His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai serves as Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, which was established to transform Abu Dhabi into a world-leading research centre and a destination for global talent in advanced technology. By benefiting from high-impact research and development activities in advanced technology, Al Bannai plays a pivotal role in establishing the knowledge economy in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, and strengthening its position as a major hub for research and development, as well as one of the global leaders in advanced technologies in the future.
Al Bannai is also a member of the Emirates Research and Development Council, headed by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, and formed in September 2021, to accelerate research and development efforts in the UAE.
Al Bannai is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of EDGE, an advanced technology cluster in defence and other fields. Furthermore, Al Bannai is a member of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, the global research institution concerned with nurturing critical intellectual leadership in applied sciences and engineering. He also recently joined the Board of Trustees of the UAE University, a prestigious university that aspires to be a leading research institution.
Al Bannai holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Boston University in the US, and a master’s degree in trade and maritime finance from City University in the UK.