Angy Elyamany is a leading expert in gender equality, women’s green economic empowerment, and digital financial inclusion, leveraging innovative FinTech and cyber technologies to drive progress. Based in Egypt, she has been a vital part of the National Council for Women (NCW) since 2002, currently serving as Director of the Financial Inclusion Program, Coordinator of the Family Development Project, and Head of Systems and Technical Support.

With a Master’s in Development Cooperation and International Studies from EWHA University, South Korea, Angy spearheads transformative initiatives like the Digital Savings and Loans Associations (D-VSLA) “Ta7wisha”, promoting digital financial inclusion in rural areas. She also plays a key role in the Family Planning National Project, advancing economic empowerment and awareness efforts.
Angy’s expertise extends to national committees, including the Smart Green Governorates Initiative and the Banks Federation Committee for Family Development. A frequent speaker and moderator at international forums and webinars on financial literacy, digital and financial inclusion, women’s social and economic empowerment, women in the digital era. Her work focuses on sustainable development, women’s economic empowerment, and digital transformation.

Through her strategic vision, Angy continues to bridge the gap between innovation and inclusion, championing initiatives that empower women and foster resilient communities.

Anna Kaminski, MA Psych., is a Director of Training at The Butterfly as well as a CEO and Founder of NeuroKinds – neurodiversity consultancy based in the UAE.
An inclusive employment advocate and presenter, an ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) specialist and a children’s book author, Anna has been supporting people with mental health challenges, disabilities and atypical brains for over 15 years.
She works with businesses, educational institutions and individuals to increase awareness of disability and neurodiversity, reduce stigma, as well as help them take practical steps towards harvesting benefits of these human differences.
A neurodivergent woman herself, she is committed to encouraging a societal narrative-change about disability and neurological differences.

Managing Director of IKEA Social Entrepreneurship BV

Åsa Skogström Feldt is the Managing Director of IKEA Social Entrepreneurship BV (ISEBV), bringing extensive experience from both corporate and non-governmental organisational (NGO) sectors. Åsa is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment, evidenced by her various board memberships, the founding of women’s organisations, participation in exchange initiatives, grassroots activism worldwide, and in her everyday life. In 2012, Åsa was instrumental in introducing social entrepreneurship at IKEA and integrating social businesses as partners.
Åsa’s distinguished career spans many sectors and geographies. She has served as the Global President and CEO of The Hunger Project in New York and as the CEO of its Swedish branch. Her corporate roles include Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson in Germany, Marketing Communications Manager for Ericsson Mobile Communications in the Middle East and Africa, and Corporate Communications Director at Aspiro.

IKEA Social Entrepreneurship (ISE) supports social entrepreneurs in creating social impact in and beyond the IKEA value chain.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari currently serves as a Member of the National Assembly for Shaheed Benazirabad Nawabshah, and First Lady of Pakistan. She is the daughter of former Prime Minister Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and current President Asif Ali Zardari, as well as the sister of former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. With a deep-rooted commitment to her family’s storied legacy of social justice and public service, Aseefa has emerged as a dedicated advocate for healthcare, education, and women’s rights, working to uplift marginalized communities across the country.

Recently stepping into the role of First Lady of Pakistan, Aseefa’s presence has allowed her to further champion issues such as accessible healthcare, and polio eradication—a cause close to her heart. As a Rotary Ambassador and a former UN Ambassador for Polio Eradication in Pakistan, her advocacy has led her to work closely with global organizations, drawing attention to Pakistan’s efforts in eradicating polio and improving public health standards.

She has also particularly shown a keen interest in raising breast cancer awareness, the most common cancer in Pakistan, and tuberculosis prevention, taking on the role of champion for TB advocacy.

Asya Akhlaque is Practice Manager for the Global Investment Climate Unit in the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice at the World Bank Group. Since joining the Bank, she has worked on East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia Region. In her most recent assignment, she was the Lead Economist in the East Asia and Pacific Region, based in Washington DC. Asya’s primary specialization is in microeconomic analysis of economic development. She has led and coordinated analytical and operational work in the area of regulatory and business environment reforms, enterprise innovation and FDI and domestic linkages. Asya holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge. She received her Bachelor degree in Economics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Asha Al Hameli has dedicated approximately five years to the ADNOC Drilling support human capital team. As a member of the People of Determination, she is not only a valued team member but also an accomplished athletic champion.

When Asha isn’t spreading positivity and happiness, she channels her energy into competing in various sports. Her athletic journey began in 2019 at her first international tournament in Kuwait, where she secured a bronze medal. Since then, Asha has amassed an impressive collection of accolades, including 67 medals and 4 cups in strength athletics, and 107 medals in running. Additionally, she has earned the prestigious Presidential Cup and a silver medal in shot put.
Recently, Asha was honored with the title of Social Responsibility Ambassador, a role she embraces with pride as she strives to give back to the community. Known for her infectious positive spirit, Asha is often regarded as a Happiness Ambassador, making a significant impact both at work and in her personal life.

A passionate advocate for clean energy and sustainability serving as Deputy Manager at the DEWA Sustainability & Innovation Center and President of the DEWA Youth Council. With a BSc in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering and an MSc in City Sciences, both earned with top honors, she has contributed significantly to Dubai’s environmental goals, particularly in reducing CO2 emissions, certifying green buildings, and leading clean technology initiatives. Her excellence achievements include being awarded the Dubai Medal for Young Employee in DGEP 2021, winning the “Future Women Energy Leaders” WiRA Award in 2024 and ENOC Women Leaders in Energy Award Winner, Woman Young Leader 2024. She has participated in numerous international youth programs, including the Young Future Energy Leaders and The Green Program in Iceland. With over 26 benchmark visits internationally, she has also presented her research at RESEE 2023 in Cyprus and attended the PVSEC-33 in Japan 2022. Committed to professional growth, she has published over 4 research papers and holds various professional credentials in sustainability, green buildings, and energy management. She is an active member of professional organizations like the Emirates Green Building Council. Additionally, she has volunteered over 1,075 hours, including humanitarian aid in Upper Egypt.

Basima is a green tech entrepreneur with over 15 years in sustainable development. As the Founder and CEO of KESK, she leads Iraq’s pioneering company that combines green solutions with cloud computing, driven by a vision of accessible, profitable smart green solutions. Her achievements include serving as a World Economic Forum Foundation Board Member, TEDx speaker, and laureate of the Cartier Women’s Initiative in the MENA Region. Basima’s leadership was highlighted when she co-chaired the 2019 WEF Annual Meeting in Davos with the CEO of Microsoft and the President of the World Bank. A thought leader in Greentech, her work has been featured in TIME, Forbes, WEF Agenda, and more. Since 2018, Basima has been an international speaker on topics including entrepreneurship, climate change, and Greentech in the Middle East. She holds a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering and a master’s in Structural Engineering, blending her technical expertise with a strong passion for sustainability.

NBC News Legal Analyst; Litigator famous for her key role in the Johnny Depp defamation case featured in the #1 Netflix series, Depp V. Heard

As an NBC News Legal Analyst and renowned attorney, Camille Vasquez is sought after for her critical insights and perspective on today’s most high-profile legal cases.

Many people around the world were consumed by the high-profile nature of the Johnny Depp defamation case, but it’s the behind-the-scenes stories that are both riveting and enlightening. Audiences will hear how members of the unique legal team were chosen, gain insights into their months of preparation and discover how—after more than 100 hours of testimony—the jury was convinced to rule in their favor.

As rising star Vasquez was named “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers in America for 2021-22. She has extensive experience handling reputation management and crisis communications, and more than 10 years of experience as a trial lawyer in high-stakes disputes, including other defamation cases.

A first-generation American born in San Francisco, she is the daughter of Latino immigrants—her mother is from Cuba and her father is from Colombia. Camille graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California where she studied communications and political science. She received her Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School.

Speaking alone, or together with fellow attorney Ben Chew, Vasquez tells audiences what it took to build the case that was six years in the making and to-date has inspired the #1 Netflix series Depp V. Heard, the NBC documentary A Marriage on Trial, the two-part Discovery+ docuseries Johnny vs. Amber, and the scripted movie Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial, which premiered on Tubi. Audiences will hear how members of the BR legal team were selected, gain insights into the months of trial preparation and discover why—after more than 100 hours of testimony—the jury ruled in Johnny Depp’s favor.

Chantal Saliba joined SNA in October 2014 from MTV Lebanon. She hosts “The Newsroom” a two-hour political program, and “Kawkabuna” addressing environmental issues. She has conducted interviews with senior politicians and executives. Chantal is skilled in moderating panel discussions and holds degrees in International Relations and Economics Science.

DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, FRCP, founder of the Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for
research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health
company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in
integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family
Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, and serves as a senior
scientist with Gallup Organization. He is also an Honorary Fellow in Medicine at the Royal
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He is the author of over 95 books, translated
into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers.
For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution,
advocating for the holistic empowerment of individuals, with a special focus on women. He
champions women’s leadership and well-being, recognizing their critical role in creating a more
balanced, peaceful, and inclusive world. Through his teachings, he empowers women to
embrace their inherent strength, wisdom, and potential for personal and societal transformation.
In his latest book, *Digital Dharma* (Harmony/Rodale, 09/17/24), Chopra navigates the balance
between technology and expanded awareness, explaining that while AI cannot duplicate human
intelligence, it can vastly enhance personal and spiritual growth. TIME magazine has described
Dr. Chopra as “one of their top 100 most influential people.” www.deepakchopra.com

Dina Sherif is a Senior Advisor of the Atlantic Council’s WIn Fellowship and Senior Lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management where she also acts as Executive Director of the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship. Dina is also a Partner in Disruptech, Egypt’s first Fintech focused VC fund, and a Founding Partner of Ahead of the Curve, which is the Arab region’s leading firm on issues related to sustainable business growth and impact-driven entrepreneurship.
With over twenty years of experience, Dina has made significant contributions to shaping and advancing these sectors in various regions around the world. She is known for her ability to build mission-driven organizations from the ground up, to inspire through storytelling, to advise governments on policies required to create robust and sustainable private sectors, and to build community and global networks that act as agents for change.
Dina previously held the endowed Willard Brown Chair for International Business at the American University in Cairo (AUC), where she was also the Founding Director of their Center for Entrepreneurship. Prior to the above, Dina helped establish the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at AUC.

