Hisham Farouk

For more than two decades, Hisham Farouk has been at the forefront of advising businesses through some of the UAE’s most significant periods of economic growth, regulatory reform and corporate transformation, establishing himself as one of the region’s most respected business leaders and advisers.

As CEO of Grant Thornton UAE, Farouk has led the firm through a period of sustained expansion and strategic evolution, transforming it into a future-focused business anchored in trust, relevance and deep sector expertise. He has built a reputation as a leader who sees beyond cycles, driving continuous innovation while positioning the firm ahead of change and preparing it for what comes next.

Grant Thornton UAE’s recent achievements reflect this momentum. Under Farouk’s leadership, the firm was awarded the Go Beyond award for Best Firm in the Grant Thornton International Network, recognising the firm for its outstanding trajectory of growth. In 2025, the firm joined a multinational, multidisciplinary platform led by Grant Thornton Advisors, bringing together more than 24,000 professionals across the Americas, Europe, APAC and the Middle East.

Farouk is a registered auditor with the UAE Ministry of Economy and a licensed insolvency practitioner with both the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). He has advised some of the region’s leading organisations across all major sectors. His expertise spans governance, restructuring, succession planning, dispute resolution and long-term value creation.
He has also earned recognition for his work with family businesses, helping them professionalise their operations, strengthen governance structures and prepare for future growth. His influence in this space led to him being described by The National as “the right-hand man for Dubai families”.

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Farouk is an active contributor to the UAE’s entrepreneurship and leadership ecosystem, actively shaping the next generation of business leaders and contributing to the region’s evolving enterprise landscape.

He supports organisations such as Endeavor and the 30 per cent Club GCC Chapter while dedicating time to mentoring founders and emerging leaders and championing purpose-driven initiatives that uplift communities including Al Noor Training Centre for People of Determination and the Maria Cristina Foundation.

With executive education credentials from Harvard Business School, the University of Oxford, Chicago Booth University and INSEAD, Farouk continues to help organisations across the Middle East build resilience, embrace transformation and lead with confidence in an evolving economic landscape.