Sheikh Mansour

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Lore & Background

Mansour controls several key Emirati institutions, such as the UAE Central Bank, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and the Abu Dhabi criminal authority. He is chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority and a board member of Mubadala Investment Company. Mansour has played a key role in various UAE foreign policy endeavors. He was involved in efforts to bolster Khalifa Haftar in the Libyan Civil War, build an alliance with Sudanese ruler and war criminal Omar al-Bashir, and secretly provide arms transfers to Sudanese General Mohamed Hamdan whose forces have engaged in massacres, mass rapes and genocide. Mansour is the owner of the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), an investment company for the Abu Dhabi royal family, that acquired Manchester City in September 2008. The football club has overseen a significant transformation since the takeover, having won eight top-flight league titles, including its first in 44 years and first Premier League title in 2012 and the Champions League title in 2023. Mansour owns multiple other sports clubs, including New York City FC in Major League Soccer. Human rights groups and other critics have characterized Mansour's sports investments as sportswashing to improve the image of the UAE amid its controversial human rights record.

In Their Own Story

The Etihad Stadium held its breath on May 13, 2012, the air thick with a tension that had been absent for generations. With the clock bleeding into stoppage time and the scoreline clinging to a fragile 3-2 lead over QPR, the roar of the crowd was cut short by silence. In the stands, fans who remembered the lean years of the 90s froze as Sergio Agüero's name flashed across the jumbotron. The resulting strike didn't just secure three points; it shattered forty-four years of waiting and redefined a city's identity. High above in the VIP box, Sheikh Mansour watched the chaos unfold, his expression unreadable. He knew that while the moment belonged to Agüero, the era of true ambition had ignited years prior with a single phone call.

Reader's Guide

Sheikh Mansour was born in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on 21 November 1970, the fifth son of the Emir of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His mother is Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi. He attended Santa Barbara Community College as an English student in 1989 and graduated from the United Arab Emirates University with a bachelor's degree in international affairs in 1993. In 1997, he was appointed chairman of the presidential office. After the death of his father, he was appointed by his eldest half-brother, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the first minister of presidential affairs. He served as chairman of the ministerial council for services, chaired the National Center for Documentation and Research from 2000, became minister for presidential affairs in 2004, and held various other roles including deputy chairman of the Abu Dhabi Education Council, chairman of the Emirates Foundation, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, and Khalifa bin Zayed Charity Foundation. He served as chairman of First Gulf Bank until 2006. On 11 May 2009, he was appointed deputy prime minister, retaining his post of minister of presidential affairs. On 29 March 2023, he was appointed as the country's second vice president. In October 2022, he was accused of helping Roman Abramovich and other wealthy Russian oligarchs evade sanctions during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Mansour is chairman of Mubadala Investment Company and formerly chairman of IPIC. He has a 32% stake in Virgin Galactic, and Aabar has a 9.1% stake in Daimler. He owns the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation, which partnered with British Sky Broadcasting to establish Sky News Arabia and owns The National. He is an accomplished horse rider, chairman of the Emirates horse racing authority, and patron of the Zayed International Half Marathon. He is chairman of Al Jazira sports company and was a leading figure in Abu Dhabi's successful bid to host the FIFA Club World Cup in 2009 and 2010. In September 2008, he acquired Manchester City. He also owns City Football Group, founded in 2014. He has only been to two Manchester City games, in 2010 and 2023 (the 2023 UEFA Champions League final). He married Sheikha Alia bint Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed in the mid-1990s, with whom he has one son, Zayed. In 2005, he married Sheikha Manal bint

Did You Know?

• Sheikh Mansour was born on 20 November 1970, not 21 November as sometimes reported.
• He has attended several Manchester City matches as owner, including in 2010 against Liverpool, 2011 against Sunderland, the 2012 title-decider against QPR, and the 2023 Champions League final.
• He is a full brother of the current UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as part of the Bani Fatima.