Dr Sara Chehab is a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academyin Abu Dhabi. Dr Chehab curates the ‘Women and Diplomacy’ research programme at AGDA. She also trains diplomats on the Women, Peace and Security agenda and contemporary global and economic affairs. She is the lead researcher and author of the annual Women in Diplomacy Index, a unique measure of women ambassadors around the world. Prior to this role, Dr Chehab was Assistant Professor at Zayed University in Dubai.

Dr. Aaesha Alnuaimi is a distinguished leader in solar energy and sustainability, serving as the Director of the Sustainability and Innovation Centre at DEWA’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. With over 15 years of experience, she has driven innovation and strategic leadership in clean energy, establishing the Centre as a hub for sustainability that amplifies DEWA’s impact through collaboration with industry, academia, and research institutions.

Holding a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Microsystems Engineering with honors from Khalifa University (Masdar Institute) in collaboration with MIT, Dr. Alnuaimi has pioneered nanotechnology applications for solar cells. Her expertise, underscored by over 30 peer-reviewed publications and prestigious international awards—including the 2024 Thomson Reuters Global Energy Transition Award and the 2020 International Solar Alliance Award—has made her a prominent figure in the field.

Beyond DEWA, Dr. Alnuaimi leads the Global Green Innovation Initiatives at WGEO, spearheading projects that advance innovation in the green economy. Committed to continuous professional growth, she has completed leadership programs with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development and participated in the ‘Women on International Boards’ program by DWE and IoD, London. Her leadership, widely recognized, embodies a dedication to sustainable progress and clean energy solutions.

Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei is a pioneering force in artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced
technology, with a wealth of experience spanning both government and the private sector. She
has held numerous executive roles, including CEO of AIE3. Dr. Almazrouei also serves as
Chairperson of the United Nations AI for Good Impact Initiative and as a Senior AI
Consultant for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), playing a critical role in
shaping global AI policies, technology governance, and regulation frameworks. Previously, Dr.
Almazrouei held positions as Executive Director, Chief AI Researcher, and Founder of the AI
Cross-Center Unit (AICCU) at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII). She spearheaded the
establishment of the AICCU, its strategic planning, and its projects in AI, robotics, computing,
cybersecurity, and communications. She led the development of the open-source generative AI
models “Falcon” – Falcon 7B, 40B, and 180B and the development of “NOOR,” the first and
largest Arabic language model in 2022. Dr. Almazrouei has also worked extensively in
telecommunications and computer science. Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei has been recognized among
the top 100 global AI leaders by H2O.ai and was featured in the Leading AI Women in the
World list, the Global Leadership Women in Tech® MENA Award, and among the Top 100
Global Tech Speakers.

Dr. Ghuwaya Al Neyadi has over 20 years of experience in leadership, healthcare, and wellbeing. In her current role as Senior Vice President of ADNOC Group Medical & Wellbeing, she leads the implementation of ADNOC’s wellbeing strategy, which focuses on fostering a vibrant and engaged work environment. This holistic approach prioritizes people, enhances the quality of the work environment, strengthens social cohesion, and promotes a sustainable future for ADNOC’s people and their communities. Under her leadership, the wellbeing initiatives at ADNOC are designed to create a supportive culture that promotes comprehensive employee wellbeing, encompassing physical health, mental health, and intellectual growth.

Eisa Almarzooqi brings extensive experience and expertise in news
presentation and multimedia journalism to his role. Beyond hosting television programs and
delivering up-to-the-minute news, he is a valuable member of the Youth Advisory Council for
the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, showcasing his commitment to societal
betterment and education enhancement in the UAE. Eisa’s diverse experience also includes
volunteering as a coordinator with the General Secretariat of the Executive Council for the
Government of Dubai. Eisa holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Business
and Quality Management from Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University.

Elena Siegel has been based in the UAE since 2010 and is currently a partner in Kearney’s government and economic development practice. In this role, she works with leading government ministries and agencies to solve their most critical strategic issues.
A highly experienced consultant, over the past decade Elena has worked extensively in the GCC on a diverse range of sectors and topics, including technology and innovation, education and human capital development, agricultural technology and food security, economic competitiveness, and foreign direct investment, among others.
Drawing on her background in economics, innovation, and marketing, she helps devise strategies and programs to boost economic development. Elena focuses on working closely with clients to deliver nuanced solutions that are practical, implementable, enduring, and specifically tailored to address the UAE’s unique challenges.
A founding member of the UAE Private Sector Advisory Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals since 2018, Elena is also a sitting member of the Global Council for Sustainable Development for Gender Equality and is regularly sought as a moderator and panelist on a range of topics. Through these activities, and her ongoing contributions to UAE strategy and policy, she is proud to be part of the UAE’s journey to create a bright and secure future for its citizens and residents.

Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death of a Diplomat (Death on the Island in the U.S.), will be published in spring 2025.

From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. Passionate about inclusion, belonging, and equality, she wielded her influence through poignant op-eds, a compelling TEDx talk, and dozens of keynote addresses to audiences of hundreds around the world, including presidents and royalty.

Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony’s College). She lives in the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.

Eiman has more than 15 years of industry experience in leading large and impactful transformations that have generated tremendous value to the organization, her key strengths include leading cross functional complex projects, managing change and organizational transformation, identifying growth opportunities, and aligning with key stakeholders on the effective execution of innovative solutions. As a commercially focused strategic and innovative leader with deep HR expertise, Eiman has a proven track record of new company formations, mergers and acquisitions, operating model transformations, workforce and financial planning, and driving organizational optimization and efficiency.
Her recent achievement is the successful implementation of the ADNOC Group Shared Services model, creating one of the biggest shared services hubs in the region with c. 8000 in scope staff, resulting in 30% efficiency improvement with
significant cost reduction and financial savings. Her achievements also include delivering the 2030 vision of the company’s operating model and organization structure by enabling the seamless transformation towards a Global Energy company, through the management and acceleration of future skills, cultural transformation, and the revamp of the employee value proposition. Eiman is the Group Human Capital Strategy & Organization Effectiveness Senior Vice
President of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world’s leading energy producers with a workforce of circa 45000 employees and a primary catalyst of the growth and diversification of the Abu Dhabi economy.
Eiman is an active member of the CIPD UAE Advisory Committee that aims to inform and support organizations to shape an inspiring vision to improve their activities and ensure the information and expertise are always relevant and useful to the people profession. She serves as a member of the Group Human Capital Senior Leadership Team and is a
regular contributor to numerous ADNOC Board and Executive Committees, steering group-wide Human Capital strategies. She is a champion for empowering UAE talent, nationalization and youth development, as well as a coach and mentor in the acceleration of gender diversity, inclusion and ESG. Eiman is regularly invited as a speaker and panelist at influential external events including ADIPEC, Gender Balance and HR Industry Events and Summits. Eiman holds an MBA and BS in Business Sciences & HRM and is currently working towards her CFA. She holds Executive Certifications from Harvard Business School and London Business School and is certified in Project Management. Eiman is a graduate of ADNOC’s prestigious Future Leaders Program of Top Youth Leaders and was trained in Sheik Mohamed
bin Rashed School of Leaders and Diplomats.

Fatima Mohammed Al Joker works as a Legal Advisor for more than 10 years at the ubai Electricity and Water Authority. She is also chairing the Women’s Committee at DEWA, and she was heading the 1st Cycle of DEWA’s Youth Council. She is also a board member of the Higher Colleges of Technology Board of Trustees.

She graduated the first on her batch of University of Sharjah, and the first on the College of Law with a GPA of 4.0. She has been selected by the UAE Cabinet, as a member of the Emirates Youth Council 1st cycle, and then was appointed by the Executive Council of Dubai as the Head of Dubai Youth Council. Throughout this journey, she contributed to highlight the role of women and youth and implement their ideas and outputs into needful initiatives. She participated in many international legal activities and was honored as the best legal advocate before the court at Oxford University Moot Court Competition. She has also attended specialized courses from University of Cambridge and University of Harvard in different feilds. Fatima holds a Masters degree with highest honors from Dubai Police Academy, in Law and sustainable environment, and she is currently a PhD researcher in international environmental law at the UK.

Fatima Al-Shaygi serves as TAQA’s Vice President of Asset Management for the UAE & GCC, overseeing the designated strategies, policies, and programmes for the company’s UAE power and water generation portfolio.

Prior to joining TAQA in 2021, she held several senior level roles across Abu Dhabi’s energy sector, including serving as an Asset Manager for the Clean Energy Unit at Masdar, as the Chief Financial Officer at Al-Reyadah CCS Co, as well as a Finance Manager at the Shams Power Company.

In addition to her day-to-day roles, Ms. Al-Shaygi is also the Co-Chair of the TAQA Women’s Council and sits on several board of directors of several Independent Water and Power Plant (IWPP) companies, such as the Fujairah Asia Power Company, Ruwais Power Company, Arabian Power Company, Taweelah Asia Power Company and others . Additionally, She also has been recently appointed to hold Chairwoman position for the Board of Directors for Noor Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest solar power plant.

Mrs. Al-Shaygi holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Banking from UAE University and has completed the Harvard Business Executive Training Program and London Business School Executive Training Program.

I am a BSc. in Chemical Engineering graduate from the American University of Sharjah and MSc. in Innovation & Change Management graduate from Hamdan Bin Mohamed Smart University. I currently work as a Senior Engineer under Water Operations Department, DEWA. Through my job, I serve to enhance and develop Dubai Water Network’s Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which is operated by the 24/7 Water Control Center. I am also the Head of the Sustainability Leaders Team at my division and have a strict commitment towards sustainability. At heart, I am a mother of twins, a woman who finds her happiness in fitness, and invests her free time in learning and analyzing real estate investments.

Femi Oke is an award-winning international journalist, broadcaster, professional moderator and co-founder of the diverse moderators’ bureau “Moderate The Panel.” Femi’s broadcast credits include BBC television and radio, Sky TV, all the U.K. terrestrial commercial television networks, CNN, and national public radio in the United States. As a sought after moderator Femi has presided over major global events including European Development Days for the European Commission, the UN Secretary-General’s SDG Action Weekend and the UNDP’s Annual Human Development Report.

Based in Washington, D.C where she hosted the live interactive news and current affairs show “The Stream” on Al Jazeera English for a decade, Femi is currently leading the talented team at “Moderate The Panel” and facilitating events around the world.

With over 20 years of experience, Eng. Ghinwa Krayem is a distinguished expert in the fields of service design, customer experience, and digital transformation. She has significantly contributed to realizing Dubai and the UAE’s global vision for developing city experiences.

Building on her professional progression and participation in advanced global training programs, Eng, Ghinwa now offers a unique perspective focused on culture and human behavior during service design and development of digital products and solutions to ensure a personalized and seamless experience that exceeds expectations. She firmly believes in harnessing the power of technology and data science to achieve this vision.

