Chairman (2018-2024), FBCG, Founder and Chairman, YAKOA
Omar Alghanim (Omar Kutayba Yusuf Ahmad Alghanim) is the Founder and Chairman of YAKOA, an impact‑driven investment firm grounded in values developed over four generations of the Alghanim family enterprise. YAKOA backs businesses that create economic and social value across the GCC and beyond.
Prior to founding YAKOA, Omar held senior leadership roles including CEO of Alghanim Industries and Chairman of Gulf Bank. He began his career as an M&A analyst at Morgan Stanley and has championed a meritocratic, performance‑driven leadership approach. His work strengthening a culture of meritocracy at Alghanim Industries is the subject of a Harvard Business School case study.
Omar co‑founded INJAZ Al‑Arab, part of the Junior Achievement network, which has educated and trained more than 3 million young people across the Arab world. He serves on Harvard Business School’s (HBS) Board of Dean’s Advisors and the HBS MENA and Central Asia Advisory Board, and is a member of the Leadership Council at the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at Harvard Kennedy School. Omar holds a BS from NYU Stern and an MBA from Harvard Business School.