across the GCC, and why?
    • How are regional headquarters requirements and major projects affecting where people choose to work?
    • How can organisations meet nationalisation targets across several countries and find the skills they need?
    • Can one people strategy work across the GCC, or does each country need a different approach?
    • What helps attract and keep senior talent? Is it pay, the chance to move between countries, long-term residency or career opportunities?
    • How can employers find out why key people leave and decide what is worth spending on to keep them?
11:00
  1. 45 mins
    • What was not working in the organisation’s approach to nationalisation?
    • How did it move from meeting hiring targets to developing nationals for key business roles?
    • What experience and development helped nationals move into specialist and leadership roles?
    •  How did managers and expatriate colleagues help develop national talent and pass on their knowledge?
    • How did the organisation decide who was ready to progress and prepare people to fill future vacancies?
    • Did more nationals stay, progress and take on greater responsibility? What difference did this make to the business?
    • How did mentoring, working alongside experienced colleagues and planned handovers help keep knowledge in the business?
12:00
  1. 30 mins
    • What business question was the organisation trying to answer?
    • What data did it use from HR, finance and operations?
    • What did the data show that leaders had not expected?
    • What decision changed as a result?
    • What did the team do when data was missing, and how did it check what it could safely conclude?
    • What difference did the decision make to cost, retention or performance?
12:30
  1. 30 mins

     

    • Are organisations asking employees to cope better instead of fixing what is causing the pressure?
    • What needs to change in how work is organized, shared out and prioritized?
    • When workloads are too high, what should leaders stop, simplify or give more support to?
    • If AI saves time, how can organisations give that time back to employees rather than add more work?
    • What changes would give people time to rest and recover?
    • How can leaders spot when people are struggling and act before they burn out?
    • Do managers have enough time to lead their teams alongside their other work?
13:00
  1. 30 mins
    • How can HR plan for changes in business growth, budgets and technology?
    • Which roles would be hardest to fill, and which skills would take longest to develop?
    • When should employers hire, train existing employees, move people into other roles or bring in outside help?
    • When should the workforce plan be reviewed or changed?
    • How can HR, finance and operations agree on what the business will need and what it can afford?
    • How can training and moves between roles prepare employees for future work?
14:30
  1. 45 mins
    • What do leaders need to get right so people feel valued, are treated fairly and know they can speak up?
    • How can employees try out AI and learn from mistakes without fear of blame?
    • Are organisations taking enough account of the impact of AI on people, including worries about their jobs?
    • What signs show that greater efficiency is hurting relationships or culture?
    • How can culture change without losing what made it strong?
    • Where can leaders make more time for conversations and shared experiences that keep people connected?
15:15
  1. 30 mins
    • How can organisations build AI capability at scale?
    • How can employers avoid leaving non-technical employees behind?
    • How should learning be tailored to different roles, levels of confidence, languages and use cases?
    • How can organisations help employees evaluate AI output effectively?
    • What needs to change in leadership, culture and everyday work to sustain adoption?
    • How were frontline and shift-based employees included
15:45
  1. 30 mins
    •  Are organisations thinking about the long-term effects of changing or removing entry-level roles as they introduce AI?
    • How can employers meet nationalisation commitments if the entry-level roles they recruit nationals into are automated?
    • What experience would early-career employees miss, and how can they build judgment if AI does the work they would normally learn from?
    • If there are fewer junior roles, where will future leaders and experienced specialists come from?
    • What opportunities are there to redesign graduate and entry-level roles?

Pass Types

Bronze Pass

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  • 1 day conference access to all tracks
  • Access to event app and all onsite networking
  • Lunch & refreshments included
  • Speaker slides post event

Silver Pass

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  • 2 day conference access to all tracks
  • Access to event app and all onsite networking
  • Lunch & refreshments included
  • Speaker slides post event

Gold Pass

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  • 2 day conference access to all tracks
  • Access to event app and all onsite networking
  • Lunch & refreshments included
  • Speaker slides post event
  • Lead Scanner
  • Branding on event app

"It is really great to connect with other people who share the same challenges as you, and create opportunities to turn those challenges into opportunities."

 

VP Learning
RAPP

"This was an excellent conference with multiple opportunities to network, an interesting assortment of innovative vendors and excellent panels of subject matter experts. The keynote speakers were inspirational choices and the event was managed exceptionally well."

 

Director Total Rewards
Extendicare

"This was a great group of HR leaders coming together to discuss relevant and important topics. Work cannot stay the same so having these future forward conversations is of upmost importance. Thanks for a great event."

 

Chief People Officer
Gowling WLG.

"I was impressed with the variety of people and companies that were represented and found the networking and content worthwhile."

 

Associate Director
Ivey Business School

"Great opportunity to meet professionals from all industries. Speaker line up was outstanding. Walked away with key learnings I can implement quickly as a leader."

 

Director Enterprise Change Management & Training
GFL Environmental

Global Portfolio

Future of Work APAC 2026

18-19 November, 2026
Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Future of Work Canada 2027

2-3 March, 2027
Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Future of Work: Dubai Leadership Forum 

June, 2027
Dubai, UAE

Future of Work: NYC Leadership Forum

October, 2027
NYC, USA

2026 Global Partners

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