Latest news with #AlFardan
Al Bawaba
13-04-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
All you need to know about Al Fardan Group chairman who passed away at 94
Published April 12th, 2025 - 08:59 GMT ALBAWABA - Haj Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan, honorary Chairman of Al Fardan Group, passed away on at 94 years old. Also Read Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey suspended on X Haj Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan passes away at 94 years old Haj Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan, the honorary Chairman of Al Fardan Group and business leader, passed away at 94 years old on Thursday. Hasan Fardan Al Fardan, CEO of Al Fardan Exchange, stated: 'With profound sorrow, I share the passing of my beloved grandfather, Haj Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan, the visionary leader and Honorary Chairman of Al Fardan Group. To the world, he was a pioneer who began his journey in 1954 with pearl trading and went on to build a diversified enterprise rooted in resilience, humility, and an enduring commitment to excellence. To me, he was far more than a grandfather. He was my guiding light, my role model, and the steady foundation of our family." In 1971, Al Fardan established Al Fardan Exchange Company. (Al Fardan Group) Notably, the latest Al Fardan was one of the major pearl merchants in the Middle East, he played a vital role in preserving the UAE's culture and heritage. In 1971, Al Fardan established Al Fardan Exchange Company. Al Fardan was known for his wisdom, humility, compassion, excellence, and integrity. Through his leadership, the Fardan Group, one of the leading family-owned companies in the region for more than 65 years, developed into a diversified and successful business company. Also Read A list of the goods most affected by the current tariff war © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Khaleej Times
12-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: ‘Guiding light, role model' Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan passes away
Haj Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan, honourary chairman of Al Fardan Group and respected as one of the last great pearl merchants in the region, has passed away on Thursday at 94 years old. 'With profound sorrow, I share the passing of my beloved grandfather, Haj Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan, the visionary leader and Honorary Chairman of Al Fardan Group,' Hasan Fardan Al Fardan, CEO of Al Fardan Exchange LLC, posted on LinkedIn on Friday. 'To the world, he was a pioneer who began his journey in 1954 with pearl trading and went on to build a diversified enterprise rooted in resilience, humility, and an enduring commitment to excellence,' said the younger Al Fardan, adding poignantly: 'To me, he was far more than a grandfather. He was my guiding light, my role model, and the steady foundation of our family.' 'His love for the UAE and its leadership ran deep. He firmly believed in the promise of its people, and often said that his greatest hope was to see Emirati generations thrive and contribute meaningfully to the nation's story. I am grateful that he lived to witness those hopes coming true,' he added. Al Fardan Group sent a statement to Khaleej Times on Saturday announcing the passing of Al Fardan. 'As one of the last great pearl merchants in the region, (he) was a living testament to the UAE's rich maritime heritage. His expertise in pearl valuation preserved a crucial aspect of Emirati cultural identity while establishing standards of excellence that elevated the entire industry. Under his exceptional leadership, Al Fardan Group evolved from its pearl trading origins into a diversified business conglomerate. His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence helped take Al Fardan Group to unprecedented heights, laid strong foundations for the UAE's business community, and inspired future generations of Emirati business leaders,' the statement added. Al Fardan Group announced they will be observing a mourning period of three days in their founder's honour. Legacy with a purpose For Hasan his grandfather's journey 'was never solely about building a successful business it was about uplifting others, and creating a legacy with purpose, heart, and humanity. His wisdom, generosity, and quiet strength left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. 'The lessons (my grandfather) instilled in me continue to shape the way I work, lead, and live. His blessings are the light that guide me forward. Though his passing leaves a space no words can fill, his spirit, values, and legacy will remain forever with us and with the generations to come. May Allah (SWT) envelop his soul in mercy and grant him eternal peace,' he added. Pivotal in our national growth Meanwhile, in a commentary published by Khaleej Times back in September 2023, Hasan said nurturing local talent is essential for cultivating UAE leaders of the future. He wrote: 'In 1971, the same year the UAE was established, our founder and honorary chairman (my grandfather) Hasan Ibrahim Al Fardan, founded Al Fardan Exchange. Consistently emphasising the crucial role of cultivating Emirati talent and future leaders, he recognised that Emiratis have been pivotal in driving our national growth and will remain indispensable in realising the UAE's ambitious aspirations in the coming decades. Thus, as a family, we have always felt a duty to provide training and opportunities for UAE nationals, with the aim of fostering and elevating their capabilities to take on leadership positions,' Hasan added.
