Everyone who thinks of Dubai is reminded of the ‘Burj Khalifa’. Perhaps many people do not know that this Burj Khalifa, which is famous as the tallest building in the world, was built by the son of a fisherman. Let’s find out the details in this article.
Burj Khalifa was built by Emaar Properties, a leading real estate company in Dubai. The founder of this company is ‘Mohamed Alabbar’. He is the owner of Burj Khalifa.
Burj Khalifa was built by Emaar Properties, a leading real estate company in Dubai. The founder of this company is ‘Mohamed Alabbar’. He is the owner of Burj Khalifa.
Burj Khalifa was built by Emaar Properties, a leading real estate company in Dubai. The founder of this company is ‘Mohamed Alabbar’. He is the owner of Burj Khalifa.
Job in a bank:
Alabbar started his career at the UAE Central Bank and thoroughly learned about the financial systems. He attracted everyone’s attention with his work.. In a very short time, he became the Director General of the Dubai Economic Development Department. It was during this time that he came into contact with the visionary ruler of Dubai, ‘Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’. It was then that he imagined the future.
When Alabbar founded Emaar Properties in 1997, many people ridiculed it at the time. But within a decade, it gained immense recognition. After that, Alabbar gained a unique recognition in this field by completing projects like the Dubai Fountain, Downtown Dubai, and the Dubai Mall.
About Burj Khalifa:
The world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, is also one of the most expensive apartment buildings. A single-bedroom apartment here costs 180,000 – 250,000 dirhams (Rs. 40 lakhs to Rs. 55 lakhs) per year.
The Burj Khalifa is 829.8 meters (2,722 feet) tall and has 163 floors. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2010. Visible from 95 kilometers away, the building houses 304 luxury hotel rooms and 900 high-end apartments. Another interesting fact is that it takes about three months to clean the outside of the building.
Early Life & Education:
Alabbar was born on 8 November 1956 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
He grew up in the Rashidiya area of Dubai, as the eldest of twelve children. His father worked as a dhow-captain (traditional trading vessel).
He received a government scholarship to study abroad, and graduated from Seattle University (Albers School of Business & Economics) with a degree in Business Administration and Finance in 1981.
He also holds honorary doctorates (from Seattle University, London School of Economics, and Sun Moon University in South Korea) as a recognition of his achievements.
Career Path & Key Milestones:
After his studies, Alabbar started his career at the Central Bank of the UAE as a banking manager.
In 1992, he became the founding Director General of the Dubai Department of Economic Development, an important post in the government of Dubai, working closely with Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Ruler of Dubai) in shaping economic development strategies.
In 1997 (June 16), he founded Emaar Properties in Dubai.
Emaar went on to deliver landmark real estate developments including the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building) and the Dubai Mall.
Over time, Alabbar’s interests expanded beyond real‐estate into retail, hospitality, e-commerce, technology and banking.
Major Business Ventures
Here are some of his prominent businesses/investments:
Emaar Properties: As founder and managing director, Alabbar transformed Emaar into a global real‐estate developer with presence across many countries.
Eagle Hills: A private investment & development company based in Abu Dhabi (founded by Alabbar) that focuses on luxury real‐estate developments in emerging markets.
Noon.com: A Middle East e-commerce platform (launched in 2016-17) backed by Saudi and UAE capital; Alabbar is a key founder/driver.
Americana Group (Food & F&B): Alabbar chairs this group which owns many food-brand franchises across the Middle East; this forms a significant portion of his wealth.
Zand Bank: A digital bank in the UAE, which Alabbar chairs.
Personal & Legacy:
Alabbar comes from humble beginnings — as he’s noted, he “came from social housing” in Dubai and sees that as part of his identity.
He has said that for him it was not just about work but fulfilling a vision and passion.
His legacy so far: transforming a city’s urban landscape (especially Dubai), pioneering large-scale mixed-use developments, and helping shape digital/technology and retail ecosystems in the Middle East.
With his newer projects, he seems to be shifting more towards “global second act” developments — emerging markets, new geographies, digital banking etc.
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