Know your UAE Cabinet: All 33 bios from the new-look government
Here we introduce you to all of Sunday’s appointments, their backgrounds and new roles
Dubai/Abu Dhabi: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday, which involved the merging of departments, creation of new ones and the arrival of some new faces. Here we profile everyone who got appointed in the new-look government.
1. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
Shaikh Mohammad was born on July 15, 1949. He is the third son of the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and second Prime Minister of the UAE.
He was privately tutored before beginning his formal education, eventually attending the Bell School of Languages at Cambridge University in 1966. He also attended Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, UK.
His first public post was Head of Dubai Police and Public Security in 1968. He was later awarded the rank of general, and appointed as the UAE Minister of Defense in 1971 after the establishment of UAE. In 1977, he was assigned the responsibility of developing Dubai International Airport.
In January 4, 1995, he was appointed as Crown Prince of Dubai. On his appointment, he stated: “I do not know if I am a good leader, but I am a leader. And I have a vision. I look to the future, 20, 30 years. I learned that from my father, Shaikh Rashid. He was the true father of Dubai. I follow his example. He would rise early and go alone to watch what was happening on each of his projects. I do the same. I watch. I read faces. I take decisions and I move fast. Full throttle.”
He was appointed as Ruler of Dubai on January 4, 2006, following the death of his brother Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Supreme Council elected him as the UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister on January 5, 2006, and since then, he has steered Dubai and the UAE to newer and newer heights of success.
2. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior
Shaikh Saif was appointed Minister of Interior in the UAE Cabinet in 2004. He was named as the deputy prime minister in May 2009, retaining his post as interior minister. As a part of his responsibilities, Shaikh Saif is in charge of protecting homeland security, ensuring coordination and cooperation between police agencies operating in the country, organizing naturalisation-related affairs and foreigners’ entry and residence, as well as supervising civil defense tasks and traffic issues.
Shaikh Saif serves as the Head of the Federal Demographic Structure Council since 2009, and is Vice Chairman of the Emirates Identity Authority. He has been the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Police. In these positions, Shaikh Saif led the comprehensive strategic development projects and the organisational development of the Ministry on Interior and the Abu Dhabi Police, along with the modernisation of the services and security systems infrastructure.
In 2010, Shaikh Saif was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom. He also obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the United Arab Emirates University in 1989.
3. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs
Sheikh Mansour earned a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the United States in 1993. He supervised the establishment of the President’s Office, and has since been its Director General.
He introduced several pioneering developmental policies that simplified dealings, and boosted relations between the Presidency and UAE citizens and public institutions.
Shaikh Mansour also worked for developing the mechanisms of government performance in many spheres, with a special focus on education. He introduced Information Technology (IT) in education and the training and employment of UAE nationals (Emiratisation) and also contributed to introducing other social and economic developmental policies. He heads the Board of directors of the Abu Dhabi Petroleum Investment Company, which made great achievements in the field of foreign investments. Shaikh Mansour succeeded in bringing many foreign investments into the emirate.
4. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Cabinet Member and Minister of Finance
Born in 1945, Shaikh Hamdan was the second son of Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and second Prime Minister of the UAE.
He received his higher education at Cambridge University. He became the UAE’s first Minister of Finance and Industry in 1971, a position he has occupied ever since.
Shaikh Hamdan has presided over Dubai Municipality as chairman, the Information and Health Departments and DUGAS among others. He is the president of the governing board of the Dubai Ports Authority and has been the UAE’s chief representative at the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Fund and to the Arab states. On January 4, 1995, Shaikh Hamdan was appointed as the Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
Shaikh Hamdan has also funded many scholarships for students from around the world at Al Maktoum Institute. Apart from his passion for horses, he likes hunting and dhow racing.
5. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Born in Abu Dhabi on April 30, 1972, Sheikh Abdullah is a graduate of Political Science from Emirates University in Al Ain, in 1995 and is married to Shaikha Yazia bint Saif Al Nahyan. He has four children.
His first official post was as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information and Culture in 1995.
Sheikh Abdullah serves as Chairman of the Board of Emirates Media Incorporated (since January 24, 1999), deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of Emirates Foundation, and deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
He was also the chairman of the UAE Football Association from December 5, 1993 to May 19, 2001.
6. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence
Sheikh Mubarak was the Minister of Tolerance in the previous Cabinet, and has previously served as Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
As a testament to his keen interest in education and culture, he is the Chancellor of Emirates University and Higher Colleges of Technology. He is also the Chairman of CERT (Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training), the commercial arm of Higher Colleges of Technology, which was established in 1996.