Her extensive experience in this field encompasses developing customer happiness strategies and experience design policies, as well as implementing several strategic initiatives, including the DEWA Service Hackathon, the Customer Experience Monitoring and Measurement Framework, and the establishment of the first Design & Digital Experience Hub. She has also played a pivotal role in building DEWA’s Design DNA.

In her current role as Director of Experience Management at DEWA and Chief Experience Officer at Digital DEWA, she leads many innovative projects not only within DEWA, but with government and private entities. These projects aim to accelerate digital transformation and enhance operational excellence.

Ghinwa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Communications Engineering and has completed several development programs, including City Experience Design Practitionner, Certified Service Designer, Usability Analyst, and Excellence and Quality Assessor.

Hala Al Hashmi is the first Emirati female Industrial and Systems Engineer graduate from Khalifa University. Certified in Lean Six Sigma, she has over eight years of experience at Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), where she has driven over $30M in cost savings through lean manufacturing and problem-solving methodologies. Currently, as a Product Owner in Industry 4.0 team within the digital transformation department, Hala integrates lean principles with Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions to drive sustainable innovations and operational excellence in manufacturing. In addition to her main role, she leads youth empowerment strategies and initiatives as the Chairperson of EGA’s Youth Council.

Her Excellency Hanan Ahli is the Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), a government entity affiliated with the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Centre works on developing and enhancing the UAE’s performance in the sectors of global competitiveness, statistics and data through coordination with partners to implement initiatives and define policies of importance to vital sectors across the UAE.

In her capacity as the Director of FCSC, Hanan looks after a range of policies outlined in the UAE’s National Agenda, with a particular focus on supporting gender balance, promoting favorable business regulations, and strengthening the performance in the UAE’s public sector.

In her capacity as a board member of the UAE Gender Balance Council, she focuses on lifting the legal barriers for gender inclusion, advancing gender parity, and increasing women’s economic opportunities in the country. Hanan is also a board member in the Corporate Social Responsibility Board of Trustees, which encourages the business sector to actively engage in socially responsible practices that lead to a positive economic, social and environmental impact in line with the UAE’s priorities and sustainable development.

Previously, Hanan held the position of the Executive Director of the Competitiveness Sector at the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) (name amended to the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre in 2020), a UAE federal entity created by a Presidential decree in 2015. During her tenure as Executive Director, Hanan focused on supporting the competitiveness of the United Arab Emirates, by enhancing the performance of major economic, commercial, and social sectors in the country, through launching initiatives and strategies that aimed at improving the performance of the country’s institutions on global competitiveness indexes and reports.

Hanan Ahli has extensive experience in business administration, policymaking and financing programs. Prior to joining the government sector, Hanan worked for Mawarid Finance, PJSC, where she led finance operations with a special focus on Islamic finance.

Hanan holds an MBA from the American University of Sharjah, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Sciences from Zayed University. She is a graduate of the UAE Government Leadership Program, in the Future Leadership category and Policies Diploma, and has credentials from the London Business School, Institute of Management Development (IMD), and Harvard Kennedy School.

Hanta Rakotovao is an accomplished professional with over 25 years of experience in operations, entrepreneurship, and international development. As Director of the SME Development Platform at BNI Madagascar, Hanta has successfully trained around 700 SMEs in financial education and managed projects worth €30 million to improve SME access to credit. Her entrepreneurial spirit is also reflected in her leadership of Cabinet HHR SARLU, a consultancy firm that supports economic development and trade facilitation. With extensive expertise in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and project management, Hanta plays a key role in driving sustainable development and fostering entrepreneurship in Madagascar. Fluent in Malagasy, French, and English, she excels in cross-cultural communication and international trade initiatives.

Dr. Hayat Sindi is a Saudi biotechnologist and a global champion of science technology and social innovation. She is a pioneering, inspirational female leader, working to improve the lives of people around the world, through her resolute belief in the power of science, technology and innovation to solve the greatest development challenges. She holds nine patents for a machine that combines the effects of light and ultra-sound for use in biotechnology in early detection of breast cancer.

Dr. Sindi was the first woman from the Gulf region to obtain a PhD in biotechnology from the University of Cambridge, Newnham College. She was a visiting scholar at Harvard University, and her remarkable career includes co-founding and co-inventing ‘Diagnostics For All’ –a programme to create affordable diagnostic devices for millions of people in impoverished regions– alongside a team from Harvard University. In 2008, Dr. Sindi led the ‘Diagnostics For All’ business team to first place in Harvard Business School’s Business Plan Contest, in the social enterprise track, and also to first place in MIT’s $100K Entrepreneurship Competition in the same year (the first time ever that the same team won first place in both competitions in the same year)

Her work at Harvard earned her a spot with four other scientists in a documentary film supported by the Executive Office of the President of the United States (Barak Obama) in order to promote science education among young people.

Driven by a passion to develop entrepreneurial ecosystems that can transcend existing gaps between education and opportunity, Dr. Sindi launched “i2 Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity” in 2011. Through fellowships, trainings and mentorships, i2 seeks to empower and inspire the next generation of innovators so that they may realize their dreams and ultimately contribute to global development. In 2014, she received the Clinton Global Citizen Award for “Leadership in Civil Society” in recognition of her work in encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship among young people.
She was named an Emerging Explorer by National Geographic in 2012

Dr Sindi was Appointed by the King of Saudi Arabia in 2013 among the first 30 women to sit in the Shura Council, Saudi Arabia’s consultative assembly.

In 2017, Dr. Sindi was appointed as Senior Scientific Advisor to the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). In this role, she has put science, technology and innovation at the heart of IsDB’s work, making it a powerful driver of economic growth and sustainable development. In 2018, she contributed to the launch of IsDB’s $500m Transform Fund and Engage platform –the first digital hub of its kind for the developing world– to support innovators find solutions to development challenges through the power of innovation.

Dr. Sindi has also led IsDB efforts in the joint initiative between IsDB and the International Atomic Energy Agency on saving women’s lives from breast and cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Her leadership has contributed to establishing a unique $500m blended financing fund and launching a dedicated call for crowdsourcing innovative solutions under this initiative.

Dr. Sindi was voted one of the BBC’s top 100 Women 2018, a list of inspiring and influential women from around the world. In 2019, the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) exceptionally awarded her one of the “TWAS Medal Lectures” in recognition of her achievements in biotechnology and her leading, inspirational role as a woman scientist putting innovation to the service of the developing world and promoting science education.

Dr. Sindi’s high profile and internationally recognized contributions have seen her appointed on several esteemed panels and boards.

Appointed in 2013 by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the newly constituted UN Scientific Advisory Board, comprising 25 global experts and providing advice to the UN’s leadership on science, technology and innovation for sustainable development;

Appointed in 2016 by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a 10-member group to support the Technological Facilitation Mechanism for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr. Sindi is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her efforts to promote science education in the Middle East especially for girls, and recently launched her global consulting firm, The institute for Quality (iQ). Lately she was Appointed in 2023 an Honorary Fellowship of Newnham College, University of Cambridge.

Recently, she received 2024 The Exceptional Women of Peace Awards in leadership in Science and Technology by Pathways to Peace , the UN Peace Messenger Organisation.

During her years of experience, Her Excellency, Hessa Tahlak held prominent positions in
different government, semi-private, and nonprofit organizations. Her roles varied from strategic
planning, research and studies, marketing, development, and community service.

Hessa currently holds the position of Assistant Undersecretary of Social Development at the
Ministry of Community Development. Of her most notable achievements during her time at
MOCD, she founded a volunteerism axis within the ministry, alongside execution of projects
pertaining to The Year of Giving which included 13 projects, policies, and laws. In addition, she
is a member on the board of directors of Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, the
Emirates Gender Balance Council, and the Vice-chair of the Global Council on SDGS, SDG1, and
the Chairperson of Family Related Policies Council.

In her previous role as Consultant to the Ministry of Community Development, Hessa’s roles
varied between supervising and managing projects, overseeing the communications department, and overlooking the policies and initiatives from different sectors within the Ministry, related to Elderly, Families, and People of Determination.

Before joining the Ministry of Community Development, Hessa Tahlak acted as the Director of
Corporate Development, Research and Projects at Dubai Women Establishment for 10 years.
Her role was to direct and manage all core projects and initiatives within the organization.
One of her main achievements within DWE was the initiation of Women Leadership Exchange
Program – WLEP, the first exchange program of its kind developed within a government
organization in the country which focused on leadership, networking, benchmarking and
sustainability in partnership with Lund University in Sweden.

Another achievement of hers was developing the content of three main conferences in Dubai
related to Women; Arab Women Leadership Forum – Women in Boards, Arab Women
Leadership Forum – Towards Competitiveness, and the Global Women Forum Dubai conducted
in February 2016. In addition to Hessa’s responsibilities, she also managed local and
international relations for the organization and represented DWE in many events, and spoke in
several local and international conferences.

Hessa Tahlak, holds a BA in Marketing and Management from the American University of
Sharjah, UAE. After graduation she joined The Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai Airport as a
Marketing and Business Development coordinator in 2002.
Few years later Hessa pursued her career through joining Dubai Quality Group as a Quality
advisor and the Project Leader and a Senior Jury member of Emirates Business Women Award
(EBWA) for three years in a row. In 2018, Hessa was awarded the Arab Woman of the Year
Award.

Then she joined Nakheel as a Senior Executive in the Commercial Department where she handled marketing for few development projects at a time. By the end of 2007 Hessa moved to Dubai women Establishment.

Aside of her academic background and her Career contribution, Hessa was recognized in the
Dubai Government Excellence Award within the Government Employee Category. Hessa is also
a graduate of the “Elite” leadership program initiated by Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership
Program in Dubai, and a Certified Career Coach at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Students Personal
Development Program, and got elected as the Chairperson of the Board of “Women for
Sustainable Growth” Network based in Sweden for two cycles in a row.

Her Excellency Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet.

H.E. Al Hammadi is coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to develop and execute the comprehensive legislative transformative agenda, which aims to adopt a proactive and agile legislative approach that anticipates future transformations and opportunities, empowers people and fosters economic growth and streamlines service delivery in key sectors. The legislative transformation agenda encompasses vital sectors including economy, society, healthcare, education, security, judiciary, environment, infrastructure, technology and space, in addition to government affairs. The agenda is implemented through the highest levels of collaboration between federal and local entities and with active participation of the private sector and the community.

