< PreviousSPE CIAL / 40 UNDER 40 20 19 32 Vol. 20/42, November – December 2019 Ali Al Ebrahim Founder and CEO COFE App Age: 32 Ali Al Ebrahim is the founder and CEO of COFE App. The mobile application acts as an online coffee marketplace giving coffee lovers access to coffee chain houses as well as specialty coffee roasters. COFE App was created by Al Ebrahim in an effort to bring innovation to people’s daily coffee rituals. A coffee enthusiast himself, Al Ebrahim thinks it is only natural for a business such as COFE App to boom in a market where coffee is not just a beverage but a tradition. Most recently, COFE App was nominated among the top five finalists for the London Tech Innovation Awards in 2019. Under his leadership, the brand won the 50 Top Tech Companies in Asia Award by Intercon Dubai this year. The brand was featured in Forbes Middle East as one of the 50 start-ups to watch in the Arab world and was chosen among the most promising 100 Arab Start-ups by The Arab Youth Centre in Dubai. He also received the Arabian Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his work with COFE App. Al Ebrahim believes that COFE App has the potential to revolutionise the $100bn coffee industry. With an innovative user-interface, cutting-edge technology and a first-of-its-kind customisable rewards programme, the app has been well-received by franchise brands including Costa Coffee, Caribou Coffee, Seattle’s Best Coffee, $100bn The estimated value of the worldwide coffee industry going global with its first international opening in the UK. Al Ebrahim has always been a self-starter who believes in the power of technology and how it can add ease and efficiency to people’s lives. He has always sought innovative business ventures, wherein simple ideas and clear visions can change the way people do things. COFE App is an extension of this belief, and is the only mobile application operating in the online coffee marketplace segment, not just in the GCC but the world over. Al Ebrahim pursued his undergraduate degree in Business Administration at the University of Missouri, Kansas City (USA), followed by an executive certification in Technology, Operations and Value Chain Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan School of Management), giving him the academic edge and technical know- how to establish a niche for himself in the business and technology industries. Everything Al Ebrahim does, is done with simplicity at its heart, with the ultimate aim of benefitting people’s lives. Cinnabon, McCafe, Gloria Jeans, and Nespresso as well as artisanal coffee roasters such as CAF, 20 Grams, Jumo, and Dose, to name a few. Since its launch in Kuwait in 2018, the brand has expanded to cover the KSA and UAE markets, and is set to launch in the Bahrain, Qatar and Oman markets in the upcoming months before arabianbusiness.com 33 / 40 UNDER 40 20 19 Ali Rao Group CEO Rao Holdings Age: 39 Ali Rao, a seasoned businessman, investment banker and philanthropist, serves as the Group CEO of Rao Holdings, an amalgamation of real estate and financial services companies. Utilising his experience in the banking and real estate industries and by implementing innovative and best practices, his organisation has achieved exponential growth over the past decade. Rao is a dynamic, results oriented leader with a strong track record of performance in high-paced organisations. His analytical ability and team approach to drive organisational improvements and implementation of best practices has produced exceptional results for his company in record time. The Group CEO is a believer in providing a level playing field for the underprivileged and has been involved in philanthropic activities in the UAE and South Asia, having supported children of various organisations and schools by facilitating their education. He keeps an eye out for attractive opportunities that could provide him double digit returns and has successfully exited from enterprises and real estate assets in the past with exceptional results. Rao also owns stakes in some of the top performing corporations around the globe. q WE ARE PROUD OF OUR OWN DEDICATED TEAM WITH EXTENSIVE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE”SPE CIAL / 40 UNDER 40 20 19 34 Vol. 20/42, November – December 2019 Ameen Al Qudsi CEO Nationwide Middle East Properties Age: 35 Ameen Al Qudsi is a young and hard working serial entrepreneur. With a sales and business background and with more than a decade of experience in the UAE’s real estate industry, he has developed a comprehensive yet detailed knowledge in real estate investment, sales and marketing. Through his well- established real estate company, topped by commitment and hard work, Al Qudsi has built a solid and trustworthy relationship among his peers, the region’s real estate developers and bankers. As managing partner at Siadah International Real Estate Development, Al Qudsi pledged to apply his acquired experience and deploy his developed industry knowledge to offer the best real estate solutions to local and international partners, investors and end-users. Based on regional and international best practices toward sustainability, Al Qudsi believes that investing in real estate assets in general – combined with corporate social responsibility (CSR) – remains one of the most important elements of a healthy future. Amid tremendous changes in the real estate market in the past quarters, Nationwide undoubtedly remains optimistic and has always been delivering state-of-the-art services to its clients provided by its dedicated team of experts – who specialise in renting, buying, selling, property management, property investment and handover services. Under his leadership at Nationwide, it’s no secret that Al Qudsi knows how to empower his team. He keeps them motivated and confident. Both these strategies will lead to improved performance, thus gaining more trust from their loyal clients. His ability to make the right decision at the right time moulds him as a great leader. Unquestionably, Al Qudsi’s leadership, commitment, passion and futuristic vision make Nationwide more than just a real estate company. On the other hand, given that the UAE property market