Emirati graduate brothers see their dreams come true

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Emirati brothers and Canadian University Dubai (CUD) graduates, Ali Sharif Al Marzooqi and Omar Sharif Al Marzooqi, both started their careers as junior executives in human resources. With a passion for the industry and growing professional expertise, they also recognised the importance of earning a formal qualification in the field. Taking different routes to join the same degree programme, Ali and Omar returned to education as mature students, enrolling in CUD’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management in the same year. As mid-career graduates they are now at the top of their profession in strategic roles with leading UAE organisations.

Having spent his summers since the age of 16 in training with Dubai Ports Authority in Jebel Ali, it was a natural progression for Omar to join the organisation after high school. Two decades on, and Omar has applied his education and professional experience to rise through the ranks to Senior Vice President of People at DP World, overseeing the workforce of the Middle East, North Africa & Sub-Continent Region. Ali, meanwhile, started out with Dubai real estate developer, Nakheel. After transitioning through senior roles with other developer groups, Ali is now Head of Performance and compensation at Emirates Investment Authority.

Working full-time and caring for their young children while also studying at CUD, Ali and Omar knew there would be challenges and sacrifices throughout their journey, yet both had a strong motivation to succeed. Ali explained, “I had never been a natural scholar, so it was an immense effort to return to education at 27 years old. Despite being in a management position, I recognised that there was a gap in my academic experience that I needed to fill to help me progress further in my career. While it was a challenge to adapt in the first few months, my studies ultimately added value for me, both personally and professionally.”

Transformed from a reluctant scholar to a committed lifelong learner, Ali returned to CUD in 2016 to study for a Master’s in Business Administration. Stepping outside his comfort zone, he enrolled in the Finance specialization, with the aim of growing his career further. Ali said, “I wanted to learn a different approach to business that would challenge my traditional HR mindset. Alongside my role as a Group Vice President, I held a number of positions on advisory boards and steering committees, and the MBA in Finance helped me understand different perspectives and more systematic approaches to change.”

Like Ali, Omar also enrolled in an undergraduate degree to learn the academic theories and industry standards that would complement his extensive workplace practice. He said, “In my job, I have overseen multiple projects and experienced all suites of HR practice, from recruitment and employee relations to performance management and learning and development. My journey at CUD was an important addition to this experience, because I had the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and learn from top-tier professors, as well as fellow students.”

Omar also went on to step out of his professional comfort zone. After 15 years climbing the ranks in human resource management, he decided to explore the operations side of the Dubai ports business. Omar explained, “I realized that, in order to understand the needs of employees, I had to see the challenges they faced first-hand, and this motivated my move into operations. I was assigned to manage the Cruise Business and Operations at Mina Rashid where I was able to take on a number of ground-breaking projects, like transferring the world-renowned Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) to Port Rashid and supporting Dubai Cruise Committee to attract one million passengers in three years.”

Outside of their professional achievements, Ali and Omar are keen tennis and padel players, both having represented their country internationally. Though their work, family and study commitments meant that there was less time to pursue their sporting passion while at university, the brothers have remained in the game. Now Team Manager for the UAE National Padel Team, Omar concluded, “There will always be sacrifices when you go to university after establishing a career, but the education and knowledge you gain will always be worth those sacrifices.” In conclusion, Omar offered the following advice to current students and fresh graduates: “I encourage you to embrace a strong work ethic, maintain a positive outlook, and set ambitious goals. Be patient, persistent, and passionate about your aspirations. Don’t hesitate to challenge conventional thinking and drive positive change within your industry. The world needs your unique perspective and contributions.”