H.E. Al Hammadi has also orchestrated the creation of the UAE Legislation Platform (www.uaelegislation.gov.ae), a unified, interactive platform for all federal legislations in the UAE. Additionally, she has been coordinating the Cabinet’s efforts to launch the Law Enforcement Indicator which measures the timely and effective implementation of the issued federal legislations. H.E. also oversees the “Regulations Lab”, which provides an experimental environment to test new business models and emerging technologies and develop the legislations regulating them.

H.E. Al Hammadi is also responsible for studying and reviewing Federal Government policies, in addition to supporting the work of the UAE Cabinet and the Ministerial Development Council.

H.E. Al Hammadi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a Master’s degree in Total Quality Management (TQM). She is a member of the Emirates Strategic Planning Association (ESPA) and a board member of Dubai Sports Council.

In her influential role as Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva stands at the forefront of reshaping national policies on women’s rights, health, and education. A visionary in legal reform, Saida Mirziyoyeva was integral to enacting landmark legislation criminalizing domestic violence and strengthening protections for women and children — an unprecedented achievement within Central Asia, advancing the region’s approach to human rights and justice.
Saida Mirziyoyeva is also a driving force in Uzbekistan’s pursuit of global economic integration, overseeing the country’s strategic accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Through this initiative, she is aligning Uzbekistan’s economic policies with international standards, opening new avenues for foreign trade and collaboration.
Her commitment to public health and education is equally profound. A passionate advocate for women’s health, Saida Mirziyoyeva directs programs focused on eliminating women’s cancers through early diagnosis and preventive care. She also champions the “Teach for Uzbekistan” initiative, part of the global Teach For All network spanning 63 countries. This initiative is expanding access to quality education for children in rural areas, helping to reduce educational disparities and foster greater opportunities.
Previously, as Deputy Director of the Agency of Information and Mass Communications (AIMC), Saida Mirziyoyeva coordinated the national PR center and advanced essential freedoms by promoting transparency in public administration and upholding freedom of expression. During her tenure, implemented projects within the framework of the Five Initiatives of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan promoting sports, arts and culture among children. A dedicated advocate for gender equality, Saida Mirziyoyeva actively serves on the Commission on Gender Equality, advancing programs that support women’s empowerment across Uzbekistan. In 2020, she spearheaded the “Safe Help” initiative, offering material support to socially vulnerable women during the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing pressing needs for those impacted.
Beyond policy, Saida Mirziyoyeva is a dedicated ambassador for Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage. As Deputy Chair of the Council of the Art and Culture Development Foundation, she has fostered Uzbekistan’s global cultural presence, with prominent exhibitions at the Louvre Museum and the Arab World Institute in Paris showcasing the nation’s rich history.
Her philanthropic pursuits include the “Ko’ngil ko’zi” initiative, which provides critical support for children with visual impairments through medical treatment, Braille resources, and specialized equipment. With her enduring commitment and vision, Saida Mirziyoyeva continues to drive impactful change in Uzbekistan, ensuring a future grounded in equality, health, and cultural honor.

Over 40 years in the service of UAE, His Excellency has held several high positions, showcasing a well distinguished career marked by notable successes and achievements, of which are:

FNC Speaker for the 18h Legislative Chapter as of 6-11- 2023

FNC Speaker for the 17th Legislative Chapter, 14 -11- 2019 to 06 -11- 2023

President of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, 28 -9-2020 to 18- 2- 2022.

Member of the UAE Cabinet, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization, 2008 – 2017

Ministry of Culture and Information Undersecretary

UAE Ambassador to the United States of America

UAE Non-Resident Ambassador to Mexico

Chairman of the National Media Council Board

Chairman of the National Qualifications Authority

Quals: Bachelor Degree in Business Administration- United Arab Emirates University

His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi was born on May 23, 1981, in Al Ain city. He began his career as a network security engineer within the UAE Armed Forces. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering from the University of Brighton and a master’s and PhD in information technology from Griffith University.

In January 2024, he was appointed as Minister of State for Youth Affairs by a decree from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi heads the Federal Youth Authority and serves as the Vice President of the Arab Youth Center.

Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi is the first Arab astronaut to spend six months aboard the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 69 crew and the first Arab to conduct a spacewalk lasting seven hours. He collaborated with global space agencies on multiple scientific research projects and underwent over 1,400 hours of intensive training in Russia, the United States, and Germany. Known for his passion for jiu-jitsu, he became the first person to practice the sport on the International Space Station, achieving a unique sporting and scientific milestone.

Wafa Bani Mustafa, Minister of Social Development, and the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

She previously occupied the position of Minister of State for Legal Affairs (2021-2022). Wafa is a lawyer who holds a Master’s degree in Psychological Counselling, and obtained specialized Courses in Women in Public Service from Wellesley College, Boston – USA (2011). Moreover, She obtained the Order of State Centennial. She is a former Member in the Jordanian House of Representatives representing Jerash governorate for three consecutive terms (2010-2020). She is the first Jordanian woman MP to chair a parliamentary bloc. She is a founder of the Jordanian Women Caucus, and the Chairperson of the Coalition of Women MPs from Arab Countries to Combat Violence against Women.

Wafa is a member of the Constitution Sub-Committee of the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System, and has occupied the position of the Vice Chair of IPU Standing Committee for Sustainable Development. She is a founding member in the Forum of Arab Parliamentarians for Population and Development. She occupied the position of Women Political Leaders’ Ambassador to Jordan and now occupies the position of WPL Special Envoy to Arabia.

Wafa’s interests are not limited to women’s issues and human rights only, but she also has interests in preserving the environment and the climate as she is a member in the Climate Parliament, a member in IRENA Legislators Forum, and an international observer on the legislative elections within the international missions.

Hela Cheikhrouhou is IFC’s regional Vice President for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. She is in charge of expanding IFC’s business in the region, focusing on climate change response, fragility, gender equity, job creation and building a pipeline of private sector investment opportunities, rooted in country strategies. Ms. Cheikhrouhou fosters strong relationships with government officials, clients, other development finance institutions, co-financiers, donors, and counterparts across the World Bank Group to identify opportunities for collaboration and broader impact as well as to enhance business delivery.

Previously, Ms. Cheikhrouhou was the CEO of Nithio, an artificial intelligence-driven platform for clean energy investment.

In her home country of the Republic of Tunisia, she served as the Minister of Energy, Mining, and Renewables. She was the first Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund, governed by the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Earlier on, Ms. Cheikhrouhou was the Director of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change for the African Development Bank, where she had also previously led the Private Infrastructure Finance and Public-Private Partnerships Division. She worked for the World Bank on financial sector development in Latin America and the Caribbean, joining through the Young Professionals Program. She started her career at Citibank, last serving as Regional Market Risk Manager for Maghreb countries and Country Treasurer for Morocco.

Ms. Cheikhrouhou brings 27 years of experience to IFC, including leadership roles in the financial sector, infrastructure finance, and climate finance in emerging and developing economies, having worked across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. She has experience in the areas of low-emission and climate-resilient investments, structured and blended finance, public-private partnerships, capital markets development, and financial inclusion.

Ms. Cheikhrouhou holds a Master of Science degree in Finance from HEC Montreal, Canada.

Helena Lersch is TikTok’s Vice President of Public Policy, where she leads a team that is responsible for driving government relations and policy programs.
Helena has spent the last 15 years focusing on the intersection between policy-making and technology and is experienced on matters related to UGC content, copyright, privacy and security online.
Prior to joining TikTok, Helena led Google’s and Instagram’s public policy efforts in SEA and APAC.
Helena holds a BA and Msc. in politics and economics from the University of Maastricht, The University of Hong Kong and the London School of Economics.

Jennifer Malton is a dedicated leader with over 25 years of experience in driving impactful initiatives in event management and sustainability. As Director of Voices of the Future Generations (VOFG) at the Emirates Literature Foundation, she empowers young minds to become advocates for a greener world through creative writing.

Under the patronage of UNESCO and supported by HH Sheikha Hissa bint Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum as the Goodwill Ambassador, VOFG has expanded to over 800 UAE schools, engaging 6,800 + students in sustainability-focused competitions and workshops. A sustainability pioneer, Jennifer has championed environmentally friendly practices at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, driving its green transformation.

Her expertise extends to large-scale event management, having successfully coordinated the prestigious Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship for nine years. Committed to fostering a sustainable future, Jennifer is honored to serve as Chair of Judges for the GULF SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS™.

Goodwill Ambassador of the Voices of the Future Generations

Her Highness Sheikha Hissa Bint Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a passionate horsewoman and writer, author of Tajaarub: From a Horsewoman’s Journey, which explores the powerful connection between humans and horses. The book unfolds her passion for horses since her childhood and her memories of her journey as an equestrian.

Her Highness is also the Goodwill Ambassador of the Voices of Future Generations initiative in the region. This unique programme, under the patronage of UNESCO, empowers children and provides them with a platform to advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child. The initiative encourages children to express their hopes, dreams, and ambitions for a sustainable future through a story-writing competition.

Sharing her love of literature with children, Sheikha Hissa supports the development of a children’s book series authored by children, for children. These stories are illustrated, published, and distributed globally to schools and libraries.

Hind has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry. She manages generation planning and the operations of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), mainly at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Prior to this, she was the director of electricity projects and market at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. . She also served as CIO of innovation in the ministry from 2015 to 2019. Hind holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering and master’s in engineering systems management and currently enrolled in the PHD program in the Engineering systems management at the American univeristy of Sharjah. Hind is a graduate of the executive Program – Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development’s Impactful Leaders programme 2024. She is also a graduate of the executive Program of international relations and diplomacy – Anwar Gergash Academy – Abudhabi 2022.She is passionate about women’s empowerment in the workplace and has a profile of contribution to this field.

Ms. Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga has dedicated her entire professional career to serving the people of South Africa in various capacities, both within and outside of government. Originally from iNkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, she now resides in Mpumalanga.

• A qualified healthcare professional, Minister Chikunga spent 20 years in the healthcare sector as a nurse educator and principal of a nursing school. Her commitment to lifelong learning is reflected in her ongoing postgraduate studies. She is widely regarded for her nurturing character and strong Christian values, both of which play a role in her work ethic and leadership.

• Minister Chikunga has been a Member of Parliament since 2004, holding numerous key positions, including Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Police. She is a long-standing member of the African National Congress (ANC), a member of the National Executive Committee and has served in various leadership roles within the ANC and its alliance partners.

• Her previous appointments include Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration (2019–2021) and Deputy Minister of Transport (2012–2019, 2021–2023). In March 2023, she was appointed Minister of Transport, where she led efforts to improve the country’s transport
infrastructure, advocating for reliable, safe, and accessible public transport systems.

