DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP
Board of Directors
Dr. Karim El Solh is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Capital. Dr. El Solh is also the Co-Managing Partner of Gulf Related, a leading real estate development company launched in partnership with the Related Companies. Dr. El Solh is a board member of the Global Private Capital Association (formerly EMPEA) and the Chairman of the GPCA Middle East Council.
Dr. El Solh is serving or has served as the Chairman of Geidea, ART Fertility, Metito Holdings and Maritime Industrial Services, and as the Director of Emirates Auction, Gulf Marine Services, Middle East Glass, Ma’arif for Education & Training, Reach Group, Depa Group, Metamed, the Galleria Mall Al Maryah Island, Antara Residential Project, NAS TPA and Aramex.
Prior to founding Gulf Capital, Dr El Solh was the CEO of the leading UAE investment bank, The National Investor. Dr El Solh was also a Co-Founder of the European High Yield Capital Markets/Leveraged Buy-Outs division at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette (DLJ – now part of Credit Suisse) and a senior investment banker in charge of equity offerings at Citigroup.
Dr. El Solh has a B.S. in civil engineering from Cornell University, an MBA from Georgetown University and a doctorate in economics from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). He is also a Chartered Management Accountant and a Professional Civil Engineer. He is on the Board of Advisors of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, a Board member of Georgetown’s Center for Financial Markets and Policy, a member of the Future of Work Initiative Advisory Group and on the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF).
Dr. Karim El Solh is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Capital. Dr. El Solh is also the Co-Managing Partner of Gulf Related, a leading real estate development company launched in partnership with the Related Companies. Dr. El Solh is a board member of the Global Private Capital Association (formerly EMPEA) and the Chairman of the GPCA Middle East Council.
Dr. El Solh is serving or has served as the Chairman of Geidea, ART Fertility, Metito Holdings and Maritime Industrial Services, and as the Director of Emirates Auction, Gulf Marine Services, Middle East Glass, Ma’arif for Education & Training, Reach Group, Depa Group, Metamed, the Galleria Mall Al Maryah Island, Antara Residential Project, NAS TPA and Aramex.
Prior to founding Gulf Capital, Dr El Solh was the CEO of the leading UAE investment bank, The National Investor. Dr El Solh was also a Co-Founder of the European High Yield Capital Markets/Leveraged Buy-Outs division at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette (DLJ – now part of Credit Suisse) and a senior investment banker in charge of equity offerings at Citigroup.
Dr. El Solh has a B.S. in civil engineering from Cornell University, an MBA from Georgetown University and a doctorate in economics from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). He is also a Chartered Management Accountant and a Professional Civil Engineer. He is on the Board of Advisors of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, a Board member of Georgetown’s Center for Financial Markets and Policy, a member of the Future of Work Initiative Advisory Group and on the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF).
Mr. Al Mazrouei is Deputy Platform CEO, Direct Investments at Mubadala Investment Company.
Before his current position, Al Mazrouei was Deputy CFO at Mubadala where he oversaw the group-wide finance function and delivery of Mubadala’s growth strategy, supporting various acquisitive transactions and asset monetizations. He was also responsible for all Treasury activities including Mubadala’s bond issuances and project financing. Prior to that, Al Mazrouei was seconded from Mubadala to spearhead the launch of the Debt Management Office (DMO) within the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance.
Mr. Al Mazrouei holds a BSc in Finance from Suffolk University, US, an MSc in International Securities Investment and Banking from the University of Reading, UK, and an MSc in National Security and Strategic Studies from National Defense College, UAE.
Board Positions: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Abu Dhabi Retirement Pension & Benefits Fund, Modon Properties, Compañía Española de Petróleos (CEPSA) and Borealis AG.
Mr. Al Mazrouei is Deputy Platform CEO, Direct Investments at Mubadala Investment Company.
