Mohammed Shael Al Saadi

As CEO of the Business Development & Strategy Sector within the Department of Economic Development (DED), Mohammed Shael Al Saadi has a strategic role in maintaining a competitive business environment in Dubai, in line with the Emirate’s reputation as a business hub and investment destination.

Since joining DED in 2008, Al Saadi has made significant contributions to streamlining business activities in Dubai and supporting investor relations with an emphasis on quality, efficiency, transparency and modern technology. He is credited with developing a suite of smart services for Business Registration & Licensing (BRL) transactions and contributing to the UAE improving its global ranking in Doing Business year after year.

Mr. Al Saadi is a member of Dubai Smart City Initiative (DSCI) executive committee, where his role is vital when it comes to spreading the vision of H.H Sh. Mohammed Bin Rashed of making Dubai the smartest city in the world by 2017; here, Mr. Al Saadi leads the Marketing & Customers Interactions Channels subcommittee.

Currently Al Saadi is member of Dubai Smart Government (SDG) executive committee, ensuring that (DED) smart strategy is aligned with overall Dubai Government movement towards achieving efficiency and better utilisation to all government resources.

In positioning Dubai as the world design hub, Mr. Al Saadi is a board member of Dubai Design District, a district that promotes Dubai as the haven of all designers, from different design schools all over the world. Beside his role as a board member, Mr. Al Saadi is the chairperson of Regulation & Policy Committee, responsible for attracting talents in the design domain and making Dubai the city of choice; a city that is a world magnet for those talents.

Lately, Mr. Al Saadi was nominated to Dubai Open Data Committee, responsible for establishing a framework that allows citizens, residents, companies and students to take advantage of Dubai Data to create an added value services, and apps to help the city to execrate the city vision to achieve the goal by 2017. The other fundamental role of this committee is to engage and create jobs for those who choose to call Dubai their home.

Prior to joining DED, Al Saadi led the quality management and strategic planning functions within the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) where he was also Vice President in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility. He has also served in the corporate quality and excellence team of the Dubai International Airport.

A strategic thinker and prolific speaker, Al Saadi is frequently invited to address regional and international audiences on business competitiveness and the ongoing efforts to achieve Dubai’s Smart City vision. His additional responsibilities at DED include Member, Executive Committee; Chair of Outsource Committee; Chair of the Smart Life and Transactional themes and Member of the Advisory theme of the Strategic Plan; and Acting Executive Director of the Strategy division.

A professional business leadership certificate holder of Wharton Business Schools, Al Saadi has a Masters in Quality from the University of Wollongong (Dubai). Currently he is preparing for his Doctoral degree from the University of Phoenix, Arizona, US.