Arafat Al Yafei is the CEO of Lahab. His responsibilities include manufacturing oversight of all ranges of ammunition, from small arms and infantry to artillery and aircraft. He also is responsible for leading the deployment of cutting-edge technologies and the enhancement of in-country manufacturing capabilities.

 Al Yafei has extensive experience in the deployment, development and distribution of ammunition that meets the needs of the UAE Armed Forces and regional partners. Prior to joining Lahab, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Carbon Capture Company, a joint venture between ADNOC and Masdar, where he led the establishment of the first commercial carbon capture and use project in the Middle East. He also worked at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), where he held several senior positions, including management of Abu Dhabi offshore fields, R&D, and enhanced oil recovery technology.

 Al Yafei holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from UAE University, UAE, and a Master of Science Degree from Institute Francaises du Petrol (IFP), France.

Message from CEO

Under the Visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed and His Highness Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, the UAE has made astonishing progress in multiple domains, including defence capability.  Lahab was established to be the premier partner to the UAE Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies and our domestic and international customers.

Since its establishment, Lahab has experienced rapid development in growth, technology, engineering and technical services.  Currently the company boasts not only manufacturing capability, but also in-country ballistic testing, demilitarisation of ammunition, a state-of-the-art laboratory and x-ray facilities to service our customers.

Lahab believes in innovation, and we are continuously entering alliances with our strategic partners to expand opportunities for cooperation, drive continuous improvement, implement technology transfer and invest in cutting-edge defence technologies to further strengthen our in-country capability and services portfolio.

Lahab is committed to providing our customers with the safest, highest-quality and most cost-effective products and services, and we strive to build a leading brand in both domestic and international arenas. Lahab is an equal-opportunity employer and investor in people, and we know that our greatest asset is our diverse multicultural workforce.  Our corporate culture fosters a strong work ethic, creativity, inclusion and a healthy work-life balance to ensure that our employees perform at the highest level.

We are determined under this vision and leadership to position Lahab at the forefront of the defence munitions industry in the UAE and GCC.