Storybased Leadership Development Participants Meet H.E. the Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE

ABU DHABI, UAE - April 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Abu Dhabi, 4th April 2013

Storybased Leadership Development participants gathered last week for a very special visit and interview with His Excellency Sultan bin Nasser Alsuwaidi the Governor of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates.

Hosted at the Central Bank’s premises in Abu Dhabi, participants gathered along with high-ranking officials from the bank to listen to the astounding and rich career journey that H.E. Sultan bin Nasser Alsuwaidi had shared.

Participants were quick to notice that all H.E.’s career events and milestones took place in parallel to key economic and political events that have taken place around the World and in the Region, whether these being the 1981 drop in oil prices, 1986 roll out of the first network of ATMs across the UAE, 1991/92 the central bank’s initiatives for setting in place immune systems for protecting local banks from insolvency, the events of 9/11, the 2005 Real Estate boom, and then the 2008 financial crisis including the fall of Lehmann Brothers that same year.  

All these events played an integral role in shaping H.E.’s career journey, as each situation brought its own challenges and called for its own difficult and often risky decisions. Just hearing about the difficult situations and the decisions these called for, and the impact of these on the country and the economic wellbeing of the people, had grown participant’s respect for the governor’s strategic role.  Not to mention the extent to which participants admired the governor’s strong memory in recalling the exact dates of the various events.

The interview was followed with an intensive question and answer session, where participants raised many important questions to the governor which included questions around the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, to which the governor’s response was that the country’s economic conditions at the time that vision was drafted, were very different than the conditions we are living in today, recommending a review of that vision. Concerns were also raised around the amount of personal liabilities banks have caused a large number of young UAE nationals through the encouraged and facilitated means of obtaining personal loans, asking about the Central Bank’s role in regulating these so that less people end up falling what one participant referred to as ‘slaves to the banking system’.  

The initially planned one-hour interview, extended to a generous two hours from the governor’s time, in which H.E. shared important lessons and learning with program participants and patiently answered all questions raised during the session.    

Program organizers from GSEC and Altaaat Leadership Development Institute, including program participants sincerely thanked H.E. the Governor for making time to meet with them, and for hosting this week’s session at the Central Bank of the UAE and had also extended their appreciations to the organizing team from the Central bank for their generous hospitality and warm welcome. The Governor extended his admiration for the efforts exerted into the development of nationals holding important leadership positions within Government, and expressed his kind preparedness to continue to support.  
As part of the visit, the Officials at the Central Bank of the UAE had also organized a tour around the Central Bank’s operation where participants experienced hands on the depositing, counting, and storing of the money at the Government’s central bank. The tour was concluded with a giveaway keepsake for each visitor, consisting of a bag full of colorful shredded UAE irham bills!
Formore details please visit http://www.altaaat.com