Sebastian Kurz’s UAE ties spark fears of political and tech infiltration

The European sources have uncovered the clandestine facts of suspicious relationships and conflicts of interest between former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and the UAE. The revelations include the utilization of shell companies to conduct illegal economic and political activities and open doors to political and technological influence in Europe.

It has been revealed that Kurz occupies a top executive role in an Abu Dhabi government-owned company. In his time as chancellor of Austria, he concluded a hydrogen energy agreement with Abu Dhabi, and afterward became part of the European division of the Emirati firm. However, this membership is not on his official site.

Abu Dhabi, rich in oil and a world leader in investment in renewable energy, is, according to Der Standard, planning to become “the world capital of clean energy and green hydrogen” through a strategy led by its crown jewel renewable energy firm, Masdar.

Kurz takes a hidden role at Masdar’s European division after resigning

Masdar was established in 2006 with the goal of promoting energy change. Now it is one of the world’s biggest investors in clean energy, with activities in over 40 countries and investments of approximately €260 million.

Besides its operations in the UAE, Masdar also has an office in Europe, in Amsterdam, where it manages activities throughout Europe, including solar farms in Poland and wind farms offshore in Scotland, London, and Montenegro.

As per official records, Kurz is currently a director at Masdar’s European operation. He was appointed to the position about six months after he had retired as chancellor, though the details surrounding his recruitment process or remuneration are not available. The public had not known about this position before now because it had not been revealed on the website of his private consultancy. There are unanswered questions regarding how the role was obtained, how much Kurz is compensated, and whether the position is related to his political activities in office.

Kurz’s Gulf network: Allies secure key roles amid UAE business connections

Earlier, the Austrian newspaper Kurier had reported that Kurz has long-standing business relations in the Arab world, particularly with the UAE rulers. The newspaper said Kurz became an advisor at ADNOC but refused to comment on his business relations or activities in the Gulf.

Kurier also dismissed the idea that Kurz was involved in the proposed acquisition transaction between Austria’s OMV oil and gas company, in which ADNOC will acquire Borealis, a billion-dollar plastics firm.

Among the evidence in the paper is that Bernhard Bonelli, Kurz’s previous chief of staff, remains closely tied to him. Bonelli operated independently as a consultant in 2022, alongside the previous OMV CEO, Rainer Seele, who now consults for Al Jaber Group. Kurz and Seele were close in Vienna.

The article also pointed out that Etienne Berchtold, the former foreign policy spokesperson of Kurz, is now Austria’s active ambassador to the UAE. Commentators mentioned that Berchtold was appointed soon after Kurz’s exit from office, which could indicate political motivations.

In addition, Seele currently serves on a part-time board at Bahrain’s state oil company. He was accompanied by Johann Pleininger, OMV’s previous deputy CEO, after OMV refused to extend his contract amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

UAE support drives Kurz’s move to cybersecurity and surveillance ventures

The article remembered a Der Standard report pointing out that Kurz assisted Austrian entrepreneur René Benko, the founder of Signa Holding, in securing Middle Eastern investors. Benko was said to have gained access to Abu Dhabi considerably due to Kurz’s contacts.

Moreover, Kurz is associated with Israel’s cyber industry. He co-founded a startup called Dream Security with Israeli entrepreneur Shalev Hulio, who developed the controversial Pegasus spyware. The new company plans to construct AI-powered cybersecurity platforms to safeguard critical infrastructure from cyber threats.

Throughout Kurz’s different enterprises, the UAE has repeatedly emerged as a principal sponsor, most notably via Masdar Solar & Wind Coöperatief U.A., a Dutch-registered subsidiary of Masdar. More than 900 companies utilize the address of the company in Rotterdam, an indicator of a shell company arrangement frequently utilized for obscure international financing.

Kurz has developed close relationships with the UAE leadership and was a guest at the 2025 World Government Summit in Dubai. There, he met senior officials such as Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Masdar head, and other key players in energy and sovereign investment.

This underscores the UAE’s not just financial but political patronage of Kurz’s latest forays in cybersecurity and global finance. The European media also reported that the UAE gave assistance to Kurz’s business partners in the spyware business, specifically Hulio, the founder of NSO (the developer of Pegasus), who earlier received UAE support in promoting and selling spyware.

What is troubling is that Kurz’s new initiative, Dream Security, seems to depend on the same technologies that may be used for the same purposes—reinforcing suspicions that the UAE is enabling the exchange of surveillance technologies through shell companies, while its political and tech reach expands in Europe through Kurz and his circle.