Before his current position, Al Mazrouei was Deputy CFO at Mubadala where he oversaw the group-wide finance function and delivery of Mubadala’s growth strategy, supporting various acquisitive transactions and asset monetizations. He was also responsible for all Treasury activities including Mubadala’s bond issuances and project financing. Prior to that, Al Mazrouei was seconded from Mubadala to spearhead the launch of the Debt Management Office (DMO) within the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance.
Mr. Al Mazrouei holds a BSc in Finance from Suffolk University, US, an MSc in International Securities Investment and Banking from the University of Reading, UK, and an MSc in National Security and Strategic Studies from National Defense College, UAE.
Board Positions: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Abu Dhabi Retirement Pension & Benefits Fund, Modon Properties, Compañía Española de Petróleos (CEPSA) and Borealis AG.
Mr. Dallas is a senior advisor based in the Dubai and Singapore offices. Mr. Dallas joined Gulf Capital as a Managing Director in 2007 (Senior MD since 2009) and served until 2020 in the private equity team where he has been the Head of Investments leading investment screening and analysis, investment execution, post acquisition monitoring and exits. He has over 25 years of direct investment expertise in the GCC and is one of the most experienced private equity executives in the Middle East and Asia.
From 1999 to 2007, Mr. Dallas was the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Oryx Capital International, a Chicago, Illinois-based PE firm backed by prominent families from the region specialized in small-to-mid-cap buyouts and growth capital in the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Dallas received an AB degree from Stanford University in economics with honors, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California, graduating first is his class as a member of the Order of the Coif and an Executive Editor of the Southern California Law Review.
Mr. Dallas is a senior advisor based in the Dubai and Singapore offices. Mr. Dallas joined Gulf Capital as a Managing Director in 2007 (Senior MD since 2009) and served until 2020 in the private equity team where he has been the Head of Investments leading investment screening and analysis, investment execution, post acquisition monitoring and exits. He has over 25 years of direct investment expertise in the GCC and is one of the most experienced private equity executives in the Middle East and Asia.
From 1999 to 2007, Mr. Dallas was the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Oryx Capital International, a Chicago, Illinois-based PE firm backed by prominent families from the region specialized in small-to-mid-cap buyouts and growth capital in the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Dallas received an AB degree from Stanford University in economics with honors, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California, graduating first is his class as a member of the Order of the Coif and an Executive Editor of the Southern California Law Review.
Ms. Al Marzooqi has a comprehensive and dynamic role in Group Strategic Investments leadership team in the Finance & Investments Directorate at ADNOC with 15 years’ experience in the Energy Sector. Ms. Al Marzooqi is a highly skilled professional with strong investment, financial, and economics capabilities.
Ms. Al Marzooqi is a Certified Professional Director of Hawkamah / Mudara IOD and is serving as a board member for ADNOC LNG, ADNOC Gas Pipeline Company, Abu Dhabi Energy Real State Company LLC, Abu Dhabi Property Leasing Holding Company RSC LTD and ‘Sustainability Initiatives by Sheikha Shamma Establishment’ (previously Circle of Hope).
Ms. Al Marzooqi has had different roles throughout her experience in the areas of strategy, investments including leading multiple investment transactions covering merger and acquisitions, divestments, and infrastructure deals in the oil and gas sector and clean energy (renewables and hydrogen).
Ms. Al Marzooqi has Global Executive Master in Business Administration (GEMBA) from INSEAD Business School, Economics Professional Development Diploma from New York University, has CFA Level 1, Diploma in Leadership from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), and Bachelors in Business Sciences with concentration in Accounting & Finance from Zayed University. Furthermore, Ms. Al Marzooqi has completed leadership development programs with London Business School, IMD and Economics Professional Development Program (EPDP), a Post Graduate Diploma. Ms. Al Marzooqi and is a member with INSEAD Women in Business (IWiB).
Ms. Al Marzooqi has a comprehensive and dynamic role in Group Strategic Investments leadership team in the Finance & Investments Directorate at ADNOC with 15 years’ experience in the Energy Sector. Ms. Al Marzooqi is a highly skilled professional with strong investment, financial, and economics capabilities.
