Progress is owned and managed by two partners with support staff in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Richard Thompson

Richard is a British Citizen and holder of an honours degree in Economics with over twenty five years experience in the UAE at senior level.

Richard started his career as a graduate with British Airways and held various posts including a year's secondment to the Government of Abu Dhabi.
He transferred from British Airways to its subsidiary IAL in 1982 and held a succession of marketing and commercial posts with IAL's highly successful UAE joint venture company culminating in his appointment as Managing Director in 1994.
Recognising the need for a specialist business development organisation dedicated to supporting international companies in the UAE, Richard couldn't resist the challenge of establishing Progress-Aldwalia Limited with Abdo Malik in 1996.

Richard is married with two children both born in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Abdo Malik

Born in Sudan, Abdo now holds Swedish nationality and has an MA in International Relations and a Doctorate in International Law from Charles University in Prague.
Abdo started the company International Connection Group in 1987, an organisation based in Sweden and established to assist Swedish companies enter the UAE market.
He moved to Abu Dhabi in 1992 and joined forces with the Al Mwared Establishment as its Managing Director.
In 1996 he formed Progress-Aldwalia Limited with Richard Thompson, who he knew well having provided support to Richard's company IAL.

Abdo is married with two children.