Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s deputy ruler, dies age 75
- When the United Arab Emirates formed its first Cabinet in 1971, Sheikh Hamdan became finance minister and held the post until his death
- Sheikh Hamdan became an influential horse owner and breeder, founding Shadwell Racing in Norfolk, England in the 1980s and growing it into a major international enterprise
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the deputy ruler of Dubai and an internationally renowned horseman, has died age 75, his brother Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on Wednesday.
Sheikh Hamdan served as the finance minister of the United Arab Emirates and deputy ruler of Dubai under his brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the hereditary ruler of the city state who also serves as prime minister and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates.
Emirati officials announced his death without specifying the cause. Sheikh Hamdan had been in poor health for several months. Last autumn, he flew abroad for an unspecified surgery and in recent weeks his brother Sheikh Mohammed tweeted prayers for his recovery.
When the UAE formed its first Cabinet in 1971, Sheikh Hamdan became finance minister and held the post until his death.
Throughout his long tenure he attracted foreign investment, managed the country’s vast oil wealth and, along with his brother, oversaw the transformation of Dubai into a key regional financial hub. The country separately has a minister of state for financial affairs.
But it was on the winners’ circles of racetracks that Sheikh Hamdan drew the most international attention.
