UAE metals | MEED
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08 July 2013 11:18 AM By Meed
Six individuals behind the development of the UAEs metals sectors: Saeed Ghumran al-Romaithi, Abdulla Jassim Kalban, Abu Bucker Husain, Ajay Aggarwal, Sanjay Mehta and Jamal Salem al-Dhaheri,
Position: Chief executive officer (CEO), Emirates Steel Industries
Biography: Saeed Ghumran al-Romaithi was appointed CEO of Emirates Steel in August 2012, becoming the first UAE national to head up the countrys largest steel company. Al-Romaithi, who served as senior vice-president of operations prior to being promoted to CEO, graduated in electrical engineering from California State University in the US. He worked for General Holdings Company (Senaat)  Emirates Steels parent group  before joining Emirates Steel as a production engineer. He held several senior positions before being promoted to vice-president of primary production. Al-Romaithi replaced Gregor Munstermann, who was appointed CEO in 2009. Al-Romaithi is overseeing the third phase of expansion of Emirates Steels complex in Mussafah in Abu Dhabi, bringing capacity to 1.4 million tonnes a year (t/y).
Position: Managing director and CEO, Emirates Global Aluminium
Biography: Abdulla Jassim Kalban is managing director and CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium. The company has formed from the merger of the UAEs two aluminium producers, Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal), which was announced on 5 June. It is the worlds fifth-biggest aluminium company. Kalban was appointed CEO of state-owned Dubal in 2005, becoming the first UAE national to head the company since it was formed in 1979. He joined Dubal as a graduate trainee in 1985 and worked in several senior positions, including manager of smelting operations and director of operations. As CEO, he oversaw the rapid expansion of Dubal, which included the opening of several new potlines in February 2007. He graduated from the University of New Haven in the US with a degree in industrial engineering.
Contact Tel: (+971) 4 884 6666
Position: CEO, Al-Ghurair Iron & Steel
Biography: Abu Bucker Husain serves as the CEO of Al-Ghurair Iron & Steel. The company is a joint venture of Dubai-based industrial conglomerate Al-Ghurair Group and Japans Nippon Steel Corporation. It operates the first cold rolling and galvanising complex in the UAE, based in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi. Husain joined the company as chief operating officer in 1997, after holding the same position at Dubai-based logistics company Tradeline. He joined Tradeline in 1994, when he worked in the shipping and chartering sector. Husain graduated from Sydenham College in Mumbai, India, with a degree in commerce and accounting. He also has a masters degree in business administration from the Graduate School of Management at Boston University in the US. In 1999, Husain took up his first position with American International Group as a management associate at Al-Ghurair Iron & Steels office in New York.
Contact Tel: (+971) 2 659 3400
Biography: Ajay Aggarwal was appointed CEO of RAK Steel in March 2008, having been involved in the companys formation. Aggarwal is a qualified mechanical engineer and has a masters degree in business administration. He has worked in management roles at blue-chip companies, including engineering and consumer products company Godrej in India, and Omani conglomerate Saud Bahwan Group. Aggarwal has expertise in human resources management and leadership, and is a business partner with training company FranklinCovey South Asia. RAK Steel is a joint venture of the RAK Investment Authority (Rakia) and Middle East Traders Group. It is the second largest rebar manufacturing mill in the UAE, with a capacity of 500,000 t/y. RAK Steel announced a $165m investment in 2009 to expand capacity to 750,000 t/y. However, this was later put on hold.
Position: CEO, Al-Nasser Industrial Enterprises
Biography: Sanjay Mehta is the CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Al-Nasser Industrial Enterprises, which is the parent company of Gulf Steel Industries. Mehta built up Al-Nasser as an industrial conglomerate involved in several different sectors, including steel, power, polymers and the environment. He has a degree in mechanical engineering. Gulf Steel Industries was set up in 1992 to build a steel rolling mill in Mussafah. The mill originally produced deformed steel bars (debar) with a 15,000-t/y capacity. After a series of expansions, it is now able to produce 120,000 t/y of debar, 36,000 t/y of cold ribbed bars and 30,000 t/y of welded mesh. Al-Nasser also owns Emirates Steel Establishment, which manufactures ingots for downstream use, and Euro Gulf Steel Industries, which makes billets and reinforcement steel bar, along with several other industrial subsidiaries.
Contact Tel: (+971) 2 631 8044
Position: CEO, Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporation (Adbic) and chief operating officer, General Holdings Company (Senaat)
Biography: Jamal Salem al-Dhaheri is CEO of Adbic and chief operating officer of its parent group, Senaat. His role within the recently rebranded Senaat started at Adbic as vice-president of aluminium. He was later promoted to senior vice-president of metals before being appointed CEO. In his current position, he has overseen Adbics plans to expand the downstream industry in Abu Dhabi across several sectors, including aluminium. Al-Dhaheri serves on the board of Ducab, Emirates Steel Industries, Omans Takamul Investment Company and Abu Dhabi Distribution Company, as well as the Khalifa Fund, Abu Dhabis vehicle to support small and medium enterprises. Al-Dhaheri has an executive masters degree in business administration from Zayed University in Abu Dhabi.