Who is Janet Jackson’s ex-husband Wissam Al Mana?
JANET Jackson's love life has been well documented over the years.
One of her relationships that really hit the spotlight was when she was married to her now ex-husband, Wissam Al Mana.
Who is Wissam Al Mana?
Born in Qatar’s capital Doha and worth an estimated $1billlion (£934million,) Wissam, known as Sam, is executive director of family business the Al Mana Group.
The sprawling conglomerate is made up of 55 companies — including one that owns all the McDonald’s outlets in Qatar — and was started by his late father, merchant Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana.
Wissam, who runs the company with his two brothers, is responsible for overseeing retail operations in the Middle East for luxury brands including Harvey Nichols, Hermes, Stella McCartney and Armani.
His family moved to West London when he was two years old. He then attended university in Washington, and later returned to the UK to study at the London School of Economics.
Although he is notoriously private and rarely interviewed, he has told reporters he felt he had to continue a family legacy by taking over the Al Mana Group conglomerate.
He said: “My father passed away when I was quite young, and I felt that it was my duty to pick up the flag and to continue the business — and try to continue the legacy and the family name.
“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’."
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When did Wissam meet Janet Jackson and when did they split up?
Al Mana and Jackson met in 2010, and started dating shortly afterwards.
They announced their engagement in 2012, and married in secret the year afterwards.
Al Mana's desire for privacy might explain why the pair married in secret.
However, it was revealed in 2017 that they had split up.
The popstar broke her silence over her marriage breakdown with an emotional video message to her fans to confirm the news.
News of their split first emerged in April 2017, three months after the birth of their son Eissa.
Janet had been clocked moving out of their swanky pad in posh London neighbourhood Mayfair and numerous suitcases, boxes, paintings and even baskets were hauled out of the pad by a team of movers.
Do Wissam and Janet have any children?
Al Mana and Jackson welcomed their only child into the world on January 3, 2017.
Religion was very important to the couple, and they named their baby son Eissa, pronounced eye-sa, which is the Arabic name for Jesus.
Eissa is Janet’s first child. When she gave birth she was 50 years old, while Wissam was 42.
After meeting Al Mana, Janet retreated from the public eye and reportedly converted to Islam.
Has Janet Jackson remarried?
Wissam Al Mana was Janet Jackson’s third husband.
Her first husband was musician James DeBarge, an R&B singer and member of the family vocal group DeBarge. They wed in 1984, but the marriage was swiftly annulled in 1985.
Her second trip down the aisle was Mexican-born dancer and music video director René Elizondo Jr.
He had directed her music videos for “That’s The Way Love Goes”, “Again”, and “Together Again”.
It’s also his hands that cover Jackson’s breasts on the famous Rolling Stone cover.
They were married from 1991 to 2000.
As of September 2022, Janet has not remarried.