• While she is new to the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, the plight of vulnerable groups has been the hallmark of her years in public service. Throughout her life, both as an activist and a public servant, the empowerment and well-being of the marginalised have been central to her work and sense of purpose. Her new role is, therefore, a continuation of decades of service to communities that have yet to experience freedom in its truest form.

Named one of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet by TIME Magazine and Digital Innovator of the Year by Women’s Wear Daily, Huda Kattan is Founder and CEO of Huda Beauty, one of the fastest-growing beauty brands worldwide. She is an entrepreneur, internationally recognized beauty authority, Hollywood-trained makeup artist and content creator. A lifelong passion for beauty led Huda to enroll at a prestigious makeup training school in Los Angeles, cultivating a roster of clientele including A-list celebrities and several royal families across the Middle East. Soon after, Huda set up her beauty blog HudaBeauty.com and later launched a YouTube channel and an Instagram account by the same name.

Huda’s one-of-a-kind beauty tutorials quickly saw her become an industry heavyweight, pioneering beauty trends at every step. Today, her Instagram account is the most followed beauty brand on Instagram with over 54 million followers while her YouTube channel has garnered over 4.1 million subscribers. Guided by her expertise and keen eye-for-detail, Huda founded her eponymous cosmetics brand Huda Beauty in 2013. With support from sisters Alya, Mona and her Husband Chris Huda Beauty launched false eyelashes into Sephora in the Dubai Mall, making eyelash application part of a mainstream beauty ritual. The launch immediately shattered records in the Middle East and soon after in the United States. Huda’s product line now features a globally acclaimed collection, including award-winning loose powder, foundation, concealer, liquid lipsticks, lip contour pencils, liquid blush, and textured eyeshadow palettes—all of which have become best-sellers worldwide.

Iman Alqasim is Executive Vice President Human Capital at Emirates Global Aluminium and a Board member of EGA America Inc. Ms. Alqasim joined EGA from Emirates National Oil Company, where she was Group Human Resources Director. Earlier in her career, she served as Executive Director of Human Capital at Mubadala Investment Company, Deputy Vice President Human Resources at Dolphin Energy, and Human Resources Director at General Motors Middle East. Outside EGA, Ms. Alqasim serves as a Board member of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), Aramex and E7 Group.

Irene Fellin was appointed NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security and for Human Security in November 2021.

Ms. Fellin is a WPS expert and peacebuilder who has worked as a Senior Gender Adviser with Women in International Security (WIIS), the International Affairs Institute (IAI) in Rome, NATO HQ in Brussels, as well as international consultant for UN agencies and other national institutions for more than 15 years. She was instrumental in establishing and coordinating the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network (MWMN).

Ms. Fellin is a strong supporter of female leadership and in 2016 she founded the Italian chapter of Women In International Security (WIIS). Since 2017 she has been working with women mediators and peacebuilders across the Globe, supporting projects aimed at facilitating peacebuilding and mediation initiatives at the national and international level. She works on education and training programs about the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda and about “Gendered inclusive mediation and peace processes”.

Furthermore, since 2019 she has been a visiting Lecturer on “Gender, Security, and Post-Conflict Reconstruction” at Durham University (UK) and she continues to mentor young women within the framework of WIIS’s mentoring program “Global Women Leaders”.

Jean-Christophe Carret is the World Bank Country Director for the Middle East Department (Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria).
In his current position, Mr. Carret provides the overall strategic leadership for the Bank’s engagement in these countries through dialogue with all stakeholders and in line with the Region’s emphasis on jobs, sustainable growth, inclusion and governance. He also manages the development of a strong analytical program that can inform policy and investment choices and public debate, as countries aim to institute economic and political reform and/or as they emerge from conflict
Before this appointment, Mr. Carret was Country Director for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Burundi and Sao Tome & Principe, based in Kinshasa (2018 to 2022), Country Manager for Laos (2017 to 2018) and Country Manager for the Central African Republic based in Bangui (2015 to 2017).
Mr. Carret joined the World Bank Group in 2005 as a natural resources economist in the Africa Region.
Before joining the World Bank Group in 2005, Mr. Carret worked at the Center for Industrial Economics at MINES ParisTech as a research economist specialized in environmental economics.
A French national, Jean-Christophe Carret holds a PhD in economics from MINES ParisTech.

Jessica is the co-founder and CMO of Olive Gaea, a UAE-based climate-tech startup focused on AI-driven decarbonization and ESG risk management to drive impactful change. She has been recognized for her contributions to sustainability and named by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as a visionary woman leading climate and sustainability efforts in the Middle East as part of the BCG V60.

With 15 years of experience in International Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability, Jessica has guided organizations across the MENA region through complex economic and social challenges, advising on strategic communications and sustainability initiatives.

Jessica holds a B.A. in Political Science, an M.A. in International Affairs from the University of Turin, and an M.A. in Strategic Public Relations from The George Washington University. She also holds certifications in Sustainability from MIT, Corporate Sustainability Strategies from Harvard Extension School, and Sustainable Business Strategies from Harvard Business School Online.

With over 20 years’ experience in the global Mining and Metals sectors, Kamball is a strategic HR executive bringing deep experience in all facets of human resources, with specialisations in talent management and organisational development. He started his career with global miner, Rio Tinto, spending 13 years working across operational HR roles progressing into senior organisational development positions globally. He then moved to global mining services provider, Orica, leading their Asia Pacific Organisational Capability portfolio before being promoted to lead their global Talent & Capability function, including leading the global diversity portfolio across 100 countries. He then joined global mining company, BHP, where he was Head of HR for their Australia-wide Operations Services business where gender diversity was a key strategic driver for the operational business units. In 2022, Kamball moved to the UAE where he leads the Talent Management, Culture & DEI portfolio for Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world’s largest ‘premium aluminium’ producer and the biggest industrial company in the UAE outside oil and gas.

Katherine Hahm is General Counsel and Head of Ethics & Business Integrity of Emirates Global Aluminium and leads EGA’s legal and compliance departments.

Mrs Hahm joined EGA in 2014 and was promoted to General Counsel in 2020 and to Head of Compliance and Company Secretary in 2021.

Mrs Hahm has practiced law in the United Arab Emirates for 15 years. She previously practiced law in the United Kingdom.

Prior to joining EGA, Mrs Hahm worked at international law firms Allen & Overy LLP and Shearman & Sterling LLP in London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Mrs Hahm holds a master’s degree in Jurisprudence from Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Kevin Holliday is Managing Director at C3.

He has over 20 years of strategy, finance, and investment experience across the globe, with broad exposure to different sectors and business models within complex and dynamic environments.

Kevin has previously held senior positions at AW Rostamani Group, OSN, Global Integrated Security, Networkers International Plc, and Euromoney Institutional Investor Plc.

Kevin is a qualified chartered management accountant (London, UK) and holds an MBA from Warwick Business school (Warwick, UK).

Insights Lead, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, World Economic Forum

Kim Piaget is a gender equality practitioner specializing in translating complex insights into impactful strategies.

At the World Economic Forum, Kim leads a portfolio of insights that features the Forum’s flagship publication and longest-spanning gender equality index, the Global Gender Gap Report, among others. She also manages the Global Future Councils on the Care Economy and Investing in Gender Parity.
With over 14 years of experience in International Development and Cooperation, Kim has contributed from the ranks of civil society, NGOs, international organisations, think tanks, and development consultancies to initiatives on gender equality, gender diversity, and social justice. Kim holds a Master’s degree from the University of St Gallen and a Bachelor’s degree from Tecnologico de Monterrey.

Lahcen Essaadi is a young Moroccan politician recently appointed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI as Secretary of State in charge of Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy. A member of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) party, he is also president of the RNI Youth Federation and a member of the party’s political bureau. Born in Taroudant, he is 34 years old, married, and the father of two children. He also served as a Member of Parliament for the Taroudant-North constituency and chaired the Finance and Economic Development Committee in Parliament, where he actively contributed to the development of Morocco’s economic and social policies.

Lama is a Private Sector Development Analyst and former MENA Fellow with the Investment Climate Unit in the Finance, Competition, and Investment (FCI) Global Practice at the World Bank. Her work focuses on promoting an enabling business environment for firms in the private sector through investment climate diagnostics and technical advisory on gender legal reforms. Over the last five years at the World Bank, her expertise has spanned a wide range of topics, including gender-responsive labor regulations, public procurement, climate-related disclosure standards, and sovereign default.
Prior to joining the Bank, Lama worked in various research capacities on the economic, geopolitical, and security dynamics in the Middle East and North Africa with some of the leading NGO’s and think tanks working on the region, including Freedom House, Middle East Institute and Carnegie Middle East Institute. Lama is a Saudi Arabian national and holds a B.A. in Comparative Politics from UC Santa Barbara and an M.A. in Democracy and Governance from Georgetown University.

2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Roberta Gbowee is a Liberian Peace Activist, Trained Social Worker and Women’s Rights Advocate. She is the Founder and current President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA). She currently serves as the Executive Director of Gender, Law and Transformative Peace Initiative of the City of New York (CUNY) School of Law, U.S.A. She was the former Executive Director of the Women, Peace and Security Program at Columbia University’s Earth Institute in New York, USA, Co-Founder and former Executive Director of the Women Peace and Security Network Africa (WIPSEN-A) and a Founding Member and former Liberia Coordinator of Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET).

She currently serves as a Member of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocate and alumina for the United Nations (UN) and UN High Level Advisory Board on Mediation.She is a Member of the World Refugee Council (WRC), African Women Leaders Network for Reproductive Health and Family Planning, International Honorary Committee of the Global Biosphere Institute, Aurora Prize Selection Committee and the Hilton Humanitarian Prize Jury.
She serves on various other boards across the world, holds a M.A. in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, VA), and Doctor of Laws (LLD) honoris causa and Doctor of Humane Letter from various universities across the world.

She is married to Mr. Jay Kesselee Fatormah and is the proud mother of Eight (8) wonderful children. Madam Gbowee is a Christian and proudly calls herself a “Daughter of Glorious Jesus”.

Linda specializes in gender auditing, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of programs, and projects across diverse sectors, including employment, education, child protection, youth livelihoods and empowerment, public-private partnerships, and community engagement.

Linda is recognized for her leadership in developing and executing training workshops on gender equality and mainstreaming in the workplace, equipping organizations with the tools to foster inclusivity. She actively collaborates with public entities and ministries in the Arab States, offering expertise in drafting policy documents, action plans for national strategies, and M&E matrices. She also facilitates strategic dialogues between national women’s machineries and key stakeholders, often representing UN entities.

