Canadian University Dubai (CUD) graduate, Mohammed Al Hakim has been appointed President of UAE Operations at Crypto.com, becoming the first GCC and Emirati national to take on this prestigious position in the cryptocurrency industry. Renowned as an outstanding leader with a distinguished career in government organizations, Al Hakim is now preparing to spearhead the transformation of the region’s financial landscape. By demystifying the world of cryptocurrency, he aims to secure the UAE’s position as a global hub for the sector.
Returning to the UAE from studies in Australia, Al Hakim enrolled in CUD in 2010 to complete his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, specializing in finance and marketing. He now recognizes his time at the university as a launchpad for his professional journey. Al Hakim explained, “Blockchain and cryptocurrency were not on my agenda at that time, but when it comes to raising funds, entering the world of finance, and working on business development, my journey did start at CUD. The university helped me recognize my talent for securing sponsorship. We hosted CUD’s first UAE National Day celebrations on campus with the support of sponsorship I was able to secure.”
Al Hakim established a successful career in business development, strategic planning, and revenue generation with prominent government-owned developers. His exceptional talents and leadership abilities earned him his most recent appointment. Reflecting on this milestone, Al Hakim shared, “I was supporting the Group President and the President of Middle East and Latin America during their visit to Dubai. Shortly after, I was invited to lead the GCC region for Crypto.com. What inspired me to accept this role was the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, who has always encouraged Emiratis to pioneer in their fields. It is a proud moment to stand as the first to run and lead such an organization.”
With a robust ecosystem for digital assets, the UAE has already established itself as the third-largest crypto economy in the MENA region. In his new role, Al Hakim now aims to consolidate and build on this platform to demystify cryptocurrency and ultimately see it mainstreamed as a payment tool. He explained, “The first question people always ask is, how can I spend cryptocurrency? How can I liquidate it into cash? So, Crypto.com has recently introduced the first ever MasterCard, meaning you can change your cryptocurrency on the spot.”
Al Hakim continued, “In the UAE we are regulated by the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, so our regulation, compliance, and security are very strong. Educating people around this is key to advancing the crypto world. My end goal for the next two years is to make sure that retailers, airlines, and tourists coming to Dubai see it as a crypto city, where you can spend your cryptocurrency as an individual wherever you go. I would like to see cryptocurrencies available for all people to pay with, because this is the future.”
Looking to the long-term advancement of the industry in the region, Al Hakim believes that local talent development is key. He said, “We have UAE nationals that have gone into the blockchain world, and we have good Emirati talent that has started to trade in cryptocurrency. Once we are fully operational out of Dubai, I would like to make sure that at least 90% of my staff in compliance, legal, and trading are Emirati. Education is very important, so the first step is to make sure that our message is clear on how to deal, receive, and trade cryptocurrencies.”
Al Hakim’s plans for such industry-aligned education are also inspired by reflections on his own student life. He concluded, “As a student I was very focused on finishing university and moving into a career. There were opportunities to learn more about different pathways, but I was purely driven towards graduating. So, I want to encourage today’s students to take those opportunities, and with this in mind, we are looking to collaborate with CUD to offer educational courses for the young generation, to allow them to explore and understand the crypto world.”