Board of Directors
The DigitalSkys Limited Board comprises both executive and non-executive members and includes two Board members that are founder shareholders and whom participate in the day to day management of the company. The Board members bring the knowledge and experience required for the company to achieve its objectives. The non-executive directors offer extensive knowledge, contacts and experience of business within our markets.
As the company progresses to the next stage of its growth, new Board members will be appointed with the requisite skills and experience, to help the company achieve its growth and objectives.
Tariq A. Al Mulhem, Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer
Tariq A. Al Mulhem has extensive business experience and holds board level positions in various group companies, ranging from retail and wholesale companies to contracting, manpower and supplies, business software development and car distribution companies. Tariq is the chief executive officer of Arab Building Center Est. in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, President of the Saudi Shares Centre, Khobar, KSA, President of the Arab Computer Centre, Khobar, KSA, President of the Al Mulhem for Cars Distribution, Jubail, KSA, and President of the Tariq Contracting Est., Khobar, KSA.
Through his wide ranging and high level relationships in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Tariq has an in depth understanding of economic and political trends and their impact within the Middle East. Tariq's leadership abilities have been the subject of recognition and appreciation by the United States Air Force for his active support in crisis handling, during the terrorist bombing of Al Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996 and Desert Shift 2000.
Gerard Barabich, Executive Director, Director Finance and Administration and Company Secretary
Gerard Barabich is a former partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the largest global professional service provider. He worked in the firm's Assurance and Business Advisory Services practice and has experience with a number of multinational, listed and national companies. He has had extensive experience of leading audit and other specialist services and has performed a lead role on assignments in a variety of industries. Complementing his financial services experience, Gerard has undertaken specific assignments on behalf of Central Banks. Prior to his relocation to the UAE, Gerard was the Financial Services Leader for the Central African practice of PwC, where he was responsible for growing cross line of service revenues in the Financial Services sector with attest function and concurring partner responsibilities on a number of clients that he was not directly responsible for.
In addition to Gerard's 14 years experience with PwC, he also has had 4 years of commercial experience, where he held senior positions in a listed financial institution and represented the institution on the Boards of four regional companies. As Managing Director of the International Division of the financial institution, Gerard was responsible for these four regional companies through management and computer services contracts.
Gavin Wehlburg, Executive Director, Director Operations
Gavin Wehlburg is a former partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the largest global professional service provider, which he initially joined in 1976 and has been a partner for 16 years. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with extensive practical experience and has a postgraduate Computer Science qualification. He has spent the last five years with PwC in the Middle East, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as a Partner and the Leader responsible for PwC's Business Solutions Practice across the Middle East region, providing a wide range of consulting and business advisory services, covering: Governance and Risk Management; Financial and Performance Management; IT Systems and Operations Management; Regulation and Compliance Management; Internal Audit and Computer Audit and Controls Support Management. In addition to his Business Solutions responsibilities, he was also the PwC Partner responsible for its internal technology and development across the Middle East.
Prior to his time in the Middle East, other than a short tour of experience to PwC's Information Technology Centres in Florida and San Francisco, USA, New Zealand and Australia, he has been with the PwC Southern African practice, where in addition to his responsibilities for audit services to clients, he has also held responsibilities for Regional Finance Partner and the firms Internal Technology.
Previous to his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Gavin completed 4 years in military service under conditions of active combat. He graduated as the top officer on his intake, being awarded the Sword of Honour and was the first non-regular officer to be posted to a regular battalion, a specialist airborne infantry commando, the Rhodesian Light Infantry. He was the youngest officer in the Rhodesian Army to qualify and control operations as a helicopter gunship commander, completing his service with the rank of Lieutenant, an honourable discharge and military medal citation for his conduct in action.
Gavin has also worked in the pulp and paper industry, as a financial controller for a quoted South African conglomerate.
Ali Abdulaziz Al Turki, Non-Executive Director
Ali Abdulaziz Al Turki is a high profile, respected and well-known businessman, having influence and contacts in the region. Ali holds a BSc in Manufacturing Engineering from the College of Engineering, Boston University, Massachusetts, USA. Ali presently holds the position of Vice President, Operations in the Rawabi Holding Company and oversees operations of all its subsidiaries operating throughout the Middle East. The Rawabi Holding Company group is one of the leading industrial players in the region with activities in construction and engineering, oil and gas, petrochemical, utilities, power and electrical, telecommunication and IT, freight forwarding and marine, trading, and manufacturing.
Ali is a also on the board of various companies, including Rawabi Telecommunications & Software (RTS), Remal Telecom Factory (RTF), Rawabi United Safety Services (RUSS) and Abdulaziz Ali Al Turki & Partners for Contracting Ltd. (ABACORP). Ali brings a wealth of business experience to the Company and it is anticipated that his experience within the region will facilitate the opening of new business opportunities for DigitalSkys.