Ghazi Abu Nahl

Ghazi Abu Nahl, Chairman, Director, World Trade Center Qatar

Ghazi Abu Nahl was born in Barbara, Palestine in 1946. He started his career in insurance with an Insurance Agency (Arab Commercial Enterprises) in Qatar in 1960. Today, the Jordanian businessman is a major shareholder and Chairman of a Group whose net assets exceed US$300M with subsidiaries and affiliates in the MENA region, UK, Spain, Qatar, Oman, Cyprus and Malaysia.


In 1979, with 20 rich years of experience under his belt, he started Qatar General Insurance & Reinsurance Company as a domestic Insurance company in Qatar now with a Paid-up Capital of US$37M. He has been the General Manager since then, and today the shareholders equity stands at more than US$320M. The Company is publicly quoted in the Qatari Stock Exchange and considered an excellent security in both Middle East and the International Market with a BBB+ Rating.

In 1989, he established Trust International Insurance Company BSC (c) Bahrain, Trust Re, as one of the then few Reinsurance Companies in the region, with a Paid-up Capital of US$15M now standing at US$100M. He has previously held the Chairman position and is currently a Board Member and a Special Advisor to the Board. The recent upgrade of TIIC- Bahrain rating to A- (AM Best) is one of the major achievements of Ghazi Abu Nahl and a great pride to the Arab Reinsurance Industry.


In 1989, he established Trust International Insurance Company BSC© Bahrain, Trust Re, as one of the then few Reinsurance Companies in the region, with a Paid-up Capital of US$15M now standing at US$100M. He has previously held the Chairman position and is currently a Board Member and a Special Advisor to the Board. The recent upgrade of TIIC- Bahrain rating to A- (AM Best) is one of the major achievements of Ghazi Abu Nahl and a great pride to the Arab Reinsurance Industry.


For Ghazi Abu Nahl, Trust is not just a business tag; it is a name he has carefully chosen to reflect the trust he has in the potential the Arab markets holds and the capabilities the Arab Professionals enjoy; Trust that hard work and persistence definitely yield positive results.

He believes that success is achieved by building trust with all stakeholders; employees, colleagues and business partners and he has always strived to build this trust. Trust as a keyword is evident in the expansion in the Arab geographical scope especially in countries where the political or legal situation was not particularly encouraging to investors and businessmen like Palestine or Algeria (at the time of the establishment of Trust Algeria).

1989 was truly a year brimming with achievements with the establishment of Nest Investments (Holdings) Ltd of which he is the Chairman and 100% Shareholder. The company's net assets exceed US$300M.

1989 also came to crystallise the aspiration of creating a direct insurance arm of the group with the establishment of Trust International Insurance Company (Cyprus) Ltd now with a Paid-up Capital of US $31M with subsidiaries and affiliates in Algeria, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya and Syria. Other expansion plans for direct subsidiary companies include insurance market like Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey and others.

Ghazi Abu Nahl is also a Board Member of the World Trade Centre Association-New York since April 2004 and is the Chairman of World Trade Centre Holdings (Cyprus) Ltd as well as President of the World Trade Centre Association - New York Foundation for Peace and Stability through Trade. The Cyprus World Trade Centre Holding Company owns and operates 15 World Trade Centres in the MENA region.

Ghazi Abu Nahl is also the Chairman of Trade Card Holding (Cyprus) Ltd holding exclusive licenses in 22 MENA countries. TradeCardMENA, is the leading provider of on- demand supply chain management solutions. The TradeCardMENA Platform synchronizes financial transactions with physical events in the global supply chain to help customers automate trade transactions from purchase order to payment and charge-backs.
Ghazi Abu Nahl has a profound vision to see the entire Group maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and to be a household name regionally. His colleagues and staff unanimously agree that irrespective of the many ways in which he phrases his vision; it is the faith and commitment he works with and the motivation he spreads that inspires them to work up to this vision.

He has an affirmed commitment to build up and strengthen his staff calibre and professional ability, which he demonstrates in the substantial amount of time and resources dedicated to training and development. Enhancements of the in-house training facility and internal on-the- job training have been on-going and a new ambitious graduate trainee programme was introduced to refine the staff expertise and ability.

Ghazi Abu Nahl is relentless in strengthening and enhancing long-term relationships with strategic partners in select markets as well as expanding presence in new markets within the Group's geographical scope. He is a Pro of solid non-opportunistic investment policy and in adding value through intensified marketing and innovative underwriting philosophy.

Ghazi Abu Nahl has three sons and two daughters Kamel, Fadi, Hamad, Reem and Amal. Having firmly differentiated the Group as a well-reputed and reliable regional player, he has given them a strong platform to take the driver's seat, capitalise on opportunities and expand and strengthen presence and activities towards a continued growth and profitability while maintaining the highest level of operational ability and client satisfaction.

Described by Mr. Abdul Khaliq Raouf, the Secretary General of the General Arab Insurance Federation, Ghazi Abu Nahl has remarkable finger-prints in the Insurance & Reinsurance Industry through a Group of insurance and reinsurance companies that blend some of the best technical and managerial Arab expertise with high level of professionalism and adherence to high standards. On the personal level, he describes him as someone who has never hesitated in lending a helping hand whenever he felt needed.

The least that can be said about the future outlook of Ghazi Abu Nahl is not bounded: more geographical expansion, enhancing corporate risk management and corporate governance, strengthening human resources, rating, diversifying investments, keeping up with technological development are just some of the headlines that will keep the team of Trust working hard towards the vision of its founder.

Despite his frequent travels juggling issues, Ghazi Abu Nahl is a family man; his perfect free time is amidst his wife, children and grandchildren. He seems to always find the time to catch up with the news and the occasions of his brothers and sisters and big family.