Mid East Info
12-03-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Al Fardan Exchange welcomes Indian Cricket Icon KL Rahul for an exclusive Iftar, celebrating culture and community in the UAE
Dubai, UAE, Tuesday, 11 th March 2025 – Hasan Fardan Al Fardan, CEO of Al Fardan Exchange, personally hosted KL Rahul at an exclusive Iftar, celebrating the traditions that make Ramadan in the UAE a truly special occasion. The evening reinforced values of togetherness and mutual respect, bringing people from the two nations closer through shared cultural connections. With Indians making up 37.97% of the UAE's population, Al Fardan Exchange takes pride in serving and connecting with the community. As part of its commitment to fostering strong relationships, Al Fardan Exchange offered 10 lucky winners a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet KL Rahul, bringing cricket fans closer to the sport they love. In addition to the exclusive meet-and-greet, fans and customers also had the opportunity to see KL Rahul live at Al Fardan Exchange's Crown Mall branch in Jebel Ali, further strengthening the bond between the cricket star and the Indian community in the UAE. Expressing his gratitude for the warm reception, KL Rahul highlighted the importance of cultural exchange and the shared values of hospitality and unity between the UAE and India. He also recognised the immense contributions of the Indian community in the UAE, acknowledging their hard work, dedication, and sacrifices to support their families back home. Events like these not only celebrate cricket but also reinforce the deep-rooted connection between the two countries. As a home-grown Emirati Business, Al Fardan Exchange continues its efforts to bridge cultures and connect with the passions of its diverse clientele, solidifying its role as a trusted financial partner and a champion of community-driven initiatives. About Al Fardan Exchange Al Fardan Exchange is a member of the Al Fardan Group, which has roots stretching back to 1954. Emerging from a seafaring and pearl trading tradition to commercial trade, the Al Fardan name is built on a solid bedrock of security and reliability. L everaging on the Group's diversified business interests and successful operations in real estate, high-end jewellery and financial services, Al Fardan Exchange holds global reach with trust and credibility as its main ethics. Established in 1971, Al Fardan Exchange has had the unique opportunity of playing a part in supporting communities who have helped build this nation by helping them bring life to their dreams – both here and in their home countries. Today, Al Fardan Exchange is incredibly proud to serve the UAE's cosmopolitan community through its omni-channel presence, providing financial services via the AlfaPay App and a strong network of over 90 branches across the Emirates. Reinforced by strong relationships with over 150 global corresponding banks, financial institutions, and other financial service providers, Al Fardan Exchange offers secure transactions that firmly place reliability and trust at the forefront. Committed to innovation, Al Fardan Exchange is embracing digital transformation to enhance operational efficiencies and expand revenue streams. This strategic focus includes integrating artificial intelligence and digital solutions to deliver customer-centric solutions, aligning with the UAE government's vision for innovation and inclusion. Notably, the company has become the founding partner for the Dubai AI Festival, underscoring its leadership in AI integration within the financial sector. Al Fardan Exchange's mission is to redefine global money transfer and payment services by leveraging cutting-edge technology, a robust branch network, and superior customer service. The company upholds values of integrity, innovation, commitment, collaboration, and connectivity (financial inclusion). To learn more about Al Fardan Exchange, visit
The National
28-02-2025
- Business
- The National
Money & Me: How Al Fardan Exchange's chief executive handles his own cash
