Business Frontier Leadership Conclave & Awards 2026: Dubai Brings 150+ Business Leaders into One Room
Dubai, UAE September 4, 2026
Leadership, artificial intelligence, innovation, real estate and the future of work took centre stage as more than 150 business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and industry voices gathered at Taj Dubai, Business Bay, for the second edition of the Business Frontier Leadership Conclave & Awards 2026.
The one-day gathering brought together CEOs, founders, CXOs, professionals, investors and thought leaders from different industries and markets for a programme built around meaningful conversations, keynote insights, networking and recognition of leadership excellence. The event was presented by WOW Workplaces Certification and organised as part of the wider platform developed by Eventyst Global.
For Indonesia Rising, the event offered more than another entry on Dubai’s increasingly active business calendar. It provided a valuable window into how leaders across markets are responding to a rapidly changing business environment particularly as artificial intelligence, workplace transformation and changing expectations of leadership reshape the way organisations compete and grow.
One Room, Multiple Perspectives
The strength of the Business Frontier Conclave was its diversity of perspectives.
More than 150 senior business leaders, CXOs, entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts came together, while more than 50 individuals and organisations were recognised for achievements spanning entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, technology, operations and organisational excellence.
The gathering was also attended by distinguished Guests of Honour, including Mohamed Al Banna, Group CEO & Managing Director of LEAD Ventures; H.E. Yaqoob Al Ali, Executive Director and Private Advisor in the Office of H.H. Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum; and H.E. Dr. Oleksandr Balanutsa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Ukraine to the UAE and Bahrain.
Their presence reflected one of the event’s defining characteristics: bringing business, institutional and international perspectives into the same conversation.
That mix matters in today’s economy. Business opportunities increasingly cross sectors and borders, while decisions around investment, technology, talent and expansion are rarely made in isolation.
Leadership in the Age of AI
One of the strongest themes of the day was the relationship between technology and human leadership.
The headline panel, “Women at the Frontier of Leadership, AI & Innovation,” examined how women are influencing business, technology and innovation-led transformation. Moderated by Sreyasi Roy, Founder of Verve Humane Capital, the discussion featured Prof. Fatima Zaman, CEO of Serenity UK Care; Misha Sharma Gambhir, Founder of Heartspire Foundation; and Dr. Prithvi Priyadarshini, Gastroenterologist and Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopist at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital, Dubai, and TEDx speaker.
The conversation captured a broader question facing businesses everywhere: as AI changes how work is performed, what qualities will distinguish the leaders who can successfully navigate the next phase?
The answer emerging from the conclave was not technology alone.
As Jatin Deepchandani, Founder and CEO of Eventyst Global, observed, AI is accelerating transformation, but technology alone will not define the future of business. People, purpose and the ability to adapt remain equally important.
That perspective gave the event a more human dimension. The conversation around AI ultimately returned to leadership how organisations build trust, develop people, maintain purpose and make decisions in an environment where change is becoming constant.
Dubai’s Real Estate Story Remains Part of the Conversation
Real estate, naturally, was another major theme.
A dedicated panel, “What Keeps Dubai’s Real Estate Market Attractive and What Leadership Will It Need Next?”, brought industry voices together to examine the forces sustaining Dubai’s property market and the leadership required for its next stage of development. The discussion was moderated by Prof. Jeevan D’Mello, CEO of Zenesis Consulting, with contributions from Kartik Shankar Narayan, Chief Sales Officer of Berkeley Services UAE; Dr. Majid Jack Hsiung, Founder & CEO of Source of Fate Properties; and Abhishek Jalan, CEO of Grovy Developers.
For international observers, the discussion is particularly relevant.
Dubai has increasingly positioned itself as a meeting point for global capital, entrepreneurship, technology and real estate. Events such as Business Frontier provide an opportunity to examine not only where the market is today, but what kind of leadership will be required as the city enters its next phase of growth.
People, Culture and Talent as a Growth Engine
The final major panel moved the discussion from markets and technology to one of the most fundamental drivers of business performance: people.
“The Leadership Engine: How People, Culture & Talent Drive Business Growth” explored the relationship between organisational culture, talent and sustainable business performance. The session was moderated by Preethy Suresh, Founder & CEO of Ignition Point Ventures, and featured Dr. Soha Chahine, Managing Director of Forward Training & Consulting; Tiago Costa, CEO of Parisima; and Emma Jordan, CEO of Infinite Consulting.
Together with keynote sessions covering resilience, disruption, education, healthcare, technology, workplace transformation and purpose-led leadership, the programme reinforced an important message: business transformation is ultimately an organisational challenge as much as a technological one.
Recognising Those Moving Business Forward
The conclave concluded with its awards programme, recognising more than 50 individuals and organisations across areas including business, technology, real estate, healthcare, education, finance, operations and workplace development.
The recognition component added another dimension to the gathering. Beyond celebrating individual achievements, it highlighted the diversity of ways leadership can create impact from entrepreneurship and innovation to organisational excellence, technology adoption and the development of people.
In that sense, the awards complemented the conversations taking place throughout the day: leadership is ultimately measured not only by position, but by the ability to create value, adapt to change and influence others.
A Meeting Point for the Global Business Community
The second edition of the Business Frontier Leadership Conclave & Awards demonstrated the value of creating spaces where different sectors, professions and markets can meet in one room.
Dubai was a fitting setting.
As a global business centre, the city continues to attract people working across investment, real estate, technology, professional services, entrepreneurship and international trade. Bringing these communities together creates opportunities that can extend well beyond the event itself through conversations, partnerships, new ideas and relationships that continue after the conference doors close.
For Indonesia Rising, these are precisely the kinds of conversations worth following: conversations that connect business leadership with international markets, investment, innovation and the people shaping economic opportunities.
A Special Thank You
Indonesia Rising extends its sincere appreciation to Riya Malhotra, Senior Editor at REM Times, Business Frontier, Global Leaders Today and Employee Happiness Daily, and the Eventyst Global team, for sharing this event exclusively with Indonesia Rising.
We are grateful for the opportunity to bring our readers a closer look at a gathering that brought together more than 150 leaders and voices from across the global business community.
Events such as the Business Frontier Leadership Conclave & Awards remind us that meaningful business progress often begins with something simple: bringing the right people into the same room, creating space for ideas to be exchanged, and recognising those who are already making a difference.
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