Frequently asked questions

Board Enhance is a board education company based in Dubai, founded by Philip Bäck. We run intensive programmes that prepare senior executives across the UAE and GCC for board and non-executive director (NED) positions. Our flagship Board Diploma Programme is a 3-day in-person course in Dubai, developed in partnership with Spencer Stuart, Clyde & Co, and Grant Thornton.

Alongside our open-enrolment programmes, we also design and deliver customised, curated programmes for organisations that want to develop their leadership teams, executives or board members in a tailored format.

The Board Diploma is a 3-day in-person programme in Dubai with live faculty sessions, the full board simulation, and access to our alumni network with regular in-person gatherings. Board Foundations delivers the same curriculum online, with pre-recorded sessions for days one and two, plus a live online board simulation on day three. The Diploma is for those who want the full experience and network; Foundations is for those who need flexibility.

Three days, in person, in Dubai. The programme runs from morning through afternoon each day, with structured sessions, the board simulation exercise, and networking time built in.

At the JW Marriott Marina in Dubai. The venue is selected for its accessibility to executives travelling from across the GCC and its facilities for the board simulation exercise.

The Board Diploma Programme is delivered in English. We can also offer it in Arabic to organisations as a customised programme.

The Board Diploma Programme is 29,900 AED per participant. This covers all three days of training, materials, the board simulation, meals at the JW Marriott Marina venue, and access to the Board Enhance alumni network.

The fee covers three days of training, all course materials, the board simulation exercise, meals during programme hours at the JW Marriott Marina, and access to the Board Enhance alumni network. Accommodation and travel to Dubai are not included.

The next Board Diploma cohort runs June 9–11, 2026 in Dubai. Seats are limited and applications close once the cohort is full.

Accommodation is not included in the programme fee. The JW Marriott Marina offers preferential rates for Board Diploma participants — details are shared once your application is confirmed.

The programme is designed for senior executives, C-suite leaders, and business owners across the UAE and GCC who want to transition into board positions or improve their effectiveness in existing board roles. Most participants have at least 10–15 years of senior leadership experience. The programme is also valuable for those who interact with or report to boards, even if their own first board placement is still a year or two ahead.

No. The programme is built for senior executives transitioning into their first board role as well as for current board members who want to deepen their effectiveness. Both first-time candidates and existing directors are typical in each cohort.

You apply through the form on our Apply page. We review applications individually with a focus on mutual benefit: both whether the programme will deliver what the applicant is looking for, and whether the applicant will contribute to the strength of the cohort. The conversations during the programme are a significant part of its value, so the composition of each group matters. Most applications proceed to a brief discussion before a place is confirmed.

Yes. Many participants are sponsored by their employers as part of leadership development or succession planning. We can provide invoicing and supporting materials to help make the business case to your company.

A Board Diploma certificate from Board Enhance, which you can add to your board CV and LinkedIn profile. The diploma is recognised across the UAE and GCC by recruiters, executive search firms, and boards conducting NED searches.

Active board members, governance advisors, and legal experts drawn from the UAE's leading institutions. The faculty includes partners from Spencer Stuart, Clyde & Co, and Grant Thornton, alongside practising board chairs and directors. All faculty are practitioners — people who currently sit on boards or advise them — not academics. The full faculty roster for each cohort is published on the Board Diploma page.

On day three, participants are placed into boards and work through a realistic governance scenario across four full board meetings, each structured to test a different aspect of board work — routine governance, financial oversight, crisis response, strategic decision-making, and contested shareholder dynamics. The simulation is the most cited element of the programme in alumni feedback, often described as the moment the previous two days of curriculum come together in practice.

Board Diploma graduates receive access to the Board Enhance alumni network. This includes confidential board opportunities shared exclusively with alumni, governance resources updated for UAE law, speaker sessions with senior board members, and regular in-person gatherings across the UAE.

The 68% figure comes from a Board Enhance alumni survey conducted in 2026, sent to all graduates of the Board Diploma Programme. Respondents were asked: "Which of the following best describes your current situation with regard to board-level roles (including formal boards, non-executive roles, advisory boards, and board committees)?" 68% reported currently holding one or more such roles.

The 1,500+ figure refers to the total number of senior executives the Board Enhance team has delivered structured board education to over the past 10+ years across the UAE, the wider GCC, and Europe.

The Board Enhance alumni network is the primary way graduates access board opportunities. Much of this happens through the connections built during the cohort itself: peers, faculty and guest speakers in the room with you across the three days often become a direct source of board introductions. Beyond the cohort, alumni become part of our candidate list, a curated pool we draw on when companies engage Board Enhance to search for board members or NEDs. Confidential opportunities are shared with alumni first, and the network's introductions, gatherings, and referrals are how most of our graduates have moved into their board roles.

The Board Enhance team has been developing board leaders for over 10 years. In that time we've delivered board education to more than 1,500 senior executives across the UAE, the wider GCC, and Europe. Of our Board Diploma alumni specifically, 68% now hold board or non-executive director positions.