Hasan Al Fardan, an Emirati national and chief executive of money transfer company Al Fardan Exchange, believes it is his responsibility to sustainably manage his legacy family business wealth for future generations. His understanding of money has been shaped by older generations of his family, who endured hardships and challenges in creating wealth. Born and raised in Abu Dhabi, Mr Al Fardan, 38, held important positions at the sovereign wealth fund Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia), gaining experience in investment strategy and financial management during a six-and-half year stint. 'The amount of effort that Adia puts into training every UAE national is remarkable. I wouldn't be able to do what I'm doing today for my family if I'd not spent my time with Adia,' he says. Mr Al Fardan also serves on the executive board of the Emirates Family Office Association and is a board member of the UAE's Foreign Exchange and Remittance Group, where he heads the FinTech subcommittee. In addition, he serves as a director of Ajyad Capital, a Bahraini investment firm, and is a supervisory board member at Evocabank, an Armenian bank. He holds a master's degree in real estate, finance and investment from the Henley Business School at the University of Reading in the UK. He lives with his family in Abu Dhabi. Most of my experience or knowledge around wealth has come from my grandfather, my father and my extended family. I have listened to how my grandfather and the older generation experienced difficulties and hardships. It was not so long ago that people had to struggle to make ends meet prior to the advent of oil. The driving engine of our economy was natural pearls. My grandfather and his family have been renowned for pearling for the last 200-plus years in the region. While we live in a degree of comfort, they've been through very difficult times and challenges to be able to have the wealth that they managed to build. As the younger generation, we have the responsibility to preserve that heritage and legacy. Prior to working for any kind of financial reward, we perhaps took certain things for granted. When I started working for Adia, I started to value the effort that goes into building wealth. Also, listening to my grandfather and the older generations talk of how things were not readily available helped frame my knowledge and appreciation for wealth. My family has been quite focused on charitable work. When you see how difficult it is to generate money, you make a choice to spend a part of it on yourself and put the excess back into the community to help those in need. I've learnt to view money as an enabler. Yes, you can buy things and have experiences by virtue of having access to wealth. But what's also rewarding is redistributing money within the economy by assisting people with financial and medical needs. It's far more rewarding than spending it on things that are perishable. There are two fundamental ways in which you can grow your wealth. You must take focused bets and specialise in one area or a few subsets of businesses and then grow those. You can either do that as a business operator yourself, or by investing in areas with significant growth potential. Creating wealth is one challenge, and preserving it is another. There is some family involvement in our business. But it's important that when the business reaches a degree of maturity, you start to institutionalise it and treat it as if you don't own it. We apply the same mindset to money. It's technically your wealth, but if you start to treat it like you don't own it and set limits around it, you become disciplined. You'll be surprised by your ability to maintain wealth, develop and grow it. I like to have a balanced approach to managing wealth. I think it's important to put money aside for a rainy day and to consistently reinvest this money. Keeping money idle is not necessarily the right thing to do for growth. You want to consistently take some element of risk, which depends on your individual risk appetite. My best investment is in my education and personal development. I can talk at length about what investments were right and wrong for us, but the one thing that has stood the test of time is the good lessons I've taken from being around individuals with significant amount of experience and exposing myself to various businesses and investments. Also, the amount of time that I've invested in myself by attending courses, reading books and engaging with foundations and charities has had a positive impact on developing myself. With my first salary, I bought a pair of nice shoes that I've kept for memorabilia. There's something special about getting that first paycheque. I still have that pair of shoes. I'm not getting rid of those anytime soon. To continue to develop our family business and our capabilities in a sustainable way. Coming from a legacy family business, we want growth, but it must be sustainable for subsequent generations. I'm not just working for myself. I'm working for future generations of the family. What I do today has to position the family business and the family's wealth to be sustainable for my kids and their kids, and so on. Time with my family. I can't think of a luxury that outweighs it. Money needs to be respected, irrespective of the quantum. If you have good saving habits and invest prudently, but with a little bit of risk, generally, it will serve you well.
