CEO Today Middle East Awards

73 CEO Today Middle East Awards 2019 united arab emirates www.ceotodaymagazine.com YAZEN ABU GULAL CEO of KBBO Group FIRM PROFILE A leading investment group with a diverse portfolio. Our portfolio of investments and operating companies encompass key industry sectors including education, financial services, food & retail, healthcare, information technology and ventures. KBBO Group’s core focus are consumer driven industries, including healthcare, education and food and retail. The rationale for engaging in these sectors includes our strategic response to increased consumer drive and a commitment to impact investment which will deliver measurable beneficial impacts to society along with financial return. Our investment strategy also aligns us with the direction set out by theAbu Dhabi Vision 2030 and the UAE Plan 2021, towards a knowledge-based economy. Powerful business ideas KBBOGroup is a diversified holding company with operating companies in some of the world’s most dynamic industry sectors, and those that are the most critical for sustainable development. Collectively, our operating companies deliver food & retail, healthcare solutions; build technological ideas and education; create new financial corridors and generate value for stakeholders as well as the markets they do business in. Vision To be the UAE’s leading private investment group, powering growth in sectors crucial to sustainable development, regionally and internationally. Mission Creating opportunities and investments that add value for our stakeholders, while furthering our commitment to excellence. Values Our operations and investment strategies are informed by values that constitute the core of our culture. We are innovative: We believe in innovation, catalyse new ideas, and invest in sectors that will help the region transition to a thought- leadership. We are transparent: We are fair and transparent in our dealings with stakeholders, business partners and internal teams. This helps us forge long- term relationships needed to power sustainable success. We believe in excellence: Excellence is a core part of our ethos and daily operations. We want to be the industry benchmark for due diligence, corporate governance and optimised processes. We value our heritage: KBBO Group is a UAE-based investment group and our growth has mirrored that of the nation. We remain committed to sustainable growth and new opportunities in the UAE, GCC and MENA markets. ABOUT YAZEN ABU GULAL Yazen’s role at KBBO Group is driven by the goal of the continued growth of mergers and acquisitions in the region as well as elevating the conglomerate to the next level. Yazen’s role at KBBO Group is driven by the goal of the continued growth of mergers and acquisitions in the region as well as elevating the conglomerate to the next level. Mr. Yazen Abu Gulal is a veteran banker, with a wealth of financial management experience, both locally and internationally. He has successfully completed numerous acquisition projects during the last eight years in the financial sector and is known for his excellence and leadership. From his early beginnings with one of the UAE’s most recognised financial services firms, SHUAA Capital, he furthered his career in finance as the Vice President at Swiss Private Bank, Lombard Odier in Geneva. Mr. Abu Gulal has a proven track record in closing high profile deals that span across the MENA region. Since then, he has been the driving force behind many successful mergers and acquisitions. In 2017, he relocated from Geneva to Abu Dhabi to lead KBBO Group’s new expansion plans. This includes overseeing acquisitions, investments, and the structuring of new verticals that reach international markets with a solid product offering, crucial to sustainable development. Mr. Abu Gulal is also the Chairman of Emirates Hospital and Emirates Healthcare, where he oversees the strategic direction and healthcare portfolio expansion. Additional responsibilities include, Board Member of KBBO Group, One Financial, Brokerage House Securities, and Fathima Group.