'You Were A Father To Me': ARM CEO Remembers Last Words With Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid

“Until we meet again, Bu Jassim.” These were the last words Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, chief executive of ARM Holding, heard from Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, just days before his death.

In an emotional Instagram tribute, Mohammed Al Shehhi recalled a farewell he had not realised would be their last.

“I did not know it would be goodbye, or that your voice would continue to echo in my heart for as long as I live,” he wrote.

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For Al Shehhi, the loss was deeply personal. Sheikh Ahmed was not simply someone he worked for, but a father figure whose trust, advice and example had helped shape his life.

“Our relationship was not merely a working relationship, you were a father, a teacher and a source of support to me,” he wrote.“Being close to you was one of the greatest blessings God bestowed upon me.”

Sheikh Ahmed, the brother of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, died on September 21. Dubai announced 10 days of mourning, with flags flown at half-mast. He was chairman of ARM Holding and president of Al Wasl Sports Club.

Al Shehhi's tribute focused on the lessons he had learnt beyond the workplace patience, humility, good character and a commitment to serving others.

“I learnt from you that love for the UAE and Dubai is not expressed through words, but through sincerity, work and serving people,” he wrote.

He remembered a man who took an interest in those around him, asked about their families and listened in a way that made each person feel valued. His humility brought people closer, Al Shehhi said, while his wisdom offered reassurance.

“Your words were sincere, and we always saw their reflection in your actions,” he wrote.

The trust Sheikh Ahmed had placed in him, he added, would remain a responsibility he would carry throughout his life. He pledged to honour that trust through dedicated work in service of the country and its people.

“Your passing is not only the loss of a leader, but the loss of a father whose presence meant safety, whose closeness brought reassurance, and whose love was an unforgettable honour,” Al Shehhi wrote.

For Al Shehhi, the farewell returned to the relationship at the heart of his tribute that of a son grieving a father figure.

“Farewell, my father and my teacher,” he wrote.“Until God willing, we meet in a place better than this one.”

Many royals and football players have posted photos of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Marwan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also shared a personal message, posting a photo on Instagram and remembering Sheikh Ahmed as his uncle and“a man with a big heart”.

“He has departed from this world, but he will remain present in my heart and memory, through the love, kindness and beautiful, unforgettable impact he left behind,” Sheikh Marwan wrote.

From Al Wasl, Moroccan defender Soufiane Bouftini shared a photograph of himself greeting Sheikh Ahmed during a trophy presentation.“Our grief over this kind man is one,” Bouftini wrote.

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