Confidential

investment portfolios, initially as US Technologies Portfolio
Manager in Silicon Valley, and later as Senior Fund Manager
in Japan. Mr. Al Kudsi has a CFA from the CFA Institute,
Charlottesville VA, an MBA from Brigham Young University,
Provo Utah and a BSBA Finance from the American
University, Washington DC.
Board of Directors
Jawaan Awaidha Al Khaili, Chairman of the Board
Mr. Jawaan Awaidha Suhail Al Khaili is the Chairman of
National Holding. He also serves as the Chairman of Abu
Dhabi Islamic Bank and plays a leading role in various
organizations.
Hisham Abd Ahmid Ahmid, Vice Chairman
Mr. Abd Ahmid is the Vice Chairman of National Holding and
its Subsidiaries. Mr. Abd Ahmid managed National Holding
since foundation in 1993, and has since grown the business
by establishing several subsidiaries across multiple sectors.
Mr. Ragheed Shanti, Director
Mr. Shanti is advisor to the board of National Holding and
chairman of its Investment Committee. He is also member
of the Board of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. Mr. Shanti was
earlier Managing Director, Head of Investment Banking,
Middle East and Africa at ABN Amro Bank, after working
many years at the bank’s offices in London and New York
overseeing various operations in Latin America, Central and
Eastern Europe and Middle East and Africa. Prior to that,
Mr. Shanti held leadership roles at Merrill Lynch in London
and Citicorp Investment Bank and Sumitomo Trust and
Banking Corporation in New York. Mr. Shanti holds an MBA
in Finance and an MS in Construction Management from the
University of Texas at Austin.
Mr. Nazem Al Kudsi, Director
Mr. Al Kudsi is CEO of National Holding’s investment arm
EIIC. Mr. Al Kudsi was earlier the Chief Executive Officer
of Invest AD (Abu Dhabi Investment Company). A CFA
charter-holder, Mr. Al Kudsi has a distinguished investment
track record in the Middle East, United States, North
Africa and Far East. Prior to Invest Ad, Mr. Al Kudsi was
invited by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi to be Group
Chief Investment Officer. For almost two decades Mr. Al
Kudsi, worked in the Sovereign Wealth Fund arena, in
leading roles at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)
where he was responsible for a number of international
Fareed Bilbeisi, Director
Mr. Bilbeisi is Group Chief Financial Officer of National
Holding since 2010. He has over 19 years of experience in
manufacturing, emerging markets development, real estate
management & sales, hospitality, investment management
and business leadership. Prior to joining National Holding,
he worked at Emaar Industries & Investments and Kingdom
Hotel Investments. Mr. Bilbeisi is a CPA and MBA holder
from the USA and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting
from Jordan.
Leadership Team- Retail
Ghassan Kassabji, CEO - Rise General Trading
Mr. Kassabji has more than 25 years› experience in the
retail, automotive, food & beverage, entertainment and
marketing communications industries, across the United
States and the Middle East. Prior to joining Rise, he
held various positions in sales and marketing, business
development and general management at Micro Electronics
Inc., Safelite Glass Corp, Jeraisy Group and TBWA\RAAD.
Mr. Kassabji holds an MBA in Marketing and a Bachelor’s
Degree in Mathematics from the Ohio State University.
Robert Wages, Head of Private Equity - EIIC
Prior to joining EIIC in 2010, Mr. Wages was Executive
Director of Private Equity at the Abu Dhabi Investment
Company and was a partner in the New York City based
private equity firm of Castle Harlan, Inc. Mr. Wages has
over 25 years’ experience in private equity investments
in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia, across
consumer, financial and industrial sectors. He holds a
bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and is a
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative
Investment Analyst (CAIA).
Steven Holbrook, CEO - Al Boom Marine
Born in England, Steven graduated from Oxford Brooks
University in Law and Business Administration and
Management. With considerable senior management
successes at Debenhams (UK), Al Hokair (KSA) and Retailcorp
(UAE), he has lead the transformation of Al Boom Marine for
the past 5.5 years, during which time the business has grown
by over %700 and the retail platform has more than doubled.
He has also brought several key brands into the Al Boom
Marine portfolio, such as Go Pro, Sea Folly, Canterbury, New
Era, Fox, Superga, Stance and Animal.
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