Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad has been appointed chief executive of Salik Company PJSC, Dubai's exclusive toll gate operator, effective July 6, 2022. The decision was made during the company's first board meeting following its establishment as a public joint stock company in June 2022.
Salik was formally separated from the Roads and Transport Authority on June 15, 2022, when Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued Law No. 12 of 2022, giving it independent legal and administrative status. The appointment of Al Haddad as the first CEO came during the company's inaugural board meeting on June 29, chaired by Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board. In a statement to accompany the announcement, Al Tayer said Al Haddad "has the strong management skills and strategic insights that will be invaluable for the next phase of Salik's evolution." Al Haddad acknowledged his appointment, saying "I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the company's executive management. I look forward to working with the Board, our employees, customers and our many partners to seize those opportunities and to contribute to the realization of Dubai's ambitious vision of enhancing the quality of its road network."
Al Haddad brings more than twenty years of industry experience focused on commercial transformation, public-private partnerships and investment strategy. He spent the nine years immediately preceding his appointment as commercial and investment director at the RTA, where he oversaw major initiatives including the Hala Joint Venture Agreement with Careem, commercial transformation of Dubai Taxi, and the Dubai Metro Advertisement Concession Agreement. Before joining the RTA in 2013, he held roles at Mubadala, Sama Dubai and Dubai Municipality. He holds a Master's degree in Real Estate Management from the University of South Wales, Sydney, and a Bachelor's degree in Architectural Engineering from the United Arab Emirates University.
Salik operates Dubai's automated toll collection system using RFID technology, a network that has been functioning since 2007 without toll booths or barriers. The company operates under a 49-year concession agreement with the RTA granting it exclusive rights to operate toll gates in the emirate. At the time of Al Haddad's appointment, Salik operated eight toll gates; the company has since expanded to ten. In September 2022, less than three months after Al Haddad took the helm, Salik listed on the Dubai Financial Market in one of the year's most significant IPOs, raising approximately 3.7 billion dirhams with demand exceeding 49 times the offering size.
The appointment represented a natural continuity of leadership. Al Haddad's deep familiarity with Salik's operations through his tenure at the RTA, combined with his proven track record in commercial strategy and partnership structures, positioned him to guide the newly independent company through its market preparation and transition to public ownership. The timing aligned closely with Salik's path to listing, suggesting the board selected a CEO experienced in managing the infrastructure assets and revenue models essential for convincing institutional investors of the company's durability and growth prospects.
