The 2-year programme brings IIMA’s academic rigour, AI-integrated curriculum, and global exposure to Dubai, enabling senior professionals to build enterprise-wide leadership capability without interrupting their careers
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad) has launched a 2-year Executive MBA at its Dubai Campus, designed for senior professionals actively collaborating across India and the Gulf to drive business impact, and seeking to build global leadership capability and strategic depth without stepping away from their careers.
The programme marks the third offering from IIMA’s Dubai Campus, further expanding the Institute’s presence in the UAE and strengthening its focus on developing leadership talent for the region’s evolving business environment.
For Indian professionals whose careers increasingly span the India-Gulf corridor, the shift towards AI-led businesses is changing what leadership requires. Beyond AI fluency, leaders will need cross-functional judgment, the ability to make technology-led decisions and an enterprise-wide perspective to operate effectively across increasingly interconnected markets.
Ranked #23 globally, #1 in Asia, and #1 in India for Executive Education as per the Financial Times Executive Education Open Rankings 2026, IIM Ahmedabad brings its academic rigour and legacy to professionals navigating this changing business landscape and to a region where the demand for AI-ready leadership is accelerating.
Spanning 6 terms, the programme combines in-person weekend classes with a 7-day immersive residency at IIM Ahmedabad’s Ahmedabad campus and an international immersion, followed by a faculty-supervised Executive Capstone Project to make it extremely industry-aligned. The curriculum places participants in consequential, real-world decision-making situations, developing the cross-functional judgment and enterprise-wide perspective required to lead at scale. Programme completion also opens the door to the IIM Ahmedabad alumni network of leaders across industries, functions, and geographies, with active Association Chapters across the UAE, India, and international locations.
Commenting on the launch, Prof Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIM Ahmedabad said “Professionals today are expected to lead with strategic depth and a global outlook, yet most learning formats are not designed for someone already holding that responsibility. The executive blind spot is real; leaders are expected to acquire new capabilities but cannot step away from the roles they have worked hard to earn. That is exactly what we are building for. We are proud to expand our Dubai Campus portfolio, recognising how economically intertwined India and the Gulf are as markets, and how professionals who operate across both understand what it means to lead with a truly global perspective.”
Per the WEF’s data, 41% of UAE workers’ core skills are set to change by 2030. The programme’s AI-integrated curriculum and case-based pedagogy are designed to develop exactly the kind of adaptive, strategic leadership the region demands.
‘What struck us is how naturally this programme fits the reality of Indian professionals today. A significant number of them are already travelling to the Gulf, building relationships, navigating that market, and driving business impact across both economies. This programme is a natural extension of that work, giving them the academic framework, the peer cohort, and the IIM Ahmedabad alumni network to operate at an even higher level. At this stage of a career, senior professionals are not looking for another credential, but for influence, perspective, and a network that opens the next door,” he added.
The Executive MBA is supported by global education company Emeritus to drive awareness and outreach, while the on-campus academic delivery and faculty operations are led by IIM Ahmedabad Dubai Campus.
The One-Year MBA and the General Management Programme continue to run successfully. The strategic expansion is deliberate, deepening IIM Ahmedabad’s institutional commitment to one of the world’s most strategically significant business economies and its ambition to become a global AI-first knowledge hub.
Applications are now open. Candidates must have a minimum of 6 (six) years of post-graduation experience, including 3 (three) years in a managerial or leadership role, and are required to submit IIMA Admission Test, GMAT Focus, Executive Assessment, or GRE scores. Admissions follow a rigorous multi-stage selection process.