Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East
Program Overview: Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME)
Change is everywhere in the Middle East today as countries seek to diversify their economies and encourage new industries. The region's complex business environment is surrounded by distinct political and economic challenges in each country and an uncertain global economy. Businesses seeking opportunities for growth in the region need exceptional leaders—executives who are bold decision-makers, global thinkers, and skilled strategists.
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME) will prepare leaders for this evolving scenario. Taught in a series of modules offered in Boston and UAE, this business management program will help you become a more capable leader who can deliver value in the global context, drive new levels of innovation, and build accountable, high-performance organizations.
Comprehensive Learning Journey
Grow
Experience an in-depth curriculum taught by HBS faculty that gives you the knowledge and tools to advance as a business leader, maximize your organization’s potential, and gain a competitive advantage.
Interact
Immerse yourself in the business and tech ecosystems of Boston and UAE to gain insights from industry experts, engage with high-achieving peers from around the globe, and expand your network.
Execute
Turn insight into action through dynamic case discussions, engaging small group exercises, and a value mapping strategy project. Make an immediate and direct impact on your organization’s business goals.
Key Takeaways
Think strategically, compete successfully, and seize growth opportunities
Foster innovations that will improve your organization's ability to deliver value to customers
Lead authentically and ethically at all levels and foster a culture of accountability across the organization
Build confidence in yourself as a leader, decision-maker, and negotiator
Develop enduring bonds with accomplished peers spanning functions, industries, and countries
Take advantage of resources for lifelong learning as a member of the global HBS alumni community
What You Will Learn in the SELPME Program
Interpret global macroeconomic indicators to inform strategic decision making
Analyze geopolitical shifts, institutional strengths/weaknesses, and global industry evolution and their impact on competitive advantage
Determine where to compete and design global operating models for expansion, localization, and integration
Evaluate supply chain, labor, and capital market dynamics using Business, Government & the International Economy (BGIE)
Examine global trade rules, investment flows, and cross-border strategy using BGIE analytical tools
Strengthen global leadership effectiveness through communication and cross-cultural management
Apply principled negotiation frameworks to expand value and manage conflict effectively
Navigate multiparty, cross-cultural, and asymmetric information deal environments
Develop systematic processes for preparing, executing, and evaluating negotiations
Leverage simulations to test tactics and improve negotiation agility
Balance value creation with long-term relationship management in strategic deals
Design compelling value propositions aligned with customer needs, market demand, and sources of long-term advantage
Apply competitive positioning, industry structure analysis, and scenario planning to guide strategic direction and anticipate competitive shifts
Strengthen decision making using financial analysis and strategic-finance frameworks, including assessing the valuation impact of major initiatives, acquisitions, and divestitures
Communicate strategic priorities effectively to align corporate, business unit, and functional strategies for cohesive value creation
Build and sustain enterprise-wide value creation by strengthening systems that support innovation, execution, and organizational learning
Use design-thinking tools to uncover customer needs and prototype high-value solutions
Analyze disruptive innovations, and assess their impact on industries and business models
Build organizational systems that encourage experimentation and continuous learning
Evaluate strategies to scale innovation while maintaining operational discipline
Foster a culture that supports creativity and cross-functional collaboration
Design strategic dashboards, performance metrics, and reporting systems aligned with enterprise goals and long-term priorities
Evaluate and align organizational structures, talent systems, incentives, and communication mechanisms to drive clarity, agility, and enterprise-wide performance
Strengthen accountability and governance through transparent performance management and cross-functional coordination
Assess strategic resource allocation and capability-building decisions to support operational excellence and sustained performance
Apply insights from HBS cases to enhance corporate performance and decision making across business cycles
Apply leadership and corporate accountability frameworks to analyze complex leadership dilemmas involving ethics and risk
Balance stakeholder expectations while upholding organizational values and governance
Develop systems that reinforce transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership
Reflect on leadership authenticity, values, and personal purpose
Strengthen your ability to lead responsibly in moments of pressure and ambiguity
Assess the implications of AI, automation, and data-driven technologies on business models
Evaluate digital ecosystems, platforms, and network-based competitive dynamics
Lead digital transformation initiatives that enhance customer value and agility
Develop technology strategies aligned with long-term organizational priorities
Manage the organizational challenges associated with digital innovation and adoption
Understand the behavioral and structural barriers that impede change
Design holistic transformation strategies integrating people, culture, and systems
Lead through ambiguity by mobilizing commitment and aligning stakeholders
Apply change management frameworks to sustain momentum and achieve outcomes
Build organizational resilience to navigate continuous disruption and renewal
Evaluate how institutional environments, capital markets, and regulatory systems influence entrepreneurial strategy
Use opportunity identification frameworks to assess unmet needs and build scalable business models
Explore cross-border venture growth and the challenges of entering emerging and mature markets
Analyze country-level risks, timing, and competitive dynamics affecting global ventures
Apply case-based insights to understand how founders navigate uncertainty and create enduring value
Special Program Features
Living/learning group work
A four-module program creates the opportunity to build close, trusting relationships with a small, diverse group of peer executives who can understand your challenges—but are not part of your organization.
