Janet Jackson's Estranged Husband Wissam Al Mana: Everything to Know About the Qatari Billionaire
Fans are still reeling from Janet Jackson's split from husband Wissam Al Mana, which came just three months after she gave birth to their first child together, son Eissa.
While the two have been married since 2012, little is known about Jackson's notoriously private husband. According to People, the 50-year-old superstar and the 42-year-old Qatari businessman separated shortly after the baby was born due to "cultural differences."
"The cultural differences between her and Wissam became even more obvious [after Eissa arrived]," a source tells the magazine. "They come from very different worlds. For years, Janet tried to adapt to his culture. Since it's not a culture she grew up with, it's been challenging for her. She often felt she disappointed Wissam."
Here are seven things to know about Jackson's estranged husband:
1. He's a brilliant businessman.
Al Mana currently serves as the executive director of Al Mana Group -- a Qatar-based conglomerate founded by his late father -- that deals in automotive distribution and services, real estate and investments, retail, food and beverage, engineering, technology, media and entertainment across the Perisan Gulf region. Just a few big-name brands the group operates include Infiniti, Nissan, as well as luxury brands Hermes, Chloe, Giuseppe Zanotti, Stella McCartney, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Emporio Armani and Dior Homme.
2. He has a love for fashion.
Al Mana's business in luxury brands would definitely explain his interest in fashion. His and Jackson's rare public outings together during their marriage would almost always be at fashion events, including Kira Plastinina's fashion show in Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 25, 2012.
3. He's an extremely hard worker.
Al Mana once told Harper's Bazaar Arabia that he started working at 14 years old after applying to every fashion boutique on King's Road in London.
"I spent many years growing up in London where I developed an early love of fashion and remember applying for a job at every fashion boutique on the King's Road," he said. "At 14, I finally found a weekend job at a multi-brand store. I really enjoyed it and began to acquire an insight into the world of retail that would prove crucial for my career."
4. He's heavily influenced by his father's legacy.
Al Mana definitely has a great respect for his father, the late Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana, whom he credits with teaching him and his two older brothers "great values." Al Mana described him to Harper's Bazaar as "a very humble and down to earth man… known for being very honest and trustworthy."
"He taught us many great values such as to treat our employees with dignity and respect," he said.
In a rare 2014 interview with Entrepreneur Middle East, he talked about the importance of his family.
"My father passed away when I was quite young, and I felt that it was my duty to kind of pick up the flag and to continue the business, and try to continue the legacy and the family name," he shared. "It's in our blood, we're merchants. When I was a child, I looked at my father's passport and his occupation said 'Merchant'. I asked my mom, and she explained that we are merchants. We take pride in that, it's our heritage."
5. He values his privacy.
In the same interview with Entrepreneur Middle East, Al Mana talked about not being on social media. "You can ask me anything you want; I'm very opinionated... except about my private life," he noted. "I don't want to talk about that. ... I don't have Facebook, I don't have Twitter. I don't have anything, because believe it or not I'm a very, very private person! I don't like to pry into people's business."
"I spend time with my wife. It's a luxury. We love travelling... we love going to nice, exotic places far away from the world and from prying eyes," he added. "Over time, like anything in life, you find ways to master it and you learn how to do that."
6. He prides himself on being "cross-cultured."
In the same magazine interview, Al Mana talks about spending time all over the world. "I spend a lot of time in the West, and my brothers have too," he said. "I think that's actually a key to our success. The fact that we have this cross-cultured approach, we've managed to understand cultures across West-East. It's an advantage to us."
"There's so many factors involved in being a good businessman -- ethics, honesty," he added. "It's a huge responsibility."
7. He once called Jackson his "dream woman."
In an interview with Harper's Bazaar Arabia in November 2011, Al Mana gushed about his then-girlfriend. "I'm fortunate enough to be dating my dream woman," he said.
And the love was mutual.
"We have a deep bond, a deep connection," Jackson said of Al Mana.
In exclusive photos obtained by ET, Al Mana was spotted outside his London home on Friday, as members of his staff brought children's toys and balloons into the house. While the couple was raising Eissa together after his birth in January, an eyewitness tells ET that it seems as though Jackson moved out of their London home a month ago.
It is believed that Jackson is now staying with her son in a residence close by the home she formerly shared with Al Mana, near London's Chelsea district.
For more on the split, watch the video below: