Al Ali assumed his current position in 2023. The federal utility company, fully owned by the Emirates Investment Authority, serves over two million consumers across the UAE's Northern Emirates. In 2025, EtihadWE completed its transition to 100% reverse osmosis desalination with the 150 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) NAQA’A Desalination Plant, cutting desalination energy consumption by over 60%. In May 2026, EtihadWE signed an EPC agreement worth about $285 million with NMDC Infra and Lantania Aguas to build the Fujairah I Independent Water Producer project, a 60-MIGD seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant. Al Ali is also the chairman of the NAQA'A Desalination Plant.