H.E. Jamal Bin Huwaireb
In 2017, a law was issued to adopt the current name of the Foundation — it was previously known as the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.
Under his leadership, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation launched a host of ambitious knowledge-related projects in the UAE and the region. The most notable of these projects were the Knowledge Summit, the Knowledge Index, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award, the Arab Reading Index, Knowledge4All, and the
Nobel Museum. Led by H.E. bin Huwaireb, the Foundation also founded Qindeel Printing,
Publishing and Distribution, and Qindeel Educational, in addition to the Dubai Digital Library, Audio Book, Esteraht Sayedat, the Dubai International Program for Writing, and other ground-breaking projects that aim to spread knowledge in the region and the world.
Locally, H.E. strengthened partnerships with the ministries, government and public and private institutions, such as the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Economic
Development, Aramex, the Red Crescent, and AMIDEAST. He also worked to expand the Foundation's activities globally through partnerships with leading knowledge institutions such as Oxford University, the Goethe Institute, Japanese Culture and Arts Foundation, Frankfurt
Book Fair, the Nobel Foundation, and Linkedln.
Bin Huwaireb is a board member at the Dubai Media Incorporated, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. He also serves as vice-chairman of the National Curriculum Development Committee. He is a member of the advisory board of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Sharjah University, and also a member of the advisory board of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the UAE University. He was appointed as a member of the Global Leadership Council of the Said Business School, University of Oxford. He is a member of the UAE's Arabic Language Advisory Council and GCC Society for History and Archaeology, and also a member of the Advisory Council of Zewail City of Science and Technology in Egypt.
A UAE national historian and a pioneering man of letters, His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb is acclaimed for chronicling the cultural and creative movement in the emirate of Dubai, as well as the wider GCC region. A prolific writer and novelist documenting Arab and Islamic heritage, for the eighth year in a row, he presented the popular TV show 'Al Rawi' (The Narrator) during the holy month of Ramadan on Dubai TV. The historical and literary show spotlights public figures that have positively impacted life in the region, giving the community an opportunity to gain inspiration from their experiences and definitive leadership roles.
Jamal bin Huwaireb is one of the UAE's most prominent and eloquent exponents of
Nabataean poetry. He has to his credit three published volumes of poems, titled 'Lubna', 'AlFatena' and 'Al-Majd'.
He has many published books, such as:
Jamal bin Huwaireb Diaries (parts 1 & 2), Hands of Sheba, Inscriptions on the Walls of Life, Diwan Ahmed bin Saleem, The Majlis of Caliphs & Royalties.
He is also co-founder of Dubai-based Dar Al-Sada Press that has produced several publications, including 'Jawaher', a magazine specialising in folk poetry.
In addition to contributing features and thought pieces to a number of Pan-Arab newspapers and magazines, Jamal bin Huwaireb authors a daily column 'Diary', as well as a weekly column 'Bab Al-Maaref in Al Bayan newspaper. The latter features reviews and analyses of the region's history and literature.