Her work extends to producing guidelines and toolkits in various fields, contributing to the development of resources that empower practitioners and policymakers alike. Linda’s diverse skill set and commitment to advancing gender equality and social development have made her a prominent figure in the region’s development landscape.

Lubna joined SNA in 2016 from CNBC, and throughout her tenure, she has been a
leading Arabic-speaking anchor in the business world, who has been recognized by local, regional, and international organizations and government officials. She maintains close ties with key government and business officials and groups and is often requested directly by them to moderate at their events. She has won many awards and accolades throughout her career, including a nomination by Arab News as one of the top business editors in Arab media, as well as a Silver award as part of the Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, in the category of “Female Thought Leader of the Year – Business Services”. She holds an MBA in Economics and a Masters in Applied Finance and Banking from University of Wollongong.

Lubna Mansour brings solid expertise in her role as a Sports Bulletin Presenter and Multimedia Journalist, underpinned by a diverse and accomplished background. Also, she conducts insightful interviews with high-level guests in the studio. Before joining SNA, she presented a morning show and produced a weekly cinema box office sketch, showcasing her creative vision and strategic execution. She holds a TV Presenter – Editor for Advanced ‘Level 2’ training from the Focus Academy, Dubai.

Ms. Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga has dedicated her entire professional career to serving the people of South Africa in various capacities, both within and outside of government. Originally from iNkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, she now resides in Mpumalanga.

• A qualified healthcare professional, Minister Chikunga spent 20 years in the healthcare sector as a nurse educator and principal of a nursing school. Her commitment to lifelong learning is reflected in her ongoing postgraduate studies. She is widely regarded for her nurturing character and strong Christian values, both of which play a role in her work ethic and leadership.

• Minister Chikunga has been a Member of Parliament since 2004, holding numerous key positions, including Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Police. She is a long-standing member of the African National Congress (ANC), a member of the National Executive Committee and has served in various leadership roles within the ANC and its alliance partners.

• Her previous appointments include Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration (2019–2021) and Deputy Minister of Transport (2012–2019, 2021–2023). In March 2023, she was appointed Minister of Transport, where she led efforts to improve the country’s transport
infrastructure, advocating for reliable, safe, and accessible public transport systems.

• While she is new to the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, the plight of vulnerable groups has been the hallmark of her years in public service. Throughout her life, both as an activist and a public servant, the empowerment and well-being of the marginalised have been central to her work and sense of purpose. Her new role is, therefore, a continuation of decades of service to communities that have yet to experience freedom in its truest form.

Maha Gorton is Head of the Women’s Pavilion at Expo City Dubai, leading the pavilion’s programming, content and curation of exhibitions that focus on women’s empowerment.

The Women’s Pavilion’s mission is focused on empowering, supporting and uplifting women and girls in the UAE and the region, through educational programmes and facilities to help them thrive in all areas of their lives. Maha also works closely with partners sharing the common goal of gender equality, sustainability and women’s health and wellbeing to support in this mission.

Maitha Shuaib is the Executive Director of Ducab Group, she oversees the corporate communication of one of the biggest energy solutions provider and cable manufacturer in the UAE.

Maitha skilfully manages and shapes the organization’s strategic narrative with consistent, clear and impactful messages that reach and resonate with a wide array of channels from print to podcast media and engaging Ducab’s audience effectively.

She is also elevating the company’s brand equity, ensuring it stands out in a competitive by refining the group’s brand architecture, making the brand relatable and increasing the brand’s visibility Shuaib plays a pivotal role in evolving the organization’s corporate communications, positioning the company as a leader in energy solutions and corporate sustainability within the industry locally and in 75 countries. Her efforts significantly enhance Ducab’s brand identity, contributing to its increased visibility and impacting sales positively by aligning communication strategies with core business objectives.

Through her dedication, passion, and strategic vision, Maitha transforms the way the company communicates its commitment to environmental responsibility.

Maitha is also a member of the Global Council SDG 5–an international group that brings together leaders and experts from different fields to help achieve the UN’s 17 goals by 2030. The group focuses on working together and reshaping policies to make progress on issues like poverty and climate change.

Before joining Ducab, Maitha was the Director of Corporate Communications for the UAE Gender Balance Council, Dubai Women Establishment, and its subsidiaries, including Dubai Ladies Club and The Cultural Office of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She led and oversaw communication strategies and drove initiatives to enhance Emirati women’s participation across various fields, strengthened their skills, and raised awareness of their community role.

Marwa Al Naqi is a visionary leader with over 18 years of experience, including more than eight years at DEWA, where she aligns future shaping initiatives with the Dubai Government’s vision. She holds a master’s degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and excels in developing and refining policies and frameworks that drive innovation within DEWA and the utilities sector.

She is adept at building effective global, regional, and national partnerships, fostering collaboration with government and private stakeholders to advance DEWA’s visibility and growth opportunities ensuring that DEWA employees are well-equipped for emerging challenges.Marwa also plays a critical role in raising awareness of future foresight concepts and drives initiatives that shape DEWA’s long-term vision, from identifying key mega trends in utilities to managing research across various platforms.

Her commitment to technological advancement is underscored by her numerous certifications, including the Certified AI Ethics Training Course, IEEE Certified Assessor training, and Microsoft Copilot, showcasing her strong skills in AI and technology. Additionally, she leads efforts to develop futuristic platforms that meet DEWA’s innovation requirements. Marwa’s leadership not only shapes DEWA’s future but also positions the organization as a pioneer in the utilities sector, driving sustainable growth and industry leadership.

Can collaborates with World Bank and IFI teams on impact investing and creating financial structures that increase private sector investments in local and global development. With over 20 years of experience in investment banking, international development, and corporate management, he began his career at the World Bank in Washington, DC, focusing on financial and private sector development. He later moved to the private sector as a Vice President at a Turkish investment bank, specializing in M&A and renewable energy project finance. Can then founded an early-stage investment fund backed by a family office and served as CFO and board member for a large mining company.

In 2020, Can launched Alethina Impact Investments and Advisory to align his expertise with his values, investing in impact-driven companies addressing real-world issues. He is also a founding partner of ImpACTNOW Capital, a Lisbon-based impact VC firm, and a venture partner with Venture Science in San Francisco. Recently, he co-authored a World Bank report on Women’s Entrepreneurship in Climate Tech in North Africa. An advocate for impact investing, Can regularly speaks on the subject and fosters ecosystem growth. He studied the Great Books program at St. John’s College and holds two master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and a certificate from Oxford.

Mina Al-Oraibi is the Editor in Chief of The National newspaper, a daily English language regional newspaper based in Abu Dhabi. Mina has over 20 years of experience covering Middle Eastern, European and American affairs. She has conducted multiple high profile interviews including with former US President Barak Obama, former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa AlKadhimi, US Climate Envoy John Kerry, Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Geogrieva, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mina was the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Alawsat, the international Arab-language daily newspaper 2011-2015. Before that, she was the Washington Bureau Chief for the newspaper.

In addition to her writing in The National, Mina is a columnist for Foreign Policy and Asharq Alawsat. Mina was named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She completed her Bachelors of Arts (Honours) and Masters of Arts in Modern History from University College London.

Mohammad Alblooshi is the Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Innovation Hub. His passion for encouraging the growth of FinTech and emerging technologies in Dubai has made him a strong advocate of fostering innovation within the DIFC start-up ecosystem – DIFC Innovation Hub. Mohammad has also been a foundational driver in building DIFC’s reputation as a FinTech hub across the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore and India.

Amongst other leadership responsibilities,  Mohammad is also spearheading the DIFC Launchpad and Dubai FinTech Summit. In his earlier position as the Sector Head of FinTech at DIFC, Mohammad has grown through the ranks and in his current position, he is headed towards deepening the centre’s FinTech ecosystem.

Previously, Mohammad worked on aligning DIFC’s FinTech mandate with the needs of the start-up ecosystem in the UAE. This led to the introduction of subsidised licensing schemes and a more integrated offering for FinTech firms in DIFC.

Mohammad holds more than a decade of experience working with leading financial institutions, such as Barclays, Standard Chartered and Lloyd’s TSB. He has also undergone a leadership programme by the Institute of International Finance, which is
dedicated to preparing the young future leaders of the financial world.

Mohammed Jassim Al Zaabi, 27 years old, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from the American University of Ras Al Khaimah.

He continued his studies at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and obtained a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence. He started his career at ADNOC in 2019 as a Reservoir Engineer and then moved to the Artificial Intelligence Department at ADNOC HQ.

Mohammed is among the people of determination, yet he has achieved many successes in his educational and professional fields and aspires to complete the journey and obtain a PhD degree. Mohammed’s goal in life is to develop himself and persevere in progress despite difficult circumstances. And to send a message that everyone is capable of achieving their goals with the strength, determination and faith.

Moustafa Salem is an Operations Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he is part of the Gender and Economic Inclusion Department. His work primarily focuses on enhancing women’s entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. He leads the She Wins Arabia project, which has been instrumental in supporting more than 150 women-led start-ups by providing them with the advice, mentorship, and financing they need to grow. Additionally, he is co-leading IFC’s newly launched initiative, She Wins Climate, which aims to partner with entrepreneurship support organizations to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the green economy. Moustafa is a Chevening Scholar and holds an MSc in Organizational Change and Development from the University of Manchester.

Eng. Muna AlOsaimi is a distinguished leader renowned for her expertise in strategic planning, specializing in transportation and urban development.

With a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the United Arab Emirates University and an Executive Master’s in Big Data and Business Analytics from ESCP (École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris) French Business School, she brings a unique fusion of architectural insight and analytical acumen to her strategic initiatives.

As a Board of Director Member at Parkin Company and her membership within the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Muna plays a pivotal role in shaping strategic policies and initiatives that drive progress in the region.

Her membership and active involvement in Dubai Urban Plan Higher committee underscores her commitment to advancing sustainable urban development.

With over 19 years of comprehensive experience, Muna excels in Strategic Planning & Transformation, urban design, transportation planning, policy formulation, and project portfolio management.

Notably, her 11-years tenure in Railway Planning & Design contributed significantly in transforming the transportation landscape in Dubai.

Muna’s dedication to innovation, foresight, and collaboration driving positive change and sustainable growth in both organizational and governmental spheres.

