Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan
| HH Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan | |
|---|---|
| Ruler's Representative in the Eastern Region | |
|
Assumed office 1971 | |
| Monarch |
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Preceded by | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi | |
|
Assumed office 1977 | |
| Monarch | Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Al Ain |
| Nationality | Emirati |
Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan (طحنون بن محمد آل نهيان) is the Ruler's Representative of the Eastern Region of the United Arab Emirates. He was previously chairman of Abu Dhabi state owned oil company.
Biography
Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Area was one of the few people who had the honour of accompanying the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father and builder of the United Arab Emirates, from an early age. The late Sheikh Zayed had an enormous influence on His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun. He gained a lot of practical experience and knowledge from Sheikh Zayed as he was well informed about the conditions of the people of Al Ain and their affairs since he had been the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Ain area.
On 8 July 1972, an Emiri Decree was issued appointing H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Arab Economy (now the Abu Dhabi Development Fund) and in 1973, the Chairman of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
In 1974, a Decree was issued appointing H.H. as the President of the Al Ain Municipality and Agriculture Department and with the formation of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Investment Establishment, H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun was a made a member of the Board of Directors and his membership was renewed in 1980. In 1977, H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun became the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the President of the Agriculture and Municipalities Department in Al Ain. The UAE President also appointed him as member of the Supreme Petroleum Council in 1988.
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun is known for his closeness and direct contact with the people of the Eastern Region where most of his official work took place.
The Following is a List of the Emiri Decrees Issued Concerning His Highness:
1. Emiri Decree no. 2/1966
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as the Chairman of the Agriculture Department and the
President of Al Ain Municipality; 11 September 1966
2. Emiri Decree no. 9/1971
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as the Minister of the Municipalities and Agriculture;
1 July 1971
3. Emiri Decree no. 26/1971
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Area;
9 August 1971
4. Emiri Decree no. 31/1972
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as the member of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Fund for
Development and Arab Economy; 8 July 1972
5. Emiri Decree no. 13/1973
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as the Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture and
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company; 16 July 1973
6. Emiri Decree no. 2/1974
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as the Chairman of the Municipalities and Agriculture
Department in Al Ain; 20 January 1974
7. Emiri Decree no. 6/1976
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as member in the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Investment
Department; 21 March 1976
8. Emiri Decree no. 3/1977
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council and Chairman
of Municipality and Agriculture Department in Al Ain; 9 January 1977
9. Emiri Decree no. 4/1980
The membership of His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan in the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Investment Department
is hereby renewed; 12 August 1980
10. Emiri Decree no. 1/1988
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is hereby appointed as member in the Supreme Petroleum Council; 5 June 1988.
Family
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun was among the group that Sheikh Zayed totally trusted and on 11 September 1966, one month after he became the Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s first official appointment was His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed as the Chairman of the Agriculture Department and the President of Al Ain Municipality. His Highness was also amongst those who worked with Sheikh Zayed on the great union project that succeeded on 2 December 1971 with the declaration of the State of the Union. From 1 July 1971, Sheikh Tahnoun had held the position of the Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture and he was also appointed as the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Area on 9 August of the same year.
Marriage and Children
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan married two times. His first wife is Shamma Al Otaiba, who comes from the prominent Al Otaiba merchant family of Abu Dhabi ; his second wife is Sheikha Shamsa bint Zayed, one of the daughters of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the historical ruler of Abu Dhabi. These two high-profile weddings have put him at the heart of Abu Dhabi's power structure. It is common in Gulf ruling families to mention only the sons of sheikhs, which are as follows (10 in total):
- Sheikh Saeed Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, arguably Sheikh Tahnoon's most prominent son, who became head of Al Ain Municipality.
- Sheikh Hamad Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, has an engineering degree, and was Chairman of the Abu Dhabi General Industry Corporation. Important property developer in Abu Dhabi.
- Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, born 1970. Holds important political office in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, as chairman of Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), and its mother company, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
- Sheikh Ahmed Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, who makes a military career with the grade of Major-General.
- Sheikh Mansour Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, who recently was appointed faculty at the American University of Sharjah.
- Sheikh Hazza Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, also makes career in the Eastern Region (Al Ain) administered by his father, as Undersecretary of the Ruler's Representative of the Eastern Region. He controls the access to his father's diwan.
- Sheikh Mohamed Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, has a career in the police, as Director of Peripheral Areas Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police and Head of the Higher Committee for Knowledge at the Ministry of Interior.
- Sheikh Dheyab Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan
- Sheikh Khalifa Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan
- Sheikh Zayed Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan
But Sheikh Tahnoon has also an officially unknown number of daughters, of which some have made high-profile weddings and some own a lot of property in the emirate of Abu Dhabi:
- Sheikha Shaikha bint Tahnoon Al Nahyan, who became the second wife of the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
- Sheikha Latifah bint Tahnoon Al Nahyan, who married Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
- Sheikha Mozah bint Tahnoon Al Nahyan
- Sheikha Azza bint Tahnoon Al Nahyan
- Sheikha Salama bint Tahnoon Al Nahyan. She owns a lot of property and sponsors many sporting events.
References
http://erd.ae/en/portal/C55827FB-8FAE-496D-82E4-BFCB990BA5A3.aspx