DIFC Management Team

Alya Al Zarouni

Chief Operating Officer at DIFC Authority

As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the DIFC Authority (DIFCA), Alya is responsible for setting the strategic direction of DIFCA’s operations and client experience. She brings more than 20 years of experience in developing and delivering technology-driven business services and solutions, providing outstanding client service, and driving internal efficiency through policy, process and digital transformation. Prior to her appointment as the COO, Alya assumed multiple roles across different functions in DIFCA and has led the transformation of DIFC services since 2010.

Alya was appointed as Board Member of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) in 2023, an association registered in Belgium representing 19 leading international financial centres across four continents.

She has also been serving as a board member of Hawkamah: The Institute for Corporate Governance for over three years and led the DIFC Academy since its inception until 2022.

In terms of her education, Alya was at the top of her class and earned both her BSc in Computer Science and MBA from the American University of Sharjah. She has an LLM in International Business Law from the University of Paris II Pantheon Assas (Magna Cum Laude). She is a graduate of the prestigious Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development, completing both the Young Leaders Programme and the Dubai Leaders Programme.

Beelall Ramdianee

Senior Vice President of Internal Audit at DIFC Authority

Mohammed Beelall Ramdianee is the Senior Vice President of Internal Audit at the DIFC Authority. He is responsible for managing the internal audit function with a view to add value in enhancing the Authority’s governance, risk management and internal control environment as mandated by DIFC’s Board Audit Committee, while ensuring that the organisational independence and objectivity are maintained at all times.

Mr. Ramdianee joined DIFC in 2015 and brought with him a wealth of international experience spanning more than three decades in audit, accountancy, governance, risk management and consulting across various sectors of the economy. This includes, but is not limited to financial services, investment management, education, real estate, hospitality and retail. He has been able to align and maintain DIFC Authority’s internal audit function with International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, thereby resulting in the department achieving the highest conformance certification of the auditing standards. Mr. Ramdianee has also received accolades and appreciation from the Institute of Internal Auditors for his contribution to the auditing profession.

Prior to joining DIFC, Mr. Ramdianee held several senior positions at the Abu Dhabi Education Council and Dubai World, where he was responsible for risk assessments, development of risk-based internal audit plans and leading their implementation. At the same time, he spearheaded the implementation of Quality Management System at those entities.

Mr. Ramdianee holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Manchester. He is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA) as well as a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Christian Kunz

Chief Strategy, Innovation & Ventures Officer at DIFC Authority

In his capacity as Head of Group Strategy and Innovation at DIFC, Christian is responsible to develop and continuously evolve the strategic agenda and initiatives of DIFC, in line with the UAE’s commitment to innovation and development of future economies. As part of this vision, Christian also furthers in developing DIFC’s core and future of finance proposition and leading a number of initiatives to move the innovation agenda towards a broader conversation about the future of finance.

Christian’s previous experience lies at the intersection of financial services, technology and innovation. He led the Fintech and New (Digital) Business Building practice for McKinsey & Company in the Middle East.

Besides developing future of finance strategies, Christian has built-up several digital FinTech ventures, following a build-operate-transfer model and applying Agile, Design Thinking and Lean Start-up principles. He has also led several digital and analytics transformations of large banks and insurance businesses across the Middle East and Europe.

Jaber Humaid Al Suwaidi

Senior Vice President & Registrar of Real Property – Regulatory at DIFC Authority

Jaber Humaid Al Suwaidi has been with Dubai International Financial Centre Authority since 2005. As the Senior Vice President & Registrar of Real Property – Regulatory, a position he has held since 2010, he is responsible for ensuring adherence to relevant legislations as well as to help realise operational best practices in order to deliver optimal service in terms of quality and efficiency.

Mr. Al Suwaidi is also responsible for establishing and implementing the Real Properties Titles registry system and diligently keeping internal policy at international industry standards. Prior to this, he was Assistant Manager at the leasing department of DIFC, where he managed all existing and future property leasing contracts and developed efficient policies for the real estate department in the legal, financial, project development and strategy sectors.

Mr. Al Suwaidi comes with seven years of experience in the real estate management industry. He holds a diploma in real estate from the Dubai Real Estate Institute and a foundation diploma from the Emirates Aviation College.

Jacques Visser

Chief Legal Officer at DIFC Authority

Jacques Visser heads the Legal, Registrars and Regulatory Compliance departments of DIFC Authority and its wholly-owned subsidiary, DIFC Investments Ltd.

In his service to DIFC, Mr. Visser is also entrusted with the following appointments – Supervisory Board Member of the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings (DEWS) Plan; Board Member and Chairman of the Investment Committee of the DIFC FinTech Fund; Board Member and Member of the Investment Committee of the Dubai Future District Fund; Board Member of xCube LLC; DIFC Commissioner of Data Protection; DIFC Security Registrar; Secretary to the DIFC Higher Board, the DIFC Authority Board and the DIFC Investments Ltd Board; and Editor-in-Chief of, “The Laws of the DIFC” publication.

