Essa Kazim

Essa Kazim was appointed chairman of DP World on 13 February 2026. He has been governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre since January 2014 and chairs Borse Dubai. He started in 1988 as a senior analyst in the UAE Central Bank's research and statistics department, joined Dubai's Department of Economic Development in 1993 and was director general of the Dubai Financial Market from 1999 to 2006 and its chairman from 2007 to 2021. He is deputy chairman of Dubai's Supreme Legislation Committee, a member of its Securities and Exchange Higher Committee and Supreme Fiscal Committee, and sits on the boards of Nasdaq and Nasdaq Dubai. He holds a bachelor's degree from Coe College, a master's in economics from the University of Iowa, a master's in total quality management from the University of Wollongong and an honorary doctorate from Coe College. Gulf Business ranked him 20th in its Top 100 Global Arabs of 2026. No net worth figure was found.

• 1988 · Senior Analyst, Research and Statistics · UAE Central Bank
• 1993 · Director of Planning and Development · Dubai Department of Economic Development
• 1999 · Director General (to 2006) · Dubai Financial Market
• 2007 · Chairman (to 2021) · Dubai Financial Market
• 2014 · Governor (from January) · Dubai International Financial Centre
• 2026 · Chairman (13 February) · DP World

• Bachelor's degree, Coe College
• Master's in Economics, University of Iowa
• Master's in Total Quality Management, University of Wollongong
• Honorary doctorate, Coe College

• Ranked 20th in Gulf Business's Top 100 Global Arabs 2026
• Governor of the DIFC since 2014