View source for Mohamed Alabbar

{{Short description|Emirati businessman}}
{{Infobox person
| birth_name         = <!-- only use if different from name -->
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1956|11|08}}
| birth_place        = [[Dubai]], United Arab Emirates
| nationality        = [[Emiratis|Emirati]]
| image              = Alabbar new.jpg
| native_name        = محمد على العبار
| native_name_lang   = ar-ae
| other_names        = Hamdan kajoor
| education          = [[Seattle University]] (1981)<ref name=businesswk07>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-07-01/the-master-builder-of-the-middle-east| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814194740/http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-07-01/the-master-builder-of-the-middle-east| url-status=dead| archive-date=August 14, 2012| title=The Master Builder Of The Middle East| author=Stanley Reed| date=1 July 2007| magazine=Business Week| accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref><ref name=hauteliving>{{cite magazine| url=http://hauteliving.com/2007/08/alabbar-the-mover-and-shaper-of-dubai/685/| title=Mohamed Ali Alabbar: The Mover and Shaper of Dubai| author=Sonia Tita Puopolo| date=2 August 2007| magazine=Haute Living| accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref>
| occupation         = Businessman
| known_for          = [[Emaar Properties]]<br>[[Eagle Hills Properties]]
| children           = 7 (Rashed Alabbar, Salama Al Abbar, Shamsa Al Abbar, Mouza Al Abbar, Ali Alabbar, Noor Alabbar, Haya Alabbar)
| website            = {{URL|mohamedalabbar.com}}
}}
'''Mohamed Ali Alabbar''' ({{langx|ar|محمد على العبار}}; born November 8, 1956) is an Emirati businessman known for founding [[Emaar Properties]], a real estate development company involved in projects such as the [[Burj Khalifa]] and the [[Dubai Mall]]. He is also the founder and chairman of Eagle Hills, a private investment and real estate development company based in Abu Dhabi.
In addition, Alabbar established Noon.com, an e-commerce platform,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagraj |first=Aarti |date=2019-12-19 |title=Noon founder Alabbar says Amazon 'should go back to Seattle' |url=https://gulfbusiness.com/noon-founder-alabbar-says-amazon-go-back-seattle/ |access-date=2023-09-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> and serves as the chairman of [[Americana Group]], a food company.
==Early life==
Mohamed Alabbar was born on November 8, 1956, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is the eldest of 12 children.<ref name="businesswk072">{{cite magazine| url=http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-07-01/the-master-builder-of-the-middle-east| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814194740/http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-07-01/the-master-builder-of-the-middle-east| url-status=dead| archive-date=August 14, 2012| title=The Master Builder Of The Middle East| author=Stanley Reed| date=1 July 2007| magazine=Business Week| accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref> His father was the captain of a traditional trading vessel known as a [[dhow]] and raised his children in the Rashidiya area of [[Dubai]].<ref name="businesswk072" />
In the 1970s, Alabbar received a government scholarship to study finance and business administration from The Albers School of Business and Economics at [[Seattle University]].<ref name="businesswk072" /> Alabbar graduated from Seattle University in 1981 with a degree in Business Administration.<ref name="hauteliving2">{{cite magazine| url=http://hauteliving.com/2007/08/alabbar-the-mover-and-shaper-of-dubai/685/| title=Mohamed Ali Alabbar: The Mover and Shaper of Dubai| author=Sonia Tita Puopolo| date=2 August 2007| magazine=Haute Living| accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref> He also received an honorary doctoral degree in humanities from his alma mater in 2007 and served on its Board of Trustees until 2016.<ref name="vault2">{{cite web |date=2010 |title=Seattle University Albers School of Business and Economics |url=https://www.vault.com/images/pdf/schoolDiversity/diversity_2789.pdf |accessdate=16 September 2014 |publisher=Seattle University}}</ref><ref name="arabnews20072">{{cite news |author=K.T. ABDURABB |date=13 June 2007 |title=Seattle University Honors Alabbar |url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/299633 |accessdate=16 September 2014 |newspaper=Arab News}}</ref>
==Career==
After college, Alabbar began his career with the [[Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates]] as a banking manager.<ref name="businesswk072" /> In 1992, Alabbar returned to [[Dubai]] and began working for the government as the founding director general of the [[Department of Economic Development (Dubai)|Department of Economic Development]].<ref name="businesswk072" /><ref name="khaleej20142">{{cite news |author=Dhanusha Gokulan |date=26 January 2014 |title=A look back into future of the Dubai Shopping Festival |url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/inside.asp?xfile=/data/nationgeneral/2014/January/nationgeneral_January190.xml&section=nationgeneral |accessdate=17 September 2014 |newspaper=Khaleej Times}}</ref>
