Biography
Anna Schebsdat leads the Executive Education department at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, driving a pan-university executive education strategy with a global outlook. Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, she is a member of the Dubai Executive Committee and the University’s External Relations Group, working closely with academic and industry stakeholders to deliver high-impact learning solutions for public- and private-sector organisations.
An Ivy League–educated senior executive with 20 years of international experience across MENA, the UK, Europe, and Russia, Anna brings extensive expertise in commercial strategy, business development, executive education, and market expansion. She has held senior leadership roles at globally ranked institutions (including top-five world-ranked schools) and has managed multicultural teams across the GCC for over a decade.
Her track record includes multi-million-dollar revenue generation across FMCG and Higher Education, leading a USD 35m business category with a USD 3m annual marketing budget at Philips, and spearheading the establishment of a UAE branch for a global executive ed-tech unicorn.
She has delivered premier customised programmes for major corporates and the UAE Government, including a six-month executive programme for 55 Chief Innovation Officers of the Dubai Prime Minister’s Office in collaboration with MIT.
Anna serves as Vice Chairman of the Board at the EurAsia Gulf industry platform, is a Mentor for the Global Business Incubator, and a former Official Expo 2020 Volunteer. In 2024, she was awarded a specially commissioned medallion and certificate for her contribution to EXPO 2020, granted by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
A graduate of Columbia Business School in New York, she currently serves as the Acting President of the Columbia Business School Alumni Chapter in the UAE. She is a frequent keynote speaker and moderator at regional and international forums.