Masood M. Sharif Mahmood to Lead e& as Incoming Group CEO from April

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood is set to assume the role of Group Chief Executive Officer of e& this April, marking a significant leadership transition for one of the region’s most prominent technology groups. He will succeed Hatem Dowidar as part of a planned and structured handover designed to ensure continuity across the organisation’s expanding global operations.

Currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of e& UAE, the group’s core telecoms business in its home market, Mahmood brings more than two decades of experience spanning telecommunications, technology, investment management, and government-linked enterprises. His appointment comes at a pivotal time for e&, which has evolved beyond its traditional telecom roots into a diversified technology and digital services powerhouse operating across multiple international markets.

Strengthening the UAE Core

As CEO of e& UAE, Mahmood has overseen the company’s commercial, technology, and IT operations across the country. His leadership has focused on enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening customer-centric strategies, and driving sustainable growth within the group’s largest and most established market.

The company credits his operational and financial acumen with building high-performing teams and executing development strategies that have reinforced business performance. His track record within the UAE operation positioned him as a strong internal candidate as the group prepared for a broader leadership transition at the top.

A Decade at Yahsat

Before joining e&, Mahmood spent nearly a decade as Chief Executive Officer of Yahsat, the Abu Dhabi-based satellite communications company wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company. Appointed in 2012, he led both government and commercial operations during a period marked by international expansion and strategic consolidation.

Under his leadership, Yahsat extended its operational footprint to approximately 50 global markets. He also spearheaded the acquisition of Thuraya, strengthening the UAE’s commercial space capabilities and supporting shareholder value creation. The strategic groundwork laid during his tenure contributed to Yahsat’s successful public listing in 2021, marking a milestone for the company and the broader sector.

Investment and Government Experience

Mahmood’s leadership journey also includes senior roles within Mubadala, where he served as Vice President and headed the ICT department. In that capacity, he was responsible for corporate strategy, asset management, and oversight of strategic investments, including Yahsat and Injazat.

His earlier career encompassed around ten years in investment management and business development across government and semi-government entities. These roles included positions at Dubai Investment Group and within the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Guiding e& Into Its Next Chapter

With more than 21 years of experience across communications and technology sectors, Mahmood’s career reflects a blend of operational leadership, infrastructure development, investment-led growth, and public market preparation. His professional background spans businesses at varying stages of maturity, from expansion and consolidation to transformation and listing.

As he prepares to step into the Group CEO role, e& has emphasised that the leadership transition has been carefully structured to maintain stability and strategic continuity. Mahmood’s cross-sector experience across telecoms, satellite communications, and government-linked investment platforms places him at the centre of the group’s next phase — one focused on accelerating its global technology and digital services ambitions.

With deep roots in the UAE’s telecom and technology landscape and a track record of scaling complex enterprises, Masood M. Sharif Mahmood now takes the helm at a moment when e& is redefining its identity on the world stage.