Prior to joining DIFC, Mr. Visser practiced as a Financial Services Lawyer for more than 20 years, primarily focusing on multi-jurisdictional investment structures, funds, asset management and regulatory matters in emerging markets.

Khalid Mohamed Al Zarouni

Senior Vice President & Registrar of Companies – Regulatory at DIFC Authority

Khalid Al Zarouni, as Senior Vice President and DIFC Registrar of Companies (RoC), is responsible for supervising the business environment in DIFC. Mr. Al Zarouni licences businesses in the centre and administers key legislation and public registers for such businesses. He is also responsible for overseeing ongoing compliance requirements for entities registered in the Centre, including in relation to the exchange of information, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, unlawful organisations, sanctions compliance and ESR, FATCA and CRS requirements.

In his capacity as RoC, Mr. Al Zarouni also supports entrepreneurship within an appropriate regulatory framework, with a view to support the DIFC 2030 Strategy. He works closely with all stakeholders to reinforce the position of DIFC as a world-class international financial centre, particularly in terms of ease of doing business and transparency.

Mr. Al Zarouni has held the position of DIFC Registrar of Companies since 2010, after serving as Assistant General Counsel from 2008 at the DIFC Authority. As an agent of the Government of Dubai for the Centre, he ensures all prospective DIFC registrants adhere to relevant ROC administered legislations. Mr. Al Zarouni also provides strategic guidance to DIFC Registry Services with regards to the adherence of laws and regulations, the promotion of best practices and the delivery of optimal quality and efficiency.

Mr. Al Zarouni brings 22 years of experience to his role, having practiced in Common Law and Civil Law jurisdictions in the UAE, specialising in Economic and Commercial laws. Prior to joining DIFC, Mr. Al Zarouni was a Senior Legal Consultant in the Department of Economic Development (DED), where he engaged with governmental and non-governmental organisations and participated in developing the entity’s regulations. From 2008 until 2010, Mr. Al Zarouni was also the Vice Chairman of the UAE Jurists Association for all UAE lawyers.

Mr. Al Zarouni holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain. He also holds a master’s degree in Commercial Law from Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, and an Executive Master’s degree in Public Administration from Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, Dubai, UAE. He earned his degree in LL.M in International Business Law at Paris II Pantheon Assas University. In addition, Mr. Al Zarouni is a graduate of leadership programmes from London Business School and Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, as well as the Director Development Programme from the Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance.

Madeya Alktebi

Senior Vice President – Human Resources at DIFC Authority

In her capacity as Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Madeya AlKtebi works with the business leaders at DIFC to realise the plans and aspirations of the Centre by leading the development of HR strategy and planning in line with its business goals. Her other key focus areas include ensuring timely availability of the required talent, promoting an enabling and engaging work culture, and creating an agile and aligned leadership team.

Ms. AlKtebi is responsible for the entire spectrum of HR services. She serves as the interface and guide for all HR-related matters, helping DIFC to leverage its human resources in an optimal manner and acting as a strategic partner of the business. In addition, she provides effective HR operational and transactional services – devising and implementing practical and efficient processes tailored to the company’s unique and evolving business needs.

Ms. AlKtebi brings to her role more than 11 years of experience in strategic business planning, organisational development and performance management. She is also well-versed in facilitating rigorous team trainings and driving targeted recruitment initiatives. Prior to her current position, Ms. AlKtebi rose through the ranks at DIFC from HR Business Partner to Vice President and Acting Head of Human Resources. She started her career as an HR Officer at Dubai Customs.

Madeya AlKtebi holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Management and a higher diploma in Information Administration from Dubai Women’s College at the Higher Colleges of Technology.

Mahmoud Nsouli

Senior Vice President - Marketing & Corporate Communications at DIFC Authority

Mahmoud Nsouli is the Senior Vice President – Marketing & Corporate Communications at DIFC. An experienced marketing and communications professional, Mahmoud leads a team of professionals on strategic planning and marketing activations to strengthen DIFC’s position as the leading global financial centre and innovation hub.

Previously, Mahmoud has held a number of senior positions at Emaar Properties, including as the Head of Marketing, Events and Partnerships, where he played the critical role of positioning the world-renowned assets and communities of the company.

Mahmoud has a wealth of experience in his award-winning career of more than 20 years. He has specialist expertise in budget management and international outreach, especially to markets in Asia and the MENA region. He has delivered successful commercial strategies and collaborated with global brands to drive innovative marketing strategies that have set industry trends.

Having gained global experience of working in the MENA, EU and CIS regions, Mahmoud is known for his passionate entrepreneurial spirit, which led him to establish Mars Experience, an events and conference company in 2020. Mahmoud is a graduate of Hospitality and Events Management.

Saleh Al Akrabi

Chief Real Estate Officer at DIFC Investments Ltd.

