WHO WE ARE
We exist to drive prosperity
The Canada-UAE Business Council (CUBC) is an initiative spearheaded by the federal governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Canada to facilitate trade and business activity between the two countries.
This high-level business organisation supports the development of long-term relationships and undertakes strategic and targeted initiatives to enhance business and trade opportunity between Canada and the UAE.
Membership
Membership is by invitation only and is focused at the executive level. Board members are leading companies in Canada and the UAE.
The CUBC provides memberships, sponsorship opportunities, and trade and investment services to organisations interested in the Canada and/or UAE markets.
Our role
Our role is to provide value to our members specifically and, more generally, to the overall bilateral relationship between Canada and the UAE.
Our vision is to achieve the shared goal of enhancing economic prosperity for both countries.
LEADERSHIP
The Hon. Jean Charest
CUBC Co-Chair (Canada)
Jean Charest is one of Canada’s best known political figures. He has served both federally and provincially as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and Premier of Québec. Jean Charest is a partner at Therrien Couture Joli-Coeur where he assists clients with international transactions, projects and mandates. He also offers unique expertise thanks to his extensive experience in Canadian and international public policy and business.
Musabbeh Al Kaabi
CUBC Co-Chair (UAE)
Musabbeh Al Kaabi is the Chief Executive Officer of Upstream at ADNOC. He currently serves as a board member of Masdar, Tabreed, ADNOC Gas, ADNOC Drilling and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. In the past, he has served on the boards of several leading organizations including Mubadala Energy, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Dolphin Energy, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), Emirates Global Aluminium, Borealis, Cepsa, NOVA Chemicals and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
John Prato
CUBC Vice-Chair (Canada)
John Prato is the Deputy Chair and Executive Managing Director at TD Securities. He rejoined TD Securities in 2016 after serving as Canada’s Consul General in New York, where he focused on investment, energy development, and continental security. He began his career at TD in 1991, joining TD Securities in 1996. His experience spans mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, IPOs, and equity underwriting. A trusted advisor, John counsels executives and political leaders across Canada and the U.S.
Omar Al Hashmi
CUBC Vice-Chair (UAE)
Omar Al Hashmi serves as the Chief Executive Officer of TAQA Distribution, a position he has held since January 2025. In this capacity, he leads the company’s diverse portfolio of distribution assets. Prior to assuming this role, Mr. Al Hashmi served as Chief Executive Officer for TAQA Transmission & Distribution, and earlier as Executive Director for the same business line at TAQA, contributing nearly four years of strategic leadership to the organisation. Before his tenure at TAQA, he was the Executive Director of Asset Management at Abu Dhabi Power Corporation (AD Power), where he played a key role in shaping the company’s transformation strategy, structure, and governance framework. Mr. Al Hashmi previously served as the Head of Strategy Development at Etihad Airways and Vice President of the Industry platform at Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala).
Karl Tabbakh
CUBC Executive Member
Karl Tabbakh is a partner in McCarthy Tétrault’s Business Law Group and a member of its senior leadership team, heading the firm’s Markets and International Business. His practice primarily focuses on mergers and acquisitions, advising private equity sponsors, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders on the deals transforming their sectors. With deep commercial acumen and exceptional relationship-building skills, Karl’s reputation as a global businessman has him recognized in the most prestigious directories and as one of Canadian Lawyer’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada. He is a recipient of the 2025 King Charles III Coronation Medal for outstanding contributions to and leadership in Canada’s business community and national economy. He is Chairman of Invest in Canada’s Board of Directors, the country’s federal agency for promotion, attraction, and coordination of foreign direct investments.
Ibrahim Al Housani
CUBC Executive Member
Ibrahim Alhosani is a Director of Special Projects at Mubadala's UAE Investments platform. In his capacity, Ibrahim is responsible for leading the special projects under UAE Investments platform, with a specific emphasis on strategic partnerships both domestically and abroad. Ibrahim, a veteran in the global investment management industry, boasts two decades of experience, particularly in the energy and real estate sectors within the MENA, UK, and Asian markets. Previously, Ibrahim has held multiple senior positions at Mubadala, where he has been instrumental in leading and expending the company's global energy and real estate portfolio. Before joining Mubadala, Ibrahim held esteemed positions at UAE government institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure.
Aziz Shariff
CUBC Finance Committee Chair
Aziz Shariff is the Chairman of Trimark Capital Group which runs a Family Office out of Dubai. Trimark is actively involved in investments, particularly in Natural Resources in a number of countries around the globe. He was a former Chairman of the FOCUS Humanitarian Agency which is a part of the Aga Khan Development Network. He was the Senior Advisor to Aga Khan Museum based in Toronto. He is a UK Qualified Chartered Accountant.
Tim Ross
CUBC Board Secretary
Tim Ross is a lawyer and business advisor based in Toronto. He spent five years as an expat in London and nine in Dubai, serving in progressive leadership roles at Linklaters, Latham & Watkins, and Bennett Jones. He was General Editor of the Oxford University Press publication, Financial Services Regulation in the Middle East. Tim advises renewable energy and other companies, private clients and funds. He serves as Chair of Canadian charities for regenerative agriculture, youth-led policy advocacy, and closer to home biodiversity.
Nour Kechacha
CUBC President
Nour Kechacha is the President of the Canada-UAE Business Council, the leading bilateral business organization spearheaded by the Governments of Canada and the United Arab Emirates to advance trade, investment, and commercial ties. Since 2021, she has led the Council’s efforts to deepen collaboration and expand opportunities between Canadian and Emirati businesses. Previously, she served as a senior aide in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada and as an advisor to two Canadian Ministers of Foreign Affairs, leading Canada’s largest peacetime repatriation effort during the pandemic and advancing strategic partnerships across the public and private sectors.
OUR MEMBERS
OUR HISTORY
2013Canada-UAE Strategic Agenda
In 2013, the foreign ministers of Canada and the UAE announced the Canada-UAE Strategic Agenda to strengthen and energize the bilateral relationship. The Agenda has three pillars: Prosperity, Security, and Development. As part of the prosperity pillar, the ministers jointly created the Canada-UAE Business Council (CUBC) to provide strategic recommendations to both governments. After 18 months of deliberations between appointed business leaders from the UAE and Canada, the business leaders presented eight recommendations. The first recommendation was to create a permanent, private-sector-driven CUBC in both countries.2016Incorporation
The CUBC was incorporated in Toronto in 2016. The Council’s head office opened in downtown Toronto the following year.2019Presence in the UAE
A permanent presence was setup in Dubai in 2019. The primary mandate of the organization is to play a central role in government-to-business engagement and a supporting role in government-to-government engagement.