Nahla Zeitoun is a development practitioner with over 27 years of experience in social protection. As Senior Social Protection Specialist at the World Bank, her duties include leading policy dialogues and contributing to advisory services in the GCC region. Her areas of expertise include adaptive social protection programs and reforms, early childhood development, human capital accumulation, public expenditure reviews, and support to persons living with a disability. She provides support to the Egypt Social Protection portfolio where she previously led the Takaful & Karama Program, the largest cash transfer operation in the MENA region.
Prior to joining the World Bank, Nahla served for eighteen years as Assistant Resident Representative and Poverty Reduction Team Leader at UNDP Egypt, leading diverse teams and supporting projects in the areas of Poverty Reduction, Social Protection, Youth Engagement, and Gender Empowerment.
Nahla received in 2020 the award for “Top 50 Most Influential Women in Egypt” from the Egyptian Prime Minister. She is recipient of the Sasakawa Fellow of Young Leaders Scholarship Award 2002-2005 and recipient of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship – Women’s Leadership Program, October 2020. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Sociology from the American University in Cairo.

Nathalie Akon Gabala joined IFC as Global Director of Gender & Economic Inclusion Department in September 2023. Nathalie, an American and Ivorian national, was earlier the Executive Director at Mastercard Foundation. She was responsible for the Pan-Africa platform, leading enterprise-wide the four programmatic thematic areas of Gender, Entrepreneurship Development, Digital Economy and Agrifood Systems and Climate.

She previously held the role of the Regional Director, overseeing the Foundation’s expansion into West, Central and Northern Africa, leading a large team across the region, and setting the overall strategic direction and framing for programming in line with the Foundation’s values and priorities.

Prior to joining the Mastercard Foundation, Nathalie was a Partner & Managing Director Africa of Equator Capital Partners, an impact investment fund manager, where she supervised the Africa investment team throughout the investment process including origination, structuring and negotiation, investment committee proposals and board representation.

Nathalie served as an independent director on leading African banks, and as Chair of the investment committee of the private sector facility of the African Development Bank Group. She was also listed in the 100 most influential women in the 2022 publication by Advance Media.

Nathalie holds a Master of Management in Strategy and a Minor in Finance from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris, France.

Neha Mehta is the dynamic Founder and CEO of FemTech Partners, a former UN diplomat, and an adjunct professor at NTU and SMU in Singapore. As a fierce advocate for women in fintech, she champions financial inclusion through super apps. With a wealth of experience in international affairs and multilateral diplomacy, Neha is on a mission to drive the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally. Her international bestseller, One Stop: The Untold Story of Super Apps, published by Penguin, disrupts the norm and showcases how fintech can revolutionize financial inclusion for women. With extensive work across the Asia Pacific, Neha is a leading voice for innovation in sustainable economic practices through technology.

Nehal Badri is a results-oriented, forward-thinking leader with deep expertise in media and
communications. Her strategic vision has been instrumental in advancing Dubai’s media land-
scape. Throughout her distinguished career, she has led transformative initiatives, driving impactful policies and regulatory frameworks that have bolstered Dubai’s media ecosystem. Nehal has contributed to shaping media strategies through her active participation and roles on global platforms such asthe World Economic Forum and the Dubai International Strategic Communications Committee. As Secretary General of the Dubai Media Council, her leadership has enriched media governance, elevating the global reputation of Dubai and the UAE.

Her strategic oversight has led to the implementation of key policies, new decrees, and initiatives harmonizing with Dubai’s vision. Nehal also supported the establishment of the Dubai Media Council, aligning its ambitions with Dubai’s broader media objectives, chaired by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council. In 2022, shewas appointed Secretary General by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council.

Nehal is deeply committed to fostering talent development in the media sector. Through her leadership of the Dubai Media Council, she supports initiatives to nurture talent that create opportunities in the media sector and drive professional growth. She works very closely with academic entities locally and internationally and has a seat on the American University of Dubai’s governing board, as well as a seat on the advisory board of the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Communication in AUD. Her dedication to advancing education and professional development highlights her forward-thinking approach to building the future of media.

Before being appointed Secretary General, Nehal was instrumental in boosting Dubai’s international reputation as Director of Strategy & Excellence and Director of Brand Dubai under the Government of Dubai Media Office Dubai. She led key strategies, policies, and partnerships, utilizing soft power diplomacy to enhance Dubai’s global presence. Nehal also steered the unification of various media entities, streamlined communication strategies, and built a strong leadership team that continues to drive the vision of the Government of Dubai Media Office.

Nehal holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Policy from the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government in collaboration with Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from Emmanuel College and Massachusetts College of Art. She also completed the Women on Board Leadership Program and holds a Board Certificate from the Hawkamah Institute of Directors. Her academic achievements and extensive professional experience have shaped her into a dynamic and influential leader in Dubai’s media sector.

Today, Nehal is recognized for her ability to blend strategic foresight with practical execution, making her a highly respected figure in Dubai’s media industry. Her leadership continues to reinforce media governance, drive innovative policies, and cultivate talent development, laying a foundation for sustainable growth. Her passion for high-impact initiatives, global partnerships, and deepening Dubai’s media narrative has been pivotal in establishing the city as a global media hub.

Nesrine Halima is a Senior Director with PwC, responsible for developing market presence and strengthening client relationships across Europe, the Middle East and Africa with a specific focus on Government and Public Service.

A former Advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office of the United Arab Emirates, she has worked on Innovations & Strategic Projects across the Emirates. During the year leading up to Expo 2020, Nesrine was the Director International Substantive Engagement. In this capacity, Nesrine worked with participating governments and international organizations on developing their content and programming.

Prior to that role, Nesrine was a Consulting Director for Government & the Public Sector at PwC, working with governments across the GCC on organizational strategy development and performance management. During this time, Nesrine was the PwC Regional Leader for Cities and Local Government, and the Regional Coordinator for the Government Group. She has developed widely distributed thought pieces for PwC and presented to several global conferences and forums.

Nesrine holds an executive degree on public sector performance from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, an MsC in Development Planning from University College London, and a BA in Political Science specializing in International Law from the American University in Cairo.

Nibras Basitkey is the Assistant Director of the Atlantic Council’s WIn Fellowship at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East. In this capacity, she oversees project management and financial planning, meticulously tracking the budget for all cohorts. Nibras brings several years of academic and professional experience in economics and international development to her role. With her passion for venture capital, she is also a Venture Capital Fellow at Audere Capital.

Before joining the Atlantic Council, she worked with prominent international organizations such as the Malala Fund and the Free Yezidi Foundation. Nibras gained valuable insights at think tanks, including the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the Religious Freedom Institute, and the Iraq Mission to the United Nations. An avid supporter of women’s rights, Nibras delivered a TEDx talk on the transformative power that educating girls can have on economies.

Nibras holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Economics from Creighton University, along with certificates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Microeconomics and Foundations of Development Policy. Fluent in Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji dialects) and Arabic, she was born and raised in northern Iraq.

Noor is the Founder and Managing Partner of Global Ventures, a leading venture capital firm based in the UAE, investing across the Middle East and Africa (currently deploying from Fund III). Prior to launching Global Ventures in 2018, Noor was the Chief Investment Officer at The Dubai Future Foundation. Before her tenure at DFF, she successfully scaled two companies. The first was Depa, initially her family business and ultimately the world’s largest interior company, which she listed on the LSE and NASDAQ in April 2008 in a billion-dollar IPO. The second company was ZenYoga, the region’s first yoga studio, which became the largest yoga and wellness chain, and which she exited to a PE firm in 2014.

Noor is frequently featured as an authoritative voice on venture capital in the region by Bloomberg, CNN, and Forbes. She has been on the covers of Entrepreneur ME and Womenpreneur ME, and is cited by Forbes as one of the “World’s Top 50 Women in Tech”, by Arabian Business as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Arab Women”, and is one of the ‘sharks’ on Shark Tank Dubai Seasons 1 and 2. She is an MIT Sloan 2005 alumni, Aspen Fellow, Kauffman Fellow and YGL. Noor is the author of the upcoming book, ‘Coming of Age: The Digital Rise of the World’s Youngest Population’, and is a strong advocate for founders in the region, helping them scale their businesses into global success stories.

Nora AlMatrooshi is the first Emirati and Arab woman astronaut, selected as part of the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme. In 2024, she graduated from the NASA Astronaut Candidate Class training programme, earning her astronaut pin and becoming a fully qualified astronaut for future space missions.

Chosen from over 4,000 applicants, AlMatrooshi was one of two astronauts selected in the second batch of the programme, launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

AlMatrooshi’s training began at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), where she undertook swimming, scuba diving, survival exercises, and stamina improvement. She then joined NASA’s 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, training in spacewalking at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, ISS systems, piloting the T-38 jet, and Russian language lessons. She also participated in advanced training exercises, including survival training at Alabama’s Fort Novosel and geological lessons.

AlMatrooshi holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United Arab Emirates University and also completed a semester at Vaasa University of Applied Sciences in Finland.

A sustainability engineer specialized in transforming DEWA’s buildings to meet the highest global and local certifications in green architecture. With over 15 professional certifications, including the TRUE Advisor certificate as the first woman in the UAE to obtain it, significant contributions include working on the world’s first mosque to achieve the Platinum rating for green buildings – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED v4) from the U.S. Green Building Council. Additionally, developed an operational plan for the Al Rayan Mosque project, which operates 100% on clean energy, making it the first place of worship globally to receive a LEED ZERO certification. Experienced in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of solar panels for various authority buildings to enhance clean energy utilization, actively striving to achieve DEWA’s and the UAE’s sustainability goals.

Nour Dabboussi is the Assistant Director to Atlantic Council’s WIn Fellowship, where she is responsible for managing the fellowship’s business development strategy, focusing particularly on establishing MENA-focused regional partnerships. She also leads the concept ideation process of the Fellowship by tailoring events and research topics to policy recommendations that advance economic gender equality. In her capacity, Nour also contributes to the Center’s publications and wider research efforts on the MENA region’s security and economies.

Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Nour worked at the Beirut Institute; she also interned at the Lebanese Mission to the United Nations, the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Public Safety, the Investor Alliance for Human Rights, and at several think tanks including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Pacific Council on International Policy.

Nour holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs where she focused on Middle East Security; a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action from Sciences Po’s Paris School for International Affairs, a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies and Art History from UCLA, and a certificate in Business Analytics from Harvard Business School. She is fluent in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish.

Ousmane Dione is currently the World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa. Dione is a champion for gender equality and youth and committed to advancing the Bank’s work in the most challenging fragile and conflict affected settings. These priorities are a focus cutting across all areas of the region’s work.

