Abu Dhabi Week has gathered together a list of the 40 most influential Emiratis that have helped shape our Emirate
HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
HH the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is affectionately referred to by Emiratis as ‘our father’ because he played such a significant role in the formation and development of the UAE.
Sheikh Zayed was the first president of the nation and ruled Abu Dhabi from 1971 until his death in 2004, may God rest his soul.
HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is the President of the UAE. He succeeded his father, the late HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan on 3rd November, 2004. Sheikh Khalifa has said: “My father is my teacher. I learn something from him every day, follow his path and absorb from him his values, and the need for patience and prudence in all things.”
HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Sheikh Mohammed has initiated many projects to improve the quality of life of the residents of Abu Dhabi. He is the chairman of Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and president of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR).
HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak
“I can picture the future of the woman in my country – I see her becoming more aware and understanding to all the surrounding circumstances and to the duties required from her. I see her and her sister hand in hand to ascend together the ladder of development and civilisation established by the fixed foundations, as this is the beginning of the road for returning the favour to the motherland.”
Referred to as the Mother of the Nation, HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak heads the Family Development Centre and presents the Sheikha Fatima Award for Excellence annually.
HH Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
$1.1 billion is the revenue earned by Etihad Airways in quarter three under the direction of HH Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan who took over as chairman of the board of directors of Etihad Airways one year ago. It’s up from $785 million during the same time last year.
HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
The half-brother of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, deputy prime minster of the UAE, is best known around the world as the owner of Manchester City Football Club, which he purchased in September 2008.
Hassan Al Rumaithi
Hassan Al Rumaithi is the UAE’s first mixed martial arts fighter. His fighting style is mostly judo and jujitsu. Hassan has fought in the Abu Dhabi Fighting Championship (ADFC) and his ambition is to be the first Emirati to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
HE Khalid bin Faisal bin Sultan Al Qassimi
Racing for BP Ford Abu Dhabi in the World Rally Championship, Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi is the Emirates’ most successful driver in terms of points accumulated. Crowned the ‘King of Jumps’ by his fellow drivers after hitting a Finnish crest at 150kph and landing safely more than 50 metres down the stage, Al Qassimi sees himself as an unofficial ambassador for the UAE in the world of rallying.
HE Khaldoon Al Mubarak
Commander of the Star of the Order of the Italian Solidarity – one of the many accomplishments of HE Khaldoon Al Mubarak. He’s also chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority, CEO of Mubadala, and as chairman of the Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management Company, he was instrumental in bringing the Grand Prix to Abu Dhabi.
HE Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan
“We are confident of the road ahead and the prosperity Abu Dhabi will enjoy as it evolves into a world-class destination.” HE Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of TDIC and the sole equity stakeholder of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.
HE Sarah Suhail
15 – the number of victims of human trafficking brought to the Ewa’a Shelter for Women and Children in a single rescue. Executive director Sarah Suhail opened the doors of the Ewa’a Shelter for Women and Children in 2008 after retiring from her post as director of a school for girls.
HE Noura Al Kaabi
“There was always freedom when we were growing up.” HE Noura Al Kaabi, CEO of Abu Dhabi media zone twofour54 speaking about her upbringing and how she became so successful at such a young age (barely 30).
HE Sheikha Lubna Khalid Sultan Al Qassimi
The first woman to hold a ministerial post in the UAE, HE Sheikha Lubna was appointed as the Minister for Economy and Planning in 2004 and is now Minister of Foreign Trade.
Nawal Al Hosany
7th February 2010 – the day Nawal reached Uhuru Peak, the highest point of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world. Al Hosany is the associate director of sustainability at Masdar and was also the first female deputy director in the history of the Abu Dhabi Police Department.
Salma Al Baloushi
Etihad Airways flight EY091 was the first flight to be co-piloted by Salma Al Baloushi, the first Emirati woman to graduate from Etihad Airways’ cadet programme.
Fatima and Mariam Al Shamsi
1978 – the year sisters Fatima and Mariam Al Shamsi joined the Abu Dhabi Police Department as the first female officers. It took a direct order from then president Sheikh Zayed to convince their father.
Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili
“Investing in the intellectual evolution of a nation is crucial to the success and sustainability of its society.” Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, director general of the Abu Dhabi Education Council since 2008 and a member of the Federal National Council.
Fatima Al Jaber
Fatima Al Jaber is the chief operating officer of Al Jaber Group and the first Emirati woman to be elected to the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce. In 2007, she was voted the seventh most influential woman in the Arab world by Forbes Arabia.
Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak
Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak is the Secretary General of the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi and she has been involved with the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) since it began in 2001.
Hassan Sharif
Hassan Sharif is a conceptual artist and founder of the Emirates Fine Art Society. His work explores issues such as consumerism and politics. Hassan began his artistic career in 1982 when he started producing comic strips and caricatures for newspapers and magazines in the UAE. He also paints and makes sculptures. He says, “I bring history to the present through objects.”
