Thunderbird School of Global Management opened a new satellite centre of excellence called Thunderbird Global Innovation Center in partnership with Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre and the top innovation hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), with over 350 FinTech and innovation companies in the region.

The announcement is being made during theInnovation Monthat DIFC Innovation Hub which is bringing together a new generation of creative minds to explore the industry of the future. Thunderbird’s Global Innovation Center is located at the DIFCInnovation Hub, Gate Avenue, in the heart of Dubai’s flourishing international business district. Known as a leading world-class business and innovation destination, DIFC provides the most powerful innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.

Thunderbird Global Innovation Center will capitalise on DIFC’s unmatched location and network to catalyse and accelerate start-ups and existing firms while providing world-class international business, leadership and management training, including delivery of graduate degree programmes. Thunderbird Executive Education will deliver elite hybrid learning programmes (in-person plus remote) for organisations and individuals. Innovators and entrepreneurs will have opportunities to design, test and refine their ideas working alongside top educators, business leaders, financial experts and thousands of other trailblazers from DIFC’s vast and diverse ecosystem. Additionally, having a presence in this highly sought-after location will bolster regional recruiting and serve as a connection point for members of Thunderbird and ASU’s global alumni networks.

Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, said: “Thunderbird’s decision to locate its Global Innovation Center in DIFC is a testament to the strength of our reputation as a global business hub. It will enable the school to access our world-class infrastructure and innovation offering as well as reach the fast growing economies of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. We are excited to be welcoming a first-of-its-kind Thunderbird Global Innovation Center to the DIFC Innovation Hub and look forward to working with the team to support the next generation of business leaders.”

Thunderbird’s Director General and Dean, Sanjeev Khagram, commented: “Our new home in Dubai’s financial nerve center will allow Thunderbird and ASU to do what we do best—spark innovation and build collaborative knowledge networks across sectors and disciplines—in one of the business world’s key locations. With the expertise of our partners at DIFC, Thunderbird will use this perfect location as a launchpad to drive regional transformation and export cutting-edge management mastery around planet Earth. We’re expanding our worldwide network of Thunderbird Centers of Excellence in major commercial hubs like Dubai, and this beautiful space, DIFC Innovation Hub within Gate Avenue at DIFC will leverage the latest technology to link up with our offices in other cities as well as our new state-of-the-art Thunderbird Global Headquarters in Phoenix, opening this fall as part of our 75th Anniversary celebrations. Being here now means our school and university will play an instrumental role in taking business innovations in Dubai to new heights as the Fourth Industrial Revolution accelerates.”