Ms. Al Marzooqi is a Certified Professional Director of Hawkamah / Mudara IOD and is serving as a board member for ADNOC LNG, ADNOC Gas Pipeline Company, Abu Dhabi Energy Real State Company LLC, Abu Dhabi Property Leasing Holding Company RSC LTD and ‘Sustainability Initiatives by Sheikha Shamma Establishment’ (previously Circle of Hope).
Ms. Al Marzooqi has had different roles throughout her experience in the areas of strategy, investments including leading multiple investment transactions covering merger and acquisitions, divestments, and infrastructure deals in the oil and gas sector and clean energy (renewables and hydrogen).
Ms. Al Marzooqi has Global Executive Master in Business Administration (GEMBA) from INSEAD Business School, Economics Professional Development Diploma from New York University, has CFA Level 1, Diploma in Leadership from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), and Bachelors in Business Sciences with concentration in Accounting & Finance from Zayed University. Furthermore, Ms. Al Marzooqi has completed leadership development programs with London Business School, IMD and Economics Professional Development Program (EPDP), a Post Graduate Diploma. Ms. Al Marzooqi and is a member with INSEAD Women in Business (IWiB).
Mr. Adi is a Founding Partner at Shorooq Partners, the leading early stage venture capital firm across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan. Mr. Adi has built his career as an investment professional, entrepreneur and tech enthusiast. Under his leadership, Shorooq Partners backed category leaders across the region such as: Pure Harvest, TruKKer, Capiter, Retailo, Sarwa, NymCard, Lean Technologies, Airlift and Breadfast.
Mr. Adi is also a Co-Founder of Pure Harvest Smart Farms, an Agri-tech scaleup focused on local production of high quality fresh produce year round in the challenging climates of the Arabian Gulf region.
In his capacity as CEO, Mr. Adi led the establishment of Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s grand initiative to build a thriving tech ecosystem. Hub71 quickly became home to hundreds of startups, VCs and innovative corporations.
Prior to that, Mr. Adi worked at Mubadala Investment Company, a sovereign wealth fund of the Abu Dhabi government. Over the span of 10 years, he assumed many roles within the Technology, Manufacturing and Mining Platform at Mubadala such as: working on the turnaround of GlobalFoundries (NASDAQ: GFS), restructuring strategic supply agreement with AMD (NASDAQ: AMD), the M&A of Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL), the establishment of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and the financing of Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) I and II.
Mr. Adi is a Founding Partner at Shorooq Partners, the leading early stage venture capital firm across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan. Mr. Adi has built his career as an investment professional, entrepreneur and tech enthusiast. Under his leadership, Shorooq Partners backed category leaders across the region such as: Pure Harvest, TruKKer, Capiter, Retailo, Sarwa, NymCard, Lean Technologies, Airlift and Breadfast.
Mr. Adi is also a Co-Founder of Pure Harvest Smart Farms, an Agri-tech scaleup focused on local production of high quality fresh produce year round in the challenging climates of the Arabian Gulf region.
In his capacity as CEO, Mr. Adi led the establishment of Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s grand initiative to build a thriving tech ecosystem. Hub71 quickly became home to hundreds of startups, VCs and innovative corporations.
Prior to that, Mr. Adi worked at Mubadala Investment Company, a sovereign wealth fund of the Abu Dhabi government. Over the span of 10 years, he assumed many roles within the Technology, Manufacturing and Mining Platform at Mubadala such as: working on the turnaround of GlobalFoundries (NASDAQ: GFS), restructuring strategic supply agreement with AMD (NASDAQ: AMD), the M&A of Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL), the establishment of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and the financing of Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) I and II.
Mr. Amin is an experienced international official and development economist specializing in sustainable development with over 20 years’ experience in senior positions at the United Nations. These positions include Head of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat, the Secretariat for the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) New York Office, amongst others. Mr. Amin is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, specializing in the “Geopolitics of the Energy Transition”. In 2011, Mr. Amin was elected and served as the first ever Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). During his tenure, IRENA became the authoritative voice of renewable energy and a leading player in the global energy transition. After his second term he was granted the honorary title of Director General Emeritus by the 2019 IRENA Assembly, in recognition of his leadership and outstanding service to the Agency.
