LEADERSHIP | DEVELOPMENT
ABDALRAHMAN BIN KHARBASH ON WHAT MAKES AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER
Following three years of leadership training at PwC Middle East , and a year into his role as Senior Associate in PwC ’ s Deals practice , Emirati Abdalrahman Bin Kharbash shares his vision for exceptional leadership .
“ The greatest leader is the one who motivates others to do great things . If a leader can inspire others to achieve and realise their potential , they will
future leaders via secondment opportunities into PwC .
“ By prioritising the development of local talent , we are also helping to upskill the region ’ s broader talent pool and better prepare them for the workforce needs of the future .” And the numbers speak for themselves , with national representation at PwC Middle East doubling since 2019 to 1,200 UAE employees in 14 offices across the GCC .
Not only that , but close to 50 % of PwC ’ s national workforce is female , and more than 6,000 Emiratis have been trained in the firm ’ s Academy over the last decade , in undoubtedly grow future leaders to take up the vision and carry it forward . Emotional Intelligence is the key . The challenge of being in a leadership role is to be strong , but never rude , to be kind but not weak , to be humble , but not timid . Great leaders understand and utilise the delicate balance needed to empower and enforce others to achieve the collective goal .”
everything from leadership to data analytics .
Little wonder then that PwC is considered the sector pioneer for professional services firms when it comes to nationalisation , securing the Best Emiratisation Supporting Entity award by MoHRE in 2020 ; and for its Watani Programme , landing Best Nationalisation Initiative in the Private Sector at the GCC GOV HR Awards in 2022 .
As further proof of PwC ’ s success in embracing and developing nationals , Senior Associate in the Deals practice Abdalrahman Bin Kharbash was recently recognised at the governmentbacked Nafis Awards as the UAE ’ s best Emirati talent in private-sector finance .
Joining PwC ’ s Watani programme in June 2019 , Dubai-based Abdalrahman chose the private sector route as he feels it is “ the perfect platform to showcase my skill set ” and believes in the UAE vision of Emiratis taking ownership to solve many of the challenges the country faces . Empowered to take an active role in working with high-profile clients and complex engagements , Abdalrahman has been at the forefront of the development and betterment of the country and region . In leadership too , he has been encouraged to take key decisions and ownership , and to learn to apply his leadership mindset in real and impactful situations .
“ PwC understands that an ambitious nation requires leaders across all sectors to drive it toward growth and they have developed a tailored
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