Who is Sheikh Khaled? UAE's jujitsu-loving new crown prince

Sheikh Khaled: Sheikh Khaled's appointment was welcomed by other Gulf rulers including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, news agency AFP reported.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) president named his eldest son- Sheikh Khaled- as crown prince of Abu Dhabi. With this Sheikh Khaled has become the next leader of the Gulf monarch, fortifying his family's hold on power in the oil-rich country. UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan chose his son for the position which has been traditionally held by the leader-in-waiting.

Official photograph of HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. (Reuters)

Here are top points on Sheikh Khaled, crown prince of Abu Dhabi:

1. Sheikh Khaled was born on January 8, 1982 in Abu Dhabi and is the eldest son of UAE President.
2. He graduated from the American University of Sharjah following which he got a PhD from the Department of War Studies at King's College London in 2014, Gulf News reported. He loves jujitsu.
3. Sheikh Khaled has served as a member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council as well as the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office.
4. He sits on the board of state oil giant ADNOC.
5. Sheikh Khaled's appointment was welcomed by other Gulf rulers including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, news agency AFP reported.
6. Picking Sheikh Khaled as crown prince is a part of the larger trend seen in Gulf monarchies where direct lineage is preferred for succession, Bloomberg reported.
7. In Saudi Arabia, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman rose to power bypassing more senior ruling family members.