The Overlord Academy
The first ever military-inspired adventure cadet club in Dubai
The Overlord Academy is the UAE’s first adventure cadet club, founded in Dubai in 2020. Overlord are not the Scouts and they are not the army cadets, but they are a hybrid of the two: a fusion of two great organisations that give young people countless opportunities to thrive and develop. Their small troops meet weekly, with weekend expeditions, camps and adventure, all led by former British forces instructors.
What Overlord offers
- Weekly cadet troops for ages 6 to 16 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, grouped by age: Explorers, Patrollers, Pioneers and Rangers, plus a girls’ troop.
- Small groups, with no more than 14 cadets to each instructor.
- Holiday camps and residentials, with overnight camps and adventure weekends for the older troops.
- Programmes for schools and team sessions for companies.
The team
Overlord was founded by Monty Mavelian. The academy is led by Managing Director Rez Dinari, who served more than 15 years in the RAF and ran its deployment training school, with Training Manager Al Murie, a former British Army Commando and Sergeant Major.
Overlord and The Warrior Academy
Both organisations believe children grow through challenge, discipline and teamwork. Over three terms, instructors from The Warrior Academy have taught weekly martial arts sessions for Overlord cadets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, covering striking combinations, pad work, board breaking and meditation, the same building blocks we use to develop confidence, conduct and concentration in our own academies.
Our founder, Sebastian Bates, also spoke with Monty Mavelian about leadership and resilience on our podcast: Leadership and Resilience: Insights from a Military Veteran with Monty Mavelian.