Mustafa Abdel-Wadood is a managing director and a member of the board of directors of Abraaj Capital. In his capacity as chief executive officer of Abraaj Investment Management, he oversees the company’s investment activity across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. He is also a member of the board of directors at Young Arab Leaders (YAL). In 2002, the World Economic Forum selected him as one of the 100 Global Leaders for Tomorrow and as a Young Global Leader in 2007.
When did you join Young Arab Leaders?
I was part of the original board, which was founded and chaired by Mohammed al-Gergawi. The idea came about whilst we were attending the World Economic Forum Middle East event at the Dead Sea, Jordan, a few years ago. Gergawi discussed it with a number of us and later put together a concept document that formed the principles upon which YAL was founded.
The intention was to create an organization that would promote the betterment, and further the causes, of Arab youth, with its members serving that cause as role models.
What originally brought you to YAL and what do you feel are the most important needs of the youth of the Arab World?
Having had the benefit of attending the pre-formation sessions as well as the inaugural meeting, I was attracted to the cause of an organization that represented and served Arab youth. The youth of any region are its future and, given the young population of the Arab World, we need to ensure that the youth have the right opportunities and aspirations to succeed if we are to have sustainable growth in this region.
What is your role on the board of directors and what is the purpose of the board?
The principles of modern management run throughout our organization’s work, as we embrace transparency and the policy of equal opportunity in all our processes.
Our current board represents the diversity of our network in terms of background, gender and experience; it is this diversity that is our organization’s strength and allows myself and others to collectively contribute a wide range of viewpoints. The members of the board direct the organization strategically and contribute their time and resources to achieving the organization’s key objectives.
What issues confront Arab Youth in the world today?
The single issue at the core of all the problems facing the Arab world is the provision of effective and relevant education at all levels. All progress will flow from there. Unfortunately, our educational systems across the board, with a few exceptions, have a long way to go before they become relevant in today’s world. Today’s youth need to be armed with the right tools and the right mindset to capitalize on the growth potential of this region. This will not only lead to employment and the economic betterment of the Middle East, but will also lead to a more tolerant and progressive society, whilst preserving our unique culture.
How is YAL working to have the biggest impact on the region?
We recently distilled our strategy to focus our programs on two pillars, education and entrepreneurship. YAL and its chapters have worked on a number of initiatives under these pillars, including mentorship, scholarships, fund-raising for special causes and executive exchange programs. The focus of our work is always the youth and creating opportunities for them to hone their skills.
What is YAL’s future role?
The role is as clear and sustainable as it is today. What we need to achieve in the future is to widen the impact as much as possible, encompassing all 22 Arab League nations and hence, potentially, thousands of youths.
