Dr. Aida A. Essaid is the Director-General of Taawon (Welfare Association), and for 10 years was director of the Information and Research Center – King Hussein Foundation. Previously she was the Senior Coordinator of the West Asia – North Africa Forum and was also a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan. She received her, PhD in Politics and an MA in Middle East Politics from the University of Exeter, and an Honors BA from the University of Toronto with a double major in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies. She is a board member of the Arab Foundations Forum and the NatCen International Advisory Board.

Abbas is a multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur and investor who founded his first company at 16 and has been recognised by the likes of Forbes 30Under30, Maserati100, and many others. Abbas has been appointed as a United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Fellow and World Economic Forum Global Shaper. Ex-BlackRock, Abbas co-founded both the Oxford Accelerator and $100 million VC fund Collegiate Capital, and is an IC member of, advisor to and LP investor in several funds including BlackWood Ventures. Recently he was recognised and selected by the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Mansour as an Arab Youth Pioneer. He advises the UK Government as a co-founding Advisory Board Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Metaverse and Web 3.0. Chairman of the illustrious Oxford Guild, Abbas was an academic scholar both at Westminster School and Oxford University and a VC Fellow at London Business School’s Newton Venture Program.

Ahmed Behairy is a software engineer turned health tech entrepreneur and CEO of Everest Minds, a digital health company improving access to care through public health transformation projects. With 12+ years of experience in  building and scaling digital products and startups in healthcare, Behairy is committed to making digital health projects affordable and effective at scale. He has led successful public-private partnerships, including with Egypt’s National Health Insurance, and co-founded Checkme, an on-demand home diagnostics and care marketplace with 100Ks in downloads and a 20M$ valuation after acquiring DoctorOnline.

Dr. Aisha Bushager has been appointed recently as an Executive Senior Manager responsible for Data Analytics at Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait. Dr. Bushager was the Chairperson of the Computer Engineering Department at the College of Information Technology at University of Bahrain since 2018. She has been appointed the Project Leader of the Blockcerts Project at the University of Bahrain in 2019, taking the lead to become one of the first women in the region to lead a project anchored to the Blockchain and to position the University of Bahrain amongst the advanced universities that issue digital diplomas on the blockchain. This achievement gave her the honor to be selected as an Ambassador of Education at the Global Blockchain Business Council representing the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Dr. Bushager has been selected as a representative of Scientific Bahraini Women by the US Embassy in Bahrain and participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program on “WISE- Women’s Innovations in Science and Engineering” in USA. She was honored by H.H. Sh. Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa in the 5th International E-Learning Conference for winning the General Secretariat Award for the Design and Development of e-Courses at the Universities Level in the Gulf Cooperation Council in 2015. Dr. Bushager has been selected by the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf (MOJ) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as a member of the Working Group on Cybercrime, 2017.

Dr. Bushager was a Board Member and currently an advisor to the Board of the Technology and Business Society (TBS), she is an active member and the vice chair of the Women Empowerment Committee within the society. Dr. Bushager was a Board Member of the Society of Excellence and Academic Research (SEARS) in 2016. She is engaged in research activities on Information Assurance and Cyber Security, Privacy of IoT devices, Smart Cities Privacy and Security, Blockchain technologies, Data Science and Business Analytics, in addition to the latest trends of E-Business Technologies and Fintech.

Amr is an ex-medicine turned Biomedical Engineering, Business, and Maths graduate with a certificate in IP Law. He embarked on a journey of impact, initially dedicated to building charities across Ireland, focusing on combating youth mental health issues and homelessness. Amr’s passion for making a difference led him to diverse roles, including training as a gaming lobbyist in the US Congress and a technology policy officer at the European Parliament.

With a keen entrepreneurial spirit, Amr ventured into the startup world, building and contributing to many startups before joining the venture capital realm. At a prominent venture capital firm, he played a pivotal role in assisting startups in scaling their impact and revenue while also spearheading successful fundraising initiatives.

