Rising media star and public speaker Ali Al Saloom aims to
increase cultural awareness of the UAE across the Gulf and beyond. Educated in
the US and Canada, Alsaloom has lived in several countries, including the UK,
France, Hungary and Spain, and says this has given him a deeper appreciation of
his Emirati heritage.
With a university degree in hospitality management and
tourism and a Master’s in Brand and Cross-Cultural Management, Al Saloom wanted
to apply his knowledge to his hometown’s fast-growing tourism industry.
He joined the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority in
2005, helping to build the city’s first Meeting, Incentives, Conference and
Exhibition (MICE) department. His strong communication skills and sense of
“showmanship” meant he became the go-to employee to deliver special city tours
and presentations to VIP guests, including actor Antonio Banderas and architect
Frank Gehry.
Since leaving the authority to build his own business, he is
now a recognised cultural and tourism ambassador for the UAE. He has delivered
hundreds of cultural awareness talks and seminars to businesses looking to set
up or expand in the emirates via his holding company Maestro Enterprises, as
well as advising tourists and other members of the public via his TV show ‘Ask
Ali’, which answers questions on all things Emirati, from the country’ working
hours to must-see destinations.
He was chosen as the Best Male Personality in
2010 by Ahlan magazine for his work and was named as one of Time Out Dubai’s 40
Local Heroes in 2008. Al Saloom is also a member of the Professional Speakers
Association of the Middle East.
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