From Dh40 to CEO: The remarkable UAE journey of Ali Al Najjar

Dubai: Born in Abu Dhabi, forced to leave the UAE as a child, and returning years later on a bus from Jordan with almost nothing in his pocket, Ali Al Najjar transformed hardship into one of the UAE’s most inspiring corporate success stories.

Speaking to Gulf News, Jordanian expatriate Al Najjar shared his story of rising from an exchange house cashier to CEO of Al Ansari Exchange.

His formula: discipline, resilience and relentless hard work.

At 22, Ali Al Najjar arrived in Abu Dhabi after a 38-hour bus ride from Jordan carrying a small bag, a big dream and just Dh40 left in his pocket.

He could not afford a plane ticket. He had no influential connections. No executive title.

No guarantee of a job.

What he did have was belief that the UAE was home, belief that hard work changes lives, and belief that discipline can carry a person further than talent alone.

More than two decades later, the young man who once slept on a mattress in a cramped room now leads Al Ansari Exchange as CEO, overseeing around 4,200 employees and 287 branches across the UAE.

But even today, Al Najjar insists he is still “the same person behind the counter.”

His rise from cashier to chief executive is not simply a corporate success story. It is the story of sacrifice, consistency and the opportunities the UAE can create for people willing to work harder than everyone else.

“I came back to the UAE in 2002 with around Dh250 in total. After paying for the bus ticket from Amman to Abu Dhabi, I was left with almost nothing. But I always believed this country was home,” Al Najjar recalled sitting in his plush office in Dubai.

That emotional connection with the UAE began long before his career. His father arrived in the UAE in 1969 and helped establish customs operations in the Al Sila area before later moving to Abu Dhabi. Born in the capital in 1980, Al Najjar spent his childhood growing up in a rapidly developing nation that would eventually shape his future.

But in 1991, after his father’s retirement, the family returned to Jordan, a transition he describes as deeply painful.

“I was born and raised in the UAE, so leaving was emotionally difficult. But I learnt early that circumstances may change while your goals stay the same,” he said.

Determined to succeed, he excelled academically, scoring 96.7 per cent in high school and earning top rank before graduating from Yarmouk University on scholarship with a degree in accounting and financial banking.

After briefly joining Standard Chartered, he made the life-changing decision to resign and return to the UAE in search of opportunity.

The journey itself symbolised the uncertainty ahead.

Unable to afford a flight, he boarded a bus from Amman to Abu Dhabi, a journey that lasted nearly two days.

“When I arrived, I had only Dh40 left. But sometimes all you really need is determination and the willingness to keep moving forward,” he said.

For two months, he searched for work while attending interview after interview. Many employers rejected him because he lacked practical experience.

Then chance intervened. While waiting outside an exchange house in Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Street for an interview, he met an old friend working at Al Ansari Exchange. The friend spoke passionately about the company, its culture and its chairman, saying the organisation respected dedication and hard work.

That conversation changed everything.

On June 2, 2002, Al Najjar joined Al Ansari Exchange as a cashier earning ADh2,300 a month.

At the time, the company had only nine branches.

He lived in a tiny room where even a bed would not fit. He slept on a mattress beside the door with only a pillow and blanket.

Still, he refused to complain. “I was focused on growth,” he said.

The work environment was demanding and largely manual. International remittances involved paperwork, demand drafts and courier services. Employees had to memorise procedures, customer details and operational processes.

Instead of limiting himself to his assigned duties, Al Najjar stayed after working hours to learn from other teams and understand every aspect of the business.

“I always believed that when you are given a job, you should think like an owner, not like an employee,” he said.

Over his first three years, he worked in 11 branches across six emirates, gaining hands-on experience in customer service, operations and branch management.

Those years would define the philosophy that later shaped his leadership.

“Discipline changed my life. Success cannot depend on your mood. Whether you feel like it or not, you must show up and deliver,” he said.

In 2005, he received his first major leadership opportunity when he was promoted to branch manager at Ansar Mall branch, an underperforming branch facing operational and performance issues. He worked tirelessly to restructure operations, motivate staff and improve accountability.

Then came the defining moment. Like many exchange house employees at the time, Al Najjar received an offer from a bank promising better pay and working conditions.

On the very same day, he recalled, Chairman Mohammed Al Ansari visited his branch.

The chairman questioned him extensively about customer behaviour, market conditions, operations and branch performance. Al Najjar answered confidently, outlining the changes he had implemented and the opportunities he saw for growth.

The next day, HR called with unexpected news: he had been promoted to Area Manager for Dubai.

“That moment was not luck. It was years of unseen hard work finally meeting the right opportunity,” he noted.

As one of only two area managers in the organisation at the time, he was responsible for multiple branches across Dubai, each serving different customer communities and facing unique operational challenges.

“There was no road map. So I had to create one,” he added.

He developed branch operating procedures, introduced KPIs, implemented accountability systems and established operational frameworks that improved performance across the network.

One struggling branch, already marked for closure, became his biggest test.

Management had decided to shut it down because of losses and weak performance. Al Najjar requested six months to turn the business around.

Through staff restructuring, operational discipline, customer engagement and relentless monitoring, the branch transformed into one of the company’s top performers.

It later became the number one branch in Dubai for transactions and maintained top rankings for three consecutive years.

“That experience taught me that success is never achieved alone. It is always built with a team,” he noted.

His achievements eventually caught the attention of senior leadership.

In 2010, after meeting Rashed Al Ansari who is now Group Chief Executive Officer and a Board Member of Al Ansari Financial Services, he was promoted to Head of Business Development and Manager of Operations, marking his transition into senior leadership.

Over the following years, he played a key role in developing major operational and strategic initiatives, including cash management systems, business expansion projects and operational transformation plans.

His leadership journey continued through successive promotions:

But despite the titles, Al Najjar says the core lesson behind his success never changed. “I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work, consistency and discipline,” he asserted.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, his leadership was tested like never before. As COO, he helped steer the organisation through uncertainty while ensuring no employee lost their job.

He said: “True leadership is revealed during difficult times. Standing by people matters.”

Today, as CEO, Al Najjar still believes leaders should remain connected to employees on the front lines. “The ideal place for a CEO is in the middle. You cannot lead people if you do not understand what they experience every day,” he explained.

Despite spending decades climbing the corporate ladder, he still carries the mindset of the young cashier who arrived in Abu Dhabi with almost nothing.

And perhaps that is what makes his story resonate with so many people across the UAE.

His message to the younger generation is simple: work with discipline.

“Dream big. Stay committed. Never give up,” Ali Al Najjar said.

“Success is not about where you start. It is about how determined you are to keep moving forward,” he concluded.