Mohammed Al Shaibani

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani (Arabic: محمد إبراهيم الشيباني), also known as His Excellency Mohammed Al Shaibani (or H.E. Al Shaibani, b. 1964,) is a non-royal government official in Dubai, U.A.E, who is the current Director General of H.H. The Ruler’s Court, Government of Dubai (also known as Al Diwan Al Amiri, or Diwan Al Hakim), a prime government body of the Emirate of Dubai.

In addition, Mohammed Al Shaibani acts as the CEO and Executive Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, the investment arm of the emirate, which manages and grows its wealth. He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Supreme Fiscal Committee of Dubai, which is responsible for overseeing its general fiscal policies. He is a member of the Executive Council of Dubai, an entity that oversees and supports government bodies in the emirate.

Al Shaibani serves as Chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the first shariah-compliant lender in the world and one of the country’s largest banks in terms of assets. In addition, he sits on the boards of several government-related organizations in the U.A.E., such as Dubai World and Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Limited. He has been credited with directing the successful restructuring of the debt of Dubai following the government default incurred by Dubai World in 2009. As the Director General of H.H. The Ruler’s Court, H.E. Al Shaibani has championed anti-corruption efforts targeting corporations in the U.A.E.

In 2013, Mohammed Al Shaibani has been named Deputy Chairman of the Higher Preparatory Committee of the World Expo 2020 to be held in Dubai.^[1] As such, he reviews the preparations and progress of the universal fair.^[2] Dubai Expo 2020, under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,”^[3] will celebrate cultural diversity and will feature technological innovations.

He was ranked the most influential non-royal official in U.A.E. by the Wall Street Journal in 2010^[4] and one of the country’s ten most influential people by Your Middle East platform in 2013.^[5] That year, Mohammed Al Shaibani was also considered as the sixth of the 500 most powerful Arabs^[6] in the world by Arabian Business, and he was named the 17th of the 100 most powerful Arabs in 2014 by Gulf Business.^[7]

Career

Early life

Mohammed Al Shaibani graduated from the United States of America in 1988 with a Bachelor of Computer Science. He started his career at Dubai Ports Authority and Jebel Ali Free Zone, where he worked for seven years. After that, he moved to Singapore where he spent four years as Managing Director of Al Khaleej Investments.^[8]

Government roles

Since 1998 Al Shaibani has held the status of President at the Dubai Office, a private management entity for the Royal Family of Dubai. In this capacity, he represented the interests of the ruling family in London for eight years from 1999 to 2007. He currently oversees the functioning of this office from Dubai.

Mohammed Al Shaibani is also a member of the Executive Council, Government of Dubai, which was created in 2003 to support government authorities in maintaining the stability and organization of the emirate, in addition to developing its society and economy. Moreover, the Executive Council is responsible for setting and implementing the general strategy of Dubai, as well as enforcing local laws. The Council also sets the annual budget for the Government of Dubai, and ensures the smooth functioning of government bodies among other administrative duties.^[9]

H.H. The Ruler's Court of the Government of Dubai in Bur Dubai in 2012

Al Shaibani also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Supreme Fiscal Committee (SFC) of Dubai since its inception in 2007. This five-man committee supervises the Dubai Financial Support Fund, which provides loans on a commercial basis to government and government-related entities that are of strategic importance to the development of the Emirate of Dubai. The SFC assesses and approves the loan criteria needed to grant the financial support to entities and projects, and reviews applications proposed by the fund's board. It also determines the size and terms of each loan as well as the nature of the related securities and guarantees.^[10]

In 2008, Al Shaibani was appointed Director General of H.H. The Ruler’s Court, Government of Dubai, by Emiri decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai. H.H. The Ruler’s Court or Diwan is the traditional seat of power in Dubai and various government units operate under its umbrella, such as the Department of Finance, Dubai Courts and the Executive Council, to name a few. In this role, Mohammed Al Shaibani initiated in 2008 a wave cracking down corporate corruption in Dubai.

