Essa Kazim

His Excellency Essa Kazim serves as Chairman of DP World's Board of Directors, a position he was appointed to in February 2026. Kazim holds multiple leadership responsibilities, including serving as Governor of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Chairman of Borse Dubai, Deputy Chairman of Supreme Legislation Committee in Dubai, and Member of the Securities and Exchange Higher Committee and Dubai Supreme Fiscal Committee.

Kazim began his career as a Senior Analyst in the Research and Statistics Department of the UAE Central Bank in 1988 and then moved to the Dubai Department of Economic Development as Director of Planning and Development in 1993. He was appointed as Director-General of Dubai Financial Market from 1999 to 2006, then elected Chairman in 2007, a role he held until 2021.

Career history

• Chairman of DP World (2026–present)
• Governor of Dubai International Financial Centre (2014–present)
• Chairman of Dubai Financial Market (2007–2021)
• Director-General of Dubai Financial Market (1999–2006)
• Director of Planning and Development, Dubai Department of Economic Development (1993–1999)

Kazim holds an honorary Doctorate from Coe College, a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Iowa, a Master's Degree in Total Quality Management from the University of Wollongong and a Bachelor's degree from Coe College. He has earned a reputation for measured leadership—strategic, data-informed, and always aligned with Dubai's broader aspirations to innovate and diversify, and is recognized as one of the primary architects of Dubai's rise as a global financial center.

What Essa Kazim could bring to DP World: Drawing from his extensive background in financial market regulation, capital markets infrastructure development, and fintech ecosystem building at DIFC, Kazim brings deep expertise in regulated growth and strategic positioning within global financial networks. His three decades of experience navigating both public and private financial sector transformation, combined with his current governance roles across multiple major institutions, positions him to provide strategic oversight and stakeholder alignment for DP World as it navigates complex global trade and logistics operations across 83 countries.