Where Vision Becomes Place

Issam Galadari

Founder, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ithra Dubai
Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Healthcare City Authority

Issam Galadari is the Founder, Director, and Chief Executive Officer of Ithra Dubai, a leading real estate development and asset management company. He also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, where he leads strategic initiatives that support Dubai's vision for sustainable growth, innovation, and excellence.

With more than three decades of experience in the real estate sector, Issam has built a distinguished reputation for delivering landmark developments and driving sustainable business growth. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping some of Dubai's most iconic destinations, including Burj Khalifa, One Za'abeel, and Atlantis The Royal, projects that have redefined the city's skyline and strengthened its global reputation.

As Real Estate Director at the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), Issam played a pivotal role in establishing and expanding the organisation's real estate portfolio. Earlier, as Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Properties, he led the delivery of landmark developments including Downtown Dubai, Emirates Hills, Emirates Living, Dubai Marina, Arabian Ranches, and Polo Residences.

He also served as Managing Director of Emaar International, where he successfully expanded the company's operations into 11 countries across Asia and North Africa, strengthening its international presence and driving strategic growth.

Since his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Ithra Dubai in 2015, Issam has continued to shape the future of real estate through visionary leadership. He has overseen the development of landmark destinations, including the skyline defining One Za'abeel and the transformative Deira Enrichment Project, reinforcing Ithra Dubai's commitment to creating iconic developments and vibrant communities.

Issam's leadership extends across Dubai's hospitality and real estate sectors through his roles as Director and Board Member of Nakheel and Director of ICD Hospitality and Leisure. He also serves on the boards of Kerzner International Holdings Limited, Atlantis The Palm Holding Company Limited, and Atlantis The Palm, where he has supported the growth of the globally recognised Atlantis brand, including the development of Atlantis The Royal Resort and Residences.

In addition, he serves as Director of Adriatic Marinas d.o.o., the company behind Porto Montenegro, a landmark waterfront destination and luxury yacht marina that has become one of the Mediterranean's premier lifestyle and maritime developments.

In addition to his current leadership roles, Issam previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Meydan. He has also held board positions across several leading regional and international organisations, including Emaar Financial Services LLC, Emaar Middle East, Emaar Algeria, Emaar Misr for Development (Egypt), Emaar IGO (Syria), Emaar DHA Islamabad Ltd (Pakistan), Emaar Giga Karachi Limited (Pakistan), and Amlak Finance PJSC, contributing to the strategic growth and expansion of the real estate and financial services sectors.

Issam's leadership is further strengthened by his roles as a Board Member of GMICE and PM Holdings LLC, as well as his memberships in the UAE Society of Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineers (UK). These affiliations reflect his commitment to engineering excellence, innovation, and sustainable development while reinforcing his proven track record of delivering complex, large scale developments, driving long term growth, and creating lasting value.

A Message from Our CEO

"Our projects are built around people, not just structures."

We believe a city's true value lies in the opportunities it creates and the quality of life it offers its communities. Every project we undertake is designed to contribute meaningfully to the city, enrich the lives of those who live and work there, and help people move closer to achieving their aspirations—whether that means owning a home, growing a business, providing better opportunities for their families, or enjoying access to world class amenities and services.

Ithra, the Arabic word for "enrichment," reflects our purpose and philosophy. Every project we create is designed to raise standards, enhance the urban landscape, and enrich the lives of individuals while fostering thriving, sustainable communities. As Socrates observed, "By far the greatest and most admirable form of wisdom is that needed to plan and beautify cities and human communities." This belief continues to inspire our approach to development.

As we build the legacy of tomorrow, we remain committed to creating vibrant, future ready cities that empower people and strengthen communities. At Ithra Dubai, we combine bold ambition with deep respect for our heritage, designing and delivering world class destinations that reflect innovation, sustainability, and excellence. Every project is developed with care for the environment, our communities, and our partners, ensuring a lasting positive impact for generations to come.

Omar Khoory

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Ithra Dubai

Omar Khoory is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ithra Dubai, a leading real estate development and asset management company delivering iconic projects across the residential, commercial, retail, and hospitality sectors. With extensive leadership experience in real estate, asset management, and destination development, he plays a key role in driving the company's strategic growth and operational excellence.

Prior to joining Ithra Dubai, Omar served as Chief Assets Officer at Nakheel, where he oversaw the management, operations, leasing, and growth of a diverse portfolio spanning retail destinations, mixed use developments, hospitality assets, marinas, and strategic joint ventures. During more than 18 years with Nakheel, he was instrumental in shaping the organisation's long term asset strategy and delivering world class customer experiences.

Omar led the successful expansion of Nakheel's retail and leisure portfolio, attracting internationally recognised brands and establishing strategic partnerships that enhanced Dubai's retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors. His leadership contributed to the launch of landmark destinations including Nakheel Mall, The Pointe, and Circle Mall, while advancing the development of major projects such as Nad Al Sheba Mall, Al Khail Mall, and Meydan Mall.

