In a sector known for cutting-edge technology and sovereign capability, the real competitive advantage isn’t found in systems or products; it’s in people. “At EDGE, we’re driving the future of defence, and that starts with ensuring the right workforce,” says Sana Al Daoumi, Group Senior Vice President of Human Capital at EDGE Group in Abu Dhabi.
With 20+ years of experience in transforming how organisations approach talent, leadership, and culture, Sana is redefining what it means to lead people strategy in one of the most strategic and fastest-evolving industries in the UAE.
The Foundations of a People-First Career
Sana began her professional journey in 2005 at Etihad Airways, not in Human Resources (HR), but in a Commercial function. From the very beginning, her deep passion for people was evident.
Guided by a supportive supervisor who recognised her potential, she soon transitioned into the Learning & Development function, where she led Etihad’s Emiratisation programme for three years. This role laid the foundation for her career in HR and introduced her to the power of strategic workforce development.
She later moved into a HR Business Partner role in the airline’s Commercial division, giving her a front-row seat to the inner workings of business operations and a broader view of how HR drives value. A key turning point came when she was selected for an international assignment in Italy, navigating a tough, unionised labour market.
“This experience set me up for success as I quickly learnt that HR isn’t just a support function, it’s a strategic driver that builds capability, enables performance, and directly impacts business outcomes – and that lesson has stayed with me.”
Entering the Frontlines of National Innovation: Joining EDGE
After nearly two decades in aviation, Sana sought a new challenge with national significance and where her contributions could have a meaningful impact. EDGE presented the ideal opportunity: a chance to join an industry critical to the UAE’s future, and to build a people strategy in a complex, rapidly changing environment.
Joining in 2022, Sana initially led Human Capital for the Missiles & Weapons Cluster before being promoted to her current Group Senior Vice President (SVP) role. Today, she leads the end-to-end Human Capital strategy across all EDGE Group entities, with a clear mission: to ensure EDGE has the workforce, leadership, and culture needed to deliver on its long-term ambitions. To bring this mission to life, as Group SVP, Sana is focused on aligning people strategies with business priorities, fostering a high-performance culture, and building the leadership and technical pipelines needed to future-proof the organisation.
“We’re looking at what capabilities we need, not just today, but five and ten years from now,” she explains. “And we’re building our workforce strategy to match.” This includes identifying emerging skillsets critical to EDGE’s future, such as autonomous technologies, and developing forward-looking strategies to build, attract, and retain those capabilities across the business.
Under Sana’s leadership, EDGE’s approach includes:
- Investing heavily in a future-ready workforce, ensuring EDGE’s people are trained in emerging technologies like AI, autonomy, and cyber through targeted upskilling and strategic workforce planning.
- Building strong talent pipelines and maintaining a compelling EVP to attract top talent in a competitive market, while ensuring the retention of critical in-house skills.
- Enabling organisational transformation by designing and implementing operating model changes and agile structures that enable the business to respond quickly to changing needs without losing momentum.
Human Capital as a Strategic Lever
To deliver what needs to be done, Sana is also evolving the role of Human Capital at EDGE to ensure it is not just a back-office function but a central player in shaping business success.
As part of this, she is reshaping the function to ensure Human Capital has a seat at the table, actively advises the business, influences decision-making, and drives performance outcomes. Her approach centres on ensuring Human Capital is both a builder of internal capability and a catalyst for external talent attraction.
“By positioning HR as a strategic partner, we’re not just supporting innovation and business success; we’re driving it from the inside out.”
By strengthening EDGE’s existing workforce while bringing in fresh skills and perspectives, Human Capital is playing a critical role in enabling the company to meet both current and future demands.
This forward-thinking strategy extends to the team’s partnerships with schools and universities across the UAE, helping to grow a strong national talent pipeline and increase youth engagement in the defence sector.
“Our graduate and internship programmes are designed to give young professionals meaningful exposure to defence,” Sana explains. “We’re not just building skills, we’re shaping futures.”
As EDGE continues to evolve, so too does its Employee Value Proposition, positioning the organisation as a top employer of choice in the defence and advanced technology space, especially for UAE Nationals. Through this work, Sana is proving that when human capital is embedded in the business, it becomes a true lever of strategic success.
Building a Culture Where People Belong
With culture being one of the clearest indicators of organisational health and a driver of success, EDGE’s Human Capital team plays a pivotal role in shaping and sustaining it.
That’s why Sana ensures people strategies do more than align with business goals; they actively cultivate a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and connected to a greater purpose.
“Our people know how their work contributes to something bigger and that makes a difference,” she says. “It’s my job to protect and grow that sense of purpose.”
As EDGE’s culture is grounded in flexibility, empowerment, and recognition, Sana emphasises supporting people-centric policies, processes, and practices. From hybrid work options, wellbeing policies, and career growth initiatives, employees are supported to thrive both personally and professionally.
