His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi is the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Minister in charge of Talent Attraction and Retention. As Minister, he is responsible for leading the development and expansion of the country’s non-oil foreign trade, enhancing national polices and measures to promote foreign direct investment in the UAE, and implementing initiatives to attract and retain strategic global talent in the UAE.

H.E. Dr. Al Zeyoudi is also the former Minister of Climate Change and Environment for the UAE, where he was instrumental in elevating the UAE’s global presence and contributions in climate mitigation and adaptation. Over the course of H.E. Dr. Al Zeyoudi’s career, he has led and contributed to shaping international policy and legal frameworks in areas including energy, environment, and sustainable development. H.E. Dr. Al Zeyoudi’s considerable expertise, dynamic leadership, and track record for driving the formation of global alliances have been fundamental to his success in delivering on his various mandates and in furthering the UAE’s efforts on economic growth and diversification.

In 2020, H.E. was Dr. Al Zeyoudi was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader for his outstanding international efforts in the field of environment and climate. H.E. Dr. Al Zeyoudi holds a B.S. in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa, two Masters degrees from the New York Institute of Technology and the British University in Dubai, and completed his PhD at the Skema Business School in France.