He also played a significant role in transforming Palm Jumeirah into one of Dubai's premier lifestyle and tourism destinations. Under his leadership, projects including Palm West Beach, Dubai Islands Beach, The Club, and The View at The Palm introduced new concepts that redefined waterfront leisure, dining, and entertainment in the emirate.

Known for his strategic vision and innovative approach, Omar has successfully led major joint ventures, asset optimisation initiatives, and business transformation programmes. He also guided the organisation through significant economic challenges, including the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing forward thinking strategies that supported business resilience and accelerated recovery.

A strong advocate for people development, Omar believes that exceptional organisations are built by exceptional teams. He is committed to nurturing talent, fostering a culture of collaboration, and empowering future leaders to deliver sustainable growth and long term success.

A Dubai native, Omar holds a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from City, University of London, and a Leadership and Management certification from Wharton Executive Education at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), a global leadership community of chief executives and business leaders.

Raad has carved an impressive career across the UAE and the USA which spans over 35 years. He has developed several award-winning landmarks in the residential, commercial and hospitality sectors, including the development of the Index Tower in Dubai, named the best tall building development in the MENA region in 2012. 

In addition to his role with Ithra Dubai, Raad frequently shares his insights at regional and international conferences and events and has authored various articles on real estate developments.

Richard Showell is the Chief Financial Officer of Ithra Dubai, where he leads the company’s financial strategy, corporate finance initiatives, and governance frameworks to support the successful delivery of Ithra’s landmark developments and long-term objectives. In addition to his role at Ithra, Richard also holds senior positions within other Dubai Government-related entities, playing a key role in strategic financial transformation initiatives.

Richard has a proven track record in managing complex transactions, debt restructurings, and large-scale asset portfolios with over 20 years’ experience in finance and investment. Prior to joining Ithra, he served as CFO of Limitless and Head of Treasury for Nakheel, where he led the AED6.6 billion restructuring of Limitless and the successful sale of Nakheel’s district cooling assets. He was also a core team member in the multi-billion-dollar restructuring of Meydan.

Earlier in his career, Richard served as Director at Dubai World and Istithmar World, where he advised on high-value asset disposals, along with refinancing and restructuring strategies, across a diverse portfolio.

A qualified Chartered Accountant (ACA), Richard earned his BSc (Hons) in Geography and Sports Science from the University of Birmingham.

Graham brings with him over 25 years of experience in contracting, procurement, and organization development functions across the GCC, Asia, and Europe. Immediately prior to joining Ithra Dubai, Graham was based in Oman where he was engaged as commercial director on the Muscat International and Salalah airport projects. 

He has been in Dubai for 14 years during which time he has held senior contracts and commercial positions within major government institutions and private real estate development companies.

Kristen Angus is the General Counsel and Company Secretary of Ithra Dubai, where she leads the company’s legal and compliance function, ensuring alignment between legal frameworks and strategic business objectives across development, leasing, sales, finance, HR, and IT.

With over 17 years of post-qualification experience—13 of which have been in the UAE—Kristen plays a pivotal role in enabling the successful delivery of landmark projects such as One Za’abeel and the Deira Enrichment Project. Her expertise includes commercial structuring, contract negotiation, regulatory compliance and litigation management all geared toward operational excellence and long-term value creation. 

Prior to joining Ithra Dubai, Kristen held legal roles at Clyde & Co LLP and Ashurst LLP in the UAE, advising on major real estate, project finance, and infrastructure transactions. She began her career at CMS Cameron McKenna LLP in London, qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Beyond her core legal remit, Kristen drives the development of corporate policies across areas such as,  data protection, employment and risk management. She also established Ithra Dubai’s legal precedents bank, senhancing legal efficiency and cross-departmental consistencyKristen holds a BA in History and Politics from Durham University and completed her legal training at Nottingham Law School.

Nicholas brings over 25 years of strategic leadership in human capital development, with a proven track record across diverse industries in the Middle East. As Executive Director Human Resources at Ithra Dubai, he plays a critical role in driving the company’s people strategy, aligning talent development with business growth and long-term organizational goals.

Prior to joining Ithra Dubai, Nicholas served as Group CHRO at National Holding, where he spearheaded transformative leadership and talent initiatives across a diversified portfolio. He previously held the roles of Group HR and Corporate Director and Secretary of the Board’s Corporate Governance, Remuneration, and Nominations Committee at Dana Gas PJSC, further strengthening the company’s governance and strategic HR alignment.

Earlier in his career, Nicholas held senior HR leadership roles with regional mandates at Universal Sodexo and Royal Dutch Shell in Saudi Arabia. Notably, he played a foundational role in establishing the HR function for a major joint venture between Shell, Total, and Saudi Aramco, while serving on the executive committee of Shell in Saudi Arabia.

In addition to his Chartered Fellow CIPD (FCIPD), Nicholas holds certifications in Board Secretarial Practice and ISO accreditations in Compliance MS, Business Continuity MS, and Risk Management. He is widely recognized for building agile HR functions, nurturing resilience, high-performance organizational cultures and championing the development of future-ready leadership across complex and fast-evolving organizations.