Dubai, United Arab Emirates – November 7, 2017:  His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, CEO of Mashreq Bank is the inaugural recipient of the Cal Poly Alumni Excellence Award presented by the California Polytechnic State University Alumni Association at the Honored Alumni Awards Celebration. Established in 2017, the Cal Poly Alumni Excellence Award pays tribute to an outstanding graduate who has demonstrated a lifetime of professional achievements and global contributions.  

“I’m very proud of His Excellency’s accomplishments,” Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said. “He’s served as the Chair of Federal National Council in UAE, that’s roughly equivalent to being the Speaker of the House in the U.S. House of Representatives, and currently he serves as Chairman of the Banking Federation for the UAE.”

His Excellency is a 1977 graduate in industrial engineering from the California Polytechnic State University. While at university, he was a committed student leader, serving as Chairman of the Cal Poly Muslim Students Association and Arab Student Association. He returned to campus for the first time since graduating in 1977 to accept the award. 

“It’s an emotional moment for me, visiting Cal Poly after such a long time and I feel honored by this award,” His Excellency said. 

His Excellency is the CEO of Mashreq Bank, the largest private sector bank in the United Arab Emirates and the Chairman of the Board’s Executive Committee of Al Ghurair Investment LLC, one of the largest and most successful business groups in the Middle East. In 2012 he was appointed the Chairman of the UAE Banking Federation, representing 49 member banks operating in the UAE. His current positions include Vice Chairman of the Higher Board of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and the Board of Emirates Foundation, among many others. 

He is passionate about his role as Chairman of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education. The Foundation was established by his father, Abdulla Al Ghurair a renowned businessman, who in 2015 decided to dedicate one third of his wealth to the Foundation, in order to help Emirati and Arab youth reach their full potential through access to quality education. 

“We had a desire and a vision to help our nation and region and we thought education was the most critical need that would have the most lasting impact on the individual, their families, and their communities,” H.E. Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair said of the foundation. 

Among his many accomplishments, H.E. Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair was named Banking Business Leader of the Year in 2016 & 2017 and Innovator of the Year in 2014 by Gulf Business. He has been recognized for his commitment to more than 3,000 employees at Mashreq Bank and Mashreq has been awarded the Gallup Award from 2014-2016.

“I give credit for what I have been able to achieve to the foundation that Cal Poly gave me,” His Excellency said.