Recognition is also woven into daily life by celebrating success, reinforcing values, and ensuring everyone feels seen. “Whether it’s through our recognition platforms or career development programmes, we continuously celebrate success and invest in our people.”
Championing Youth, Inclusion, and Diversity
Under Sana’s leadership, EDGE is embracing diversity and inclusion as part of its identity and culture. “With over 80 nationalities represented across the Group, we recognise and value the strength that comes from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.”
So much so that Sana is championing inclusivity not as a one-off initiative, but as a daily practice, embedding it into fair hiring and promotion processes, and shaping policies that support all employees equally, regardless of age, gender, or nationality.
A particular focus is being placed on the youth demographic, with targeted efforts to support UAE Nationals and young professionals through graduate programmes, internships, and initiatives like the EDGE IGNITE Programme, which connects young people to a sector they may not have previously considered.
For Sana, diversity isn’t just about representation; it’s about creating meaningful opportunities for the next generation to contribute, grow, and lead.
Leadership Grounded in Values and Clarity
And good leadership is something that Sana takes very seriously, describing her style as collaborative, values-driven, and grounded in an open-door approach. She invests time and effort in providing clear direction and support to help her team thrive, and prioritises active listening to better understand perspectives and make informed decisions.
Sana believes in open communication and sharing context wherever possible to build trust and foster alignment. “In my experience, I have found the more you bring people on the journey with you, the more effective they can be and the more confident they are in knowing what they need to deliver.” Fairness, respect, and inclusion sit at the core of her leadership philosophy. “HR must lead the way in objective, equitable decision-making. We owe that to our people.”
Preparing for the Future of Work
When asked what challenges and opportunities she foresees shaping the future of the defence and advanced technology sector, Sana says, “Looking at this from a workforce perspective, four challenges/opportunities that spring to mind are:”
- The drive for talent will only intensify across sectors as well as across the region, especially as the demand for niche technical skills grows. “Attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive market will be a major differentiator and something we need to ensure we are ahead of the game on.”
- Perceptions of the defence industry among younger generations may require focused engagement and education to shift mindsets.
- Evolving workforce expectations, particularly from Gen Z and soon Gen Alpha, will challenge traditional workplace models, with things like flexibility, inclusion, and rapid growth opportunities becoming non-negotiables.
- On the upside, emerging technologies like AI, autonomous systems, and cyber present huge opportunities for innovation, but, as Sana points out, “Success will depend on how well EDGE continues to align its workforce strategies with these rapidly advancing capabilities.”
Five Milestones of Meaningful Impact
Looking back on her journey at EDGE so far, Sana reflects on five accomplishments that she feels most proud of, milestones that have truly shaped both the organisation and her growth as a leader.
- Revamped Human Capital Strategy: The transformation of Human Capital has been a continuous journey, with Sana at the helm, identifying critical gaps across the Group and driving initiatives that align with EDGE’s long-term vision and the evolving demands of the industry.
- Positioned HC as a Strategic Enabler: Elevated HC’s role from operational to strategic, ensuring it drives business value, organisational agility, and stakeholder confidence.
- Enabled Organisational Transformation: Played a central role in supporting EDGE’s evolution into an agile, future-ready organisation through partnering with the business to design and implement operating model changes, defining workforce competencies and driving a stronger talent-first mindset.
- Advanced Digital and AI Integration: Advocated for and supported the adoption of relevant digital tools and AI technologies to enhance efficiency, drive HC effectiveness, and manage/build workforce capabilities.
- Fostered a People-First Culture: “For me, it’s always about the people,” she says. “Creating an environment where our employees feel supported, engaged, and able to thrive is what drives me every day.”
Building an Enduring Legacy
Looking ahead, Sana’s goal is to continue positioning Human Capital as a true driver of transformation, at the heart of building an agile, digitally empowered, high-performing organisation. One that not only attracts and retains top talent, but also embraces innovation and adapts continuously to serve national priorities like sovereignty and self-reliance.
Beyond the people strategy, Sana also hopes that “my journey serves as a source of inspiration for other women, especially in industries like defence and technology, where female leadership is still emerging. Representation matters, and if my presence in a senior role helps open doors or shift perceptions for others, then that’s something I’ll always be proud of.”
Advice to Aspiring Women in Tech & Defence
Finally, Sana’s message to emerging professionals, especially women, aspiring to build careers in technology and defence, is one of resilience and confidence.
“Don’t let perceptions hold you back. The landscape is changing, and there is real space for women to lead and thrive.” She adds: “At EDGE, we have incredible female engineers, many of them Emirati, doing transformative work. Let your competence and work ethic define you, not your gender.”
Her final advice? “Be authentic. Take on the challenge. The industry needs you, and is ready for you.”