Amr’s exceptional contributions have garnered widespread recognition. He is esteemed as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper Advisory Council member and holds a position on the advisory task force board of the UNFPA in the MENA. Additionally, Amr is celebrated as an Ashoka Changemaker, Ireland’s best young entrepreneur regional winner, one of the UN’s Most Influential People of African Descent, and the recipient of the U.S. State Government Emerging Leader of the Year Award, among many other honors.

Ashraf El Khatib is the Chief Investment Officer at Ekuity Holding (the investment arm of Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund – KIA – in Egypt), where he leads the sourcing, closing, and management of investments across private and public companies and funds.

Ashraf was the SVP, Private Ekuity at NI Capital, where he orchestrated the buildup of a microfinance company that emerged as a market leader in two years, Tamweely. Earlier on, Ashraf was a senior manager at PwC, where he led the valuation and financial/commercial due diligence for 30+ transactions in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Sudan, Iraq, and Jordan. Before that, he audited some of the largest companies and managed the first-ever consolidation of Egypt’s arm for oil (EGPC).

Ashraf sits on two corporate boards. Also, he is the Vice Chair of CFA Society Egypt and the chair of the ESG and Career Development Committees. On a global level, he sits on the CFA Institute’s Education Advisory Committee. 

Ashraf completed the MBA at IE Business School. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), passed the CPA exams, and received the CFA Institute’s Certificate in ESG Investing. Ashraf is a certified director with studies at Harvard Business school, the Institute of Directors (IoD in London), and the IFC/Egyptian Institute of Directors. Ashraf speaks English, Arabic, and Spanish.

Dr. Fay Al-Khalifa is a transformational leader with over 12 years of experience in enabling sustainable organizational change in both the public and private sectors. A Board Member and a member of the Audit Committee of INVITA Bahrain. She is also the Director of eLearning and an award-winning Associate Professor specialized in Smart Sustainability at the University of Bahrain. Dr. Al-Khalifa Leads cross-organizational teams and plays an active role in managing the sustainable digital transformation of the University. She works on enhancing educational performance impacts by translating the university strategy into sustainable innovative initiatives while retaining high customer satisfaction rates.

Dr. Al-Khalifa acquires an extended experience in executive leadership and scientific research. She holds a PhD in Sustainability and Cultural Change from the University of Sheffield. Published 30+ publications aspiring to contribute to the understanding of smart sustainable urbanism. She is experienced in ISO standards, ESG reporting frameworks, and sustainability disclosure requirements and is deeply committed to developing strategies to communicate and embed corporate sustainability aims and ambitions and improving the effectiveness of ESG reporting.

Dr. Al-Khalifa is the first Bahraini GRI-certified sustainability professional. In addition to being a certified expert in blockchain technologies, a fellow of the British HEA and an Associate of the USGBC. She holds several other professional certificates and represents the Kingdom of Bahrain in several committees internationally. Dr. Al-Khalifa chairs the Board of Directors of Bahrain Smart Cities Society and is a member of the board of several other nonprofits in Bahrain.

Jennifer Chammas is based in Dubai and serves as Regional Head of Sustainability for HSBC Commercial Bank “CMB” in MENAT. Her current remit is to support middle market and large corporate customer to accelerate the transition in their own operations and their supply chain, as well as supporting the new economy businesses to grow. Jennifer has 11 years of diverse banking experience with HSBC with roles spanning across private banking, investment banking coverage, trade finance and strategy in New York, London and currently Dubai. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Finance) from Boston University. In 2018, she graduated in the top 10% of her MBA class at New York University (Stern) where she specialized in Leadership, Change Management and Strategy. Jennifer was born in Lebanon and moved to Boston at the age of 15 due to political turmoil. She is fluent in English, Arabic and French. 

Khalid Al Bayat is a seasoned business development and banking professional with 17 years of experience in managing complex portfolios of private and public companies as well as financial institutions across the GCC region.

Khalid currently holds the position of Executive Director – Business Development at Tamkeen, where he leverages his client origination and deal execution expertise. He leads a team that drives enterprise and human capital market engagement to support private sector development and drive the upskilling and reskilling of nationals to make them the employees of choice. In driving support programs, Khalid works closely with the boards of private sector institutions to effectively direct government support and set strategic objectives.

