H.E. Ahmed Essa Al Falahi, CEO – Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM)

Since 2006, H.E. Ahmed Essa Hareb AlFalahi has been the CEO of Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), a JV between Mubadala, ENOC, Oman Oil & Thales, considered one of the world’s most modern product and chemical tanker fleet operators.

For over sixteen years, he has consistently and successfully steered the company into becoming a well-established and leading independent commercial product tanker operator in the Middle East.

As a CEO Ahmed Al Falahi has been the driving force behind GEM’s vision for the future, facilitating the achievement of several remarkable milestones such as Business valuation and analysis, Corporate Strategy Implementations, Refinancing and debt restructuring, Internal controls and policy implementation, External and Internal Audit management, Team building & ethical leadership coaching.

H.E. Ahmed Al Falahi is a result oriented professional with 24 years of continuous high level multinational exposure in UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan & Egypt with Vast experience in greenfield telecom license acquisitions, international consortium formation, complex shipping operations, in board governance with great knowledge of various committee’s responsibilities including Audit, Investment and Remuneration HR committees.

His Effectiveness at executing various growth strategies as well as corporate agile transformation and management of change has been evidently reflected on GEM's enviable resilience through the roughest seas of the global financial crisis and slow recovery of recent times.

His expertise extends to JV and consortium creation, License and complex contracts negotiations, Raising of capital / equity requirements and Business transformation.

H.E. Ahmed Al Falahi has executed Shareholders vision in becoming a market leader by adhering to the highest level of operational excellence as well as ensuring the safety of our human capital and protecting the environment as well as Timely regulation compliance at below budgeted capital expenditure.

Having proven himself worthy of the title and responsibility as CEO with a solid back ground and proven track record in various complex industries including Telecom and Oil Tanker shipping industry, he vows to continuously and effectively steer the company and highly trained and professional on-shore and off-shore personnel to market leadership in terms of safety and service delivery excellence.

Prior to joining GEM, AlFalahi played a key management role in Etisalat as a Head of mergers and acquisitions for Middle East and Africa, a UAE-based telecom giant & Fortune 500 Company.

He was bid manager in which Etisalat won the 3rd GSM licence in EGYPT, He had Lead Etisalat negotiator with the Government of Pakistan for the restructuring of Etisalat bid for Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited – PTCL and successfully Achieved a total of AED 3 billion in savings in the successful negotiations with the Pakistani Government.

AlFalahi represents the UAE in the council of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO).

He has been selected to be part of the Maritime Advisory Council established by Dubai Maritime City Authority. He is the board member of GARNET Shipping Co. and also the chairman of Lloyd’s Register Technical Advisory Committee.

He also has been a Corporate Boards Member / Council Member of various reputed companies i.e. National Cement Company, Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC), Gulf Navigation Holding, Dubai Dry Dock World, Reem Finance, Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation.

Ahmed Al Falahi has completed his studies from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a double major in Finance and General Business.