Shaikh Nahyan is the Chairman of Union National Bank, The Abu Dhabi Group, and United Bank, Limited.
Apart from his chairmanships in various UAE offices, he is also the Chairman of WARID-Telecom, a GSM mobile operator in Pakistan.
7. Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Cabinet member and Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future
Al Gergawi was born in 1963, and has held many positions including that of Secretary General of Dubai Executive Council, Executive Chairman of Dubai Holding, Chairman of Dubai Development and Investment Authority and Managing Director at Dubai Media Corporate.
He supervised the launch and implementation of many strategic projects in Dubai, the most important of which are Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, the Knowledge Village, Dubai Land, Dubai Medical City, Dubai Press Club and Shaikh Mohammad Arab Management Award.
He studied Business Management in Michigan, USA, and is married with three children.
Al Gergawi also launched the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) as its first coordinator-general. He played an instrumental role in setting up the team and the system to organise the event. He then played a key role in launching the Dubai Summer Surprises in 1999. He has also launched Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Tecom, Dubai Development and Investment Authority and Dubai Holding. He became the first Young Arab Leader, after introducing a programme to motivate young Arabs to become world-class leaders.
8. Ahmed Juma Al Za'abi, Minister of Federal Supreme Council Affairs
Al Zaabi joined the UAE Cabinet as Minister of Federal Supreme Council at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs in May 2018. He was Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs earlier.
9. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention and Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs
Al Owais has served as Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development in the earlier UAE Cabinet. He also served as Deputy Chairman of the National Media Council.
He was born in Sharjah in 1967 and is married with three children. He graduated from the UAE University in 1989 in Accounting and IT. Since 2001 he has been a board member of Emirates Media Corporation and since 1992 he has been a board member of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Society. In 2004 he became a board member of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is a board member of Emirates Property Bank and also works in the private sector and has cultural interests such as Arabic calligraphy and modern Arabic art.
10. Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Dr. Gargash is a member of the Federal Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates, and has served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs since 2008. Between 2006 and 2016, Dr Gargash was the Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs.
In addition to his ministerial portfolio, Dr Gargash was Chairman of the National Elections Committee, overseeing the UAE’s first elections which took place in 2006, and the subsequent elections in 2011 and 2015. He is the Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking; the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Al Owais Cultural Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy. He also leads the UAE team for the Human Rights Periodic Review.
Dr Gargash previously served in several other senior positions in both the state and federal government, including as a board member of the Emirates Media Establishment from 1999 to 2007, and on the board of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1997 to 2006.
Dr. Gargash received his Ph.D from King’s College, Cambridge and holds Bachelor’s and Master’d degrees in Political Science from George Washington University.
11. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs
Al Tayer joined the Federal Government in February 2008 as the Minister of State for Financial Affairs.
He has earlier held several key positions, including chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and member of the Dubai Economic Council.
Al Tayer also served as a member of the Etisalat Board of Directors, board member of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, member of Dubai Municipal Council, member of Federal National Council, and chairman of Emirates Holding and Emirates Post.
Al Tayer holds various posts as chairman of Al Tayer Group, chairman and managing director of Al Nisr Publishing LLC, and chairman of Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Engineering.
Al Tayer graduated from University of Colorado, USA with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
12. Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation
Al Hashemi joined the UAE Cabinet in February 2008 as Minister of State.
She was appointed in February 2016 as Minister of State for International Cooperation. Additionally, she holds responsibility within the Cabinet for the UAE’s bilateral relations with Sub-Saharan African countries.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and French from Tufts University in Massachusetts, in addition to graduate studies at Harvard University.
In November 2013, as Managing Director of Dubai’s World Expo 2020 bid, Reem oversaw a historic success at the Bureau International des Expositions. Dubai Expo 2020 will be the first held in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia region). She holds the position of Managing Director of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee as well as Director General of the Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, in preparation for the upcoming national milestone.
She has served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in the UAE Embassy in Washington. Reem has appeared on several international news programmes as the UAE representative
13. Suhail Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Development
Al Mazroui was appointed as Minister of Energy and Industry in the UAE Cabinet in 2017.
He served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Senior Vice-President, New Business Development of Mubadala Oil and Gas. He led Mubadala’s business development team responsible for all the new business development activities in the Middle East and North Africa and the eastern hemisphere in upstream oil and gas.
