Hussam Abdul Salam Abu Issa Vice Chairman & COO Salam International

Professional

Hussam Abdul Salam Abu Issa is the Vice Chairman and COO of Salam International. He is also the Deputy Managing Director of Salam Holdings & Vice Chairman of Salam Group.

Mr. Abu Issa began his career in 1981 by joining his family’s business, Salam Studio & Stores, as Operations Manager, immediately after his graduation. He is the founding partner in establishing Salam Holdings in the mid-80s under which he developed and directed the growth of 15 companies in a diverse field of activities such as Contracting/Project Management, Landscaping, Industrial Engineering, Oil & Gas, Information Technology & Communications, Technical Services, Fabrication of Steel & Aluminum, Manufacturing, Architectural Design & Consultancy, Style & Furnishing, Real Estate Development & Management, and General Trading: Consumer Goods & Services.

In 2002, Mr. Abu Issa took a major role in the merger process of Salam Holdings Companies with Salam International to form a conglomerate of companies and made history by transforming a family-owned company into a public shareholding company—the first family-owned company to be traded in the stock market in Qatar. To date, the company’s operations extend to Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. Salam International is known for being innovative, creative, modern, and very entrepreneurial.

In 2006, Salam Group (high-end department stores in Qatar, UAE, and Oman) merged with Salam International.

Education

Mr. Abu Issa graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the San Diego State University, California, in 1981.

Memberships & Affiliations

• Board Member, Salam Bonian (real estate company established in Doha in 2006)
• Board Member, Doha Insurance Company, Qatar
• Member, Qatari-Russian Business Council (Qatar Chamber of Commerce)
• Member, Qatari Businessmen Association
• Member, Lebanese-Qatari Business Association
• Member, German Business Council Qatar
• Member, Advisory Board, Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Member, Dean’s International Council, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago
• Advisory Council Member, College of Business & Economics, University of Qatar

Personal

Mr. Abu Issa has a wife and three daughters.