Mr. Amin is an experienced international official and development economist specializing in sustainable development with over 20 years’ experience in senior positions at the United Nations. These positions include Head of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat, the Secretariat for the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) New York Office, amongst others. Mr. Amin is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, specializing in the “Geopolitics of the Energy Transition”. In 2011, Mr. Amin was elected and served as the first ever Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). During his tenure, IRENA became the authoritative voice of renewable energy and a leading player in the global energy transition. After his second term he was granted the honorary title of Director General Emeritus by the 2019 IRENA Assembly, in recognition of his leadership and outstanding service to the Agency.
Mr. Mansour’s deep involvement in the VC & Technology ecosystem in the MENA region dates back to the mid-2000s. Since 2005, Mr Mansour has been intimately involved in this transformational entrepreneurial story by participating in the setup, scale up and exit of several VC Funds and Technology companies. Previously he was a Managing Partner & CIO at MEVP, he also serves as a board member and advisor to many successful internet and technology companies regionally and globally.
Mr. Mansour has previously worked in Public Policy (UAE Prime Ministry Office), Strategy Consulting (Booz Allen Hamilton, Roland Berger) and Industrial & Software engineering. Mr Mansour holds a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the “Institut National des Science Appliquées” INSA de Lyon (France) and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (USA).
Mr. Mansour’s deep involvement in the VC & Technology ecosystem in the MENA region dates back to the mid-2000s. Since 2005, Mr Mansour has been intimately involved in this transformational entrepreneurial story by participating in the setup, scale up and exit of several VC Funds and Technology companies. Previously he was a Managing Partner & CIO at MEVP, he also serves as a board member and advisor to many successful internet and technology companies regionally and globally.
Mr. Mansour has previously worked in Public Policy (UAE Prime Ministry Office), Strategy Consulting (Booz Allen Hamilton, Roland Berger) and Industrial & Software engineering. Mr Mansour holds a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the “Institut National des Science Appliquées” INSA de Lyon (France) and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (USA).
H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi is Chief Investment Officer of Group 42 (G42). G42 is an artificial intelligence and cloud computing company that was founded in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2018. G42 is oriented to development of AI industries in the government sector, healthcare, finance, oil and gas, aviation and hospitality.
Previously, his Excellency was the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) since October 2019. Under his leadership, ADIO has launched international offices around the world. Devoting his career to progress, bold ideas and teamwork, His Excellency has positioned ADIO to always seek new ideas and challenges in order to promote Abu Dhabi globally.
Prior to joining ADIO, his Excellency held leadership roles at various institutions, including Emirates NBD, Mubadala, and Citibank. He also sits on a number of boards, including AXA and Emirates Post Group. His Excellency earned his stripes in professional finance at Citi Bank in London.
With a joint MBA from London Business School and Columbia, his Excellency then joined Mubadala in the UAE sovereign wealth sector. His Excellency holds a PhD in Economics from Imperial College, London.
H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi is Chief Investment Officer of Group 42 (G42). G42 is an artificial intelligence and cloud computing company that was founded in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2018. G42 is oriented to development of AI industries in the government sector, healthcare, finance, oil and gas, aviation and hospitality.
Previously, his Excellency was the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) since October 2019. Under his leadership, ADIO has launched international offices around the world. Devoting his career to progress, bold ideas and teamwork, His Excellency has positioned ADIO to always seek new ideas and challenges in order to promote Abu Dhabi globally.
Prior to joining ADIO, his Excellency held leadership roles at various institutions, including Emirates NBD, Mubadala, and Citibank. He also sits on a number of boards, including AXA and Emirates Post Group. His Excellency earned his stripes in professional finance at Citi Bank in London.
With a joint MBA from London Business School and Columbia, his Excellency then joined Mubadala in the UAE sovereign wealth sector. His Excellency holds a PhD in Economics from Imperial College, London.