The name Abdlatif Y. Al-Hamad has become synonymous with joint Arab development and economic efforts. As the previous Director General/Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Fund, he was one of the leading pioneers of his generation in this area over the last six decades. His remarkable record has placed him in the forefront as one of the founders of Arab economic development.

As one of Kuwait’s most dedicated men, Mr. Al-Hamad is a leader in local and Arab development work, the chair and member of the board of several national and international financial institutions, and the main founder in the establishment of several Joint Arab Development institutions. His successful career extends over several decades.

He is a graduate of Victoria College in Alexandria, Egypt, and attended the American University in Cairo, after which he earned degrees from Claremont College and Harvard and Stanford Universities, all in the United States of America.

Over the past six decades, Mr. Al-Hamad has acquired extensive experience and a rich diverse background through operating in the public domain, with particular emphasis on development activities. This was achieved through his leadership of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development during the period 1963 – 1982, his tenure as the Minister of Finance and Planning, in Kuwait, during the period 1981 – 1983 and his role as the Director General/Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Fund during the period 1985 – 2020.

The development projects that Mr. Al-Hamad oversaw, both at the Kuwait Fund and the Arab Fund, significantly contributed to raising the standard of living for millions of individuals in the Arab World, as they included large scale projects in the infrastructure, water and electricity networks, energy, land ports, communications, agriculture, irrigation, rural development, industry and mining sectors, as well as other sectors.

Mr. Al-Hamad is considered to have his own school of thought, which is not limiting financing to projects and building structures, but extending it to include human development through policies and programs to support and encourage Arab pioneers and entrepreneurs in various fields, including research, cultural and technical fields, given that they represent the ultimate goal and the main means for development.

Several Kings, Heads of States, and heads of institutions, in the Arab World, have bestowed upon Mr. Al-Hamad their highest awards and medals of distinction. He has also been awarded honorary Ph.D. degrees from regional and international educational organizations, and several regional development organizations have been named in his honor.

Amongst Mr. Al-Hamad’s long list of achievements, is his supervision of the construction of the Arab Organizations’ HQ building. He collected several paintings and objects from Arab artists and artisans, along with rare and ancient artifacts which hold significant historic value, and displayed them throughout the building creating an important cultural and artistic landmark.