Omar K. Alghanim

Chairman, Family Business Council Gulf

Omar Kutayba Yusuf Alghanim is Founder and Chairman of YAKOA, an impact investment fund.

It pursues a strong set of values, developed and nurtured over four generations of the Alghanim International family business. The fund seeks to bring about positive change in the GCC.

Omar has lived, studied and worked around the world, in the Middle East, Europe and US. He brings a global outlook to business, whilst remaining true to the ethos and history of GCC and MENA.

Prior to founding YAKOA, Omar held a number of senior positions, including CEO of Alghanim Industries and Chairman of Gulf Bank. Beginning with his first job as an M&A analyst with Morgan Stanley, Omar has developed a leadership style founded on meritocracy, ensuring careers progress based on performance and successful ideas, rather than social connections.

Omar’s efforts have been recognised by Harvard Business School which uses Alghanim as a case study for MBA students. His distinctive management style was also successful at Gulf Bank where he oversaw double-digit growth for seven years in a row, making the bank one of the fastest growing in the region.

He is co-founder and board member of INJAZ-AL ARAB, a non-profit organization that prepares youths for work and business life across the Arab world. To date, the organization has educated and trained 3m young people.

Omar also gives back to his alma mater, Harvard, by serving on the Leadership Council of its Kennedy School Centre for Public Leadership as well as the Business School Board of Dean’s Advisors and MENA Advisory Board. He previously served as the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Chair of the MENA Regional Business Council (2014-2015).