Global Management Challenge Contributes to Human Development in the UAE

Team Desert Gurus from Namshi wins UAE’s first Global Management Challenge

After a gruelling three months, the Desert Gurus, a group of management professionals from Namshi, an online fashion store, have emerged as the United Arab Emirates champions in the country’s first Global Management Challenge, the world’s largest strategy and management competition. The competition, aligned with the UAE government’s vision of investing in human development, created a platform to equip business professionals and students with practical knowledge of managing a company.

The UAE recently ranked 30th in the index of the UN Human Development Report and emerged as the top Arab country among 187 countries around the world, for its contribution to various industries including business, education and training .

“What we achieved with the competition is a small but significant contribution towards human development,” said Mian Muneer Uddin, managing partner of Beaufort Associates, the consulting and advisory services firm that brought the Global Management Challenge to the UAE. “Not only has the competition equipped all participants with the knowledge of running a company, but the skills learnt during the past few months will be used to develop careers and enhance businesses here in the UAE. Congratulations to Team Desert Gurus on being the UAE’s first Global Management Challenge champions.”

Over 60 teams, comprising 300 participants, participated from companies and universities around the UAE, including; DP World and American University of Dubai, but Namshi UAE emerged winners in the gruelling challenge, followed by The Simulators from Higher Colleges of Technology and Stratesphere from Masdar Institute of Technology in third place. In addition, the jury selected two Emirati teams, DP World and Dubal, who were awarded for their achievement, consistency of performance and dedication throughout the competition.

The Challenge consisted of a management simulation in which teams of three to five people, comprising university students and young professionals, were given complete control of a virtual company with the objective of obtaining the highest investment performance for its shareholders. Competitors analysed financial and economic indicators, expanded their views on corporate strategy, interacted within functional areas of a company and gained an in-depth understanding of the market conditions in which their companies competed.

The Desert Gurus will now compete with counterparts from several countries for the world title, to be held in Sochi, Russia in September this year.