On Thursday 20 November 2025, Abu Dhabi hosts a concentrated leadership development day for mid career marketers at the Fahid Experience Center. Organised under The Marketing Society’s Accelerate banner, the programme gathers a carefully selected cohort for a full day of skills building, reflection and networking. The wider Ones to Watch initiative has already supported hundreds of emerging leaders across global editions, with strong feedback scores from past participants. The UAE edition in 2025 runs from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Gulf Standard Time at Fahid Experience Center in Abu Dhabi (suitable for solo professionals and corporate teams, not suitable for children).
Programme focus and learning outcomes
The Ones to Watch format focuses on marketing leadership rather than introductory skills, so you can expect deep dives into real strategic challenges. Throughout the day, sessions explore topics like digital transformation, leading creative teams, brand building and responsible innovation, always anchored in practical examples from the region. Moreover, the organisers emphasise that delegates leave with tools they can immediately apply back at the office, not just inspirational quotes. This edition aims to blend high impact talks with space for reflection, so participants can connect new ideas to their own leadership journeys (ideal for solo attendees or small groups from the same company).
Speakers and voices you will hear
The event page highlights an impressive speaker roster that bridges agency, brand and technology perspectives. Confirmed contributors include Kate Midttun of Acorn Strategy, experienced automotive and brand leader Anja Petrovski, tourism and sustainability expert Neda Shelton and creative leader Alex Brunori. In addition, marketing heads such as Katie Golding, Aly Tawfik, Jon Carvill of MBZUAI and Giacomo Ziani of G42 bring in stories from major regional and global organisations. These names signal a programme that moves between creativity, data, AI, corporate strategy and reputation management. For delegates, this variety means every session offers a different lens on what modern marketing leadership in the Gulf actually looks like (strongest value for solo professionals aiming to broaden their network).
Who this programme is designed for
The Marketing Society positions Accelerate: The Ones to Watch as a programme for rising marketing leaders, not absolute beginners. Official guidance states that the day targets marketers with around five to ten years of experience at Marketing Manager, Brand Manager or Senior Manager level. These are people already trusted with budgets and teams, now preparing for their next step into broader leadership roles. Importantly, the programme sits within The Marketing Society’s Business Team Membership structure, so attendees are usually nominated by their company’s senior marketing leaders. Because of this nomination based model, the event best suits ambitious mid career marketers whose organisations already hold, or plan to hold, a Business Team Membership (solo professionals attending through their employer).
Tickets, membership and pricing in AED
According to the published event details, the day is included at no extra charge for companies that already hold a Business Team Membership, giving each Business Team two complimentary places. That means many delegates will attend as part of their existing membership benefits, with no direct ticket payment on the day. However, the organisers also note that Business Teams can purchase additional places for 495 US dollars per person, which currently equates to approximately AED 1,820 per additional delegate, depending on exchange rates. This pricing applies on top of membership fees and underlines that the event is structured as a premium development experience rather than an open public conference. Individual or digital members cannot book directly, so anyone interested should coordinate early with their organisation’s key Marketing Society contact (solo professionals only via their employer, not family friendly).
Inside Fahid Experience Center on Fahid Island
Fahid Experience Center sits within Aldar’s new Fahid Island development, a waterfront community positioned as a sustainable luxury destination in Abu Dhabi. The space functions as a showcase for the island’s architecture and lifestyle, but it also hosts curated wellness and community events for future residents and partners. Recent gatherings there have included sound healing sessions and wellness activations, signalling that the venue is designed for immersive, thoughtfully produced experiences rather than simple presentations. Therefore, you can expect a modern, carefully lit environment with comfortable seating, strong air conditioning and a polished hospitality set up. The setting feels more like an intimate innovation hub than a huge convention hall, which suits a leadership programme built around conversation and reflection (comfortable for solo visitors and corporate groups, not suitable for young children).
