Emirati offered up to Dh1 million for Web name rabdan.abudhabi

Abu Dhabi - The entrepreneur's decision to register the Web name was no fluke, as love for horses ran deep in his family.

The Web address rabdan.abudhabi has now become a 'prized possession', with its Emirati owner getting offers of up to Dh1 million for the domain name. 
On July 8, Abu Dhabi's Al Maqta and Bawabat areas were merged and renamed Rabdan. Then, the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office explained in a tweet: "Rabdan is the name of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's first horse and one of the horses of the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, descended from the thoroughbred Arabian horses owned by the Al Nahyan dynasty for hundreds of years."
Following the announcement, Ramzi Al Mubarak, who owns the rights for rabdan.abudhabi, has been approached by individuals interested in acquiring the Web name, with one offer topping Dh1 million. 
The Emirati's decision to register the Web name was no fluke, as love for horses ran deep in his family. With this, plus his passion for technology, he bought rabdan.abudhabi.
He recalled learning the concept of first-mover advantage from his late father Obad, who had played a key role in establishing the Treasury function of Adnoc in the 1970s.
"I registered this Web name as I saw value in the .abudhabi Web address," the 33-year-old said.
Last year, he wrote an exhaustive article for a global magazine, emphasising the importance of the UAE's digital domain space. This was after the launch of the .abudhabi address to "represent the Emirate's digital identity in the virtual world".
Though a lot of people, especially Emiratis, are showing interest in acquiring rabdan.abudhabi, Al Mubarak said he wanted the address to be used to promote Abu Dhabi's tourism, culture and heritage. Interestingly, 11 years ago, the domain name horse.ae was acquired for Dh6 million and in 2007, vip.ae went for Dh4 million.
"I want to promote Arabian horses and Abu Dhabi's culture and heritage. But I want to transfer rabdan.abudhabi to someone who wishes to take it to the next level. This Web name is now like a national treasure," he added.
Al Mubarak is a risk and valuation professional. He was part of the founding team for an Islamic bank in Abu Dhabi and one of the brains behind the first bike-share platform in the UAE.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Abu Dhabi