The Wayfinder tells the story of the life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding President of the United Arab Emirates, and explores the key relationships, challenges and events that shaped his outlook on the world.

Extensively researched, it takes readers behind the scenes into the delicate negotiations that led to the formation of the UAE in 1971, and the gradual consolidation of the union that occurred in the often turbulent decades that followed the country’s founding. It also examines Sheikh Zayed’s responses to several major world events, including the British withdrawal from the Gulf in 1971, the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, the first Gulf War in 1991, the Iraq War in 2003, and the 9/11 terror attacks.

The Wayfinder provides new insights into the life and legacy of one of the most transformative yet historically overlooked political leaders of the 20th century, whose words and actions continue to have a lasting influence on the UAE, its leaders and its people.

Daniel Slack-Smith