Industrialisation in the UAE and the Role of Abu Dhabi’s Ports

Abdulaziz Mubarak Al Balooshi is the Chief Executive Officer of Fujairah Terminals, an operational arm wholly owned by Abu Dhabi Ports Group mandated to operate and manage all container business, general cargo, RoRo and cruise ships at Fujairah Port.

In his current capacity, Al Balooshi spearheads the development of various business activities and drives the strategic oversight of Fujairah Terminals. He leads the overall growth of the organisation by developing and strengthening commercial relationships with customers and entities that add value and promote the success of Fujairah Terminals. In addition, he also works to ensure the terminals’ expansion plans are on track.

Al Balooshi brings a wealth of experience within the maritime industry across Ports and Oil and Gas, specializing in engineering for shipping, ports container handling equipment and port infrastructure development and project management. During his 10 year tenure with Abu Dhabi Ports, he has worked in managerial roles across the Asset Management division and Ports Engineering Services. Earlier in his career, he served as an engineer onboard oceangoing vessels including LNG Gas Carriers, Oil Product Tankers, Chemical and Ro-Ro ships.

Al Balooshi holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from HCT, Abu Dhabi and a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Marine Engineering from South Tyneside College, UK. He has completed numerous leadership programmes and training across a variety of Ports related activities and he is an ISO 55000 Asset Management certified lead which has brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the business.

Ahmed Alhameli is a Senior Associate at ADQ. He is part of the portfolio management team, covering the Utilities & Energy sector whilst advancing investment opportunities for the company in that space.

Prior to this role, Ahmed was Senior Investment Associate at Mubadala Investment Company where he oversaw the performance, growth, portfolio management optimisation & key merger & acquisitions of the company’s in the Oil & Gas, Downstream & Petrochemicals units for 8 years.

He holds a bachelors degree in Finance from California State University & has completed level 2 in the CFA program.

Mr. Jamal Al Jarwan joined the UAE International Investors Council in November 2014, as Secretary General. Mr. Al Jarwan started his career in Etisalat (Emirates Telecommunication Corporation) in 1988.

In 1996 he joined Thuraya Telecommunications Company. In Thuraya, he served as the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, where he designed and executed the overall business strategy and managed the company’s commercial operations division worldwide. He returned to Etisalat in 2006 to establish and lead the International Investments Division as Chief Executive Officer/ International Investments.

In 2011, he became the Chief Regional Officer leading Etisalat Operation in Asia Region. Mr. Jamal Al Jarwan represented Etisalat as a board member in several of Etisalat’s international subsidiaries:

1. Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company,
2. Etisalat Misr,
3. Ivory Coast,
4. PTCL – Pakistan,
5. Etisalat Lanka,
6. Ufone - Pakistan,
7. Etisalat Afghanistan,
8. Chairman of Etisalat Benin.

Mr. Jamal Al Jarwan’s major achievements include launching Thuraya Mobile Satellite system commercially in 100 countries, securing the third GSM License in Egypt and the acquisition of an existing third operator in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Jamal Al Jarwan has 30 years’ experience in Telecom, M&A and International Investments/ Trade and Business development. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration from The University of Dayton-Ohio (USA) and a degree in Executive Management from IMD business school, Switzerland and degree in Leadership Strategy from Tuck School of Business–Dartmouth University, New Hampshire (USA).

Appointed as TA’ZIZ Acting CEO in November 2020, Khaleefa has spent much of his career at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s chemicals industry. Beginning with more than eight years at Borouge, ADNOC’s chemicals joint venture with Borealis, Khaleefa quickly built expertise in chemicals production and a keen interest in the immense opportunities the sector offered for the UAE. In the following years, he took on new roles in the private sector, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, and, prior to joining TA’ZIZ, ADNOC’s Downstream Directorate, working across the Group’s chemicals businesses.

Khaleefa holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin.

Mohamed Eidha Tanaf Al Menhali serves as Managing Director, Khalifa Port, providing the strategic vision and leadership to ensure growth, efficiency and overall regulatory compliance at Abu Dhabi Ports' flagship deep-water port, the first semi-automated container terminal in the Arabian Gulf.

Mohamed Al Menhali has 18 years’ experience spanning key areas including ports management, strategic leadership and planning and supply chain management.