remains unpredictable with its twists and turns, Nationwide Middle East Properties is always ready to step up their game and overcome obstacles to achieve better results. Considering that Abu Dhabi is one of the safest places for investment, Al Qudsi and his team know exactly where and how their clients can invest their money in the right property. Whilst everyone is looking forward to Expo 2020 Dubai, Al Qudsi is positive that this prestigious event will create a boom in the emirate’s vibrant real estate industry. q WITH THE CONSISTENT MODERNISATION OF REAL ESTATE, NATIONWIDE MIDDLE EAST PROPERTIES ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE KEEPING UP WITH THE CHANGING TRENDS” $8.44bn The value of real estate transactions in Abu Dhabi in the fi rst six months of 2019arabianbusiness.com 35 / 40 UNDER 40 20 19 Badr Al Olama Head of Aerospace, Mubadala Investment Company and head of the Organising Committee, Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) Mubadala Investment Company Age: 39 Once again, Badr Al Olama is named one of the region’s most influential young business leaders under 40, fuelled by his drive to promote social innovation and global good. Al Olama heads Aerospace at Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), which includes in its current portfolio Strata Manufacturing PJSC (Strata), Sanad Aerotech and Sanad Capital (Sanad). Nominated as a Young Global Leader for the Middle East and North Africa region by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Al Olama is also the leading personality behind the organising committee of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) – a joint initiative between the UAE government and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) leading the global conversation around the future of the manufacturing sector. Through GMIS, Al Olama also oversees the Mohammed Bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity – an open innovation platform that seeks to solve real world challenges and recognises the exemplary demonstration of corporate social responsibility by global organisations. As chairman of Strata, Al Olama oversaw the company’s recent growth q WE WILL INVEST, EMPLOY AND DEPLOY FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TECHNOLOGIES TO TRANSFORM OUR GLOBAL OFFERING TO CUSTOMERS” 58% Strata’s Emiratisation rate, of which 86 percent are women young talented UAE nationals, mainly Emirati women. Additionally, Al Olama also serves as chairman of Sanad, board director at the UAE Space Agency, Oumolat Security Printing, TASIAP GmbH – a joint venture with Daimler, as well as a number of automotive ventures in Algeria that produce both Daimler and Rheinmetall vehicles. Prior to his current engagements, Al Olama was also heading Mubadala Defense as a board director at Emirates Defense Industries Company (EDIC). He was also the former CEO of Strata, former president of the UAE Harvard Club, and one of the initial members of the UAE Ministerial Council on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Sharia Law from the UAE University (2002) and an LLM degree from Harvard Law School (2005), Al Olama worked as an advocate and legal consultant at Habib Al Mulla & Company – now operating as Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla – prior to joining Mubadala. in the aerospace industry, forging new partnerships and deals with industry- leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and growing the company to become a global tier 1 supplier with more than half of its workforce formed by SPE CIAL / 40 UNDER 40 20 19 36 Vol. 20/42, November – December 2019 Easa F. Al Gurg CEO Easa Saleh Al Gurg Commercial and Industrial Group Age: 32 Easa F. Al Gurg is the CEO of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Commercial and Industrial Group, part of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group and the holding company of Scientechnic, Technical and Trading Establishment (TTE), Al Gurg Automation and Controls (AGAC) and Al Gurg Oman. Established in 1972, following an agreement between Siemens AG and H.E. Easa Saleh Al Gurg, KCVO, CBE, Scientechnic is one of the GCC region’s top integrated solutions provider of electrical, mechanical, power, automation, lighting and mobility technologies. For almost five decades the businesses have been working collaboratively with industries, utilities and infrastructure customers on ground-breaking projects such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Dubai Water Canal. It is the flagship company of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group. For more than 50 years, TTE has played an active role in the design, build and maintenance of MEP infrastructure for utility providers in the UAE, be it district cooling, electric sub-stations or server rooms of communication companies. AGAC is a leading system integrator and solutions provider, operating in a diverse range of industry sectors internationally and in the UAE. Established in Oman in 1997, Al Gurg Oman has a vast portfolio of products that include LED lights, cables, switchgears, wiring devices, cable management and industrial accessories. Representing the third generation of the family, Al Gurg joined the business in August 2010 as General Manager of Scientechnic. Prior to that, he worked as a management trainee in the commercial and corporate banking division of Lloyds TSB Middle East. He then joined Siemens LLC as Assistant Manager – accounting and controlling in February 2009. Al Gurg has been instrumental in charting the business roadmap for Scientechnic. Leveraging the many long-standing partnerships built over the years and a team of highly skilled engineers, he has prioritised key components of this growth to include constant innovations in the customer engagement cycle, a strong sense of ownership among employees and swift responsiveness and adaptability to varying market requirements. Under his leadership, the company, which has over 1,200 employees from 17 nationalities, continues to expand and deliver innovative turnkey engineering solutions to iconic projects across all industry sectors. Al Gurg holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration – Marketing and Management from the American University of Sharjah and is the co-founder of Idealz Enterprises, an e-commerce venture that offers a rewarding shopping experience with a twist. q IT IS NOW TIME FOR BUSINESSES TO ACT RESPONSIBLY, CONSERVING ENERGY TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY EXPENSES WHILE ALSO SAFEGUARDING RESOURCES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS” 27+ The number of companies operating under the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group umbrellaFor more information IF THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS IF ONLY there was a place that provided unparalleled access to the fast-growing Middle East, Africa and South Asia markets. IF ONLY there was a place with an internationally recognised legal and regulatory infrastructure. IF ONLY there was a place with an established ecosystem of over 24,000 professionals working across 2,200 top global companies. There is. DIFC. Set up your business in the region’s leading financial hub today. @difcdifc.aeSPE CIAL / 40 UNDER 40 20 19 38 Vol. 20/42, November – December 2019 Nezar Banabeela CEO VIVA Bahrain Age: 39 Nezar Banabeela was appointed as the CEO of VIVA Bahrain in June 2019, bringing with him over 15 years of professional experience in the ICT and logistics services sectors. An engineer by profession, Banabeela is one of the prominent business leaders in the region with an impressive track record of achievements in the various positions he has held across different industries, including the position of president of Bahri Dry Bulk, which is considered the national carrier for maritime in Saudi Arabia and is one of the world’s leading transportation and logistics companies. Prior to that, Banabeela was the chief of wholesale and enterprise in VIVA Bahrain, where he played an instrumental role in launching the company and its enterprise sector in 2012. He also held several leading positions at STC Group, including head of negotiations between 2009 and 2010; Representative of STC q WE HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY EXPANDING OUR COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOOTPRINT INTO NEW SECTORS INCLUDING REAL ESTATE, HOSPITALITY AND EDUCATION WITH A RANGE OF OUR SMART CITIES SOLUTIONS” 6.5m The number of smartphone shipments to the GCC in the second quarter of 2019 management committees between 2007 and 2009, as well as the executive general manager of strategic partnerships at Mobily between 2014 and 2015. Banabeela has served on the boards of numerous public and private sector organisations in several international and regional markets in the USA, UAE and Saudi Arabia. These include the international committees for several international projects and regional operational committees such as the League of Arab States and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. Banabeela holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Umm Al Qura University in Saudi Arabia. He has also attended various executive leadership programmes in top-ranked institutions across the globe, including the GMP programme from Harvard University in 2017, as well as the London Business School, Wharton and Cambridge.arabianbusiness.com 39 / 40 UNDER 40 20 19 Hazza Al Mansouri Astronaut UAE Age: 35 He became the first Emirati and Arab in space in his historic trip to the International Space Station. In October this year, Hazza Al Mansouri was part of a three member crew aboard the Russian Soyuz rocket which blasted off from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan. Mansouri described the mission as his “dream,” while Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said Al Mansouri’s arrival in space is “a message to all the Arab youth that we can move forward and move forward and catch up with others.” Huda Kattan Founder and chairwoman Huda Beauty Age: 35 She may have built a $1bn beauty empire through her make up business Huda Beauty, but Huda Kattan lived and breathed beauty long before setting up shop. She began making YouTube tutorials in her living room and amassed a huge following on social media for her original make up tips before borrowing $6,000 from her sister to start her own false lashes line in 2013. Today the makeup artist, beauty blogger and entrepreneur is reportedly worth $610m and has nearly 40 million followers on Instagram alone. Jassim Alseddiqi CEO Abu Dhabi Financial Group Age: 35 He grew the Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) into one of the largest private institutional investment houses in the Gulf region in just eight years, having grown its assets under management to $20bn, with investments across platforms including debt, private equity, public markets, real estate and technology. Known as the master of the turnaround, Alseddiqi is also the Chairman and Executive Director of GFH Financial Group, Chairman of Khaleeji Commercial Bank and Eshraq Properties and serves on the boards of several institutions including First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the Tourism & Development Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi Capital Group (ADCG) and ADNOC Distribution. u Al Mansouri performed 16 experiments during his eight days on the ISS q BEING ABLE TO ACQUIRE SOMETHING – ANYTHING ACTUALLY – AT THE RIGHT PRICE COULD BE A GOOD DEAL”– JASSIM ALSEDDIQI $13bn The assets under management of the Abu Dhabi Financial Group Fahim Al Qasimi Partner AQ&P Age: 33 When he’s not tackling seafood fraud through his Dubai-based B2B online marketplace Seafood Souq, he’s raising awareness on corporate governance in the Middle East, particularly for SMEs. In 2019 he told Arabian Business investors “should be wary of increasingly higher valuations for early stage companies…” and was one of the few who had predicted that Uber was overvalued at its initial public offering (IPO) given the majority stock portion of its $3.1bn acquisition of Dubai ride-hailing app Careem. Al Qasimi does not mince his words, having also predicted that many regional start-ups will “disappear” in 2019 while few will experience successful exits. 39.8m The number of people who follow Huda Kattan on InstagramNext >