H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was educated at schools in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi until the age of 18. In 1979, he joined the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he trained in armour, helicopter flying, tactical flying and paratroops. After graduating in April 1979, he returned home to the UAE to join the Officers' Training Course in Sharjah, another Emirate of the UAE. He has held a number of roles in the UAE military, from that of Officer in the Amiri Guard (the UAE's elite security force) and Pilot in the UAE Air Force, to his current role as Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Guided by the directives of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed helped develop the UAE Armed Forces in terms of strategic planning, training, organizational structure and promoting defense capabilities. Sheikh Mohamed’s direct guidance and leadership, led the UAE Armed Forces to become a leading institution that is widely admired by many international military organizations . Sheikh Mohamed also holds a number of political and economic roles at an Emirate level and a wider Federal level in the UAE.

Among his many interests, His Highness is known for his unwavering commitment to enhance educational standards in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and raise them to be on par with the best international standards. Since Sheikh Mohamed took on the Chairmanship of the Abu Dhabi Education Council he has worked tirelessly to forge partnerships with prestigious world-class educational institutions and think-tanks, a number of which have subsequently announced plans to either establish a base in or join strategic joint ventures with existing academic establishments, under the direction of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, the President of UAE and the Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Roles and Responsibilities

Currently, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed holds the following positions:

1.  Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, November 2004.
2.  Chairman of the Executive Council, December 2004.
3.  Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, January 2005.
4.  Chairman of Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), September 2005.
5.  Chairman of Mubadala Development Company, 2002.
6.  Chairman of UAE Offset Program Bureau (OPB), 1992.

His Highness is also a member of the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). Both bodies are under the chairmanship of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

Awards and Honours

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has received numerous citations and decorations from the UAE and many other countries including Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Malaysia, Pakistan, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, South Korea, Montenegro and Kosovo, as well as the United Nations.

Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed

The Mohamed bin Zayed Majlis firmly believes in the importance of dialogue, understanding the others’ point of view and reaffirming the high value of exchanging ideas in order to enrich debates and contribute to a deeper understanding of and better solutions for the various issues that can impact future societies and human life.

Based on this belief, the Majlis has continued to host a distinguished number of selected scientists, thinkers, intellectuals, experts and religious scholars from all over the world every year to express their perspectives and experiences on general public issues and vital concerns related to the requirements of our age, and explore future prospects in a unique intellectual forum, as dialogue and diverse ideas have become the language of civilization and progress.

Previously, the Majlis has hosted a wide number of high profile speakers, some of which are Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, current President of Singapore, he was hosted when he was Deputy Chairman and Executive Director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Private Limited (GIC), Chairman of the National Research Foundation and Deputy Chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council. The Majlis also hosted Tony Blair, previous Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, UK, Professor Muhammad Yunus , Founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.