Mohamed Ali Alabbar (Arabic: محمد على العبار; born November 8, 1956)[citation needed] is an Emirati businessman known for founding Emaar Properties, a real estate development company involved in projects such as the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. He is also the founder and chairman of Eagle Hills, a private investment and real estate development company based in Abu Dhabi.
Mohamed Alabbar | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 8, 1956 Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Nationality | Emirati |
| Other names | Hamdan kajoor |
| Education | Seattle University (1981)[1][2] |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Emaar Properties Eagle Hills Properties |
| Children | 7 (Rashed Alabbar, Salama Al Abbar, Shamsa Al Abbar, Mouza Al Abbar, Ali Alabbar, Noor Alabbar, Haya Alabbar) |
In addition, Alabbar established Noon.com, an e-commerce platform,[3] and serves as the chairman of Americana Group, a food company.
Early life
Mohamed Alabbar was born on November 8, 1956, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is the eldest of 12 children.[4] His father was the captain of a traditional trading vessel known as a dhow and raised his children in the Rashidiya area of Dubai.[4]
In the 1970s, Alabbar received a government scholarship to study finance and business administration from The Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University.[4] Alabbar graduated from Seattle University in 1981 with a degree in Business Administration.[5] He also received an honorary doctoral degree in humanities from his alma mater in 2007 and served on its Board of Trustees until 2016.[6][7]
Career
After college, Alabbar began his career with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates as a banking manager.[4] In 1992, Alabbar returned to Dubai and began working for the government as the founding director general of the Department of Economic Development (DED).[4][8]
During his career, Alabbar' established a close relationship with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, where he later became one of Sheikh Mohammed's chief economic advisers.[9][10] Alabbar worked with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to improve the development and growth of both Dubai's tourism industry and global reputation.[8][11]
Since 1997, Alabbar has been involved in real estate companies like Emaar Properties, and Eagle Hills, which specializes in emerging markets.[citation needed] He has overseen the expansion of Emaar Properties into various sectors including residential, retail, and hospitality. Alabbar also established RSH, a Singapore-based company specializing in marketing, distributing, and retailing international fashion brands, where he continues to be a significant shareholder.[12]
Through his company, Alabbar Enterprises, he acquired stakes in luxury fashion retailer YOOX Net-a-Porter.[13] Additionally, he is the founder and chairman of Africa Middle East Resources (AMER) and serves as the chairman of Tradewinds Corporation, a Malaysian company focused on leisure and hospitality.[14]
Mohamed Alabbar is also involved in the construction of Dubai Creek Tower. In a major update, he has said that Dubai Creek Tower, which was supposed to be the world’s tallest tower, is now being redesigned as ‘Female Burj Khalifa.’[15]
Board memberships
Alabbar chairs Eagle Hills, a UAE-based real estate development company. He served on the board of Emaar Malls until 2021 when the company merged with Emaar Properties.[16][17] Alabbar also sits on the board of Noor Investment Group, an affiliate of Dubai Group.[18] He is on the board of trustees of the American University of Sharjah (AUS)[19] and the FII Institute in the KSA.[20] He is also the Chairman of Zand, Dubai's first digital bank that aims to cater to retail and corporate clients.[21]