His Excellency Ali Al Ketbi

Assistant Secretary General, Public Administration

General Secretariat of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council



Ali Al Ketbi is the Assistant Secretary General - for Public Administration- at the General Secretariat of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

Following his graduation from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom with a Masters in Translation Studies, Ali joined the Public Sector, both in local and regional organizations, in Government and State Owned Entities such as UAE Ministry of Interior, Dolphin Energy and UAE Offsets Group, with a professional experience ranging from Operations to Human Resources Management and Public Administration.

Prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary General in July 2009, Ali was the Undersecretary of the Department of Civil Service in Abu Dhabi Government, following a fast track promotion from Assistant Undersecretary. Focusing mainly on the Management of the Human Resources of the Abu Dhabi Government, Ali led the development and implementation of initiatives aiming to develop World-Class UAE Leaders and drive excellence in the performance of the Public Sector.

With an increased realization of the fundamental role of Public Sector Practices Institutionalization and Human Capital as catalysts for Public Sector Performance Excellence, the Abu Dhabi Government decided to transform the Department of Civil Service into the Public Administration Directorate where Ali was appointed and assigned the responsibility for the institutional set up.

With a vision to be a Forward-Looking Transformation agent for the Abu Dhabi Government and a firm belief in institutionalization, Ali’s role is to ensure building an institution which revolves around Human Capital Management, Organizational Excellence and Health and principles of Accountability, Collaboration, and Transparency as the pillars for Best Public Management Practices.

The Public Administration Directorate will enable the Abu Dhabi Government to achieve excellence and its 2030 Vision by facilitating, advising and promoting best practices in public management and building UAE capabilities.

Ali sits on a number of boards in Abu Dhabi:

  • Chairman Abu Dhabi Emiratization Council
  • Civil Service Council
  • Documentation and Research Centre
  • Federal Human Resources Authority