TL;DR
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Abu Dhabi City Municipality won 11 awards at the 2025 Harvard Business Council International Awards. - Recognitions spanned innovation, executive leadership, digital transformation, and women’s leadership.
- The awards ceremony was held at the Royal Society of Arts in London.
- The municipality was honored as a Gold Sponsor for its key role in the event.
- The win follows Abu Dhabi Customs’ 6-award achievement in 2024, highlighting the UAE’s continued excellence in governance.
A Historic Performance in London
Abu Dhabi City Municipality has set a new benchmark in public service excellence by securing 11 prestigious awards at the 2025 Harvard Business Council (HBC) International Awards, held at the historic Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA) in London. This remarkable feat marks the municipality’s most significant performance to date at the HBC Awards, both in terms of the number of awards won and the diversity of categories represented. The accolades spanned key areas such as innovation, leadership, professional excellence, and the empowerment of women in public service, reflecting the municipality’s strategic vision, operational efficiency, and commitment to global best practices. As reported by WAM, Emirates News Agency, Ahmed Fadhel Almehairbi, Acting Director-General of Abu Dhabi City Municipality, expressed immense pride in the achievement:“These awards affirm the high standards and professionalism of our teams across all sectors. Their efforts continue to position Abu Dhabi City Municipality as a leader in public service innovation and institutional excellence,” he said. He further added that this recognition aligns with the Emirate’s broader vision: “This achievement aligns with the vision of Abu Dhabi’s leadership and reinforces the municipality’s commitment to continuous improvement and to delivering modern, integrated services that meet the evolving needs of the community and stakeholders.”
Recognized Excellence Across 11 Categories
The 2025 HBC International Awards, hosted during the AI & Innovation Convention, spotlighted standout institutions and professionals across 30 global categories. From a competitive pool of 4,172 applications and over 5,500 assessment hours, 63 winners were selected, highlighting innovation, AI adoption, sustainability, and excellence in governance. Abu Dhabi City Municipality emerged as a clear standout with the following recognitions:
Corporate and Innovation Excellence
- HBC Gold Sponsor Recognition
- Level: Gold Sponsor
- Recipient: Abu Dhabi City Municipality
- HBC Innovation Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Abu Dhabi City Municipality
- HBC Innovative Idea Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Abu Dhabi City Municipality
Professional and Individual Achievements
- HBC Professional Award
- Level: Diamond
- Recipient: Yasmeen Saadah
- Achievement: National leader in
smart city strategy and urban policy transformation.
- HBC Professional Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Aisha Yousef Alali
- Achievement: Led strategic investment initiatives for
sustainable urban development .
- HBC Professional Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Khalid Khamis Almarzooqi
- Achievement: Advanced AI-driven inspections and virtual training systems.
- HBC Professional Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Mouza Ibraheem Alhammadi
- Achievement: Pioneered digital transformation in engineering and service excellence.
Recognition of Women Leaders
- HBC Women Leader Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Eng. Muna Alhadrami
- Achievement: Contributions to engineering and infrastructure innovation.
- HBC Women Leader Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Fatima Salem Alali
- Achievement: Innovations in municipal service delivery.
- HBC Women Leader Award
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Sara Ahmed Albraiki
- Achievement: Enhanced operational efficiency through smart systems.
- Level: Gold
- Recipient: Khadejah Mohamed Almansoori
- Achievement: Excellence in policy planning and digital engagement.
- HBC Distinguished Leadership Award
- Level: Diamond
- Recipient: H.E. Salem Sultan Almemari
- Achievement: Visionary leadership and strategic impact in urban governance.
The Broader Impact and Context
The 2025 convention also featured the global launch of the Intelligent Sustainable Excellence (ISE) Model, signaling a new direction in how organizations assess and implement long-term, sustainable performance. These awards reflect Abu Dhabi City Municipality’s elevated role as a global benchmark in smart, sustainable governance, made even more significant by its active participation as a Gold Sponsor, a contribution that was formally recognized and appreciated by the HBC International Awards Foundation. Abu Dhabi City Municipality continues to carry the banner of urban innovation, following a legacy that dates back to its founding in 1962. Originally tasked with planning and maintaining roads, lighting, sewage, landscaping, agriculture, and markets, its role has since expanded dramatically. Today, it stands as a central force in executing the wise leadership’s vision for infrastructure development and sustainable urban transformation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
A Broader Pattern of UAE Excellence
This isn’t the first time that Abu Dhabi’s public institutions have dominated on the HBC international stage. As reported in 2024, Abu Dhabi Customs received six gold awards at the HBC International Awards in New York City, including categories such as:
- Human Resources Award
- Innovation Award
- Smart Application Award (IT)
- Procurement Award (Service Management)
- Executive Awards (Human Resources and Strategic Development)
These achievements reflect a consistent national commitment to global excellence, institutional development, and digital transformation.