Daily schedule and how to structure your time
The published timings run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Gulf Standard Time, with the agenda typically balancing plenary talks, interactive segments and breaks. You can reasonably expect an opening framing session, followed by thematic blocks on leadership, creativity, digital and culture, often ending with reflection or action planning. Because the venue is somewhat removed from central malls and city districts, it makes sense to commit to spending the full day onsite rather than planning external meetings between sessions. Additionally, breaks and lunch usually provide the best informal networking moments, which are central to the value of this programme. If your schedule feels tight, prioritise arriving before the first session and staying through the final afternoon block, because those hours tend to hold the most strategic content (solo professionals benefit most from full day attendance).
Getting there from Abu Dhabi city
Fahid Island lies off the coast of Abu Dhabi, so most delegates will travel by car, taxi or ride hailing service rather than bus. From downtown or Corniche hotels, the journey can take roughly 25 to 40 minutes outside the heaviest peaks, depending on your exact starting point. Morning traffic on main arteries can still build on a working Thursday, especially between 7:30 and 9:00 am, so leaving earlier makes the trip smoother. In practice, many corporate teams arrange shared cars or a small shuttle to keep arrivals coordinated. Plan to reach the Fahid Experience Center by around 8:30 am, giving time for check in, coffee and an unhurried start to the day (solo and small groups, not recommended for families with young children).
Travel options from Dubai, Sharjah and other Emirates
For marketing teams based in Dubai, the most direct option is to drive via the E11 highway towards Abu Dhabi, then follow signage to Fahid Island and the experience center. In light traffic, the door to door journey from areas like Dubai Marina or Business Bay may take about 60 to 80 minutes, but Thursday morning patterns often extend this. Therefore, leaving Dubai between 6:00 and 6:30 am offers a safer buffer if you want to be comfortably seated before 9:00 am. Teams from Sharjah or Ajman can head south to join E11 near Dubai, then continue as above, allowing extra time for congestion when crossing between emirates. Because there is no metro system in Abu Dhabi, long distance visitors should rely on private cars, taxis or pre booked transfers, then consider returning after 5:30 or 6:00 pm once peak traffic begins to ease (best suited to solo professionals and corporate delegations).
Parking, nearby facilities and budget planning
Fahid Island is being developed as a premium residential and lifestyle district, so on site parking at the experience center is generally available, yet event days can still feel busy. It is sensible to arrive early to secure a convenient spot and to follow staff directions when lots near the entrance fill up. While official tariffs for this specific site are not widely published, you can expect paid or validated parking to fall broadly in line with other private event venues in Abu Dhabi, where all day parking often comes in around AED 20 to 40 per vehicle, approximately. Additionally, refreshments at the venue or nearby outlets are likely to match upscale Abu Dhabi pricing, so budgeting around AED 50 to 100 per person for coffee, snacks and a simple lunch is realistic. Because parking capacity at emerging developments can feel tight during popular events, aim to car share where possible and build a little extra time into both arrival and departure (good for solo professionals and small teams sharing costs).
Weather, clothing and transport warnings
Weather forecasts for Thursday 20 November 2025 in Abu Dhabi indicate a warm, mainly sunny day, with expected afternoon highs around 32 degrees Celsius and lows near 23 degrees. The following Friday and Saturday should stay similarly warm with hazy sun, with daytime temperatures around 31 to 32 degrees and nights dipping to about 20 to 21 degrees, and no significant rain or mud risks expected on paved access roads. Inside the Fahid Experience Center, however, strong air conditioning can make long sessions feel cool, so business casual visitors usually feel most comfortable in light layers: breathable shirts or blouses with a jacket or blazer they can easily remove. Traffic will likely peak on main routes towards Fahid Island between 7:30 and 9:00 am and again when the programme ends after 5:00 pm, so leaving slightly earlier or lingering for a short debrief can both reduce congestion stress. Ticket structures, exchange rate conversions and parking fees may change as the date approaches, so treat the amounts above as approximate and always confirm details with organisers or your company contact before committing budgets. According to recent coverage prepared by the editorial team behind www.few.ae, delegates who register early, travel in shared cars where practical and pack for both warm outdoor conditions and cool indoor air conditioning usually find days like Accelerate: The Ones to Watch 2025 smoother, more focused and easier to enjoy from start to finish.
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