Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi
Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi | |
|---|---|
أحمد بالهول الفلاسي | |
_at_World_Economic_Forum_Growth_Summit_2023.png) | |
| Minister of Sport | |
| In office July 2024 – Current | |
| President | Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Prime Minister | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum |
| Chairman of the UAE Space Agency | |
| Assumed office 2024 | |
| President | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Prime Minister | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum |
| Secretary-General of the Supreme Space Council | |
| Assumed office October 2024 | |
| Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology | |
| Assumed office July 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 November 1977 24 November 1977 (age 47) |
| Education | Khalifa University (BS) University of Melbourne (MS) Monash University (PhD) |
Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi (Arabic: أحمد بن عبدالله حميد بالهول الفلاسي; born 24 November 1977) is the Minister of Sports in the United Arab Emirates. He also serves as Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, Secretary-General of the Supreme Space Council, and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology. Over the years, he has held prominent roles in Sports, Space, and education, making significant contributions to the UAE’s strategic sectors.[1]
Education
[edit]Al Falasi holds a Ph.D. from Monash University in Australia, an M.Sc. from the University of Melbourne, and a B.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering from Khalifa University.[2][3]
Career
[edit]BelHoul started his career in several prominent positions that influenced the development of various sectors in the UAE. As Minister of Sports, Belhoul leads the design and development of strategies within the sports sector, focusing on global competitiveness, national talent development, and the promotion of sports as a healthy lifestyle within the UAE. He previously served as Chairman of the General Authority for Sports from January 2021 to July 2024, where he directed the creation of comprehensive strategies for the UAE’s sports sector, overseeing key initiatives such as the National Sports Strategy 2031 and the UAE Elite Sports Committee.[4]
In 2024, he was appointed Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, overseeing policy development and national strategy to reinforce the UAE’s leadership in the space sector and ensure its continued contribution to the national economy. He previously served as Chairman of the UAE Space Agency from June 2017 to 2020, where he oversaw the UAE Astronaut Programme, including sending the first Emirati astronaut to the International Space Station. During this time, he also supervised the development of “KhalifaSat” the first Arab satellite entirely developed by Emirati engineers, and “Hope Probe,” which reached Mars in February 2021.[5]
Belhoul has been serving as Secretary-General of the Supreme Space Council since October 2024 as well, providing administrative and technical support to the Council.[6]
Dr. Ahmad has also been serving as the Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology since July 2024, the largest higher education institution in the UAE. In this role, he focuses on applied education and encouraging students and entrepreneurs to innovate, while transforming the institution into a free economic zone to achieve significant progress in the higher education sector.[7]
He has also been serving as the First Vice President of the National Olympic Committee since June 2021, where he has worked on improving the technical and administrative performance of the UAE’s Olympic teams.[8]
Previous position
[edit]Belhoul served as Minister of Education from May 2022 to July 2024, managing the transformation of the education system to enhance efficiency and raise output quality in support of the nation’s long-term development needs.[9]
From July 2020 to May 2022, he held the position of Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises, advancing the role of SMEs as a primary pillar of the national economy and developing innovative entrepreneurship models across multiple sectors.[10]
From February 2016 to July 2020, he served as Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills, leading the development of higher education and scientific research systems. After taking charge of advanced skills in 2017, he focused on preparing national cadres with future-ready capabilities.[11]
Earlier in his career, Belhoul held the position of Executive Director of Strategy and Tourism Sector Development at Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commercial Marketing, where he directed strategic planning to expand the tourism sector and strengthen its contribution to the national economy.[12]
He has served as Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, Deputy Head of Industry at Mubadala Development Company, a Board Member at Emirates Development Bank and National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed), as well as a consultant for the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company and an Assistant Professor at Khalifa University of Science and Technology.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi - Agenda Contributor". World Economic Forum. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "InPics: The 100 Most Powerful Arabs Under 40". Arabian Business. 19 April 2015.
- ^ "Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi - Agenda Contributor". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ Nasir, Sarwat. "Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi reappointed as UAE Space Agency chief". The National. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ https://qshesummits.com/middle-east/featured_speakers/his-excellency-dr-ahmad-belhoul-al-falasi/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- ^ "UAE's Supreme Space Council hosts first meeting". SatellitePro ME. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "His Excellency Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi". QS Higher Ed Summit: Middle East. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "الرئيسة - البوابة الرسمية لحكومة الإمارات العربية المتحدة". www.government.ae (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ Website, M. O. E. "Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi: Education consolidates the state's vision to build capable generations and achieve global leadership". www.moe.gov.ae (in Arabic). Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi | Gulf Business". 6 May 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "Ministry of Education, UAE - Abu Dhabi, UAE, Dubai Al Nahda Street near Al Qusais Metro Station,". edarabia.com. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "H.E. Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi". conferences.uaeu.ac.ae. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "Dubai Airshow 2025 – The Future Of The Aerospace Industry". www.dubaiairshow.aero. Retrieved 3 February 2025.