A partnership between the UAE government, the Galadari Brothers and the Dawn Group of Companies began publishing the daily on 16 April 1978, making it the first English daily in the UAE.[6][7] The founding team consisted of Mahmoud Haroon, Muzammil Ahmed, M.J. Zahedi, Malcolm Payne (the first editor-in-chief) and Iqbal Noorie (in charge of circulation). They were soon joined by Patrick Heyland who was in charge of advertising and promotion.[8]