Al Mazroui gained broad experience of the oil and gas industry while working at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc). Al Mazroui also worked on international projects in Nigeria, North Sea, Brunei and the Netherlands.
14. Dr Abdullah Mohammad Bel Haif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment
Dr Al Nuaimi has served as Minister of Infrastructure Development and Minister of Public Works in the earlier UAE Cabinet.
He served as an Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works where he played a key role in the development of many infrastructure projects and strategic projects in the country, and also contributed to the development of mechanisms of communication with the public and beneficiaries from projects undertaken by the ministry. Dr Al Nuaimi served as Director of Engineering the Abu Dhabi Civil Aviation Department. He also worked as Director of Water Management at the Ministry of Electricity and Water, and as a visiting professor at the Higher Colleges of Technology Dubai
He has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wisconsin University, USA. Dr Al Nuaimi continued his postgraduate studies and higher education in the UK and earned a PhD in Engineering Project Management from the University of Reading.
15. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology
Dr Al Jaber was a Minister of State in the earlier UAE Cabinet, and is CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Group).
He is responsible for a number of economic, political, development and social files in the UAE, promoting the UAE’s strategic relations with a number of countries. Dr. Al Jaber oversaw the UAE’s development programme in Egypt, where he applied a unique, hands-on partnership model of project implementation. He also assisted in the launch of the China Joint Strategic Investment Fund and represents the UAE on the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Dr Al Jaber developed a specialised expertise in energy and infrastructure, beginning his early career at Adnoc. He established Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s pioneering renewable energy initiative, and served seven years as its CEO, guiding its global contribution to clean technology and sustainable development. In February 2016, he returned to Adnoc as its CEO, where he leads its evolution to remain one of the world’s leading energy companies and a central pillar of the UAE’s economy.
Dr Al Jaber holds a PhD in Business and Economics from the United Kingdom, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, as well as an MBA from the United States.
16. Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi, Minister of Justice
Sultan Saeed Al Badi was appointed in the UAE Cabinet in 2014 as Minister of Justice. His responsibilities include handling the federal courts affairs and prosecutions administratively and financially, as well as overseeing drafting legislations and judicial agreements. In addition, he is chairman of the board of directors of the UAE Zakat Fund, and chairman of the Judicial Coordination Council.
Al Badi has held other positions, including the Head of the Public Prosecution of Al Ain, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Justice, and Undersecretary at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
Al Badi graduated from the United Arab Emirates University in 1985 with a Bachelor Degree in Law.
17. Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education
Al Hammadi joined the UAE Cabinet in 2014 as the Minister of Education.
In 2016, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education were merged to form the Ministry of Education. The responsibilities of the Minister include strategic supervision of education sector across the board and prepare students in the public education system to increase their productivity and achieve sustainable development for the UAE society.
Al Hammadi is also the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Applied Technology, member of the board of directors at Khalifa University, director general of the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, chairman of the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute, member of the board of directors of the National Qualifications Authority, member of the board of trustees at the Khalifa Award for Education, chairman of the board of trustees of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance, and chairman of the higher committee of Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme.
Al Hammadi graduated from the University of Embry-Riddle in the United States.
18. Mohammad bin Ahmad Al Bawardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs
Al Bawardi was undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence. He is also Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee, Vice-Chairman of Dolphin Energy, and board member of Tawazun Holding. He has served as Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council executive committee and board member. He is also a member of the Abu Dhabi University board of trustees.
Al Bawardi is managing director of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, and Deputy Chairman of the Mohammad Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Lewis & Clark College in the US
19. Noora Mohammad Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth
Al Kaabi has served as Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development in the earlier UAE Cabinet.
Al Kaabi was chief executive of the Media Zone Authority Abu Dhabi and twofour54, as well as a Federal National Council member from Abu Dhabi who served on the council’s financial and economic affairs committee. She is also Chairwoman of Emirates Media Measurement Company and an advisory member of Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation. She is a member of committees for the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Abu Dhabi Media Company, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, UAE University and others entities.
Al Kaabi was the first UAE national to rank on Foreign Policy magazine’s list of Top 100 Global Thinkers, and was named in 2014 as one of Forbes Middle East’s 30 Most Influential Women in Government. She was awarded Business Woman of the Year at the Gulf Business Industry Awards.
20. Jameela bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education
Al Muhairi has 20 years of experience in education management, and was chief of the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai’s education regulator. Her aim is to develop the education system in the UAE and help parents find appropriate schools for their children. She studied management at the UAE University in Al Ain and has also worked for the Ministry of Education, and later as director for Dubai Knowledge Village. Al Muhairi was also previously executive director for the private education sector at Dubai Education Council. She is currently a member of the Dubai Education Council and Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organisation.
21. Nasser bin Thani Al Hameli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation
Al Hameli was appointed to the UAE Cabinet as Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation in October 2017. His responsibilities include creating an attractive working environment for Emirati cadres in the public and private sectors.
Al Hameli also previously served as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. He oversaw the progress of the Emiratisation portfolio in a number of positions, including Assistant Undersecretary for Government Coordination at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and director of Human Resources projects.
Al Hameli holds Master’s degree in Human Resources from University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s degree in Manpower Development and Training from the University of Pennsylvania, United States.
22. Hessa bint Eisa Bu Humaid, Minister of Community Development
Bu Humaid was appointed in the UAE Cabinet as Minister of Community Development in October 2017.
Her responsibilities include promoting family cohesion, and building a community that is actively involved in development of the UAE.
Bu Humaid was the Assistant Director General for Government Services in the Prime Minister’s Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future. She oversaw the Emirates Government Service Excellence Programme, aiming to raise the efficiency of government service delivery. Buhumaid also has a role in launching the Government Services Factory, and the Customer Satisfaction project. She was also the Coordinator General of the Shaikh Khalifa Excellence Government Excellence Programme.
Bu Humaid holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the American University of Sharjah, and a Bachelor in Business Sciences from Zayed University. She also holds an Executive Diploma in Public Administration from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore.
23. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy
Al Marri served as Secretary-General of the UAE Cabinet from October 2017, where he oversaw the functioning of the General Secretariat of the Cabinet and supports decision making and implementation in the Cabinet.
He was appointed as Director General of the Executive Office of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and oversaw the Hatta Development Project among other key projects. He has also overseen the development of the 4th Generation of the Government Excellence System for the Mohammad Bin Rashid Excellence Award. Al Marri was also involved in the Area 2071 project, the re-launch of Mohammad Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development, the Arab Strategy Forum, and Mohammad Bin Rashid Arabic Award. He also served as interim CEO of Dubai Future Foundation and oversaw the launch of Dubai 10X, the second and third cohorts of the Dubai Future Accelerators, and the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy. Al Marri holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Sheffield, UK. He is also a graduate of the UAE Government Leaders Programme and Mohammad Bin Rashid Programme for Leadership Development.
24. Dr Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State
Al Shamsi has served as Chairperson of the UAE Marriage Fund.
She obtained a PhD in Sociology from Ain Shams University in Egypt in 1992. She also held the post of deputy director of the UAE University for Scientific Research and Director of the university’s Centre for Research and Foreign Consultations. Al Shamsi was also the Chairperson of the Scientific Research Board of the UAE University.
Al Shamsi was also was a consultant for Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the wife of late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. She has participated in many conferences, including the first Arab Woman Summit, and is the author of several books.
25. Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Bel Houl Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Dr Al Falasi has served as Minister of State for Higher Education Affairs in the earlier UAE Cabinet.
He is chief executive of Masdar and was former vice-president at Mubadala, where he managed investments and stakeholder relationships in metals and mining. Prior to that, he was an adviser with McKinsey & Company, a consultancy. He earned a master’s degree in telecommunications engineering from the University of Melbourne and a PhD from Monash University.
26. Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade
Dr Al Zeyoudi has served as Minister for Climate Change and Environment in the earlier UAE Cabinet.
He was the UAE Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena). He has been director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ energy and climate change directorate since 2010. Dr Al Zeyoudi is Vice Chairman of the Zayed Future Energy Prize and a member of its review and selection committees. He holds a PhD in strategy, programme and project management from SKEMA Business School in Lille, France. He also has a master’s degree in project management from the British University in Dubai, a master’s in business administration from the New York Institute of Technology in Abu Dhabi, and a bachelor’s of science in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa in the US. He also is a member of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
27. Uhoud bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future
Al Roumi has served as Minister of State for Happiness and Quality of Life in the earlier UAE Cabinet.
Al Roumi was director general of the Prime Minister’s Office, overseeing projects and initiatives such as the UAE Vision 2021, the National Agenda, the Mohammad Bin Rashid Policy Majlis, the UAE Government Leaders Programme and others. The UN Foundation recently selected her as the first Arab member of the Global Entrepreneurship Council. She is also a board member of the Dubai Museum of the Future Foundation and was selected as a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum in 2012.