In his role as Chief Real Estate Officer, Saleh Al Akrabi is mandated to take forward the real estate and property development arm of Dubai International Financial Centre, including the DIFC master plan, property development, projects’ infrastructure, as well as the commercial activities and retail development.

Mr. Al Akrabi manages an asset portfolio of more than USD 2.7 billion. In addition, he administers the development and implementation of DIFC’s real estate and investments’ strategy. Mr. Al Akrabi is an integral member of the Investment Advisory Committee of DIFC FinTech Fund. He is working closely in developing the FinTech and innovation investments and growth strategy to enhance the innovation ecosystem and strengthen DIFC’s relationship with various partners, stakeholders and investors to make DIFC a global start-up hub.

Mr. Al Akrabi also serves as Head of Investments, where he manages and oversees DIFC’s diverse investment portfolio. In this role, he restructured and led the investment team, designing and implementing rigorous investment processes, and strategically monitors an investment portfolio of over USD 500 million, which includes investments in various asset classes.

Prior to his appointment as CREO, Mr. Al Akrabi was Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Properties. In this capacity, he advanced DIFC’s real estate short, medium and long-term strategic objectives, achieved revenue targets and enhanced the policies and procedures’ framework. He also directed and supervised the commercial activities functions of DIFC, including property development, commercial leasing, retail, business centres and property management and operations.

A specialist with hands-on experience in investments, asset management, risk management, M&A, private equity, operations and leadership across multiple industries, Mr. Al Akrabi is the Chairman of CPI Financial and sits on several boards, including the Emirates Consulting Group, Art Dubai, DIFC Virtual Hub Ltd, DIFC Fintech Fund Investments, Gate Media, Despec International, BHB Bedford Properties Inc and DIFC Global Ltd. He additionally serves as Director of Global Commodity Finance and Director of Kuwait Investments LLC.

Mr. Al Akrabi is currently undertaking a doctorate degree in economics. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK; a master’s degree in financial management and a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He completed a graduate certificate in leadership from Queens University at Kingston and obtained an executive diploma in cybersecurity from Cambridge International and a certificate in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Mr. Al Akrabi is also a Certified Chartered Portfolio Manager (CPM) and Master Islamic Financial Analyst and has completed a Director Development Programme from the Institute of Directors (IoD).

Salmaan Jaffery

Chief Business Development Officer at DIFC Authority

In his capacity as Chief Business Development Officer, Salmaan Jaffery is responsible for growing, deepening, and enriching the Center’s client base as well as identifying new markets, segments and partnership opportunities aligned with the DIFC’s 2030 growth ambitions. The business development team, under Mr. Jaffery’s direction, acquires new clients and works closely with existing clients to facilitate their growth and success within the DIFC community.

Mr. Jaffery has nearly 25 years of extensive operating and advisory experience, working with global financial services and consulting firms across North America, Asia and Middle East & North Africa. During this time, he has established a track record for solving complex problems, driving growth, executing partnerships and managing senior stakeholder relationships. Mr. Jaffery is an accomplished thought leader and speaker.

Before joining the DIFC Authority, Mr. Jaffery held leadership roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young Middle East. Prior to that, he held senior operating and finance roles at Citibank and American Express in New York. Mr. Jaffery has also led client teams at Oliver Wyman focused on customer driven growth strategies and new venture analyses.

Mr. Jaffery holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA in International Relations (Phi Beta Kappa) from Colgate University in the United States. He is the President of the Cornell Club Middle East, and serves on the Boards of several non-profit organisations.

Yazan Mohamad Al Nasser

Chief Financial & Risk Officer at DIFC Authority

In his capacity as the Chief Financial & Risk Officer, Yazan Mohamad Al Nasser overlooks the overall financial performance of the DIFC Authority, DIFC Investments Ltd and its subsidiaries, Registrar of Real Properties, Registrar of Companies, Hawkamah, as well as other entities. He is responsible for the formulation and review of key financial controls, business processes and management reporting; the appraisal of management and investment opportunities; and supporting the CEOs and the Board of Directors.

Mr. Al Nasser has more than 30 years of international experience in the fields of finance and audit. Prior to joining DIFC, he worked with Emaar Malls PJSC as the Chief Financial Officer, where he was responsible for a portfolio of more than 25 different shopping malls and community centres, accommodating over 2,000 tenants.

Before that, Mr. Al Nasser worked at Emaar Properties PJSC for more than seven years, where he held the position of Director of Internal Audit. He was in the core management team of Emaar Malls PJSC that completed a well-received and oversubscribed IPO transaction to list Emaar Malls in 2014.

In his professional career, Mr. Al Nasser has also served as a senior staff at Majid Al Futtaim’s Internal Audit Department, as well as in the Audit and Oversight Office of the United Nations (UNRWA) in Vienna, Austria.

Mr. Al Nasser holds a dual bachelor’s degree in economics and administrative sciences and computer programming from Yarmouk University in Jordan. In addition, he is also a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Internal Control Auditor, and Certified in Risk and Information System Control.