The World ESG Summit & Awards 2026 concluded in Dubai on September 8 following two days of high-level discussions, bringing together policymakers, corporate executives, investors, sustainability professionals and ESG experts from across industries and geographies.
Held on September 7 and 8 at the Metropolitan Hotel, Dubai, the seventh edition of the World ESG Summit & Awards marked the third time the event has been hosted in Dubai. The summit brought together more than 500 global attendees, over 60 expert speakers, participants from more than 20 countries and more than 40 sponsors and partners, with 85% of attendees representing decision-making positions.
Among the prominent leaders featured at the summit was Faisal Ali Al Rashid, DSM, Senior Director at the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, whose participation placed energy strategy and sustainability leadership at the centre of the wider ESG conversation.
Faisal Ali Al Rashid and the Strategic Role of Energy in ESG
Faisal Ali Al Rashid represents the important connection between energy policy, sustainability and long-term economic development.
As DSM, Senior Director at the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Faisal Ali Al Rashid brings an institutional perspective to an ESG landscape increasingly shaped by energy transition, resource efficiency, resilience and the need to balance environmental objectives with economic priorities.
The participation of Faisal Ali Al Rashid at the World ESG Summit & Awards 2026 reflected the growing importance of energy leadership within the broader sustainability agenda. For governments and businesses alike, the transition toward more sustainable energy systems has implications that extend well beyond emissions reduction, influencing infrastructure, investment, competitiveness and long-term economic planning.
The presence of Faisal Ali Al Rashid also underscored the importance of connecting sustainability ambitions with practical policy and implementation.
Six Prominent Voices Reflecting the Breadth of ESG
While Faisal Ali Al Rashid was among the prominent leaders at the summit, the event brought together a diverse group of experts representing government, energy, academia, governance and risk.
Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director at Masdar City, represented the sustainable urban development and innovation perspective. The participation of Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki highlighted the increasing importance of developing cities and communities around principles of sustainability, efficiency and long-term resilience.
Dr. Eng. Nawal Alhanaee, Director of the Future Energy Department at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, brought an important government perspective to discussions around the future of energy. The role of Dr. Eng. Nawal Alhanaee reflects the importance of policy and institutional planning in supporting the UAE’s evolving energy landscape.
John Gollifer, CEO at the GCC Board Directors Institute, represented the governance dimension of ESG. The participation of John Gollifer highlighted the growing role of boards and senior leadership in ensuring that ESG considerations become embedded within organisational strategy and decision-making.
The academic and economic dimensions of sustainability were represented by Prof. Suzanna Elmassah, Professor of Economics and Sustainability at Zayed University. The involvement of Prof. Suzanna Elmassah added an important perspective on the relationship between sustainability, economics and long-term development.
Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem, National Risk & Policy Director AML & CTF of UAE Government, brought a governance, risk and policy perspective to the summit. The participation of Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem reinforced the increasingly interconnected relationship between ESG, organisational risk and responsible governance.
Together with Faisal Ali Al Rashid, these leaders demonstrated the breadth of expertise represented at the World ESG Summit & Awards 2026.
ESG Moves Beyond the Sustainability Department
One of the broader messages reflected by the summit was that ESG is no longer an issue limited to corporate sustainability teams.
Energy companies are navigating the demands of transition and decarbonisation. Financial institutions are incorporating sustainability considerations into investment and risk frameworks. Real estate and construction companies are examining the environmental performance of buildings and infrastructure, while technology companies are developing new approaches to ESG measurement, reporting and data management.
The participation of Faisal Ali Al Rashid, Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Dr. Eng. Nawal Alhanaee, John Gollifer, Prof. Suzanna Elmassah and Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem reflected this increasingly interconnected ESG ecosystem.
The summit’s industry focus extended across energy and utilities, financial services, real estate and construction, manufacturing and industrial sectors, transport and logistics, technology, media and telecommunications, agriculture and food, and chemicals and materials.
Many More Leaders Join the ESG Conversation
Beyond the six prominent figures, the World ESG Summit & Awards 2026 featured many more senior professionals from across the sustainability ecosystem.
The wider group included leaders from organisations such as ADNOC Distribution, Unilever, AECOM, Greenpeace Middle East & North Africa, the Global CCS Institute, ING, Emirates Global Aluminium, Aramex, Nestlé MENA, Nasdaq, Epson Middle East, Abu Dhabi Airports, Knight Frank ESG MENA, Gulf Cryo, Jinko Solar, Danone, Egis, Spectreco, Yellow Door Energy, ERM Middle East, Nabat, OIKON MEA, Climate Confessions, Novisto and Symbiosis International University Dubai, among others. Salini Haridas, Chief Operating Officer at SAM Corporate, was also among the professionals contributing to the wider exchange of perspectives at the summit, bringing an operational and leadership perspective to conversations around translating strategy into effective execution.
The breadth of participation demonstrated that ESG is increasingly becoming a shared responsibility across corporate affairs, energy, finance, technology, operations, risk, governance and investment.
From ESG Commitments to Measurable Action
The World ESG Summit & Awards 2026 took place at a time when organisations face increasing pressure to demonstrate measurable sustainability progress rather than simply announce commitments.
That shift places greater emphasis on data, accountability, governance, investment and implementation.
The perspectives represented by Faisal Ali Al Rashid, Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Dr. Eng. Nawal Alhanaee, John Gollifer, Prof. Suzanna Elmassah and Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem illustrate how the ESG agenda now extends across multiple layers of decision-making.
For businesses, the challenge is increasingly about integrating sustainability into the decisions that determine how organisations invest, operate, manage risk and create long-term value.
Dubai Hosts a Global ESG Conversation
The return of the World ESG Summit & Awards to Dubai also placed the city at the centre of a wider international conversation around sustainability, investment, energy and responsible growth.
The summit provided a platform for policymakers, business leaders, investors, academics and sustainability professionals to exchange perspectives and explore opportunities for collaboration across sectors.
The presence of Faisal Ali Al Rashid and the other featured leaders further reflected the importance of connecting government, business, finance and sustainability expertise when addressing complex ESG challenges.
The Next Chapter for ESG
The conclusion of the World ESG Summit & Awards 2026 marked the end of two days of discussions, but the issues raised during the summit extend far beyond the event itself.
The next phase of ESG will increasingly be judged by implementation: what organisations measure, what they change, how they manage risk, where they invest and what measurable outcomes they deliver.
With leaders such as Faisal Ali Al Rashid, Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Dr. Eng. Nawal Alhanaee, John Gollifer, Prof. Suzanna Elmassah and Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem contributing to the wider conversation, the World ESG Summit & Awards 2026 reflected the growing complexity and importance of ESG across government, business and society.
For the organisations represented in Dubai, the conversation now moves from the summit stage to implementation, collaboration and measurable impact.
