Board of Directors

DAMAC Properties' highly experienced management team of directors and senior managers have significant experience in the real estate construction industry

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  Mr. Hussain Sajwani

  Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

  Mr. Hussain Sajwani founded the DAMAC Group in 1992 in its predecessor form and has served as the DAMAC Group’s Chairman since its establishment in its current form in 2002. ...

  Mr. Hussain Sajwani founded the DAMAC Group in 1992 in its predecessor form and has served as the DAMAC Group’s Chairman since its establishment in its current form in 2002. Being one of the pioneers of the property market expansion in Dubai, Mr. Hussain Sajwani built and sold several hotels in the mid-1990’s to UAE nationals to accommodate the growing influx of people to the UAE for the purposes of business and trade. Having contributed to DAMAC’s growth from its inception, in October 2011, under Mr. Hussain Sajwani’s initiative, the DAMAC Group launched its hospitality division which will provide bespoke services to residents in DAMAC Maison, serviced hotel apartments, which have 8,887 units either completed or under development.

  Mr. Hussain Sajwani received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Washington in the United States. Mr. Hussain Sajwani started his career as a Contracts Manager in GASCO, a subsidiary of ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company), but after a short period went on to establish his own business by setting up the catering venture Draieh Management Services Co (DAMAC) LLC in 1982. In 1992, Mr. Hussain Sajwani established an investment company, DICO Invest, which currently holds investment portfolios of securities in a number of companies traded on a variety of global markets. Mr. Hussain Sajwani also established Al Jazeira Services Co SAOG, a company listed on the Muscat Securities Market with a capitalisation of over US$125 million. Mr. Hussain Sajwani consolidated that company’s strengths in the financial services industry by making strategic investments in the insurance sector through the acquisition of a 40 per cent stake in the Bahrain-based, public-listed Al Ahlia Insurance Company in 2003.

  A number of other ventures are associated with Mr. Hussain Sajwani including the Oman-based Al Anwar Ceramic Tiles Co SAOG, which was established in 1998 and is the first and only tile manufacturer in the nation. Mr. Hussain Sajwani first invested in this business and then helped to establish and build that company to its current size. Mr. Hussain Sajwani is currently chairman of Al Jazeira Services Co SAOG (which he established), Al Anwar Ceramics Co SAOG and Draieh Management Services Co LLC. He has shareholding interests in Taiba Kuwait Holding Company KSCC, Al Jazeira Services, Global Logistics Services Co. and Al Atilia Insurance Company.

  Mr. Hussain Sajwani has also served as a member of the board of Majan University College in Muscat, Oman, JUNO Online in New York, the United States and Emirates Takaful Company in Abu Dhabi.

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  Mr. Adil Taqi

  Group Chief Finance Officer

  Mr. Taqi graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics-with-Engineering in 1993 from the University of Nottingham in the UK and received an executive MBA in 2004 from IMD ...

  Mr. Taqi graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics-with-Engineering in 1993 from the University of Nottingham in the UK and received an executive MBA in 2004 from IMD in Switzerland. Mr. Taqi is also an associate and member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in the UK. His experience covers both emerging and developed markets including the MENA region and the United Kingdom.

  In addition to being the Group Chief Finance Officer, Mr. Taqi heads up the Business Development Team managing all of DAMAC Properties’s real estate investments. Prior to joining DAMAC Properties in 2006 Mr. Taqi held various senior management roles in Omani banks and financial institutions.

  Mr. Taqi is currently on the board of a number of high profile private and public companies in the MENA region including Al Anwar Ceramics Tiles Company SAOG and Al Jazeira Services Co. SAOG.

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  Mr. Ziad El Chaar

  Managing Director

  Mr. El Chaar graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1990 and received a Master of Business Administration in 1998 from the American University of Beirut. From 1993 ...

  Mr. El Chaar graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1990 and received a Master of Business Administration in 1998 from the American University of Beirut.

  From 1993 to 2005, Mr. El Chaar worked for Fattal Holding, which is the largest distribution and representation company in the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Iraq). From 1997 to 2001, Mr. El Chaar was General Manager in Syria for the same company during which time he turned the sales and distribution parts of the business in Syria from loss making to profit generating within three years. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. El Chaar was Group Executive Director of Fattal Holding and remained on the board of that company until 2008.

  Mr. El Chaar joined DAMAC Properties in 2005 as Vice President of International Sales. Mr. El Chaar became International General Manger in 2006 and remained in that role until the beginning of 2009 when he became General Manager of operations. Since the beginning of 2011, Mr. El Chaar has been the Managing Director of DAMAC Properties.

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  Professor John Wright

  Senior Independent Director

  Professor Wright was educated at Daniel Stewarts College, Edinburgh. Professor Wright is an associate and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland and a fellow ...

  Professor Wright was educated at Daniel Stewarts College, Edinburgh. Professor Wright is an associate and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Ireland.

  Professor Wright’s career in commercial banking spans over 43 years and includes assignments in the UK, India, Sri Lanka, West Africa, Canada, Hong Kong and the United States. Prior to Professor Wright’s retirement in 2001 he held positions as: chief executive and director of Clydesdale Bank PLC and Yorkshire Bank PLC; chief executive and chief general manager of Gulf Bank KSC, Kuwait; chief executive and director of Northern Bank Limited, Belfast and Northern Bank Limited, Dublin as well as a director and chief executive officer of the Oman International Bank.

  Currently Professor Wright holds the position of a non-executive director (including the roles of chairman and chair of audit committee) across a number of industries, including banking, retail, manufacturing, information technology and trusts, including amongst others, roles with Butterfield UK Limited, Boomer Industries Limited, XM International Associates Limited, European Islamic Investment Bank Limited, Alsbridge Plc, the Arab Financial Forum and Borders College. Professor Wright is also a visiting professor at Glasgow University Business School.

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  Mr. Farooq Arjomand

  Non-Executive Director

  Mr. Arjomand received his Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) from Seattle Pacific University in the United States in 1984. Mr. Arjomand started his career as a banker ...

  Mr. Arjomand received his Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) from Seattle Pacific University in the United States in 1984.

  Mr. Arjomand started his career as a banker at HSBC in 1985 and gained extensive experience of private banking, corporate finance, trade services and investment banking.

  Mr. Arjomand founded the Arjomand group of companies in 2000. The group conducts various activities including real estate, manufacturing, trades, financial activities and aviation across the GCC, Asia, Europe and the US.

  Mr. Arjomand is also a board member of Al Ahlia Insurance Company BSC, Bahrain.

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  Mr. Ayalur Subbaraman

  Non-Executive Director

  Mr. Subbaraman received a Bachelor of Technology (Chemical Engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras in 1976, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Financial ...

  Mr. Subbaraman received a Bachelor of Technology (Chemical Engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras in 1976, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Financial Management) from the Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore in 1978.

  Mr. Subbaraman is currently the Group General Manager of the Abu Hani Group in Muscat, Oman. Previously, Mr. Subbaraman was a Senior Vice President of DAMAC Properties Company LLC in Dubai, where he reported to Mr. Sajwani directly.

  Mr. Subbaraman has been a leader of strategic and operational teams in the Middle East region since 1989. His career spans over 35 years of senior-level executive experience across varied industries and markets, and has included senior positions as the CEO of Oman Filters Industry Co (SAOG), as the General Manager of Oasis Water Co. LLC in Oman, and as the General Manager of Muscat Manufacturers Co for Industrial and Cooking Gasses SAOG.

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