UAE Codes ScrumXperience Launched By Emirates NBD And AI Office To Boost Emirati Talent Development

The Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office, alongside Emirates NBD, hosted the first 'UAE Codes ScrumXperience' to celebrate UAE Codes Day on 29th October. This hackathon aligns with national AI strategy goals by enhancing Emirati skills at Emirates NBD. It encourages participants to transform ideas into achievements using Agile principles that foster collaboration and continuous innovation.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, highlighted that UAE Codes Day reflects the UAE leadership's vision. He stated that coding is seen as a future language essential for shaping tomorrow's world. The government is committed to developing national talent through strategic collaborations across various sectors.

Miguel Rio-Tinto, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer at Emirates NBD, remarked on the bank's transformation through Agile methodologies. "Emirates NBD’s adoption of Agile methodologies has significantly transformed our organisational framework. As the largest Agile organisation in the Middle East, our transition has enabled us to mobilise over 3,500 roles across engineering, digital, design, and business to develop cutting-edge digital products. This has accelerated our operational efficiency and financial performance, solidifying our status as the most innovative, digital, and technologically sophisticated Bank in the region."

Eman Abdulrazzaq, Group Chief Operating Officer at Emirates NBD, added that Agile enhances flexibility and rapid product delivery. "As a leader in digital banking Emirates NBD has always championed innovation. Agile improves flexibility, collaboration, and rapid delivery of products and services while driving digital transformation. This aligns well with our objectives to develop UAE national talent, making them future-ready to support the digital economy."

The hackathon's top prize went to the "Tamkeen Platform" team led by Mohammed Al Maamari and others. Their project supports Emirati talent by helping individuals find suitable roles using Claude AI. The platform acts as an intelligent career coach offering personalised guidance based on educational background and interests.

The second-place "Tahfeez Platform" team included Nawal Al Baloushi among others. Their project is a smart platform empowering Emiratis to track their career journey and identify strengths. It connects with platforms like LinkedIn to build a future-ready talent ecosystem.

The third-place "Made in the Emirates Platform" team featured Safia Al Buraiki and colleagues. They developed an AI-powered platform aiding recruitment at Emirates NBD by matching recruiters with Emirati professionals for sustainable growth.

Agile Principles in Practice

The ScrumXperience event was designed as a full-day activity focusing on Agile principles like Scrum and Vibe Coding simulations. Participants tackled customer-centric problems specific to the bank while shifting from traditional management to an entrepreneurial mindset.

Agile is a project philosophy promoting iterative completion of tasks while Scrum provides a framework for teams to self-organise towards common goals efficiently through meetings and tools.

Significance of UAE Codes Day

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum declared October 29 as "UAE Codes" Day annually since launching the region’s first e-government on this date in 2001. This milestone marked the start of UAE’s digital transformation journey.

In November 2023, UNESCO recognised October 29 as International Coding Day globally acknowledging UAE’s leadership in programming affirming its status as a hub for talent worldwide.

UAE nationals make up 85% of full-time roles within Emirates NBD's Agile Chapter leading transformations across platforms including HR departments. They are key players in adopting AI by training local Large Language Models (LLM) supporting product owners automating assessments.

With inputs from WAM