Abdul wahab Al-Halabi is an entrepreneur, advisor, restructuring expert and Partner at Decker & Halabi. As Partner at the boutique advisory firm, Abdul wahab applies his knowledge and expertise gained from over 20 years in executive management, restructuring, crisis & debt management, credit enhancements and joint ventures.
Decker & Halabi specialises in debt advisory and consulting on mergers and acquisitions. Abdul wahab sits on the board of several listed entities and private businesses such as DXB Entertainments PJSC, Union Properties PJSC, TPL Properties, AbFab Limited and Embassy Capital Limited. Previously, he has held multiple senior leadership roles, largely leading companies through turnaround situations and subsequent growth. As Group Chief Investment Officer of Equitativa, he led the expansion of the group’s financial services and asset management across a range of industries.
Abdul wahab was responsible for the financial turnaround of major holding company Meraas, where he served as COO and Group Chief Investment Officer. He handled asset management, special investments and oversaw the group’s international portfolios, while managing the daily operations and developing new governance structures.
Before this, Abdul wahab was CEO of Dubai Properties, where he established project ownership and the company’s commercial division after three major groups merged into one. He was pivotal in leading Mizin Real Estate through the 2008 financial crisis and previously joined Tatweer as Chief Operating Officer of their leisure and entertainment businesses, which included the Dubailand project. Abdul wahab sat on the board of Global Investment House PJSC focusing on the turnaround of the group and as CEO for two years, on the sale of the group to KAMCO PJSC. He began his career in London at KPMG, where he worked in corporate recovery before later becoming a Partner at the firm and leading the restructuring and transactions in the UAE and Oman.
Abdul wahab Al-Halabi’s Background
Decker & Halabi
Partner
Jan 2018 - Present
Dubai, AE
Decker & Halabi is a global boutique advisory firm that specialises in debt advisory as well as mergers and acquisitions. Decker & Halabi aims to tailor their strategies according to their clients’ goals in order to provide personalised service that is both collaborative and precise.
AbFab Limited
Director
Oct 2011 - Present
Dubai, AE
AbFab Limited is a food and beverage company based outside of the United Arab Emirates.
TPL Properties is a real estate development company based in Pakistan that was established in 2007. TPL focuses on developing, investing, selling and leasing both private and commercial real estate.
Equitativa Group is a Dubai-based asset management firm that specialises in handling real estate investment trusts (REITs). Equitativa offers risk-adjusted, income-generating products to institutional and retail clients.
Global Investment House was an investment company based in Kuwait. It merged with Kamco Investment Company to form what is now known as Kamco Invest, a leader in asset management, investment banking and brokerage in the Gulf region.
Chief Operating Officer & Group Chief Investment Officer
Jan 2010 - Jun 2016
Dubai, AE
Meraas Holding is a major holding company based in the United Arab Emirates. It offers a range of products and services through its subsidiaries, including retail, food & beverage, healthcare, enterprise and real estate solutions.
KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services. The firm is part of the Big Four, which makes it one of the four largest professional service networks in the world.
Mizin LLC is a real estate company that falls under Dubai Holding. Abdul was instrumental in leading the business through the 2008 finical crises as their Vice President.
Tatweer in part of Dubai Holding and was established in 2005 to help fulfil the Dubai Vision. Tatweer has led the Dubailand project, a major entertainment complex based in Dubai that is known to be one of the most elaborate in the world. The project was put on hold after the global recession in 2008 and has resumed since mid-2013.
Abdul started his career at KPMG, where he focused on corporate recovery, where he worked on a range of cases, from formal insolvencies to large scale restructuring advisory.
Established in 1987, Union Properties is a leading high-quality United Arab Emirates property developer. The company has successfully delivered over 10,000 commercial, residential and retail units across Dubai. The company's successful portfolio includes Index Tower, UP Tower, Dubai Autodrome, Limestone House, Uptown Mirdif and Green Community.
Dubai Parks and Resorts is the largest integrated leisure and theme park in the Middle East. It boasts over 100 rides and attractions and consists of three different theme parks, one water park as well as a retail and dining park called Riverland Dubai in addition to a family resort, Lapita Hotel Dubai.
The English Business Council (EBC) is an association that represents and embodies the values of English business. It upholds professionalism, pragmatism, integrity and transparency, which are indicative of English business.
DXB Entertainments owns Dubai Parks and Resorts and manages six family entertainment centres, as well as several cinemas that are owned by its parent company, Meraas Holding.
Planet Pharmacies is a joint endeavour between Global Investment House, a leading Kuwait-based investment firm (now Kamco Invest) and Julphar Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest manufacturers of generic drugs in the region that is based in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates.
Emirates REIT is a Sharia-compliant, closed-end, domestic and public real estate investment trust that focuses on a range of investments, from commercial to residential and retail.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has over 147,000 members. Over 15,000 of these members live and work outside the UK. 82 of FTSE 100 companies have an ICAEW Chartered Accountant on the board.
Abdul shares a survival kit for entrepreneurs during COVID-19, especially those involved in consumer-facing businesses that have been more severely impacted than other industries. He encourages entrepreneurs to reflect on how they will contribute to the new business climate and explores four points on how to successfully navigate a crisis.
The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment is an association for finance professionals around the world. The organisation ensures that all members comply with the codes of conduct and ethical guidelines while working in the securities and investment sectors.
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is an international association of business owners from over 60 countries. It is a platform for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, network and support new ventures.
