Appointments/events

The top hires and key calendar dates

Ali Rashid Al Jarwan

The board of Dragon Oil has appointed Ali Rashid Al Jarwan as the company’s new CEO. Dragon Oil is a subsidiary of Dubai government owned ENOC Group, and Al Jarwan takes over from His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi – group CEO of ENOC – who had led Dragon Oil on an interim basis. A veteran of the oil and gas sector, Al Jarwan will lead the company as it continues its diversification strategy.

Hisham Farouk

Accounting and advisory services company Grant Thornton International has appointed UAE-based Hisham Farouk to its board of governors. The CEO of Grant Thornton UAE becomes the first appointment to the board from the Middle East and North Africa region, highlighting the importance the company attaches to the region – specifically Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Grant Thornton International is a global organisation of member firms with 47,000 people in more than 130 countries.

Mahmoud Al Zaibak

UAE-based TIME Hotels has named Mahmoud Al Zaibak as director of business development, as the hospitality company targets 10 new properties in the Middle East by 2018. Zaibak brings with him 17 years of corporate hospitality experience in the UAE and Qatar, with brands including InterContinental, Dusit Thani and Hilton Garden Inn. He returns to TIME Hotels having previously worked as director of sales and marketing for TIME Grand Plaza in Dubai earlier in his career.

Eyad Al Kourdi

Global payments company MasterCard has promoted Eyad Al Kourdi to the role of general manager for the Southern Gulf, which encompasses the UAE and Oman. Previously general manager for the UAE, Al Kourdi will work closely with the government lead and public policy teams, and focus on key external stakeholder relationships to drive country and division-wide agendas. Al Kourdi has been with MasterCard since 1996, when he joined the company in Dubai.