Protocol School recognises Al Kaabi with honorary degree

Noura Al Kaabi, chief executive officer of twofour54, speaks at the Global Education Summit in Washington. Courtesy Twofour54

ABU DHABI // Noura Al Kaabi, the chief executive of Twofour54, has been given an honorary degree by an US institution.

The head of the commercial arm of the Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority received the award from the Protocol School of Washington during the institution’s Global Education Summit in the US capital.

Afterwards, Ms Al Kaabi spoke on women in leadership roles to an audience of more than 250 people, sharing her experiences of being a female chief executive in the Middle East.

She advised listeners to own their own destiny and believe in themselves and to identify personal strengths. They should define success on their own terms based on individual values, passions and vision.

“I am honoured to be recognised by the Protocol School of Washington,” Ms Al Kaabi said.

“The school is a trusted counsel to governments and industries worldwide, and has been instrumental in equipping professionals such as myself with the unique skill sets required to succeed in today’s multicultural business environment.”

The accolade was not the first for Ms Al Kaabi, a member of the Federal National Council.

Foreign Policy magazine previously named her one of the leading global thinkers of last year, the first Emirati to be featured on the 100-member list, for her contributions to supporting young talent and promoting online Arabic content.

Forbes Middle East named her one of the 30 most influential women in government last year, while two years ago Arabian Business magazine named Ms Al Kaabi media chief executive of the year.

Ms Al Kaabi is also a board member of Abu Dhabi Media, the parent company of The National.

She also sits on the boards of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, Image Nation and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

The chief executive holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from UAE University, in addition to completing a leadership programme at the London Business School.

The Protocol School in Washington conducts private training for corporations and government bodies, with experts from The Hague, militaries, international academia and corporations.