Marwan Alzarouni

Dr. Marwan Alzarouni was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Artificial Intelligence at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) in 2024, a pivotal position aligned with Dubai's Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence, the city's strategic framework for becoming a global leader in AI implementation. In this dual-mandate role, he holds the position of CEO of the Dubai Blockchain Centre alongside his AI leadership position, sitting at the intersection of government strategy and frontier technology. As CEO of AI at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, he plays a defining role in driving the city's digital transformation.

With more than two decades in information security, digital forensics, blockchain and AI, he was named one of the top 100 most influential figures in blockchain by CoinTelegraph in 2022 and has served on the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Cryptocurrencies. He was a founding member of both the Dubai Electronic Security Center and the Artificial Intelligence Ethical Committee. Dr. Marwan holds a Doctorate in IT with a specialization in Smartphone Forensics and a Master's in Information Security and Intelligence from Edith Cowan University, as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Computer Science from Embry-Riddle University in the United States.

Career History

• CEO of AI, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (2024–present)
• CEO, Dubai Blockchain Center (May 2018–present)
• Managing Partner, Accelliance Consultancy (February 2019–April 2023)
• CEO, OTC Supply DMCC (December 2017–January 2020) – the region's first fully licensed over-the-counter crypto commodity trading entity
• Director of Information Services, Digital Dubai (October 2014–October 2022)
• Owner, Foresee Payment Services (January 2013–present)
• Founder, Dubai's first crypto payment processing and blockchain software development company (January 2014)
• Owner, MySecured Inc. (January 2001–December 2009)

What Dr. Alzarouni could bring to CEO of AI at Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism: Drawing on two decades of experience bridging government, blockchain, and information security, he brings a distinctive combination of deep technical expertise in emerging technologies with proven ability to shape regulatory frameworks at the emirate level. His track record as a crypto pioneer who established Dubai's first blockchain ATM and over-the-counter exchange, combined with his founding role in the Artificial Intelligence Ethical Committee, positions him uniquely to drive responsible, scalable AI adoption across Dubai's economy while maintaining the security and ethical standards essential for public-sector deployment.