Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s Sports Institutions Accounts Team wins at Middle East Management, Technology Excellence Awards 2024 

The team was recognised for their notable achievements in developing innovative sports performance ideas.

The Sports Institutions Accounts Section Team of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council has been awarded the United Arab Emirates Team of the Year - Government at the Middle East Management Excellence Awards 2024 and the Enterprise Software - Government accolade at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2024 for their development and implementation of innovative systems and tools that significantly enhance efficiency, decision-making, and financial management across sports institutions. 

Led by Mr Ahmed Abdullah Al Messabi, the Sports Institutions Accounts Section Team is distinguished by its expertise in accounting, financial planning, analysis, treasury, and auditing. The team is recognised for its commitment to excellence and adherence to the highest standards of financial integrity. 

Transformative innovative contributions 

The Sports Institutions Accounts Section Team spearheaded several innovative ideas. They established the Sports and Community AI Lab to drive innovation and research in sports performance and analytics. The transition to a cloud-based ERP solution has improved efficiency and enabled real-time financial reporting. 

They also introduced advanced analytics tools to enhance forecasting, budgeting, and decision-making. Additionally, the team developed the Sports Maturity Improvement Programme to elevate the maturity and performance of sports institutions. 

The team has made remarkable contributions to growth through several key initiatives, including implementing a centralised enterprise system across 53 sports institutions. Their cost optimisation programmes achieved AED 43m (US$ 11.7m) in savings, representing a 20% net savings in 2023. The team also developed and delivered nine strategic artefacts for the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, significantly enhancing strategic planning and execution.

To overcome challenges in integrating diverse data sources and securing stakeholder buy-in, the team engaged extensively with stakeholders and provided over 40,000 hours of training, ensuring a smooth transition and successful adoption of the new system. 

Key achievements include processing over 500,000 online transactions across 35 sports institutions, developing more than 50 critical financial KPIs for management, establishing a centralised database with 11 years of sports performance data and 5 years of financial data for advanced analytics, and developing a unified operational framework that combines all 36 sports entities with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, significantly easing management and coordination.

Collaborative effort gains success 

The team’s impact and contributions are notable in several areas. They developed robust financial models and scenarios that significantly enhanced strategic decision-making. Comprehensive risk management frameworks were implemented to mitigate financial risks and ensure regulatory compliance. The team also improved stakeholder value by enhancing transparency and communication with shareholders, launching an internal financial literacy programme, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. 

“Sports Institutions Accounts Section has been instrumental in our council’s growth. Their strategic insights and financial stewardship have positioned us for long-term success,” said Azza Atiq Al Shamsi, Director of Finance Department at Abu Dhabi Sports Council. 

With the success of their strategic use of technology and data-driven insights as a global sporting hub, the Sports Institutions Accounts Section Team of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council took home the United Arab Emirates Team of the Year - Government accolade at the Middle East Management Excellence Awards 2024 and the Enterprise Software - Government category at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2024. 

The Middle East Management Excellence Awards and Middle East Technology Excellence Awards, presented by Asian Business Review, celebrate innovators and key industry leaders who have made revolutionary contributions to their respective industries.

The Middle East Management Excellence Awards and the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. Click here for the full list of winners of the Middle East Management Excellence Awards and here for the winners of Middle East Technology Excellence Awards winners. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].