Prior to this position, Al Menhali was the Vice President – Corporate Procurement at Abu Dhabi Ports, where he was responsible for developing and overseeing supply chain management operations and linking department plans to Abu Dhabi Ports' vision and growth strategy.

Al Menhali has previously held other senior positions including member of Abu Dhabi Ports’ SAFEEN board of directors and board member and acting CEO at Bani Yas Club.

Al Menhali started his career at Abu Dhabi National Tanker Company (ADNATCO) and National Gas Shipping Company (NGSCO), the shipping arm of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) group of companies.

Al Menhali earned a Master’s Degree in Strategic and Security Studies from the National Defence College (NDC) in Abu Dhabi and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (BAB) from the Eastern Washington University, Washington, USA. He also participated in a leadership programme at Harvard Business School.

Following his appointment as Ports Director for Al Dhafra region for Abu Dhabi Ports in February 2020, Mubarak Al Mazrouei has been the driving force behind a number of essential port modernisation initiatives. He has led expansion projects for the ports of Mugahrraq, Sila, and Delma, as well as key maritime developments at Fiyay Island.
In addition to overseeing expansion activities in Al Dhafra, Al Mazrouei works to develop and implement commercial strategies that not only encourage new business but also present opportunities to support national efforts for the industralisation of the UAE, while also meeting the evolving needs of the local maritime community.

Joining Abu Dhabi Ports as a Senior Financial Analyst in 2012, Al Mazrouei has held other key positions within the organisation including Head of Accounts Payable and Manager for Commercial & Operations in the Western Region.

Al Mazrouei began his career as a member of the Supervision Committee for the Expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport (SCADIA). He joined the Zakum Development Company (ZADCO) as an accountant in 2009.

He holds an Executive Master of Business Administration and Strategic Management from the UAE’s Higher Colleges of Technology, as well as a Bachelor of Finance from Al Ghurair University

As Abu Dhabi Ports Director of Business Development & Strategy within the Ports Cluster since 2018, Paul Vrijhof oversees the cluster growth strategy and has served as primary lead on a number of investment projects geared towards the industrialisation of the UAE.

As part of his current role, Vrijhof heads several business development teams including the Guinea Management Team and is credited with successfully negotiating the development of the first greenfield liquid and gas terminal in Abu Dhabi through a 50-year concession awarded to Arabian Chemical Terminals.

Before joining Abu Dhabi Ports, Vrijhof served an extensive tenure with Dutch multinational company, Royal Vopak, where he held the roles of Commercial Manager of Vopak Chemicals & Ethanol Storage BU Rotterdam, and later General Manager, Vopak Middle East.

Vrijhof began his career working for Cargill, the largest privately owned company in the world, where he held numerous roles over 12 years, including Business Manager Eastern Europe and General Manager of Cargill Asia Pac Health & Nutrition.

He holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Business Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Saeed Khalfan Al Ghafri is Chief Supply Chain & Planning Officer at Emirates Steel. In this role, he is responsible for managing the company’s procurement, as well as inbound/outbound logistics and warehouse management. He is one of the key players who contributed to Emirates Steel’s establishment and key expansion projects, playing a leading role in the creation and operations of the company’s supply chain management.

Al Ghafri brings to his role more than 18 years of industry and executive managerial experience. Prior to joining Emirates Steel, Al Ghafri worked at the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) as Operations Engineer, and was engaged in the oil exploration and plant operations.

Saeed Khalfan Al Ghafri holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, and a bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tulsa in the United States of America.

Saif Al Mazrouei is Head of Ports Cluster at Abu Dhabi Ports. In his role he oversees 11 ports and terminals in the UAE and Guinea and is responsible for spearheading all port cluster functions and operations including organisation, direction, and coordination.

With over twenty years of experience across ports, shipping and retail industries, Al Mazrouei is recognised for his ability to effectively manage all port and terminal operations, including planning, technical engineering and HSE. He formerly held the role of Chief Operating Officer at Khalifa Port Container Terminal leading the successful operation of the organisation.

Al Mazrouei joined Abu Dhabi Terminal in 2012 as Execution Manager for the day-to-day operations at the container terminal. Previously he served as a Board Director and Community Relations and Communications Director, at Al Habtoor Group. Prior to these appointments, he handled various roles at the Union Cooperative Society and DP World.

Al Mazrouei holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A), majoring in Geography from Beirut Arab University, Lebanon.