From Dh40 to CEO: The remarkable UAE journey of Ali Al Najjar
19 May 2026
A 38-hour bus journey, relentless discipline and hard work shaped his rise to top
Ashfaq Ahmed, Managing Editor by Gulf News
Born in Abu Dhabi, forced to leave the UAE as a child, and returning years later on a bus from Jordan with almost nothing in his pocket, Ali Al Najjar transformed hardship into one of the UAE’s most inspiring corporate success stories.
Speaking to Gulf News, Jordanian expatriate Al Najjar shared his story of rising from an exchange house cashier to CEO of Al Ansari Exchange.
His formula: discipline, resilience and relentless hard work.
At 22, Ali Al Najjar arrived in Abu Dhabi after a 38-hour bus ride from Jordan carrying a small bag, a big dream and just Dh40 left in his pocket.
He could not afford a plane ticket. He had no influential connections. No executive title.
No guarantee of a job.
What he did have was belief that the UAE was home, belief that hard work changes lives, and belief that discipline can carry a person further than talent alone.
More than two decades later, the young man who once slept on a mattress in a cramped room now leads Al Ansari Exchange as CEO, overseeing around 4,200 employees and 287 branches across the UAE.
But even today, Al Najjar insists he is still “the same person behind the counter.”
Photo of Ali Al Najjar behind the counter as cashiers in 2002
Corporate success
His rise from cashier to chief executive is not simply a corporate success story. It is the story of sacrifice, consistency and the opportunities the UAE can create for people willing to work harder than everyone else.
“I came back to the UAE in 2002 with around Dh250 in total. After paying for the bus ticket from Amman to Abu Dhabi, I was left with almost nothing. But I always believed this country was home,” Al Najjar recalled sitting in his plush office in Dubai.
That emotional connection with the UAE began long before his career. His father arrived in the UAE in 1969 and helped establish customs operations in the Al Sila area before later moving to Abu Dhabi. Born in the capital in 1980, Al Najjar spent his childhood growing up in a rapidly developing nation that would eventually shape his future.
But in 1991, after his father’s retirement, the family returned to Jordan, a transition he describes as deeply painful.
“I was born and raised in the UAE, so leaving was emotionally difficult. But I learnt early that circumstances may change while your goals stay the same,” he said.
Ali Al Najjar says that true leadership is revealed during difficult times. Standing by people matters.
Read the full story here: From Dh40 to CEO: How Ali Al Najjar Built One of the UAE’s Most Inspiring Corporate Success Stories