Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was born on 14 November 1982 and is the Crown Prince of Dubai since 2008. He is the Minister of Defence of the UAE since 14 July 2024 and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, where he oversees all Dubai government entities and supervises public sector and development strategies in the emirate. He is popularly known as Fazza, the name under which he publishes his poetry, which means "the one who helps" in Arabic.

Hamdan was educated in Dubai at the Rashid School For Boys and then at the Dubai School of Government, before continuing his studies in the United Kingdom where he graduated from Sandhurst in 2001 and later attended the London School of Economics. As an equestrian, Maktoum is a multiple world champion at the World Equestrian Games, having won a gold medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2014 in Normandy, team gold in 2012, and a bronze medal in 2010. Beyond sports, he is a talented horse rider, photographer, skydiver, and published poet.

Career history

• Deputy Ruler of Dubai (2006–2008)
• Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council (September 2006–present)
• Crown Prince of Dubai (2008–present)
• Head of HN Capital LLP (2008 onwards)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE (July 2024–present)

In June 2022, Sheikh Hamdan launched the "Dubai Global" initiative, which was meant to establish 50 commercial representative offices for Dubai on five continents. He heads the Supreme Committee for Future Technologies and Digital Economy, translating the visionary outlook into establishing Dubai as the capital of the digital economy. Recently, he approved AED1 billion in economic incentives for Dubai's economy, with Dubai's GDP rising by 5.4% to exceed AED 937 billion in 2025.

What Sheikh Hamdan could bring to his current role at the Government of Dubai: His background in military discipline, economics education, and proven track record leading Dubai's strategic transformation positions him uniquely to drive Dubai's emergence as a global digital and business hub. His demonstrated ability to oversee major developmental projects, coupled with his commitment to youth empowerment and innovation, suggests continued focus on positioning Dubai among the world's leading economies through technology adoption and sustainable urban development.