During his career, Alabbar established a close relationship with [[Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum]], the Ruler of Dubai, where he later became one of Sheikh Mohammed's chief economic advisers.<ref name="forbesfive2">{{cite magazine |author=Matthew Boyle |date=2007 |title=5 in Power Positions" Mohamed Bin Ali Alabbar |url=https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fortune/0711/gallery.power_positions.fortune/ |magazine=Forbes |access-date=17 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="sportsill2">{{cite magazine |author=Rick Reilly |date=1995 |title=Going For The Green Huge Appearance Fees Lured Six Of The Globe's Top Golfers To A Tournament In Dubai |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> Alabbar worked with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to improve the development and growth of both Dubai's tourism industry and global reputation.<ref name="khaleej20142" /><ref name="arabianbiz2">{{cite magazine |date=2013 |title=The 500 most powerful Arabs in the World |url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/arabian-business-power-500-2013-493796.html?view=profile&itemid=493634 |magazine=Arabian Business |accessdate=17 September 2014}}</ref>
He has overseen the expansion of Emaar Properties into various sectors including residential, retail, and hospitality. Alabbar also established RSH, a Singapore-based company specializing in marketing, distributing, and retailing international fashion brands, where he continues to be a significant shareholder.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mohamed Alabbar {{!}} BoF 500 {{!}} The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/mohamed-alabbar |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=The Business of Fashion |date=20 September 2018 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Through his company, Alabbar Enterprises, he acquired stakes in luxury fashion retailer [[YOOX Net-a-Porter Group|YOOX Net-a-Porter]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagraj |first=Aarti |date=2016-11-28 |title=Dubai's Alabbar in $138.5m JV deal with luxury e-retailer Yoox Net-A-Porter |url=https://gulfbusiness.com/dubais-alabbar-in-138-5m-jv-deal-with-luxury-e-retailer-yoox-net-a-porter/ |access-date=2023-09-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, he is the founder and chairman of Africa Middle East Resources (AMER) and serves as the chairman of Tradewinds Corporation, a Malaysian company focused on leisure and hospitality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emaar founder eyes Africa's commodity riches {{!}} Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/bd7a1002-7662-11e0-b4f7-00144feabdc0 |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=www.ft.com}}</ref>
Mohamed Alabbar is also involved in the construction of [[Dubai Creek Tower]]. In a major update, he has said that Dubai Creek Tower, which was supposed to be the world’s tallest tower, is now being redesigned as ‘Female Burj Khalifa.’<ref>{{Cite web |last=Awan |first=Tanvir |date=21 September 2023 |title=Dubai Creek Tower being redesigned: Mohamed Alabbar |url=https://dubainewsweek.com/dubai-creek-tower/ |access-date=19 February 2024 |website=Dubai Newsweek}}</ref>
=== Board memberships ===
Alabbar chairs [[Eagle Hills Properties|Eagle Hills]], a [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]]-based real estate development company. He served on the board of Emaar Malls until 2021 when the company merged with Emaar Properties.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Emaar Malls AGM approves cash dividend of Dh1.3 billion |date=19 April 2016 |url=http://www.emirates247.com/business/corporate/emaar-malls-agm-approves-cash-dividend-of-dh1-3-billion-2016-04-19-1.627747 |via=Emirates 24{{!}}7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-22 |title=Emaar Properties completes merger of Emaar Malls in Dubai's second big re-merger move in 2022 |url=https://gulfnews.com/business/property/emaar-properties-completes-merger-of-emaar-malls-in-dubais-second-big-re-merger-move-in-2022-1.1637559111186 |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=gulfnews.com |language=en}}</ref> Alabbar also sits on the board of Noor Investment Group, an affiliate of [[Dubai Group]].<ref name="boardpro2">{{cite web |date=14 March 2013 |title=Board of Directors: Mohamed Ali Rashid Alabbar |url=http://www.alsalambahrain.com/about_us/Board/mohamed-ali-rashid-alabbar-a272.html |accessdate=17 September 2014 |publisher=Al Salam Bank Bahrain}}</ref> He is on the board of trustees of the American University of Sharjah<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-08 |title=Sharjah Ruler appoints Bodour Al Qasimi AUS's BoT chair |url=https://wam.ae/en/details/1395303185666 |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=wam}}</ref> and the FII Institute in the KSA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-23 |title=Our Story - FII Institute Site |url=https://fii-institute.org/about/ |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=fii-institute.org |language=en-US}}</ref> He is also the Chairman of Zand, Dubai's first digital bank that aims to cater to retail and corporate clients.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Alkesh |date=2022-07-05 |title=Dubai digital bank Zand receives UAE Central Bank licence |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/banking/2022/07/05/dubai-digital-bank-zand-gets-uae-central-bank-licence/ |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alabbar, Mohamed}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Emirati businesspeople]]
[[Category:Emirati businesspeople in real estate]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Dubai]]
[[Category:Seattle University alumni]]