Al Roumi has an executive master’s degree in business administration from the University of Sharjah and a bachelor’s in economics from the UAE University. She is also a graduate from the Mohammad Bin Rashid Programme for Leadership Development.
28. Shamma Suhail Faris Al Mazroui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs
Al Mazrouei earned her master’s degree in Public Policy with distinction from the University of Oxford, and was the first UAE Rhodes Scholar. She holds a diploma of coursework on multi-sector partnerships at New York University, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from New York University Abu Dhabi. She now works at one of Abu Dhabi’s Sovereign Wealth Funds, and previously was a public policy analyst with the UAE Mission to the UN. She has also worked as a Ministry Policy Analyst with the Prime Minister’s Office. She has received the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Distinction Award and the Coutts Future Leader Award in 2015. She also was a co-founder and member of the NYU Abu Dhabi Al Nahda Institute.
29. Zaki Nussaibah, Minister of State
Nussaibah is the Minister of State charged with Public and Cultural Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. He also serves as cultural advisor at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
He received his primary education in the city of Jerusalem and his secondary and higher education in England, where he graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Master’s degree in Economics. He settled in Abu Dhabi in 1967 and started his career as a journalist writing for several Arabic and European news agencies.
In 1968, he joined the Government of Abu Dhabi when he became the official interpreter of Shaikh Zayed. He eventually joined the Department of Information and Tourism for the government of Abu Dhabi as Director of Research and Publications.
In 1975, Nussaibah was attached directly to the Diwan of the President as Director of Information, and later on served as the press advisor.
In January 2006, he was appointed as deputy chairman of the Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage Authority.
He is fluent in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, and also knows some Russian.
30. Mariam Bint Mohammed Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food and Water Security
Al Muhairi was appointed in the UAE Cabinet as Minister of State for Food Security in October 2017.
Her responsibilities include overseeing the development of the necessary infrastructure that would ensure the country’s food security objectives, in line with UAE Centennial 2071 Plan.
Al Muairi represents the UAE federal government in the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) as well as the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA). She is also a member of the board of directors in the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), member of the board of trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), and member of the board of trustees at World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Food Systems Innovation. In addition, she is also a member of the overseeing council of the recently launch Ministry of Possibilities.
Al Muhairi previously served as Assistant Undersecretary for Water Resources and Nature Conservation Affairs at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, where she was appointed to oversee the Biodiversity, Fisheries, Coastal and Marine Sustainability and Marine Research departments.
Al Muhairi received her bachelor and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule in Aachen, Germany.
31. Sarah bint Yousuf Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology
Al Amiri joined the UAE Cabinet as Minister of State for Advanced Sciences in October 2017. Her responsibilities include enhancing the contributions of advanced sciences to the development of UAE and its economy.
Al Amiri is also the chairperson of the UAE Council of Scientists. She holds the position of Emirates Mars Mission Deputy Project Manager at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. She started her career in sciences when she worked as programmes Engineer on Dubai Sat-1 and Dubai Sat-2.
Al Amiri holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from the American University of Sharjah.
32. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Digital Economy, Artificial Intelligence and Teleworking Applications
Al Olama joined the UAE Cabinet as Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in October 2017. His responsibilities include enhancing the government performance by investing the latest technologies and tools of artificial intelligence and applying them in various sectors.
Al Olama is currently the managing director of the World Government Summit in the Prime Minister’s Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future. He has been working as the deputy director of the Future Department at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future. Al Olama contributed to the preparation of the UAE Centennial 2071 strategy and the UAE 4th Industrial Revolution Strategy.
Al Olama holds a diploma in Project Management and Excellence from the American University of Sharjah, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the American University of Dubai.
33. Ahmad Ali Mohammad Al Sayegh, Minister of State
Al Sayegh has been appointed as Minister of State to the UAE Cabinet in September 2018, and is the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). With three decades of international experience and business leadership, Al Sayegh supports the government actively in initiatives and efforts that drive the nation’s economic diversification plans and the sustainable future of the UAE.
Al Sayegh oversees the growth of ADGM as one of the world’s leading International Financial Centres anchored in Abu Dhabi. He had also served in several key capacities including as the former founding chairman of Aldar Properties, founding chairman of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), and deputy chairman of First Gulf Bank.
Al Sayegh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Lewis & Clark College, USA.