Dubai Electricity and Water Authority announced the certification of 21 Emirati mid-level managers upon completion of the third batch of its Capacity Building Programme, which the utility said prepared participants in specialised technical fields for roles supporting government excellence criteria. The programme, which ran as part of ongoing capacity building efforts, equipped graduates to align their divisions with the latest requirements of the Dubai Government Excellence Program organised by the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai. DEWA reported that the intensive training achieved a 97 per cent participant satisfaction rate according to post-programme assessments. The initiative drew on assessment tools designed for continuous improvement across technical and administrative operations.
According to DEWA, the training included field visits along with practical sessions that simulated full evaluation processes and the preparation of detailed assessment reports. Corporate excellence specialists and internal domain experts oversaw all components to ensure alignment with both local government standards and international best practices. The utility has positioned the programme as a key element in developing sustainable Emirati leadership across its operations. Public Authority for Electricity and Water data from earlier years places DEWA among organisations that have integrated excellence models into daily workflows to support broader national development goals.
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive officer of DEWA, said in the announcement, “The visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, serves as the cornerstone for excellence in Dubai and a driving force in fostering a culture of sustainable excellence supported by Emirati men and women. This not only enhances our preparedness for the future but also uplifts the lives and happiness of our people, propelling government efforts to achieve global leadership standards and bolstering Dubai’s competitiveness. At DEWA, we firmly believe that excellence is a fundamental value and that our most valuable asset is our human capital. We are dedicated to nurturing Emiratis to become the next generation of sustainable leaders and to realise our national aspirations. This underscores our unparalleled expertise, which has become a global role model in excellence, leadership, adaptability to change, and navigating global developments.”
Waleed Bin Salman, executive vice president of business development and excellence at DEWA, added that the authority has become a benchmark for corporate maturity in the field of excellence. Bin Salman stated in the same release that DEWA adopts excellence and leadership as daily practices that foster wider horizons of development, growth, and prosperity. The executive noted that this approach sets new standards in government work while ensuring the happiness of all stakeholders. A PwC review of regional government transformation efforts has previously highlighted DEWA’s excellence framework as an active contributor to reduced processing times and improved service delivery metrics across utility operations.
The Capacity Building Programme forms part of DEWA’s wider commitment to nurturing Emirati talent according to the highest international standards, a priority the utility has maintained through multiple batches since its launch. Earlier DEWA figures show the organisation had accumulated 383 awards for excellence between 2015 and the end of 2021, including 67 local and 67 regional recognitions that underscore its leadership position. The latest cohort brings the total number of beneficiaries from similar internal development tracks to several hundred, according to the utility’s published capacity building updates. DEWA’s excellence conference series has separately documented how such training contributes to the authority’s ability to meet evolving regulatory and operational demands.
Dubai Government Excellence Program records from the 2024 assessment cycle listed 155 assessors and experts drawn from 20 countries, with 45 per cent identified as Emiratis, a proportion that reflects the growing pool of qualified national talent including those trained through programmes such as DEWA’s. The utility’s internal specialists have participated in these external evaluations, applying skills refined during the capacity building sessions. This cross-pollination has allowed DEWA to refine its own assessment methodologies while contributing expertise to the broader government programme. The certification of the 21 Emiratis under the Excellence Expert Assessment programme therefore adds to an established pipeline of qualified professionals capable of driving excellence across both the organisation and the emirate.
