UAE official to be honoured with global leadership award

The Middle East Institute (MEI) announced that Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, will receive the 2026 Distinguished Global Leadership Award at the think tank's annual gala next March.

The award recognises Dr. Al Jaber’s visionary leadership and transformative contributions in energy, advancing technology and socioeconomic growth, promoting international collaboration, and investing in youth talent development.

Among his key contributions, Dr. Sultan has been a driving force behind the adoption of a pragmatic approach to the global energy landscape to meet rapidly expanding energy demand driven by the rise of emerging markets and exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI).

He has championed robust industry leading corporate governance standards that enhance integrity and compliance to mitigate risks and enable sustainable growth.

For over 20 years, Dr. Al Jaber has combined public service with global business leadership, applying strategic vision and practical action to some of the world’s most complex challenges, including advancing a comprehensive approach that embraces diverse energy options to meet increasing energy demand.

“As the UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr. Al Jaber has been a driving force behind industrial growth and economic diversification,” said MEI President Ambassador (ret.) Stuart E. Jones, “and as Group CEO of ADNOC, he has consistently delivered a pro-growth, pro-investment, and pro-people framework to address the rising energy needs of markets and communities. His leadership reflects a bold, inclusive vision for addressing the defining challenges of our time. MEI is delighted to be associated with Dr. Al Jaber through this distinguished award.”

In his role as the Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, he has led the company’s transformation into an advanced and progressive international energy company at the forefront of deploying AI and advanced technologies. He also serves as Executive Chairman of XRG, ADNOC’s international energy investment company, designed to meet the surging demand for energy in an AI-enabled world. As the founding CEO and current Chairman of Masdar, a global renewable energy leader, Dr. Al Jaber has played a central role in positioning the UAE as a hub for energy, sustainability and technology diplomacy.

Dr. Al Jaber said, “It is an honour and privilege to be awarded the Distinguished Global Leadership Award by the Middle East Institute, and I am humbled to accept this prestigious award on behalf of the UAE leadership and the many teams that I work with on a daily basis. Since 1946, MEI has worked to strengthen understanding of the Middle East, and I want to thank them for their dedication and commitment to promoting positive relations between the Middle East and the U.S. Throughout my career, I have advocated that energy is a solution rather than a problem. That is why we need a pro-growth world, with pro-investment policies and concrete actions that include an ‘and-and’ approach, which embraces diverse energy options to meet the rapid growth in energy demand and unlock value creation opportunities in the energy-AI nexus.”

As COP28 President in 2023, Dr. Al Jaber led nearly 200 countries to adopt the historic UAE Consensus, a market-based climate agreement that injected energy realism into policy discussions to drive practical solutions. Dr Al Jaber has continued to act as a cross-sectoral convenor to achieve tangible progress.

He brought together energy, technology and finance leaders at the ENACT Majlis in Abu Dhabi and Washington DC to address the growing energy needs of AI, while unlocking its potential to transform energy systems.

In addition to his ministerial and corporate roles, Dr. Al Jaber leads multiple institutions advancing frontier technologies and economic opportunity. His decades of service have earned worldwide recognition for aligning energy security with climate stewardship.

Among his many honours, Dr. Al Jaber has received the U.N.’s Champion of the Earth award, was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, and received the Order of the Union from the President of the UAE.

In 2024, he was recognised with the CERAWeek Leadership Award for building consensus toward a more sustainable energy future.

Dr. Al Jaber holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California, an MBA from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Coventry University.

The 2026 Distinguished Global Leadership Award will be presented at MEI’s 78th Annual Gala, held at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., in March 2026.

The evening will bring together senior U.S. government officials, diplomats, business leaders, and members of the international policy community to celebrate Dr. Al Jaber’s extraordinary achievements and enduring legacy.