BLOG: The NEP Experience

At INSEAD Abu Dhabi, Module 7: Negotiation and Relationship Building brought NEP 4.0 into sharp focus—merging global frameworks with real-world strategy to navigate trust, complexity, and collaboration at scale.

The centerpiece of the module was a two-day intensive on Value Negotiation with Prof. Horacio Falcão, Professor of Management Practice at INSEAD. Through simulations and strategic feedback, experts developed the tools to manage high-stakes dialogue, balance competing interests, and turn conflict into opportunity. Alongside this, Simone-Eva Redrupp, Adjunct Professor at INSEAD, led a compelling session on Managing Across Cultures, equipping experts with the insight to lead inclusively across diverse teams and global settings. 

The module also spotlighted NEP 4.0 voices, including a Demo Spotlight featuring Maitha Alkaabi (foreign affairs) and Marwah Fadhel (media), whose insights into diplomacy and behavioral communication were elevated by a virtual contribution from H.E. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to His Highness the President.

The module’s momentum was punctuated by the Al Shuwaib Immersive Experience Briefing, where H.E. Mohamed Al Kaabi, Secretary General of the Emirates Council for Rural Development, and H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi, NEP Director, explored how trust, empathy, and credibility shape leadership that lasts. Moreover, innovation took center stage at the BX2025 Pitch Lab, where eight NEP experts presented behavioral interventions tied to national challenges. Faisal Al Hawi was named winner for his project addressing screen time in children, announced by Rasha Attar, Director of the Behavioral Science Group and NEP Program Committee Member. Moreover, expert reflections deepened through a session with Omar Al Braiki, NEP 2.0 Fellow and Deputy Chief Negotiator at the Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, who shared real-world lessons from the COP28 negotiation table. 

Module 7 closed with a deep dive into trust-building and conflict navigation, reinforcing that influence isn’t just strategic—it’s relational.

Stay tuned as NEP 4.0 prepares for its final chapter.