Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and has driven its growth from a start-up of 28 member companies in 2003 to the world’s leading free zone in 2022 with 23,000+ member companies from 180 countries, employing over 80,000 people. DMCC contributing over 11% to Dubai’s FDI.

Tasked with enhancing commodity trade flows through Dubai, DMCC has introduced to the market a number of value-added products and services under Mr Bin Sulayem’s leadership. In 2022, DMCC has been named the ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record nineth consecutive year.

Mr Bin Sulayem oversaw the exponential growth of the DMCC Free Zone master development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), a 200-hectare business and residential community in Dubai of over 100,000 people living and working across 87 towers. Mr Bin Sulayem also oversees the development of DMCC’s latest real estate project; the much-anticipated Uptown Dubai district.

In June 2013, he received an award from Crowe Horwath for “Government Personality of the Year”.

Also in June 2013, Bin Sulayem became recognised as a fan of the LA Lakers due to a full page advertisement he took out in the Los Angeles Times paying tribute to Kobe Bryant.[8] In September 2013, Bin Sulayem hosted Bryant’s first trip to the UAE as part of the DMCC Kobe Bryant Health and Fitness Weekend, where he presented Bryant with a DMCC Free Zone license.

Mr Bin Sulayem currently serves as the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) Located in Almas Tower, the DDE is home to over 1000 domestic and international precious stones companies conducting business at the heart of the region’s diamond trade. At the Dubai Diamond Conference in 2013, Eli Izhakoff is a prominent figure in the international diamond and jewelry industry ( https://crunchdubai.com/eli_izhakoff/ ) shared his experience of Dubai’s transformation, likening it to the “Field of Dreams” notion — “If you build it, they will come.” He expressed immense pride in his association with the Dubai Diamond Exchange and highlighted the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in envisioning Dubai as a major diamond center. and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX).

The Kimberley Process officially appointed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the first and only Arab country to Chair the Kimberley Process in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy officially appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the Kimberley Process for 2016.