Business involvement

Mohammed Al Shaibani’s strong knowledge of Islamic financial services led him to be selected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) in 2008,^[11] one the U.A.E’s largest banks. DIB is also considered as the first bank in the world to apply Islamic principles in all its practices.

Al Shaibani signs with Aliko Dangote the acquisition of Dangote Cement by ICD in 2014.

An Emiri decree issued in 2012 by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, reaffirmed Al Shaibani as CEO and Executive Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD),^[12] the investment arm that consolidates the assets of the Government of Dubai. Such assets contribute to the growth of Dubai and range from leading financial services companies to local real estate giants, including renowned transportation and utilities corporations.

In 2010, Al Shaibani has been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of Dubai World, the government-owned holding focused on urban development. His experience as an administrator and corporate leader proved to be pivotal in the restructuring of the US$25 billion debt pile of the holding, which enabled it to return to the international bond market.^[13]

After acquiring the entertainment resort Atlantis the Palm in 2013, ICD has purchased significant equity interest in the international firm that manages it, Kerzner International. This was followed by H.E. Mohammed Al Shaibani replacing Sol Kerzner as the Chairman of the international luxury hotels developer after the latter’s retirement in April 2014.^[14]

Titles and positions held

Directorship and Board affiliations

• Director General of H.H. The Ruler’s Court, Government of Dubai since 2008.
• CEO and Executive Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai since 2012.
• Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Islamic Bank P.J.S.C. since 2008.
• Chairman of Kerzner International since 2014.
• President of the Royal Family’s Dubai Office since 1998.
• Board Member of Dubai World since 2010.
• Board Member of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Limited.
• Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment.^[15]
• Board Member of Deira Investment Company.
• Former Director, Chairman of Audit Committee and Member of Remuneration Committee at Emaar Properties PJSC.
• Former Chairman of National Bonds Corporation PJSC.
• Former Director, Member of Remuneration & Compensation Committee and Member of Executive Committee at SHUAA Capital PJSC.^[16]
• Former Head of the Dubai Office of Dubai Bank PJSC (now Emirates Islamic.)
• Former Managing Director of Al Khaleej Investments.

Committee memberships

• Vice Chairman of the Supreme Fiscal Committee of Dubai since 2007.
• Deputy Chairman of the Higher Committee on Hosting the World Expo 2020 since 2013.

Other memberships

• Member of the Executive Council, Government of Dubai.

References

1. ↑ "Team Expo". Expo 2020 Dubai. 
2. ↑ ,"His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum chairs Expo 2020 Higher Committee meet". Expo 2020 Dubai. 
3. ↑ ,"Theme". Expo 2020 Dubai, UAE. 
4. ↑ Zawya Dow Jones, Reporters. "Who's Who in the United Arab Emirates". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company.  Missing or empty |url= (help)
5. ↑ Akbari, Nazneen. "10 most influential people in the United Arab Emirates". Your Middle East. 
6. ↑ "The 500 Most Powerful Arabs in the World". Arabian Business. Arabian Business Publishing ltd. 
7. ↑ "Top 100 Powerful Arabs 2014". Gulf Business. Motivate Publishing. 
8. ↑ "Board of Directors". Dubai World. 
9. ↑ "The Executive Council". The Executive Council. Government of Dubai. 
10. ↑ Irish, John; Graham, Patrick. "FACTBOX-The men behind Dubai's supreme fiscal committee". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. 
11. ↑ "Mohammed Al Shaibani appointed Chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank". UAEinteract. UAE National Media Council. 
12. ↑ "Mohammed issues two decrees, law". Sheikh Mohammed. 
13. ↑ Barber, Lionel; Khalaf, Roula; Kerr, Simeon. "Hard man battles to complete 'the Task'". Financial Times. The Financial Times Ltd. 
14. ↑ John, Isaac. "Dubai completes purchase of 'significant' Kerzner stake". Khaleej Times. Galadari Printing and Publishing LLC. 
15. ↑ "Management". Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Est. Retrieved 4 January 2015. 
16. ↑ "Mohammed A. Ibrahim Al Shaibani". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg.