Meet the academics, executives, and operators leading Walsh College UAE — the team accountable for delivering an American standard of business education, here in the UAE.
Dr. Suzy Siegle brings a rare combination of law, business strategy, and executive coaching to the presidency of Walsh College. A Juris Doctor, MBA, and doctoral degree holder in higher education leadership, she has spent over two decades building institutions. Under her leadership, Walsh earned a full HLC 10-year reaffirmation and launched its first international campus in the UAE — the most consequential expression of her vision for what a purpose-built American business school can become.
Dr. Dave Schippers leads academic strategy across Walsh College with decades of experience in IT, cybersecurity, and project management. He is the architect of the nation's first automotive cybersecurity degree concentration and oversees the faculty partnerships that ensure Walsh College UAE's curriculum operates at full Michigan standard. His research on IT and operational technology convergence in Industry 4.0 shapes how Walsh approaches technology education globally.
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Dr. Daniel Sem is a scientist, attorney, and entrepreneur leading Walsh College's Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. He holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and both a JD and MBA from Marquette University, and is a licensed attorney in Wisconsin. With over 75 peer-reviewed publications and 10 patents, his work bridges drug discovery, biotech commercialisation, and business education — giving students direct access to real entrepreneurial practice.
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Ms Lubna Sajjad serves as Chief Executive Officer of Walsh College UAE, providing the board-level vision and strategic direction that underpins the institution’s long-term ambitions in the UAE and the wider region. As a founding force behind the institution, her belief in the transformative power of American-standard education in the UAE laid the groundwork for everything Walsh College UAE has become. Her leadership brings credibility, gravitas, and a long-term perspective that anchors the institution’s growth — ensuring that every step forward is taken with integrity and purpose. Under her stewardship, Walsh College UAE has grown from an ambitious idea into a fully operational, US-accredited institution with its sights firmly set on the future.
Sir Hassan Sajjad leads Walsh College UAE as Managing Director, shaping its strategic direction, partnerships, and regional presence across the Emirates. He brings the institutional credibility and regional knowledge required to position Walsh College UAE as a serious and enduring contributor to the UAE's knowledge economy — not a passing venture, but a lasting institution.
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Dr. Shahina Waheed is the force behind Walsh College UAE’s real-world impact. As Vice President of Business Development & Innovation, she builds the bridges between the institution and industry ; forging partnerships that open doors, driving collaborations that shape what education looks like in practice, and ensuring every student leaves with more than a degree. Her work puts Walsh College UAE on the map as a destination for ambitious students and a partner of choice for forward-thinking organisations across the UAE and beyond.
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Dr. Liju Thompson leads campus operations at Walsh College UAE, overseeing day-to-day academic delivery, student experience, and the implementation of Walsh's industry-oriented programmes across Business, Technology, and Leadership. He was instrumental in establishing the FEUC–Walsh partnership and continues to drive the operational excellence that gives students in the UAE a genuine American degree experience.
LinkedInWalsh College UAE offers American degrees, delivered in the UAE, by a team with the credentials and conviction to make them matter.