Elham Al Qassimi
Elham Al Qasimi is the first Emirati woman and UAE National to reach the North Pole.
Prior to the expedition, Elham embarked on a rigorous training programme in order to develop her speed and strength. During the trek Elham skied for up to eight hours a day, for ten consecutive days.
Khalid Butti Al Shamsi
Khalid Al Shamsi is the owner of Mazaraa and Abu Dhabi Organic Farm, the first and largest internationally certified organic farm in the UAE. Khalid raises animals without using any machinery. He also grows 60 or more varieties of organic fruit and vegetables and produces chemical-free honey and chocolate. Khalid also has plans to open an organic dairy farm.
Ahmad Ali Al Sayegh
Ahmad Ali Al Sayegh is a prominent businessman in Abu Dhabi. He is the former chairman of ALDAR Properties and the CEO of Dolphin Energy. Ahmad is also the chairman of Masdar and a key supporter of the development of renewable energy. Nayla Al Khaja
The UAE’s first female film producer, she has made three short films that have received acclaim and awards internationally.
Hassa Al Otaiba and HE Sheikha Najla Al Qassimi
The UAE’s first appointed female ambassadors to Spain and Sweden, respectively.
Eissa Saif Rashed Al Mazrouei
Director of Special Projects for the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, he is responsible for the media and film sectors of ADACH and was the project director of the 2011 Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
Ali Mustafa
Director of the first Emirati full-length feature film, City of Light. He said, “I had this intense need to showcase the UAE on a global level. Everybody living in the UAE will be able to identify with the film.”
Hussein Al Jasmi
English translation of Emirati singer Hussein Al Jasmi’s lyrics to Bahabek wahashteny or I love you, I miss you: “and I love you, I miss you, I love you and you’re the light of my eye even when you’re torturing me, I love you to death I’ve roamed so much, but I’ve never found a home out of your arms.”
Rafia Helal Bin Drai
Founder and designer of fashion power house Mauzan, Mrs Drai says, “My inspiration for designing the Abaya is always the woman who wears it.”
Hamad bin Suhail Al Ketbi
Emirati poet whose blossoming career was tragically cut short when he passed away at 38 years of age in 2010. His literary works were sung by various artists, including Rashed Al Majed and Nawal Al Zoghbi.
Sumayyah Al Suwaidi
One of the first female Emirati digital artists on the block, Suwaidi has exhibited her works both in the UAE and abroad. Owner of Grafika boutique in Abu Dhabi, she was the recipient of the 2011 Emirates Women of the Year Awards and Emirates Women Achievers award.
Adel Haliqa
UAE National Freediving Champion Adel Abu Haliqa tragically went missing in June this year during a 70m training dive off the Greek island of Santorini as he was preparing for the 2011 AIDA Freediving World Championship. We will remember him as a softly-spoken, friendly and gentle family man who was passionate about promoting the sport of freediving and its cultural ties to the UAE.
Ismael Matar
Widely regarded as the UAE’s most naturally talented footballer, Matar plays as an attacking midfielder for Al Wahda and is the creative lynchpin of the UAE national team. The highlight of his career so far has to be leading the UAE to their first ever trophy, the 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations, where he was the top scorer with five goals in five games and was also voted player of the tournament.
Saaed Al Jasmi
An integral part of the national swimming team since 1990 and one of the most successful swimmers in the history of the UAE, Saeed and his five talented brothers have inherited their love of the water from older generations of the family. “My father and grandfather used to be pearl divers. Every day they’d take us to the beach, throw us in the water and teach us swimming skills,” he told us.
Khaled Al Qubaisi
Head of HR at Mubadala, chairman of Daman, managing director of Tabreed and board member of a number of other companies, Khaled Al Qubaisi has a lot on his plate. Somehow he has still found time to fulfill his childhood dream of being a racing driver and since 2009 has been driving Porsche GT3’s for Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit.
Humaid Al Masaood
The first Emirati to race in the American Le Mans Series, Al Masaood and his UAE-based Oryx Racing Team had an astonishing debut season this year with four podium finishes in seven races, capped by a stunning victory at the Baltimore Grand Prix.
Mohammed Bin Sulayem
Now the vice-president of the FIA and president of the Automobile and Touring Club, Mohammed Bin Sulayem is better known as the most successful Emirati rally driver in history, having won more FIA regional championships and more international rallies than any other racer in history.
Adil Khalid
“Today is the start of something amazing, my dream, to become the first Arab to compete in this ultimate race,” said the 22-year-old Adil Khalid on 28th October when he became the first ever Gulf national to compete in the world-renowned Volvo Ocean Race as part of the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Team.
Omar Al Salfa – Olympic track and field
An accomplished track and field athlete, Omar Jouma Bilal Al Salfa represented the UAE in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 200m sprint. The highlight of his promising career so far is undoubtedly the gold medal he won at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships in Guangzhou, China.
