Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri

In a reshuffle ordered by Deputy Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in January this year, Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri came out as one of the big winners. Already head of Dubai’s Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) since 2007, Al Marri has now been appointed head of the commission for social development, one of five new committees that will assist the emirate’s decision-making process. And Al Marri is in some pretty stellar company, with both HH Sheikh Ahmed and Dubai Police chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim chairing two of the other committees.

A former policeman with 26 years on the force under his belt, Al Marri has been at the forefront at massive change at the DNRD, where a switch to online services, plus a major new training complex, have seen a huge improvement in service. While many might see the DNRD role as a behind-the-scenes position, Al Marri’s role is actually vital in streamlining the vast numbers of visitors to Dubai, and ensuring that the stream of tourist dollars into the emirate remains high.

In addition to his busy role at DNRD, however, Al Marri is also chairman of the Labour Welfare Committee, and has been instrumental in calling for more frequent site inspections to protect labourers during the harsh summer months.