Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed

Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed

Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed was appointed Chairman of the National Media Authority by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in January 2026. Born February 23, 1973, Al Hamed holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Marylhurst College and an MBA from New York Institute of Technology, Abu Dhabi campus, with additional executive training from Harvard, Oxford, and Singapore Civil Service College.

Prior to leading the National Media Authority, Al Hamed served as Chairman of the Board of the UAE Media Council and Chairman of the National Media Office. He has held senior leadership positions in media, healthcare, and energy sectors. Most notably, he led Abu Dhabi's healthcare transformation as Chairman of the Department of Health and held senior roles as Under Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority.

Al Hamed has been recognized for his public service, receiving the Arab Hospitals Federation's Golden Key Award and the Globee 'Executive Hero of the Year' recognition. He has positioned the National Media Authority not merely as a regulatory body but as a powerful media catalyst that unifies the national voice and conveys the UAE's story globally through innovation and creativity in content production.

Career History

• Chairman, National Media Authority (2026–present)
• Chairman, UAE Media Council and National Media Office (prior to January 2026)
• Chairman, Department of Health, Abu Dhabi
• Under Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE (2012–2014)
• Managing Director, European Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2011–2012)
• Chairman, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (2015–2016)
• Government Employee, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (1997–2000)

What Al Hamed could bring to the Chairman role at the National Media Authority: His multidisciplinary executive experience across healthcare transformation, energy infrastructure, and foreign affairs positions him to strategically elevate UAE media's global positioning. His track record of launching digital platforms (such as the Health Workforce Upskilling Platform during his healthcare leadership) and his demonstrated ability to lead organizational modernization suggest he will drive technological innovation and international collaboration within the National Media Authority, particularly in aligning media strategy with UAE's broader development objectives and global positioning.