Darrell Seale
Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates

Darrell Seale in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Darrell Seale, a U.S. Air Force veteran, retired aerospace executive and PADI/SDI scuba instructor, has been based in Abu Dhabi since 2014, with Trophy Club, Texas as his U.S. base.

2014 moved to Abu Dhabi
2,500+ dives
142 countries

An international career in the capital

In 2014, Darrell Seale relocated to Abu Dhabi as Lockheed Martin‘s International Business Development Executive and Country Executive for the Middle East, and led the company’s energy portfolio in the UAE. His work in the UAE is covered in the Nation Shield interview “Lockheed Martin Sniper Providing Precision to Fighters” (December 2021) and in a video interview from the 2019 Dubai Airshow.

Darrell Seale interviewed at the 2019 Dubai Airshow

Community and service

Darrell Seale at the AmCham Abu Dhabi Annual Excellence Awards
2018–2019

AmCham Abu Dhabi

Darrell R. Seale served on the board of directors of the American Chamber of Commerce Abu Dhabi. Pictured at the AmCham Abu Dhabi Annual Excellence Awards, 2015.

Darrell Seale with medal-winning athletes at the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019
2019

Special Olympics World Games

At the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi he played on a Unified Sports volleyball team and presented medals to athletes.

In the press

A decade of service

His years in the emirate are the subject of “Darrell Seale Brings Decade of Service in Abu Dhabi, UAE” and “Darrell Seale: Leadership and Legacy in Abu Dhabi, UAE”. More coverage is on the Press page.

Diving in the UAE

Abu Dhabi is also where Darrell Seale dives. In 2020 The National reported on his 20-minute encounter with a five-metre whale shark off Abu Dhabi, which he filmed. On the east coast, Snoopy Island in Fujairah is known for hawksbill and green turtles, and dhow trips run from the UAE into Oman’s Musandam peninsula. For more, see his guide to scuba diving in the Arabian Gulf.

Whale shark off Abu Dhabi, filmed by Darrell Seale

Whale shark off Abu Dhabi

Hawksbill turtle at Snoopy Island, Fujairah, filmed by Darrell Seale

Hawksbill turtle, Snoopy Island

Darrell Seale surfacing from a dive in Musandam, Oman

Surfacing in Musandam, Oman

Darrell Seale in the Hajar Mountains at Hatta, UAE (2025)
2025

Into the Hajar Mountains

Away from the coast, Darrell Seale heads for the Hajar Mountains at Hatta, the mountain enclave of the Dubai emirate near the Oman border, known for hiking and biking trails and kayaking on Hatta Dam. Visitor information is on Visit Dubai’s Hatta page.

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