How Haider Rafique is putting crypto exchange OKX on the map

Call him a dealmaker‭, ‬a rainmaker‭, ‬or even a power broker‭ ‬–‭ ‬but Haider Rafique gets things done‭. ‬As the managing partner and chief marketing officer at OKX‭, ‬he is helping put one of the world’s biggest crypto exchanges on the global map‭. ‬One of the ways he’s doing this is by wrangling high-profile partnerships and sponsorship deals that range from the football pitch to the racetrack‭, ‬to the world of the arts‭. ‬

Rafique is a busy man‭, ‬and‭ ‬KT LUXE‭ ‬caught up with him in the back of his chauffeur-driven ride to a major crypto conference in Dubai recently‭. ‬OKX scored a massive win there as one of the main sponsors‭. ‬Not only was it the biggest crypto event to ever take place in the emirate‭, ‬but Eric Trump‭, ‬son of US President Donald Trump‭, ‬took to the OKX stage at one point‭, ‬giving the brand another major boost‭.‬

Rafique went to school in Abu Dhabi and has seen the UAE progress at a rapid pace over the past two decades‭. ‬Coming full circle‭,‬‭ ‬he drove the sponsorship deal that put OKX on the shirt sleeves of Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City FC‭. ‬The football club was bought by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan‭, ‬UAE Vice-President and Deputy Prime Minister via his Abu Dhabi United Group‭ (‬ADUG‭). ‬‭ ‬Its head coach is Pep Guardiola‭. ‬The team has experienced unprecedented success‭, ‬winning multiple Premier League titles‭, ‬domestic cups‭, ‬and the UEFA Champions League‭, ‬while expanding into a global football enterprise through the City Football Group‭.‬

“I think we can do a lot more with Man City‭, ‬because I think people living here feel Man City is a‭ [‬beacon of‭] ‬national pride for‭ ‬them‭. ‬We need to do more to help them celebrate their wins‭,‬”‭ ‬he said‭. ‬Rafique talked about advertising the club’s successes with huge billboards along Sheikh Zayed Road and bringing the team here‭. ‬“I want to bring Pep here and do a session‭. ‬I want‭ (‬star striker Erling‭) ‬Haaland to kick a ball from one tower to another‭. ‬Yeah‭, ‬crazy stunts‭. ‬I want people to be excited and energised‭.‬”‭ ‬

The club has not achieved its recent high standards this season‭, ‬and missed out on the chance to win five Premier League titles‭ ‬in a row this year‭. ‬“They’re not having the best season‭. ‬But that’s the time when you want to bet on your partners‭, ‬to show them your support‭.‬”

That’s how Rafique describes OKX’s involvement with McLaren‭; ‬the firm started sponsoring them during a poor period for the racing team‭. ‬It has massively improved‭ ‬and McLaren continues to lead both the Drivers’‭ ‬and Constructors’‭ ‬Championships‭. ‬Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris currently occupy the top two positions in the Drivers’‭ ‬standings‭.‬

Passionate about Formula 1‭, ‬Rafique counts a number of current and former professional racing car drivers as his friends‭, ‬including McLaren’s current line-up‭. ‬He is also friends with actors through OKX’s sponsorship of the Tribeca Film Festival‭, ‬which was established by actor Robert De Niro‭, ‬producer Jane Rosenthal‭, ‬and real estate investor Craig Hatkoff‭.  ‬

If that wasn’t enough‭, ‬Rafique headed the deal for OKX to become the first official global sponsor of Majesticks GC‭, ‬one of the 12‭ ‬teams in the LIV Golf League‭. ‬As part of the sponsorship‭, ‬team members‭, ‬including Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood‭, ‬sport the OKX logo on their team kits during tournaments across the US‭, ‬Europe‭, ‬the Middle East‭, ‬and Asia‭. ‬LIV Golf is owned and funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund‭ (‬PIF‭), ‬one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds‭. ‬It has invested nearly‭ $‬5‭ ‬billion‭ (‬Dh18‭ ‬billion‭) ‬into LIV Golf since its inception in 2021‭.‬

During our plush ride‭, ‬the shimmering skyscrapers of Dubai’s rapidly expanding financial district passed by along with the glistening Museum of the Future‭, ‬often described as the most beautiful building in the world‭. ‬Rafique spoke about Eric’s presence in Dubai‭, ‬and plans for a Trump Tower in the city‭. ‬The skyscraper is expected to be built by 2031‭. ‬Rafiq mused about‭ ‬building OKX’s own tower as he stared out from the taxi at the expanding Dubai skyline‭. ‬“Yes‭, ‬I would love that‭,‬”‭ ‬he said‭. ‬