For Heads of L&D
A specialist award that treats L&D as an operating function
Heads of L&D enter AEA Awards to have one flagship programme judged on a business metric — not to collect a generic HR trophy. The nomination itself is a board-ready evidence pack. Register interest before nominations open on 20 October 2026.
What you get from entering — even before a win
The four-block draft (constraint, intervention, evidence, ask) is the same brief your CEO should already have. Teams that cannot fill it are not ready for a panel — and now know it with time to fix the measurement.
Individual leaders can also enter L&D Leader of the Year where the evidence is personal contribution, not only the catalogue.
How a head of L&D should prepare
- 1
Pick one programme
The one you would defend in a 10-minute CEO briefing — not the full catalogue.
- 2
Lock one metric
A number operations or finance already reports, with a baseline date.
- 3
Name owners
Evidence, Arabic/English copy, and the executive sponsor.
- 4
Register interest
Use /apply before 20 October 2026 so you receive opening alerts.
Frequently asked questions
Should I enter as an individual or as the organisation? +
Enter the organisation for the programme. Enter L&D Leader of the Year only if the story is your personal leadership evidence.
How much time does a nomination take? +
Teams with a dated metric often finish a first draft in two working days. Teams without a baseline spend months inventing one — start now.
Will this help my budget conversation? +
Independent scoring against a published rubric is more useful to a CFO than a vendor case study.
Can I enter two categories? +
Only with two different evidence packs. Do not duplicate essays.
When do nominations open? +
20 October 2026.
2027 cycle
Register your interest before nominations open on 20 October 2026
AEA Awards is the MENA Learning & Development benchmark. Leave your details and we will remind you when the entry window opens.