Tabreed appoints Dr Yousif Al Hammadi as CEO

National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) has appointed Dr Yousif Al Hammadi as its Chief Executive Officer, marking the first time the UAE-based district cooling company has appointed a CEO from within its own ranks.

Al Hammadi has spent 12 years at Tabreed, having joined the company in 2014 and held senior positions across projects, business development and asset management. He became Chief Asset Management Officer in 2022 and joined Tabreed’s Executive Management Team before taking on the role of Interim CEO in January 2026.

During his tenure, Al Hammadi has been involved in several of Tabreed’s major transactions and growth initiatives, including the acquisition of the Downtown Dubai district cooling infrastructure, the acquisition of PAL Cooling and the Palm Jebel Ali concession.

Prior to joining Tabreed, he held leadership positions at Mubadala, ADNOC and the UAE Ministry of Interior, where he worked on strategic and infrastructure initiatives linked to the country’s long-term development.

Tabreed Chairman Dr Bakheet Al Katheeri said Al Hammadi’s experience across the business, together with his understanding of the company’s operations and assets, would position him to lead its next phase of growth.

The appointment also reflects Tabreed’s focus on developing UAE national talent and creating pathways for internal leadership progression, the company said.

In his new role, Al Hammadi said his priorities would include maximising the value of Tabreed’s existing portfolio, realising the potential of its recent strategic investments and maintaining a selective approach to future growth opportunities.

“Our recent portfolio expansion has created a stronger platform for growth, and our priority now is to translate that scale into sustainable commercial value,” he said.

Al Hammadi added that future expansion would focus on opportunities that strengthen Tabreed’s market position, enhance returns and create long-term value, while maintaining the operational capabilities and partnerships underpinning its business.

The leadership transition comes as Tabreed continues to expand its district cooling portfolio. In its first-half 2026 results, the company reported a 15% year-on-year increase in connected capacity to 1.58 million Refrigeration Tons, while revenue reached AED 1.13 billion. Net operating cash flow rose 40% year-on-year to AED 632 million.

The company completed the acquisition of Abu Dhabi-based PAL Cooling with partners CVC DIF and has continued to pursue organic capacity expansion across its core UAE market.

Al Hammadi holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Honors), an MBA (Distinction) and a Doctorate in Business Administration and Management (Honors).