Nakheel Leadership - Chairman & Executives

People

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

Chairman

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is the Chairman of Dubai Holding and has been at the forefront of Dubai’s remarkable economic growth and development journey for over 38 years.

With a corporate leadership trajectory dating back to 1985, Sheikh Ahmed has achieved extraordinary success. He is currently the President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), the Chairman of Emirates NBD, the Chairman of Dubai Airports and the Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, which includes Dnata.

Sheikh Ahmed also holds several influential government positions, including serving as Second Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, which is responsible for formulating policies and strategies for Dubai, Chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Fiscal Committee and Board Member of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD).

Sheikh Ahmed holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Denver in the United States. He has received many international honours, including the fellowship of the British Royal Aeronautical Society, Commandeur de l’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur (the Legion of Honour) – the highest French civilian award, the Verfassungsportugaleser, one of Germany’s highest honours, and an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from City University London, Cass Business School.

“HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is the Chairman of Dubai Holding and has been at the forefront of Dubai’s remarkable economic growth and development journey for over 38 years.”

Amit Kaushal

Group Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Holding

Amit Kaushal was appointed as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding in February 2018. Since then, he has been leading the Group’s investments in over 30 countries across a broad range of sectors, including real estate, hospitality, media, retail, leisure and entertainment.

During his tenure, Amit has led several transformational initiatives that have helped spur sustainable economic growth through diversification and investments in strategic partnerships, both in the UAE and internationally. These included the successful listings of TECOM Group PJSC (TECOM), the Group’s operator of business districts; and Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC (Empower), the world’s largest district cooling service provider, on the Dubai Financial Market in 2022.

Other key initiatives that Amit oversaw included the integration into Dubai Holding of Meraas, a world-class real estate master developer, and the creation of significant strategic partnerships with leading UAE and global corporations – the more recent ones including joint ventures with leading global alternative asset manager Brookfield Asset Management and leading UAE real estate developer and manager Aldar Properties PJSC, as well as transactions with Emaar Properties PJSC and Emirates NBD, which resulted in Dubai Holding becoming the second largest shareholder in these two listed entities.

Amit has also been instrumental in strengthening Dubai Holding’s position as a global leader in the luxury hospitality market through strategic acquisitions of flagship properties such as The Westin-Paris Vendome (France), Le Richemond (Switzerland) and Capri Palace (Italy).

Under Amit’s leadership, Dubai Holding’s sustainability agenda has taken a central role, with the establishment of an ESG strategy and a major investment by Dubai Holding in the world’s largest waste-to-energy plant, among others.

In addition to his executive leadership of the Group, Amit serves on the boards and committees of several regional and international organisations. His current board involvements include non-executive directorships on TECOM and Empower. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Warwick Business School, a leading Russell Group university in the UK. Amit is also a member of TECOM’s and Empower’s respective Audit and Risk Committees and Empower’s respective Nomination and Remuneration Committees. He also chairs the Executive Committee and sits on the Investment Committee of Shamal Holding LLC, a diversified investment company.

Amit has a strong experience in financial services, having spent more than a decade in the earlier years of his career with leading investment banks in London and Dubai, where he worked for Goldman Sachs, UBS and Deutsche Bank across transaction advisory, structuring and capital markets disciplines.

Amit is a British national and holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Finance from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc (First Class Hons.) in Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics from the University of Warwick (UK).

“During his tenure, Amit has led several transformational initiatives that have helped spur sustainable economic growth through diversification and investments in strategic partnerships, both in the UAE and internationally.”