Prior to joining Tamkeen, Khalid held several roles in the Banking industry within Bank ABC, Alpen Capital and BBK B.S.C. specializing in Corporate Banking & Financial Institutions with a focus on Client Coverage & Origination, Relationship Management, Deal Structuring, Trade Finance and Corporate Credit Risk with a managed portfolio of over USD 1 billion across GCC markets in various industries, booking assets and liabilities, structuring deals while managing credit and operational risks, helping companies report revenue growth and improved profitability.

Khalid is a recipient of the Fulbright scholarship and holds an MBA with a concentration in Technology Management from Rochester Institute of Technology, USA.

Mai El-Kinawi is a communications executive with 23 years of experience helping organizations advance their business through reputation building, driving purpose and leveraging their impact through partnerships. Mai’s career reflects a demonstrated track record in leading multi-functional teams, in crafting narratives that inspire action, instigate change and transform mindsets, to ultimately achieve desired business and social impact.

Currently, Mai is the managing partner of her advisory firm, True North Consulting, helping clients reaffirm their organizational credibility with intentional performance and purpose driven story-telling. She is a frequent contributor to the knowledge economy, with her authored publications and public speaking engagements in the areas of crisis preparedness, Middle East insights, responsible corporate citizenship and governance.

Previously, Mai held senior positions in Mars Inc., Americana Group and Unilever. Mai holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from AUC, a master’s degree in Management from SOAS, London, and a board directorship certification from IFC.

Marwa Al-Maskati leads the Marketing and Business Development function of Bahrain Bourse where she is responsible for all new business opportunities and affairs. Since taking on this role in 2014, she has been instrumental in the implementation and establishment of new markets including the Real Estate Investment Trust Market (REIT) in 2016 and the Bahrain Investment Market (BIM) in 2017, played a crucial role in championing ESG within the capital markets, as well as the establishment and launch of the Middle East Investor Relations – Bahrain Chapter. Mrs. AlMaskati currently heads the Bahrain Chapter of MEIRA and sits on the Board of MEIRA as well, she is also an active member of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets – Sustainability Committee (2021-2022).

Mrs. Al-Maskati has over 20+ years of experience in the financial industry with a focus on areas such as strategy development, venture capital, private equity, and business development, having previously worked for a number of prominent organizations. Prior to joining Bahrain Bourse, she held key roles with prominent organizations including the Central Bank of Bahrain, TAIB Bank, and Tamkeen.

Mrs. Al-Maskati holds a First-Class Honors Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde (UK) in 2006 and a Bachelors of Science in Business and Economics from the University of Wales, Swansea (UK) in 2002. Mrs. Al-Maskati has completed her professional certification as ‘Certified Investor Relations Officer’ awarded by the UK-IR Society and ‘Series 79’ awarded by the BIBF. Mrs. Al-Maskati has also completed the Regulators Securities Market Program conducted by Harvard Law School & IOSCO, as well as the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme from SaÏd Business School – University of Oxford. 

Mr. Mohamed is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology and Banking. He is currently the Head of Information Technology at Al Baraka Group, where he drives the implementation of the Bank’s technologies and develops IT infrastructure to enhance the bank’s services and customer experience. Mr. Mohamed is also a Board Member of Al Baraka Bank Algeria.
 
Before joining Al Baraka Group, Mr. Mohamed held several roles at Arcapita Bank, Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), and Electronic Data Systems (EDS), where he developed and implemented IT governance, oversaw project management, and improved IT operations.
 
Mr. Mohamed holds an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) and a BSc in Computer Information Systems from Strayer University, Washington DC, as well as leading industry certifications including CISA, CGEIT, and PMP.

