Judges

Saeed Al Nazari

Secretary General of Great Arab Minds, Director-General, Federal Youth Authority, UAE/ Executive Director of The Youth Office at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office/ Chief Strategy Officer of Arab Youth Center

His Excellency Saeed Al Nazari is the Secretary General of Great Arab Minds, and served as the Director General of the Federal Youth Authority of the UAE Government, Executive Director of The Youth Office at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office and Chief Strategy Officer of the Arab Youth Center.

Al Nazari brings to his roles 11 years of experience in strategic policy development, strategic project management, and holds expertise gained from overseeing the development of the National Youth Agenda and the Emirati Youth Empowerment Model. He has also played an instrumental role in shaping the UAE Youth Councils, the Arab Youth Strategy and several policies approved by the UAE Cabinet, including Youth Engagement Policy, and one on Youth Housing Awareness Policy, as well as the Global Youth Delegations Policy.

Al Nazari also led the establishment phase of several national-level entities, including the Youth Office at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office, the Special Olympics UAE, Federal Youth Authority, Arab Youth Center and the Emirates Youth Professional School. On these entities, he led the development of strategies and frameworks, and managed their work teams and the implementation of key strategic plans.

Prior to his current roles, Al Nazari held various positions in the government and private sector, includes a Project Manager in the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum where he managed and worked on several strategic projects in Dubai, such as the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit, the Arab Strategy Forum, and AREA 2071.

Earlier, he also worked at Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, Dubai Airport Free Zone, Noor Bank, Emirates Islamic Bank, and was awarded Distinguished rank in his performance.

In the course of his career, Al Nazari has led and managed around 50 national projects, including the Federal Youth Hubs, National Emirates Youth Values Program, Emirates Youth Global Initiative, United Nations Youth Delegates Programme, Emirates Youth Summer Academy, Young Economist Program, 100 Mentors program, Emirates Youth Career Counseling, Youth Circles initiative, which won the Mohammed Bin Rashid Government Excellence Award in the category of Distinguished Initiatives and Done by Youth initiative, as well as Youth launchpad, largest nation-wide startup incubator. In addition, he managed Youth Spots, Youth Debates. Al Nazari also curated UAE Government Foundation Course as part of the Youth101 initiative that included the participation of 22 ministers from the UAE Government. He also led the organizing of the first National Youth Retreat and Fakhr Forum which celebrates the heroes of UAE Armed Forces, as well as leading the UAE Youth Global Forum in the United Kingdom.

In line with his diverse expertise, Al Nazari also Leads and manages several regional initiatives and programs, including the Arab Youth Forum of the World Government Summit, Young Arab Media Leaders Programme, Arab Youth Startup Marketplace, Young Arab Pioneers Program, Arab Social Media Influencer Award, Arab Youth Research Platform, Young Arab Leaders Meeting, Youth Pitches, Arab Youth Festival, the Sudanese Youth Forum, and the Arab Youth Opportunities Platform.

Al Nazari also led and managed more than 30 national teams, including the team that managed the branding campaign for the UAE’s first astronauts. He also supervised teams that worked on the Year of Zayed Youth Projects, Youth Digital Platforms, and a team working to raise youth awareness and preparedness in dealing with epidemics. Al Nazari has been mentoring and guiding teams linked to Emirati youth priorities, including entrepreneurship, economy, housing, career development and marriage.

His Excellency Saeed Al Nazari sits on the Board of Directors of Emirates Schools Establishment, and the Small and Medium Enterprises Board, Emirates Council for Advanced Skills, the Quality of Life Council, Digital Quality of Life Council, and the National Human Resources Development Fund Management Committee. He leads the Youth Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council. He is on the supervisory team for the Department of Proactive Services at the Ministry of Possibilities, the Youth Committee of The Arab League, and the Global Shapers community of the World Economic Forum. Al Nazari is a member also in the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, the integration committee for the Human Resources Development Committee, and a member in the Higher Colleges of Technology Alumni Council.

He was a member of the first Emirates Youth Council and was appointed a global innovation ambassador at the Global Innovation Management Institute. He is also a member of the UAE Government Leadership Program in the Government Undersecretaries Category. In addition, he has participated at international forums, including the World Economic Forum’s Shape MENA, the Festival de Cannes in France, the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia, and the Academy of Achievement Summit.

Al Nazari has received more than 10 national and international awards, including the Academic Excellence Award, Global Student Award, Leader of the Year Award at the Higher Colleges of Technology, Emirates Award for the Arabian Gulf Youth and the Mubadala Youth Award.

His Excellency Saeed Al Nazari holds a master’s degree in Leadership and Corporate Entrepreneurship, and a BA (Hons) degree in Business Administration and Human Resources Management from the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai. He has also graduated from the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program in New York University, in higher studies in Foreign Policy.  Furthermore, he completed professional management studies at Cambridge University in Britain and studied strategy and planning at the London Business School.

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