Hallmark HBS case method
Pioneered by HBS, the case method engages you in a dynamic and collaborative process of identifying relevant issues and applying practical business solutions to your own situation and organization.
Value Mapping Strategy Project
Throughout the program, you will work on an individual project addressing a strategic challenge facing your organization. You will consider value from the customer’s perspective, compare your own offering with those of competitors, refine your strategy, and develop an action plan for driving the changes that will improve value and sustain success.
360-degree assessment
Using the 360-degree leadership assessment tool as a starting point, your personal coach will work closely with you to identify your strengths, target areas for improvement, and help you develop a personal action plan for ongoing development.
HBS Executive coaching
Our distinctive coaching method is highly integrated into the program to accelerate both individual and team growth. Through one-on-one and group coaching, your professional coach can help you realize your true leadership potential.
Self-paced financial accounting course
Between modules two and three, you will engage in an online course to deepen your understanding of key accounting concepts. Working at your own pace, you’ll enhance your ability to perform and oversee essential accounting tasks—from constructing cash flow statements to evaluating the financial health of investment opportunities.
Who Is the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East For?
This program is designed for experienced senior executives who are general managers or functional leaders. It is particularly appropriate for those assuming new responsibilities or driving new growth initiatives in organizations that have experienced success within the Middle East, whether on their own or with regional partners. Participants could represent a number of organizations, including:
Large, established companies
Entrepreneurial ventures
Family businesses
Multinational firms with an increased presence in the Middle East
Nonprofit organizations
Government agencies, especially those working closely with the private sector
HBS Alumni Status
Join a global community of successful executives. Your HBS experience continues to deliver benefits long after the program ends. Graduates of the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East become alumni of Harvard Business School, joining a network of highly accomplished executives. As a lifetime member of the HBS alumni community, you will be able to:
Tap into a global resource of more than more than 85,000 MBA and HBS Executive Education alumni in over 160 countries
Connect with members of 93 HBS alumni clubs and associations worldwide at business, learning, social, and community service events
Access our vast database of management content and thought leadership assets at Baker Library/Bloomberg Center Services
Stay in touch with a lifelong HBS email forwarding address
Access our exclusive portal to support your career transitions
Take advantage of alumni-only coaching and career development opportunities, including tools for polishing your resume and networking
Receive a 20 percent discount on regularly priced items, including HBS Press books, Harvard Business Review article reprints, and case studies
Enjoy a 30 percent discount on our open-enrollment offerings
Faculty
Tarun Khanna is the Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at Harvard Business School. For almost three decades, he has studied entrepreneurship as a means to social and economic development in emerging markets. At HBS, he has taught courses on strategy, international business, and economic development to undergraduate and graduate students and senior executives.
Tarun Khanna
Faculty Chair
Additional Faculty
Jakurski Family Associate Professor of Business Administration
Dwight P. Robinson, Jr. Professor of Business Administration
André R. Jakurski Professor of Business Administration
Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration
Professor of Business Administration, Joseph L. Rice, III Faculty Fellow
Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
T.J. Dermot Dunphy Professor of Business Administration
F. Warren Mcfarlan Associate Professor of Business Administration
Gordon Donaldson Professor of Business Administration
MBA Class of 1952 Professor of Business Administration
William Barclay Harding Professor of Business Administration
Baker Foundation Professor, Paul R. Lawrence MBA Class of 1942 Professor of Business Administration
Note: The faculty list is subject to change.