Nadeem is a Director and Head of Financial Institutions, Public Sector and Government Entities for HSBC Egypt, the largest international bank in Egypt. Nadeem held different roles during his 19 years with HSBC and has gained vast experience working with public sector clients, multinational, local corporates and financial institutions. Nadeem is a senior trusted executive with universal banking experience in diversified areas of the financial services industry. Nadeem has demonstrated track record in leading strategic and complex business, raising cost-efficient financing transactions in international markets, executing landmark advisory business and is responsible for several ESG initiatives. Nadeem has strong investment banking experience with significant local market knowledge and strong connectivity to the government, private and public financiers. Nadeem is able to help corporates navigate the regulatory environment and complex situations.

Nadeem has established trusted advisor relationship with the government, has originated and supported transactions worth USD30bn during the past 8 years while adapting a risk management lens. Nadeem has ESG experience and supported clients to conduct debut and innovative transactions such as Egypt’s first $750m Green bond and the first Gender Lens finance facility which was the first for HSBC globally. The market leading transactions have helped HSBC Egypt to receive Euromoney’s Best ESG bank award in 2022 and the Best Investment Bank award during 2021.

Nadeem has been a member in the Federation of Egyptian Banks Sustainability Steering Committee for 1 year representing HSBC (2022-2023). The committee’s objective was to establish and imbed sustainability policies and practices in the Egyptian banking system. Nadeem assumes a leadership responsibility, believes in talent and career development and has been dedicating time to promote and build robust people’s  agenda at HSBC through coaching, mentoring and exchanges across the bank’s business lines.

Nadeem received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the American University in Cairo. He is accredited by Diversity on Board; an executive programme providing training to become a certified board director. Nadeem has received numerous trainings by Korn Ferry and London Business School on leadership, resilience, and communications skills. Nadeem has volunteered with Earthwatch in Kenya and India to study climate change impact on the ecosystems of Naivasha lake and Sirsi forests in 2006 and 2010 respectively. Nadeem mentored a hydroponic farming project in Nigeria working with Ashoka’s Green Skills Programme for 3 months to help them scale up.

Nicolas Jamal, a dynamic innovator and entrepreneur, has honed his skills in product management, software engineering, data science, machine learning, and business development. With over 8 years of experience in technical leadership roles, Nicolas excels at leading teams to develop innovative solutions that bridge the gap between clients’ business needs and technical capabilities.

Currently serving in C-level roles in multiple startups, Nicolas is responsible for developing scalable processes and managing multiple international teams. In the last two years alone, he has recruited and led over 60 engineers and launched more than seven products.

Nicolas holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Engineering from the Lebanese American University, where he graduated with honors. His university projects included innovative initiatives such as developing an autonomous drone system with docking stations..

As a board member, Nicolas brings a unique perspective focused on the intersection of strategy, and technology/AI. Influenced by a millennial view, his approach fosters innovation and promotes forward-thinking ideas within the board’s vision. Despite not having official prior board experience, his fast learning ability, coupled with his technical knowledge, entrepreneurial spirit, and creativity, allows him to bring significant value to any board.

Ms. Rana Ghafary is the Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs at the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), and a member of KHCF’s leading Executive Management Committee. As part of her role, she leads the implementation of international and national advocacy, policy surveillance and reform efforts, networking for strategic partnerships, and the implementation of community mobilization interventions for an enabling environment of KHCF’s mission.

Throughout her career she led the establishment of regional projects, lobbied for and influenced favorable policies. led community mobilization programs across the kingdom actively engaging the local community in KHCF’s mission.

Ms. Ghafary is a sitting member in different international/national committees as a subject matter expert. Additionally, she spoke at different international arenas, and engaged in different professional development opportunities like a course on disruptive strategies in Harvard business school, Evidence to Policy Fellowship Program in Mohammad Bin Rashed School of Government, among others

Before joining the Foundation Ms. Ghafary led a career in development working for the International Development Agency USAID engaged in economic development and capacity building of Human capital.

Ms. Ghafary holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the New York Institute for Information and Technology; and a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Jordan graduated with honors.

