Hala Badri

Hala Badri (هالة بدري) is the director general of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. She was appointed to the role in 2019 and previously worked in several other sectors, including oil, sustainability and marketing.

Prior to her appointment to Dubai Culture, she was executive vice president of brand and communications of du, the second largest telecommunications company in the UAE. She is also a former senior advisor to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

Education
Hala Badri is a certified director having completed the International Directors Program with INSEAD. She holds an MBA in Managing e-Business from Zayed University, and a Higher Diploma in Communications Technology (Journalism) from The Higher Colleges of Technology.

Career
In April 2019, Hala Badri was appointed as the Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority by a royal decree from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to spearhead Dubai's cultural and creative scene.

Prior to joining Dubai Culture, Badri was a senior advisor on strategic communications for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). During her tenure with ADNOC she was also seconded to the National Media Council as a senior consultant to oversee the content strategy and visitor experience for the UAE National Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Before ADNOC, she spent 11 years at UAE's second telecommunications company, du, as the Executive Vice President of Brand and Communications.

Board Memberships
In addition to her current role as Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, she also occupies the following positions:


 * Vice Chairperson for the Dubai Women Establishment Board of Directors
 * Vice-Chairman of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) Board of Trustees.
 * Member of the Board of Dubai Media Council
 * Member of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Colleges of Technology
 * Member of the Board of Trustees of Rashid and Latifa Schools Establishment
 * Member of the board of governors of Citizens School

Achievements
Hala Badri was named as The Holmes Report's 2018 Innovator 25 in EMEA, ranked at 33 of Forbes ME 200 most powerful Arab woman in the World in 2014, and at 37 of 100 most powerful Arab business women in Listed Companies in 2012 to name a few. In May 2024, she was also named one of Fast Company Middle East’s 43 Most Creative People in Business in the Bringing Good Things To More People category, in recognition of her role in transforming the creative and cultural sector in Dubai.

In 2012, she was also named as the 21st most powerful and influential personality in the Middle East's media, marketing and advertising industry in Communicate magazine's Power List 2012.

In 2003, she was twice awarded the Sheikh Rashid Award for Scientific Excellence, for outstanding academic achievement during her earlier education.