As part of Vision’s ongoing commitment to developing future talent we were proud sponsors of the 2024-25 MEA Future Leaders Challenge. After participation in the previous year’s challenge, Vision became a gold partner to future support the aims and goals of the FLC. 

The MEA Future Leaders Challenge began in 2022 with the aim of connecting students, educators, industry leaders, policymakers and government representatives, to elevate educational standards, enhance talent development, and drive sustainable growth within the sector across the MEA Region. They hope to inspire the industry with creative solutions to strategic issues created by top talents of the schools and empower future talent to step into their full potential.  

Since inception, they’ve hosted regional events in East Africa, South Africa, and Morocco as well as the yearly finals in Dubai that have had over 700 student participants. 

Alongside the Challenge this year’s event also hosted a meeting of the School Director’s Alliance which brought 80 school directors, industry leaders and policy makers to develop a comprehensive regional talent development strategy. The SDA is dedicated to developing actionable solutions that address the most pressing challenges facing the hospitality and tourism industry. 

2025 Dubai Finals 

Day 1:  

Day one commenced with a kick-off gathering, advice sessions at the The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, and tours of the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab.

The day was capped off by a Vision Linens Welcome Dinner at the Address Hotels + Resorts at The Dubai Mall. Our very own Joanna Sliwa spoke at the opening dinner talking about her journey from moving to the UK 14 years ago and learning English, to working in hospitality, to her apprenticeship with Vision Linens, to her university degree. She encouraged students to seize the opportunities before them and believe in their potential. 

Day 2: 

The morning started with two streams. The School Directors Alliance and industry professionals met for panels, Q&As and a keynote address whilst the finalists started the morning with wellness yoga as well as a workshop session about turning their dreams into goals.

The afternoon continued with industry workshops about increasing employability and a personal branding seminar from our Divisional Sales Vice President & General Manager Fraser Donaldson and Westpoint’s Vice President of Human Resources, Mike Smith.

Then the finalists took part in a jobs fair where they got to meet representatives from companies including Aziz Ahmed from WestPoint Bahrain and Mike Smith to look at available roles in the industry, including positions in the region from Vision.

Their evening concluded with 4 hotel visits as part of a ‘Walking Dinner.’ The Vision Team, joined by their Westpoint Colleagues had a team dinner with regional partners. 

Day 3: 

In the final day of the event, students presented their projects addressing the question of ‘Looking to the Future, What Will the Workforce Look Like with AI? How can we use this to enhance guest experience.?’   

Muriel Hall, Aziz Ahmed, Fraser, and Joanna were privilege to sit on the judging panel and the top three groups were announced on stage. They were all presented with Vision planners for 2025 to help guide and inspire them in the year ahead. We were proud to congratulate the winning group named Ease Stay as the winners of this year’s challenge! Their innovative app empowers individuals with disabilities to tailor hotel stays to their unique needs while helping hotels gather data to improve accessibility and inclusivity. 

After the awards ceremony all participants were treated to a dessert safari to celebrate the conclusion of their hard work. As Vision continues to support the MEA Future Leaders Challenge in 2025-2026 the team will be supporting another year of talented students, starting with regional competitions in East Africa, South Africa, and Morocco from May.  

‘Participating in the FLC really shows what amazing talent there is across the MEA region. The Challenge fosters creativity and collaboration and it was an honour to be able to have a presence to support the students in their development, meet with industry leaders to discuss the issues of the day, and see the results of months of hard work on the final projects.’ – Fraser Donaldson. 

 FLC in the Future 

With plans to add seven new regional events in the next year, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Mediterranean, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, and Taiwan, as well as future plans to extend to continental Europe, North America, and Asia, Vision is excited to support the growth of the FLC to develop the next generation of hospitality talent. Regional events for 2025 are set to double previous participant numbers and with additional higher education partnerships the opportunity to bring together industry leaders to address the industry challenges of the future is an exciting opportunity.