The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, in partnership with the American Business Council of Dubai & the Northern Emirates (ABC Dubai), will host a roundtable discussion over breakfast with a Visiting Leadership Delegation from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in Washington, D.C. The visiting DIFC delegates – led by His Excellency Abdullah Mohammed Saleh, Governor, and Jeffrey H. Singer, CEO – will discuss ways U.S. financial sector firms can establish a presence within the DIFC framework and become more active in aggressively pursuing business opportunities in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), and the broader Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.
The visiting DIFC delegation will be in the United States on the fringes of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank summits in early October, meeting with U.S. financial services and asset management firms regarding opportunities for their advancement in the U.A.E. during their time in New York City and Washington, D.C. For your information, the biographies of H.E. Saleh and Mr. Singer can be found below.
His Excellency Abdullah Mohammed Saleh
Governor
Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
H.E. Abdulla Mohammed Saleh was appointed Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in July 2011 by a Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Prime Minister and Vice-President, and Ruler of Dubai. With over 40 years of experience in the financial services sector, H.E Saleh, a former advisor on financial matters to the Late Ruler of Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum held numerous key positions in
several leading organizations.
Mr. Saleh was Chairman of the DFSA( Dubai Financial Service Authority) from June 2007 to August 2011, having served as a Director of the DFSA since 2004.
Mr. Saleh is a former Vice Chairman of Emirates NBD Bank PJSC, the largest banking entity in the Middle East. Emirates NBD Bank PJSC was formed by the merger of National Bank of Dubai (NBD) and Emirates Bank International (EBI). Mr Saleh was one of NBD’s founders in 1963, the Managing Director from 1982 until January 2004, and Chairman from 2005 until the merger with EBI.
Mr Saleh served as an Arbitrator on the Paris-based High Board of the Euro-Arab Arbitration Centre, from 1988 to 2000. He has been a Member of the Board of Qatar Fuel Additives Company since 1990 and has been Chairman of International Octane Limited since 1990. He is the Deputy Chairman and major shareholder of Dubai Transport Company LLC (DUTCO), the holding company of the DUTCO Group of Companies. He has been Chairman of MARSH INSCO (insurance brokers) since 1976. He is a Director of K S Energy Limited.
He was educated in Sharjah and London and also attended the Institute of Bankers after completing his academic studies.
Mr. Jeffrey H. Singer
Chief Executive Officer
Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
Jeffrey H. Singer joined the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority (DIFCA) in August 2012. As the CEO of DIFC Authority, he oversees the strategic development, operational management and administration of the Centre. He is also responsible for developing DIFC’s international relations with the world’s other leading financial centres and further strengthening the Centre’s position globally.
Prior to DIFC, Jeff served as the Chief Executive Officer of NASDAQ Dubai Limited for four years, where he managed the transition of the exchange from its previous existence as DIFX onto the global platform of NASDAQ. Jeff was instrumental in developing the exchange as a bridge between regional and international financial markets.
Before his move to Dubai in 2008, Jeff was Senior Vice President of NASDAQ OMX Group (formerly, NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.) and Head of NASDAQ International where he was responsible for NASDAQ’s global business development with a primary role of managing international relationships with companies outside the Americas. Jeff had joined NASDAQ OMX Group Inc. in 2003 as Vice President of Eastern Region and was responsible for maintaining NASDAQ’s leading market position in the East Coast.
Jeff also possesses significant technology experience gained through his earlier positions as General Manager at SAP America for five years and other executive appointments at several technology startups prior to joining Nasdaq.
Jeff holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in International Finance from Brigham Young University.
