The Middle East’s

9. Qais Saif

Designation: Group Sustainability & ESG Director
Company: Ittihad International Investment
Established: 2008
Country: UAE
Category: Investment & Holdings

In 2025, Ittihad closed a $450 million senior unsecured sustainability-linked revolving credit facility, meeting/exceeding by year-end all four tied performance targets: reducing water consumption by 25%, sourcing 10% of its electricity from renewable energy, advancing health and safety training by 42% against the 2023 baseline, and developing its scope 3 inventory alongside scope 1 and scope 2 decarbonization plans. The group also defined 72 ESG initiatives and 115 sustainability-related KPIs and implemented a centralized digital GHG inventory platform. Saif assumed his sustainability role in 2022, having joined the group in 2016. He also serves as group operations head and chairs Ittihad’s Executive Sustainability Committee.