The United Arab Emirates’ President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has appointed his eldest son Sheikh Khaled as crown prince of Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, according to a presidential decree, making him next in line as the leader of the oil-rich emirate.
Sheikh Khaled, 41, is married to Sheikha Fatima bint Suroor Al Nahyan. They have one son and one daughter. He graduated from the American University of Sharjah and obtained his PhD from the King's College London’s Department of War Studies in 2014, according to Gulf News.
Since then, he has held several top positions across Emirati institutions. In 2016, he was named chairman of the State Security Department and a year later was appointed deputy national security adviser. Since 2019, he has been a member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of the powerful Abu Dhabi Executive Office, a government body that oversees the implementation of strategic and executive plans in the emirate.
Sheikh Khaled also sits on the board of state oil firm the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. During his tenure at the oil giant, he has launched several renewable energy and green hydrogen projects as the UAE moves toward sustainable energy.
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