RIYADH: The Gulf Academy for Leadership and Innovation’s first initiative in the UK brought together nearly 100 young men and women from across the Gulf Cooperation Council area, chosen from about 700 applicants.
The week-long residential event at the University of Reading, which ran from Aug. 4 to 10, was led by Brendan Clarke-Smith, a former teacher, member of parliament and minister. Its stated goal was to invest early in the development of future regional decision-makers through an intensive mix of direct mentorship, strategic dialogue, workshops and interactive activities.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, a former government official who served as head of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Presidency, commended the initiative as “a noble initiative aimed at developing the next generation of Gulf leaders through the mentoring program.”
He added: “I am confident that this program, under the distinguished leadership of Brendan Clarke-Smith, will succeed and complement other national programs in the region,” citing Saudi Arabia’s Misk Foundation Leaders 2030 program and other similar regional initiatives as examples.
The event featured a distinguished assembly of mentors, including Sheikh Fawaz Mishal Al-Sabah, a Kuwaiti public policy leader; Sheikh Dr. Saqr Al-Khalifa, assistant undersecretary at Bahrain’s Ministry of Education; and Princess Najla bint Badr, a lawyer specializing in international law, who engaged directly with students in open conversations rather than traditional, one-sided lectures.
Diplomatic and corporate expertise was provided by figures such as Saad Al-Arifi, the former Saudi ambassador to the EU, and Musaab Al-Mulla, vice president of energy and economic insights at Saudi Aramco.
The academy said that building a sustainable network of emerging regional talent is one of its primary objectives, and by gathering participants at a pivotal stage in their development it offers an opportunity for them to forge cross-border professional relationships that otherwise would be difficult to establish.
Addressing the participants directly during the ceremony, Prince Turki highlighted the responsibility that was being placed upon them: “Future leaders must learn their history and the wisdom of their leaders, and how to equip themselves with all the necessary knowledge and skills to sail through their countries to a bright future.
“You, ladies and gentlemen, are inheriting a much-troubled world. I hope that you will deal with it more wisely and successfully than my generation did when we inherited our world from the previous one.”
International perspectives were provided by a number of prominent global leaders, including the American businesswoman and philanthropist Sherrie Beckstead; Sharifa Al-Shalfan, a member of Kuwait’s Municipal Council; and Adel Hamaizia, a strategic advisor, researcher and policy specialist whose areas of expertise includes the Middle East, the Gulf, the Balkans and Africa.
Other experts included leadership development specialist Lina Al-Marestani; alongside Talal Al-Bakr, Country Lead for software company Scale AI; and Alanood Al-Dhaher, director of the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing at the American University of Sharjah.
Beyond the curriculum, the accessibility to and personal engagement with such a varied group of mentors was a defining element of the experience, the academy said, offering young participants rare access to established figures across diverse career paths.
Emphasizing the long-term imperative of youth development, Prince Turki stressed “the importance of equipping young people with the skills they need across different fields of knowledge, enabling them to lead and contribute to the ongoing progress of their countries, and to the bright future of the region for which our countries and leaders are working.”
The Academy said it planned to expand its global footprint in the years ahead to place high-potential young people alongside proven role models committed to cultivating the future leadership of the region.