Rasha AlSadhan has more than 16 years of Human Resources experience across different sectors, focused on Engagement, Culture, HR Transformation, HR Business Partnering, Training, Leadership as well as Rewards design and management. Rasha’s career reflects a passion for growing human capital, She designed and implemented strategies to deliver on the corporate business objectives. Leading multinational organizations across the MENA region, Rasha is particularly attuned to issues of operating across geographies and cultures.

Currently, Rasha is the Chief People and Culture Officer at Alamar Foods, a Saudi-based leading Quick Service Restaurant operator in the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan of two globally recognized brands: Domino’s in the MENAP region and Dunkin’ in the North Africa region. Rasha was one of the senior leaders guiding Alamar on its  IPO journey. Moreover, She works closely with the Board of Directors especially the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, of which she is the secretary.

Results and growth oriented professional with over 20 years of experience in corporate banking, corporate finance and transaction banking, leading transformation and driving change. Strong business development capabilities and proven track record of building strong connections, driving business growth, achieving customer satisfaction, implementing digital solutions and improving internal controls. Successfully integrates advanced technology with business strategies during a remarkable career at HSBC Bank.

Promoted to leadership positions for exceptional performance and effective management of competing priorities and leadership roles. Currently leading  Global Trade and Receivables Finance at HSBC Bank Egypt, helping 800 clients including financial institutions, multinationals, large corporations and SMEs to grow and expand their business internationally with best-in-class trade and supply chain solutions. Sustainability Champion since 2018 and had the honor of introducing the first sustainable trade solutions to HSBC in Egypt.

Finally I have completed the IQP (Instructors Qualifying Program) and become an affiliated instructor with the department of School of Business Executive Education at the American University in Cairo. 

Salah Hamwi, a compassionate Syrian national from Aleppo, is a dedicated humanitarian and development leader with over 12 years of experience. Driven to make a difference, Salah transitioned from a professional athlete to support war-affected communities in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Yemen and now supporting global efforts through recent HQ role.He has held leadership roles at CARE USA, CARE International, and Mercy Corps.

Salah’s expertise includes innovative program modalities, strategy development, + USD 70 million humanitarian and development missions. A collaborative leader, he fosters localization agendas and promotes people-centered approaches. Holding two master’s degrees in Shelter and Settlement and Conflict, Peace, and Security. A lifelong learner, Salah continually invests in his professional development, incorporating leadership materials and best practices into his work. His goal is to continue making a meaningful impact in organizations where he can leverage his leadership skills, warmth, and experience to inspire and empower others.

With a 10 years of business leadership experience in Innovation & ICT Industry, Shaima AlGhailani Co-founded and oversees commercial projects at Innovation Factory: An Omani Award-winning R&D SME.

Her primary focus is handling high-profile clients and leading complex commercial projects effectively. She also handles non-technical activities like financial planning, communication, and business planning while focusing on maintaining profitability and achieving targets. She headed up projects and operation in Oman and the UAE worth more than 20 million USD. Including overseeing the development and consulting in the operation of Sultanate of Oman participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.

Shaima mentors’ number of Omani SMEs, tech startups, and social innovators in strategy planning, stakeholder management, and product development. Also, co-designed and co-delivered several social innovation programs in Oman. She also took part in Oman’s 2040 vision and Oman’s 10th Five-Year Plan labs that were centered on tech, innovation, and creative industries.

Wahid is a Partner and Managing Director at Amaly Legacy, an asset management, philanthropy tech and social innovation platform unlocking funds for NGOs and indigenous communities in developing countries to tackle development challenges while supporting organisations in meeting their net-zero targets. 

Prior to Amaly Legacy, he was an investment and strategic advisor with advisory experience for global investors including ADIA, CPPIB, CDPQ, Temasek, GIC and Khazanah Nasional among others spanning across Africa, Europe, Middle East, Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia. His unique blend of experiences position him well to support organisations on matters related to M&A, NPL restructuring, repositioning and monetisation of distressed assets and portfolios, turnaround and market-entry strategy and sustainability efforts towards achieving net-zero targets.

He possesses strong cultural awareness of the Middle East region (including Iran) and native language skills. He lived and worked across various global financial centres, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and London. 

