SKEMA Business School has reinforced its MSc Global Luxury Management programme's advisory board in Dubai, appointing three senior executives from leading luxury houses. The announcement, made during a board meeting in February 2026, is designed to align the curriculum with the rapidly growing luxury sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The newly appointed members are Miral Youssef, President of Kering Middle East & Africa; Patrick Chalhoub, Executive Chairman at Chalhoub Group; and Robin Langlais, Zone President – Middle East & Africa at Tiffany & Co. Their roles will involve guiding the programme's strategic direction, strengthening industry partnerships, and providing students with direct access to top-tier luxury market insights.
Industry Leaders on Nurturing Talent
Youssef underscored the importance of developing future luxury professionals. "It is our collective responsibility to nurture their potential, support their growth, and equip them with the skills and perspectives needed to navigate an ever-evolving luxury landscape," she said. Chalhoub echoed this sentiment, highlighting the programme's role in "transmitting knowledge, opening doors and creating spaces where ideas, cultures and perspectives may meet, challenge and enrich one another."
The MSc Global Luxury Management programme, launched in 2019, blends academic instruction with hands-on projects in collaboration with luxury houses. It offers specialised certificates in Luxury Digital Marketing & Strategy, developed with New York University, and Retail Excellence and Client Relationship Management, created with LVMH. The Dubai campus serves as a strategic gateway to the MENA and Indo-Pacific regions, positioning SKEMA at the heart of luxury industry expansion.
This enhanced advisory board is expected to further consolidate the programme's international and professional dimensions, preparing future managers for the evolving luxury market. The move comes as Dubai continues to invest heavily in tourism and urban infrastructure, reshaping the destination for record tourism growth, as reported in Dubai's Transit and Urban Investments Reshape Destination for Record Tourism Growth.
For travel professionals, the development signals a growing emphasis on luxury education and talent development in the region, which is increasingly important for hoteliers, cruise lines, and tour operators serving high-net-worth clients. The integration of industry leaders into academic programmes can help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical luxury service delivery, a trend echoed in discussions about modern luxury defined by lifestyle, not seclusion, as seen at SAii Lagoon Maldives.
As the luxury travel sector evolves, such initiatives are crucial for equipping future managers with the skills to navigate shifting consumer expectations, where emotional value and human expertise remain key, as noted by Scott Dunn’s Alison Zacher. SKEMA's enhanced board is a strategic step toward ensuring that luxury management education keeps pace with industry demands.
