American univeristy sharjah

H.E. Mr. Abdullah J M Kalban

CEO Dubal

Abdulla Kalban is a dynamic business personality with growing acclaim and stature in the corporate world. During his 24 years at DUBAL, where he began as a graduate trainee in 1985, Abdulla has progressed through the ranks to President and Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest single site smelters in the Western world. His remarkable career path has made Abdulla a role model for UAE Nationals and has earned him the respect of the international business community. He is listed in a member of the “International Who's Who of Professionals” and the “International Who's Who Historical Society”.

In the course of his DUBAL career, Abdulla has led the transformation of the company from a regional primary aluminium smelter into a next generation economic powerhouse. Today, he manages assets valued at more than USD 10 billion. He also leads several of DUBAL’s strategic joint venture developments worldwide, comprising additional smelter complexes in the MENA region (notably the massive new Emirates Aluminium Company Limited (EMAL) smelter in Abu Dhabi, built in collaboration with Mubadala) and the company’s upstream investments in bauxite mining and alumina refining in Brazil, Cameroon, the Republic of Guinea and India.

As a strategist, Abdulla has been instrumental in envisaging and evolving long-term strategic growth plans that took DUBAL from 7th position to 5th in primary aluminium production worldwide in about six years. The fundamentals of his management approach include diligently maximizing profitability and expansion while retaining the ideals of environmental consciousness and corporate social responsibility to ensure growth and progress for a sustainable future. By striking strategic alliances with major players worldwide and identifying ideal investment channels for the promotion and projection of a stellar corporate image worldwide, he has transformed DUBAL into a global company.

Additionally, Abdulla is the Chairman of the Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC); Vice Chairman of Emirates Aluminium (EMAL); a Director of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), UK; and a Director of the Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA). He is active on various committees such as The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) and the Dubai Executive Council Committee for Infrastructure & Environment; as well as the Supreme Council of Energy in the UAE. Abdulla has also served as a key policy maker on several committees instituted to lead the company and the country’s transformation into the ranks of world-class competitiveness, by bringing together the best industrial practice and the potential of UAE manpower.

Formerly, Abdulla was a member of the Federal Agency for Environment representing the Industry Sector; a member of the Dubai Export Development Establishment and Dubai Ethics Resource Centre; Vice Chairman of Zayed International Prize for Environment; presiding member of the board of Directors of Emirates Industrial Bank; and a member UAE University Engineering faculty committee.

An avid reader, Abdulla is a frequent keynote speaker at national and international aluminium industry events; and is widely known for his groundbreaking initiatives in Emiratization and sustainable development solutions. He received a Strategic Leadership Excellence Award during the 2007 World Strategy Summit; and was named Businessman of the Year in the 2008 Middle East Business Achievement awards.