Waleed Abd El Rahman is a highly experienced business leader with a proven track record of success in both the corporate and startup sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the American University in Cairo and a Data Science Professional Nanodegree from Udacity. He currently serves as the Head of E-commerce, Contact Center & Delivery at Seoudi Supermarket, where he leads a team of 1000+ employees to build Omni-Channel digitized platforms and operations. Waleed has led the digital transformation efforts of Seoudi Supermarket for his organization which grew NPS (Net Promotor Score) by 100+% by digitizing the full value chain of E-commerce, operations, and delivery.

In addition, he founded and leads the Data Science team resulting in savings, growth, and efficiency through AI/ML, individual-level reporting, and data visualization for each person in the organization. He is also the Founder of Mumm Inc., a homemade food delivery social enterprise that he grew 300% year/year for 4 consecutive years, raising $1 million in equity financing and listed by the World Economic Forum as one of the 100 startups contributing most to the 4th industrial revolution.

He has also held various leadership roles at companies such as MIT Technology Review- Middle East, Red Sea World Group, and P&G Near East. Throughout his career, he aspired to add value to organizations and businesses that he advised including but not limited to the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum, MQR Spaces and as a mentor in Flat6Labs.

Wessam is a CISO, Cybersecurity, and Business Resilience expert with 17+ years of experience. Wessam has a bachelor’s in Computer Engineering and holds numerous international, technical, and governance certificates/accreditations. Wessam was recognized as a Top 10 information security professional worldwide in 2022 by OnCon, Arab CISO of the Year 2021 by ASC, and IDC Egypt CISO of the Year – Finalist 2022. He has passed through multinational and international organizations during his career.

He has a wealth of experience in managing effective and award-winning cybersecurity programs, managing a multi-million USD budget, teams of hundred+ FTEs, and translating cyber risks into quantified monetary values to support decision-making.As cyber/information/lack of resilience risks lead to financial, regulatory, or reputation loss, Wessam’s skills and talents are needed on the board table to govern, direct, assess, and assure the organization’s cyber resiliency.

Wessam is actively involved in non-profit activities, such as ISACA Cairo Chapter Board Secretary & Communication Director, and acted as a consultant for the Egyptian Red Crescent. Wessam also provides awareness sessions and posts on social media. Wessam has experience communicating with boards and gaining their confidence as I translate cyber risks into business language and an independent strategic mindset with analytical insights that can arise at the right time.

Wessam works with high values and objectivity; he served as CISO and CTO for a reputable accredited US/Egyptian university.

Mootaz Dinana is a transformative leader with a proven track record of driving sustainable business growth through fostering digital innovation and operational efficiency in sustainable and socially conscious businesses.

As the Country Manager for Sweepsouth (FilKhedma) in Egypt, turning a social enterprise start-up into a scale up post-acquisition, he led the unit to achieve 2.5x business size in just half a year and built a team of more than 60, demonstrating his ability to scale businesses rapidly and sustainably during a turbulent local and global economy. He has taken this position after co-building FilKhedma into Egypt’s leading home and business maintenance and cleaning provider and being acquired by SweepSouth.

Mootaz started his entrepreneurial career as a partner and CTO at FilKhedma in 2017 where he built its marketplace technology in addition to being part of the company’s executive team securing several funding rounds, working with investors as well as setting the company’s technology strategy.

He moved to the COO role on the advent of COVID-19 and became responsible for operations, sales as well as technology to implement the needed operational efficiencies to get through that turbulent period. He succeeded in reducing burn by ~45%, doubling sales conversion rates and tripling operational efficiency. He was part of the team managing the acquisition by SweepSouth and became responsible for the company’s Egyptian unit after that.

Mootaz Dinana has over 10 years of business leadership experience in multi-national as well as start-up environments holding management and executive positions in technology, operations and enterprise sales positions.

He has learned his trade at Ericsson where he demonstrated his expertise in securing multi-million dollar contracts and managing complex IT and network operations outsourcing & transformation deals.