Throughout his long career Abdlatif Al-Hamad has worked tirelessly to promote economic and social development in Arab countries. Al-Hamad has been Director General and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Fund for Economic Development since 1985 and currently serves also as a member of the International Finance Corporation Advisory Group of the World Bank and of the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies in Tokyo. He was Kuwaiti minister of finance and of planning, and director general of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. Throughout his career he has championed economic, scientific, and social development by promoting productive potential in Arab, Asian, and African countries. He has also worked with numerous investment and banking advisory boards and served as a trustee for several universities and institutes.