Ahmed Samerai

Dr. Ahmed Samerai is an Iraqi entrepreneur and founder of The SAHARA Group, which according to Arabian Business is "one of the leading public relations firms in the Middle East," particularly for properties.

An economist, Samerai has written AbOUT a number of business and geopolitical topics in publications such as Gulf News and Khaleej Times, and is periodically interviewed as an expert by Al Jazeera and Al Arabia.

He is also known for his charitable work, including the creation of the Al Samerai Foundation, and for sponsoring a number of football events in the United Kingdom. In January 2012 he was named as one of the most admired executives of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf by Arabian Business Magazine.

Early life, education

Born in 1969, Samerai graduated with an MBA from Humberside and a PhD in Economics from the American University of London. He also attended and graduated a number of management courses, including “Navigating through the difficult times,” by the London Business School.

Career

Sahara

Samerai founded The SAHARA Group and currently runs SAHARA Communications, the group's media arm, which according to Arabian Business is "one of the leading public relations firms in the Middle East.

Sahara Communications grew to become one of the largest PR agencies worldwide in the property sector, and has worked with Arabtec, the Egyptian investment company Citadel Capital, Dana Gas, Dubai Bank, UAE Ministry, Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority, Sharjah TV, Sharjah Bank, Shuaa Capital and Palazzo Versace. It also founded the Mazaya Property Index, which is the first of its kind in the region and provides data to assist in investment decisions.

He is on the boards of a number of organizations, and is the chairman of Hugo Plaza, a series of luxury apartments in Dubai's Burj Khalifa building, which is the tallest manmade structure in the world.

In January 2012 he was named as one of the most admired executives of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf by Arabian Business Magazine.

Writing

Samerai is the economic advisor to Shuaa Capital, and has been quoted as an expert on economic and business issues by Gulf News and the Dubai-based Khaleej Times. In Arabian Business, in a 2011 article he helped expose that Canadian authorities were chancing airport policy to favor Canadian air-travel companies over UAE and Arabian companies.

He is frequently interviewed as an expert by Al Jazeera and Al Arabia.

Al Samerai Foundation

Samerai founded the Al Samerai Foundation, which has done a wide range of charity work. The organization sponsored Larry King’s Save Our Gulf campaign, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, cancer-related charities and students from the Middle East studying overseas. He is also the largest single contributor to the Friends of Cancer Patients non-profit organization, having given $400,000. He's also contributed to Help for Heroes.

In May 2012, jointly with the famous Lebanese singer Dana Halabi, Dr Samerai launched a program which aims to help the children victims of the Arab Spring < http://www.worldconnector.net/listing.aspx?memberDetails=-1&NewsId=8420>

Sports sponsorships

Samerai is known for sponsoring football tournaments in the United Kingdom, and in 2011 was the main sponsor for the SAHARA London Legend Cup. The broadcast was seen by half a million people, and featured players from Arsenal, Chelsea and QPR. In 2012, the tournament was known as The SAMERAI Elite Legends Cup, and featured players such as Gianfranco Zola, Andy Cole, Ray Wilkins, Les Ferdinand, Ray Parlour, Paul Merson, Nicky Butt, Paul Ince, and Andrei Kanchelskis.