Abu Dhabi - Shaikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

The Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council since November 2004 and Chief of Staff for several years, Lt Gen Muhammad plays a number of other roles. With the new ruler and his eldest half-brother Sh. Khalifa busy presiding over the UAE, Sh. Muhammad has become the day-to-day administrator of Abu Dhabi. He is also the deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Sh. Muhammad was made deputy crown prince and deputy chairman of the Executive Council in December 2003. On Oct. 8, 2003, Sh. Zayed had elevated Muhammed's younger full-brother, Hamdan, to the rank of UAE deputy prime minister and kept him as federal minister of state for foreign affairs (see the next profile).

Sh. Muhammad has been the main force behind the integrated $3.5 bn natural gas E&P-midstream/downstream venture called Dolphin Energy Ltd. (DEL) since 1998 and its original parent firm, the UAE Offset Group (UOG) since the latter was created in 1991. UOG is a multi-billion dollar powerhouse dependent on military purchase deals and defence projects. In these deals, foreign suppliers much invest a certain part of their orders in Abu Dhabi and other parts of the UAE through UOG.

UOG's 51% shareholding in DEL was in early 2004 transferred to a new entity, Mubadala Development Co. (MDC) which was then created by emiri decree as a unit fully owned by the Abu Dhabi government. In this way, MDC was empowered to offer sovereign guarantees to DEL, a JV with Total and Occidential Petroleum (Oxy) - each holding 24.5% and for DEL's various projects. In its initial $3.5 bn phase, DEL is to supply 2,000 MCF/d of Qatari gas to the UAE. Eventually 3,200 MCF/day will supply the UAE, Oman and Pakistan in a $12 bn programme that would turn Abu Dhabi into a hub for regional gas networks and for massive investments into the Indian subcontinent and Asia.

Through DEL's projects, Sh. Muhammad - who is chairman of MDC and of several other institutions - and some of his full-brothers involved in MDC-related businesses have become close to the ruling al-Thani family in Qatar and Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah. On Jan. 4-5, 2005. Shaikh Muhammad paid a visit to Qatar at the head of a high-ranking delegation, where they received a warm welcome. During the visit, which included meetings with the ruler and other leaders, he was hosted by his counterpart, Qatar's Crown Prince Sh. Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

On their return to Abu Dhabi on Jan. 5, 2005, dignitaries receiving Sh. Muhammad and his delegation included some of his full-brothers: Shs Hazza'; Ahmad (under-secretary for the UAE Ministry of Finance & Industry and chairman of the board of trustees of the Zayed Foundation for Charity and Humanitarian Works); Mansour (UAE minister of presidential affairs); Tahnoun (chairman of the president's Private Dept.); Sa'id (chairman of the Abu Dhabi Seaports Dept); Maj. Gen. Nahyan (commander of the Emiri Guards); Hamed (now chairman of the Crown Prince's court but then chairman of the Planning and Economic Department); Dhiyab (chairman of ADWEA); and Abdullah (UAE minister of information and culture). Others included Shs Sultan Bin Hamdan (chairman of the Guesthouse and Protocol Dept.) and Hamdan bin Mubarak (UAE minister of public works).

Among other things, Sh Muhammad has been chairman of the General Exhibitions Corp. (GEC). In a keynote address to the bi-annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) held in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 10-14, 2004, Sh. Muhammad said ADIPEC had established itself as one of the most prominent exhibitions and conferences in the oil and gas industries worldwide. In the address, delivered on his behalf by Sa'id bin Jabr al-Suweidi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Deputy chairman of ADIPEC, Sh. Muhammad added that the event positioned itself as a major destination for decision-makers and key people in these industries and had witnessed many business deals to become a window for the latest technological developments in these two vital sectors. He said the successes the UAE had would not have been possible without the vision of his father, Sh. Zayed, and that of his brothers, SPC members and rulers of the emirates. "The UAE has transformed itself in a short period of time to become a beacon for social and economic development in the region by building a sustainable economic model based on traditional values while incorporating modernity", said Sh. Muhammad. The exhibition on Oct. 11-14, 2004, was remarkable in its growth - the total space had increased by 43%, reaching 30.000 sq.m from 21,000 in 2002. The increase in the number of participants was 22%, as compared to 2002, and reached 1,209 companies. Sh. Muhammad added: "We have exhibitors from 54 countries, as opposed to 45 countries the last time around. ADIPEC 2004 was the only show where the big national oil companies, oil and gas services companies in addition to specialised companies that support and provide value-added services to the oil and gas sectors were brought together under one roof. This has helped ADIPEC to emerge as the '"Total Oil & Gas Show'". Sh. Muhammad told reporters during his tour of ADIPEC, which he formally opened on Oct. 10, 2004: "We will invest the additional earnings from [high] oil prices to further develop the health and educational sectors".

Sh. Muhammad said "the exhibition affects the oil industry in the region" due to the big profits the industry makes from such a big gathering of oil specialists. He was accompanied on the tour of the various pavilions at the exhibition ground by a number of shaikhs, ministers and senior officials. ADIPEC 2006 was a similarly big event.