Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

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Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Sheikh Mohammed with his son Sheikh Hamdan
3rd Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates
Incumbent
Assumed office February 11, 2006
Preceded by	Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	Birth date (?), 1949 Dubai
Political party	No party affiliation
Spouse	Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum junior wife Princess Haya bint Al-Hussein
Religion	Sunni Islam

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Arabic: الشيخ محمد بن راشد آلمكتوم ) (born 1949) is currently the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Ruler of Dubai.

His wealth is said to be $27.8 billion (£14 billion) which consists of $14 billion of "family money" plus a personal wealth of $13.8 billion which would put him 5th in the world's rich list, but as the ruler of a country, Forbes does not list him.

1 Personal life and education
2 Political and business career
3 Thoroughbred horse racing
4 Liverpool F.C. Takeover Bid
5 Metro Printing Error
6 See also
7 External links
8 References

[edit] Personal life and education

He is the third of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum's four sons. From the age of four, Sheikh Mohammed was privately tutored in Arabic and Islamic Studies. In 1955, he began his formal education at Al Ahmedia School. At the age of 10, he moved to Al Shaab School, and two years later, he went to Dubai Secondary School. In August 1966, he and his cousin, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, attended the Bell Educational Trust's English Language School in the United Kingdom.

His senior wife is Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, whom he married in 1979. His junior wife is Princess Haya bint Al-Hussein, daughter of Hussein of Jordan and half-sister of current king Abdullah II of Jordan, whom he married on April 10, 2004.^[1]^[2] Sheikh Mohammed has 16 children: seven sons and nine daughters.

Al Maktoum and his sons are known to be avid in the art of traditional arabic poems, arts, taking part in projects to help develop developing countries such as Jordan, Egypt, Palestine and Yemen as well as being horse and camel racing enthusiasts.

[edit] Political and business career

On January 3, 1995, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum signed two decrees that appointed Sheikh Mohammed as Crown Prince of Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed oversaw the development of numerous projects in Dubai including the creation of the Palm Islands and the luxury Burj al-Arab hotel. He is also promoting the construction of Burj Dubai which, if completed, would be a contender for the tallest building in the world.

After a around a decade of de facto rulership ^[3] , he became the Ruler of Dubai on January 4, 2006 upon the death of his elder brother Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was also nominated by the President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan, to be the next Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE on January 5, 2006. The members of the UAE Federal National Council accepted the President's nomination shortly after.

On July 4, 2006 Sheikh Mohammed pardoned and released U.S. R&B producer Dallas Austin for a conviction of drug possession. Senator Orrin Hatch and musicians Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones aided in the release. ^[4]

[edit] Thoroughbred horse racing

Sheikh Mohammed is a major figure internationally in Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding. In late 1981, he purchased Gainsborough Stud at Woolton Hill, near Newbury, Berkshire, England. In Ireland, he also owns Ballysheehan Stud, in County Tipperary and Woodpark Stud in County Meath plus he has Gainsborough Farms Inc. in Versailles, Kentucky. His racing operations includes the ownership of Darley Stables and he is the leading partner in his family's Godolphin Stables.

In England, his horses have won numerous important Group One races including several of the United Kingdom Classic Races. His horses have also won the Irish Derby Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and in the United States the 2006 Preakness Stakes with Bernardini.

Sheikh Mohammed hosts the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest series of horse races.

[edit] Liverpool F.C. Takeover Bid

On 4 December 2006, through his Dubai International Capital (DIC) Investment Group, Sheikh Mohammed engaged in takeover negotiations for Liverpool Football Club in a deal rumoured to be worth £479m. The deal was also rumoured to include a new 60,000 seater stadium, close to Anfield in nearby Stanley Park. As of January 31, 2007, DIC withdrew their bid when Liverpool requested more time to consider a 2nd bid from American George N. Gillett Jr., owner of one of the NHL's most famous franchises, the Montreal Canadiens, which was accepted by Liverpool. After having pulled out of the bid for Liverpool it now seems that his attention has turned to a proposed takeover of Arsenal F.C

[edit] Metro Printing Error

On 9 March 2007, the Metro (Associated Metro Limited) newspaper wrongly published a picture of Sheikh Mohammed attributing it to the terror suspect Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. The Metro has since apologised for the error.^[5]