Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, the Director General of Dubai Municipality, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dubai Humanitarian Authority, replacing Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani. The decree was issued on October 1, 2026, by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and takes effect from the date of issuance.
The appointment marks a significant leadership transition at one of the world's most important humanitarian organizations. Al Shaibani, a senior government official and investment executive who has held numerous high-level positions including Managing Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank, has stepped down after leading the Authority through several years of heightened global humanitarian operations. The decree stipulates the appointment of bin Ghalita as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Authority, with the new board structure to be published in the Official Gazette.
Bin Ghalita brings extensive experience in Dubai government administration and real estate development. He graduated as a survey engineer from the University of Fresno, California, and obtained an MBA from the Advanced Management Department of the Arabic Academy of Sciences and Technology in Alexandria, Egypt. He advanced from Vice President of the Survey Division at the Land Department to become the first local President of the department in 1999. From 2007 onwards, he served as CEO of the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, transforming Dubai's property market through modernization and transparency initiatives. He was subsequently appointed Director General of the Dubai Land Department in 2024 and has served concurrently at both positions. Beyond real estate, he has held influential leadership positions including First Deputy Speaker of the Federal National Council and President of the UAE Football Association. He also serves on Dubai's Executive Council and several critical government committees including the Supreme Energy Council and the Supreme Committee for Urban Planning.
The Dubai Humanitarian Authority, established in 2003 under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, operates as the world's largest humanitarian hub and the only humanitarian free zone. The organization hosts approximately 80 member entities comprising United Nations agencies, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, and commercial companies. Located strategically near Jebel Ali seaport and Al Maktoum airport, the authority enables the humanitarian community to reach two-thirds of the world population living in hazard-prone areas within four to eight hours. The organization has coordinated major relief operations throughout 2026, including airlifts to Nepal following devastating floods in September and multiple supply deliveries to Gaza through partnerships with the World Health Organization and other international entities.
The leadership change suggests an apparent restructuring of senior government roles across Dubai entities, particularly following high-profile transitions in other authorities. The appointment of bin Ghalita, a technocrat with deep expertise in land and municipal administration, may indicate a strategic shift toward emphasizing operational efficiency and governance frameworks at the humanitarian authority. While the decree provides no explicit rationale for the replacement, bin Ghalita's track record in modernizing government institutions and his concurrent responsibilities across multiple critical authorities underscore Dubai's approach to consolidating experienced administrators into pivotal leadership positions. The timing of the appointment reflects ongoing governance evolution within the emirate's government structure.
