Mohamed Sharaf is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), a subsidiary of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). As the economic development arm of Dubai, DEDC’s mandate is aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to further consolidate Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities. Mohamed is responsible for promoting economic growth through the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment and world-class talent to the economy, as envisioned under the D33 Agenda. Additionally, he focuses on supporting the growth and expansion of Dubai-based businesses both locally and globally.
Prior to joining DET, Mohamed was COO and Managing Director of Dubai Holding Entertainment (DHE), where he led operations of Dubai’s largest and most diverse entertainment portfolio, including Global Village, Ain Dubai, Coca-Cola Arena, Arabian Radio Network, and The Green Planet. During his tenure at Dubai Holding, he managed the successful integration of Dubai Holding and Meraas’ entertainment portfolios to create DHE. He also oversaw the addition of DXB Entertainment, Dubai’s leading theme park destination manager and operator, to the DHE portfolio, forming one of the region’s largest entertainment businesses.
Mohamed previously served as the CEO of Arab Media Group, Dubai Holding’s media- and entertainment-focused vertical. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Malta Properties Company plc and Yvolv LLC, and as a board member, committee member, or board observer at numerous organisations locally and globally, including Rove Hospitality, Rivoli Group, Ishraq Holding, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Travelodge, Doncasters, and StandardAero. He began his career as an investment professional with Dubai International Capital (a Dubai Holding investment vehicle), managing a diverse portfolio with assets under management in excess of USD 3 billion invested in regional and global businesses across Europe and the Middle East.
Mohamed holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Tufts University in Medford, MA, and a master’s degree in Finance from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He was one of the first students selected for the EDAAD scholarship programme initiated by The Executive Office of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