Past Participant Testimonials
Program Date and Fee
Program fee: US$85,000 plus value-added tax (VAT)
Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Module 1 | December 6 – 18, 2026 | UAE |
Module 2 | April 11 – 23, 2027 | UAE |
Module 3 | August 23 – September 3, 2027 | HBS Campus, Boston, US |
Participants should expect to spend approximately 25 hours on self-paced case preparation prior to attending Module 1 of the program. Case materials will be made available approximately two weeks prior to the start of the program.
Note: The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.
Application Deadlines
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Please note that admissions to the program are evaluated on a rolling basis. We strongly recommend that interested participants apply early.
Why Harvard Business School Executive Education?
Every year, executives from around the world turn to HBS Executive Education to propel their careers, ignite their passions, and reach their most ambitious goals. Here, you will be fully immersed in a unique living-and-learning experience with other top executives from leading organizations around the world. Led by our world-renowned faculty, our global curriculum is designed to give you the knowledge and skills you need to overcome real-world business challenges and lead with greater purpose by questioning assumptions, disrupting usual ways of doing business, and introducing unexpected ways of thinking. During the day, you'll take part in dynamic lectures, case discussions, and exercises. In the evening, you'll continue the conversation with your fellow participants in our unique HBS on-campus living groups, over meals, during off-campus group outings, and in other social settings. Beyond the daily interactions with professors and peers, another critical part of the HBS experience is the ability to step back from your day-to-day routine and reflect on where you've been and where you want to take your career. It's a unique and holistic approach to professional and personal development that many of our alumni and participants have called a life-changing experience.
Connect With an Emeritus Learning Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Email: hbs_selpme@emeritus.org
Phone: U.A.E. +971 80 0088601089 | U.S. +1 315 667 1897 | U.K. +44 1233 225154 | LATAM +52 55970 70428 | SG +65 3129 8406 | India* 000 8009191947
*If you are dialing the India number, please make sure to include the first three zeros (000).
FAQs
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME) is a comprehensive business management program offered by Harvard Business School Executive Education. This executive training is designed to prepare leaders for the evolving business landscape in the Middle East, where countries are diversifying their economies and encouraging new industries.
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East is taught through a series of modules offered in Boston, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. The program helps executives become more capable leaders who can deliver value in a global context, drive innovation, and build accountable, high-performance organizations. Participants engage with the hallmark HBS case method, complete a Value Mapping Strategy Project, and receive executive coaching throughout the program.
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME) has a program fee of US$85,000 plus VAT. This investment in executive training includes access to world-class HBS faculty, learning experiences across three international locations, executive coaching, and lifetime membership in the Harvard Business School alumni community with its extensive benefits and networking opportunities.
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME) has specific eligibility requirements that ensure participants can maximize the value of this executive training. The program requires a minimum of 10 years of work experience and participants should hold senior executive, functional leadership, or general management roles with experience working in the Middle East or with regional partners. The program is designed for leaders from various organizations including large established companies, entrepreneurial ventures, family businesses, multinational firms, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME) spans nine months with a unique format that maximizes learning and the development of a global perspective while minimizing consecutive days away from the office. The program consists of three in-person modules requiring just six weeks total away from the office over the course of the nine-month duration. Modules 1 and 2 will take place in UAE for 4 weeks, Module 3 is in the HBS Campus in Boston, USA for 2 weeks. This thoughtfully designed training schedule allows senior executives to maintain their professional responsibilities while participating in this comprehensive leadership program across one in Boston and two in the UAE.
The Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East (SELPME) offers significant value through its comprehensive approach and long-term benefits. Key takeaways from this program include strategic thinking and competitive advantage skills, innovation leadership capabilities, authentic and ethical leadership development, enhanced decision-making and negotiation confidence, and a valuable peer network spanning functions, industries, and countries. The training also provides Harvard Business School alumni status with lifetime membership benefits, access to a global network of 85,000+ MBA and HBS Executive Education alumni in 160+ countries, access 93 HBS alumni clubs and associations worldwide, ongoing career development and coaching opportunities, and discounts on HBS resources and future programs. The combination of world-class faculty, the proven HBS case method, international exposure, executive coaching, and lifelong alumni benefits makes the Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East a substantial investment in leadership development and career advancement.
We encourage early application due to limited cohort capacity.
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