Longtime UAE commercial attaché to the U.S., Saud Al Nowais, to depart role

Saud Al Nowais, the UAE’s longtime commercial attaché to the U.S., is stepping down from the post he has held for 17 years to return to the UAE to focus on other investments.

Al Nowais said in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday that he will take a new job at the UAE’s Executive Affairs Authority after a period at Columbia University in New York, where he will study venture capital.

The 41-year-old diplomat, who worked under UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba in Washington as an economic policy adviser and liaison for businesses in the UAE and U.S., said he will use the coming months to “prepare for a change in direction in my career and pursue my passion for investing.”

Al Nowais, who has been active in providing early funding for MENA-based startups as an advisor to Arab Angel VC , is the founder of Goldcleats(dot)com, an online platform and phone app for young soccer players looking to get recruited to play professionally.

He is also founder and Chairman of Epic Padel USA, which operates clubs where the popular racquet sport is played and raised $10 million in a seed funding round last month.

Recounting highlights from two decades working in the U.S., Al Nowais cited his participation in negotiating the so-called “123 Agreement” on peaceful uses of nuclear energy in 2009, as well as his role in resolving policy issues on aviation, tariffs and the “Gray List” for anti-money laundering regulations.

Al Nowais also recalled the embassy’s role in the Abraham Accords that normalized relations with Israel, his work preparing for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE in May, and the opportunity to attend the U.S. National Defense University.