Zain Group has announced the selection of six Kuwaiti nationals for its 2026 Generation Z (Gen Z) graduate program, an initiative aimed at preparing young professionals for leadership roles in the digital sector. The year-long program, now in its 11th cycle, is recognized as one of the region’s prominent internal graduate training schemes.
Participants will engage with artificial intelligence tools, Big Data, and analytics platforms to develop both technical and strategic problem-solving skills. The curriculum also emphasizes leadership development, social influence, mental resilience, and aligning personal strengths with organizational goals.
Bader Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO, stated: “Entering the 11th year of Gen Z highlights Zain’s commitment to fostering talent locally and establishing a genuine pipeline of Kuwaiti leaders for the future. Given the pace of technological change of the corporate landscape because of the development and uptake of artificial intelligence, and quantum computing to come, this next decade will demand even higher levels of resilience, agility, and AI skills from the workforce.”
He continued: “This program continues to provide technical and soft skills for the participants, permitting them to navigate the corporate world with confidence and impact. I congratulate this year’s class and encourage them to make the very most of the exposure and training provided during the year.”
The selection process was highly competitive. Out of 687 applicants, only 31 were invited for individual interviews before six finalists were chosen following a week-long assessment involving strategy tasks, team assignments, psychometric testing, and presentations to company leadership.
The selected graduates for 2026 are Abdulmohsen Al-Zenki; Ahmed Al-Onaizi; Asail Al-Heis; Ayah Al-Fadhli; Jana Al-Abduljader; and Miteb Al-Oqab.
The Gen Z program operates under Zain Group’s Corporate Sustainability strategy—specifically within its “Build the Youth of the Future” pillar—and forms part of broader initiatives such as Inclusion, Diversity & Equity strategies targeted at youth development within “Zain Youth” (ZY). Additional programs under this pillar include mentorship councils (ZY Counsel), expert groups (ZY Mavericks), and continuous learning paths (ZY Learn).
Over ten years, more than 50 graduates have completed Gen Z. Many alumni have progressed into advanced roles at Zain or other organizations. Top performers are often sponsored by Zain for further studies at London Business School.
