Delegation from Top UK Business School Visits DIFC, Highlighting Ever-Closer Ties Between London and Dubai Financial Centres

MBA Students from Cass Business School in London visit DIFC during five-day tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

A delegation of MBA students from Cass Business School in London visited the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), highlighting the ever-closer ties between the UAE and UK financial communities. The 34-strong group was hosted by the DIFC Authority, who briefed them on the DIFC’s value proposition, as well as the unique dynamics of the UAE’s financial services industry.

The delegation was in the UAE as part of Cass Business School’s “International Study Tour,” comprising visits to leading companies and meetings with respected business leaders from a variety of industries. The five-day tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi took in meetings with du; Nakheel; Emirates Airline; ADMA (the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company); the Masdar Renewable Energy City; the Yas Marina Circuit; leading global advertising agency, JWT; Dubai Sports City; and Grant Thornton UAE.

Dr Nasser Saidi, Chief Economist, DIFC said: “We see many well-qualified ambitious professionals migrating to the DIFC to build their global careers by working in one of the top financial centres in the world. The UAE has always recognised that quality education is key to overall social and economic development and is committed to build a knowledge–based economy. We, at DIFC, consider that human capital investment is the foundation for developing sound and efficient financial centres and markets. We are proud to host the CASS delegation today and hope they found their visit to one of the most dynamic and open emerging economies helpful in strengthening the links between Dubai, the UAE  and the City of London .”

“In recent years, the UAE has emerged as a true powerhouse of the Middle East’s financial services industry, and the country is now a fixture on the world stage alongside traditional centres such as the City of London,” said Richard Gillingwater, Dean of Cass Business School. “Having direct access to decision makers at the centre of one of the world’s most significant emerging economies will prove invaluable to our London-based students, offering unique perspectives on the dynamics of doing business in the Middle East and Gulf. Indeed, as the UAE’s financial services industry continues to flourish, we are seeing an increasingly fluid movement of Cass alumni between the DIFC and City of London.”

In 2011, the Financial Times ranked the Executive MBA third in the UK and seventh in Europe. The Cass EMBA offered in Dubai is a flexible part-time course aimed at managers in the Gulf region who wish to accelerate their career development while remaining in full-time employment. Its state-of-the-art campus was opened in the DIFC in 2007 and has been home to over 250 executives and professionals studying on Cass’s internationally acclaimed EMBA programme.