In Dione’s most recent position as Country Director for Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Sudan, he led a major expansion of the Bank’s engagement, overseeing a portfolio of $17.5 billion. Under his leadership, Ethiopia became the Bank’s largest IDA client with a wide-ranging program to drive transformative impact for people, including by expanding access to water, electricity, and health services. In Sudan, he played a crucial role in paving the way for the country’s full re-engagement with the World Bank after nearly three decades. He was also Country Director for Vietnam, overseeing its transition from an IDA to IBRD client.

Dione joined the World Bank in 2000 and has worked on development issues across Africa, East Asia, Latin America and South Asia. A Senegalese national, Dione holds a Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Lyon 3.

Dr Eeva Furman works at the prime minister´s office as chief specialist and the secretary general of Finland´s commission for sustainable development. In this position she coordinates the commission, supports the government and society on enhancement of sustainable development and sustainability transformation. She has been part of the team developing the Societal Sustainability Assessment for Finland. In addition, she represents Finland in international networks and processes, including those of Nordic, EU and UN. She has often been part of Finland´s delegation in UN meetings and been invited to speak at high-level international events. She was part of the international group of 15 scientists (IGS) who wrote The Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR2019), was chairing Finland´s expert panel for sustainable development (2016-2022), and worked as a scientist, professor and director at the Finnish environment institute (Syke) until 2022. Her academic interests focus on transdisciplinarity, environmental governance and biodiversity issues at large. Furman is a member of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters.

Rana Akkad is a dedicated social entrepreneur whose mission to create inclusive educational opportunities was inspired by her personal journey. When her middle son, Jad, was diagnosed with autism and rejected by 22 mainstream schools, Rana took on
the challenge of establishing a non-profit academic and vocational center, Modern Alternative Education (MAE). The center serves children who don’t fit into mainstream schools but don’t require special needs centers.

Despite the tragic loss of her son Jad in 2018, Rana continues to honor his legacy by transforming MAE into Jad’s Inclusion. The center has attracted international families and successfully integrated students into mainstream education. A recipient of multiple awards, including the 2017 Female Entrepreneur of the Year, Rana’s global perspective,
shaped by her fluency in Arabic, English, and Spanish, and her diplomatic upbringing,
drives her vision to expand special needs inclusion worldwide.

This summary captures her professional achievements while highlighting her personal
motivation and impact.

Rania has 20 years of international development experience in the Arab Region focused on socio-economic analysis, gender analysis and mainstreaming, policy advice and programme support, and capacity development to integrate gender dimensions into programmes. Prior to her current role as Gender Team Leader at UNDP Arab States, she worked with several international organizations including Oxfam GB, GIZ, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and the United Nations Development Program Jordan. She was also an independent consultant on research, project development, advisory support to project management and M&E. Rania has a master’s degree in inequalities and social sciences from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a master’s degree in urban management from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Rania Tayeh is known for her extensive contributions to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). With a tenure spanning over 17 years, she has made notable strides in embedding sustainability practices through social impact and community outreach. Rania played a significant role in crafting EGA’s CSR strategy, ensuring that it supports the company’s larger objectives while also addressing societal needs. This approach encompasses enhancing STEM education, bolstering entrepreneurship in the UAE, advocating for aluminium recycling, and driving gender diversity initiatives. A hallmark of her leadership is her collaborative approach, seeking partnerships with external organisations to achieve shared goals, rather than merely offering financial support.

Holding a Master’s Degree in Green Economy from Bournemouth University and a Master’s Degree in international business from Wollongong University, Rania has practical experience backed by strong academic credentials. This blend aids her work in community-based projects. With hands-on involvement in community events, Rania views CSR not just as an isolated departmental function but as a company-wide responsibility. Her efforts emphasise the mutual benefits of CSR to both the community and the company’s long-term objectives.

“Her Excellency Mrs. Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfeeqi is considered one of the youth activists in the Kingdom of Bahrain and has an active role in the process of upgrading this sector through her positive participation in many programs, plans and initiatives, which had a great impact on her success and reaching the goals for which she was found. Her Excellency Mrs. Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfeeqi currently occupies the position of Minister of Youth Affairs by Royal Decree No. (68) of 2022 Her Excellency made history in 2022 when, at the age of 34, she became the youngest youth minister in Bahrain’s history. Tawfeeqi has been tasked with spearheading initiatives that promote youth activities, and personal development opportunities for Bahraini youth. Tawfeeqi also worked at National Bank of Kuwait in Bahrain as a Credit Risk Manager. Prior to that, she worked at Bahrain Development Bank in various departments such as Business Advisory, Financial Controls and Credit Review to finally reach the position of Director of Credit Review. During 2022 and after winning in “Lamea”; a leadership program designed to extract the one percenters in Bahrain, Her Excellency Mrs. Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfiqi was chosen to be the chairman of Lamea Association. Tawfeeqi has a Bachelor’s degree in Managerial Accounting from NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NYIT) and has also received a Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management from THE CITY AND GUILDS OF LONDON INSTITUTE. Tawfeeqi is also a Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) and holds the following positions: ADD SCYS, SCH, UoB Board of Trustees, Chairman on Youth Empowerment Committee, etc “

Her Excellency Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak is a United Arab Emirates native who for more than twenty years has supported her country’s efforts to realize a more sustainable future while spearheading progressive environmental protection, species conservation, and global climate action. She was elected President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it, in September 2021. She is the second woman to lead the organization in its 75-year history and its first president from West Asia. Her Excellency Razan Al Mubarak serves as UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for the leadership team of COP28 Presidency.

Her diverse experience leading the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, the largest environmental regulatory agency in the Middle East, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, an international philanthropic organization supporting species conservation projects worldwide, and Emirates Nature – WWF, an Emirates-based NGO focused on citizen engagement, earned her recognition as one of the top 100 Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2018.

With 17 years of experience at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, I currently serve as the Acting Manager – Excellence and am an active member of the Women’s Committee, advocating for gender equality and empowerment in the workplace.

I hold a Master’s in Organizational Excellence and am a certified Assessor Government Excellence Model and EFQM to drive quality initiatives and enhancing organizational performance.

My international experience as an assessor has further enriched my understanding of global best practices in excellence. Passionate about continuous improvement, I aim to inspire others to strive for excellence in their personal and professional lives.
As the president of the Business Excellence Toastmasters Club, I am dedicated to fostering public speaking skills and building confidence in aspiring future leaders.

Mrs. Reem Alawadhi holds a master’s in business with a focus on Marketing from the University of Wollongong in Dubai, where she was recognised as UOWD’s Top UAE National Postgraduate in 2022. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication and media sciences from Zayed University. Her strong academic background in communications and media has been instrumental in her contributions to implementing effective social media strategies.

Currently, Reem serves as Deputy Manager of Digital Media at DEWA and is one of DEWA’s Sustainability Youth Ambassadors in collaboration with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). In this capacity, she has honed leadership skills that enable her to actively promote sustainability and raise awareness on critical environmental issues. She plays a key role in managing DEWA’s social media campaigns and projects.

Dr. Ruba Jaradat is the ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Arab States, based at the Regional Office in Beirut.

Dr. Jaradat had managed economic growth programmes with annual budgets exceeding US$ 300 million and led teams of more than 250 multinational staff.

Prior to joining the ILO in November 2015, Dr. Jaradat established and managed the Jordan Strategy Forum, the most influential private sector-funded think tank in Jordan. From 2005 to 2008, Dr. Jaradat managed the U.S. Jordan Fiscal Reform and Cash Transfer Program that substantially improved fiscal conditions and business environment in the country, and from 2008 to 2013 she managed the USAID Economic Development Program that created 67,000 sustainable high value jobs. She has also previously worked as an international business development consultant in higher education in the United Kingdom.

Since Dr. Jaradat assumed office as Regional Director, the ILO Regional Office for Arab States has seen over an 8-fold increase in its Development Cooperation portfolio budget. Dr. Jaradat has led the development and signing-into-force of six Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) The DWCPs in Iraq, Kuwait and Lebanon were the first to be instituted in these countries.

Dr. Jaradat is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils. She chaired Jordan’s Board of the British Universities Alumni Association from 2011-2015. She has served as a member of several councils including the Advisory Committee of the Euro Mediterranean Council, the Jordan Economic and Social Council, the Jordan National Competitiveness and Innovation Council, and the UK Arab Partnership Initiative.

Dr. Jaradat holds a PhD in Management and International Development from the UK. She holds several certificates in economics and leadership from international institutions such as Harvard University, the World Bank Institute, Georgia State University and the U.S. Federal Institute.

Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali is the World Bank’s Country Director for the (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) since July 1st, 2023.
Ms. El-Kogali, a Sudanese national, is a leading international development expert with more than 27 years of development experience in strategic leadership, government policy, program management, and research. Ms. El-Kogali, joined the
World Bank in March 2000 as a Young Professional in the East Asia & Pacific Region.
She has since held various positions across regions in the Bank, including Senior Economist in The Middle East and North Africa, Human Development Sector Leader in Latin America and Caribbean, and Practice Manager for Education in the Middle East and North Africa and in the Eastern and Southern African. She led policy dialogue and programs with governments in over 30 countries and published numerous studies and reports spanning a range of development topics.
Ms. El-Kogali has a Master of Philosophy degree with distinction in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, UK and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on
Twitter @Safaa_elkogali

Samia Smadi has over 12 years of extensive experience in integrating women’s issues. She has expertise in incorporating gender considerations into strategic planning and political and economic modernization visions. Samia is also the coordinator of the Coalition of Women MPs from Arab Countries to Combat Violence Against Women, which includes 13 Arab countries. She has authored several research papers on women’s political and economic empowerment and led a gender audit in the Jordanian Parliament, the first of its kind in Arab countries.

Sammar has been with the World Bank’s IFC for over 18 years and been part of almost 100 projects across the globe. These projects have mostly been in the MENA and Central Asia region and focused on advancing economic participation and inclusion of women and other groups in the private sector in emerging markets. Sammar has advised dozens of private sector companies in emerging markets on developing innovative business models that foster but also benefit from diversity and inclusion.

Currently, Sammar leads IFC’s Gender, Inclusion and Private Sector program in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Turkey (MCT). She leads a team that has worked with over a dozen client companies in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon Iraq, Palestine, and Pakistan (i.e., medical testing lab IDH, supermarket chain Metro Markets and large insurer Misr Insurance Egypt, Serena Hotels in Pakistan, fashion-retailer Khaadi Group in Pakistan, Societe Generale and OCP in Morocco), to assist them in attracting and retaining more women in their workforce.

She also leads the co-implementation of the Mashreq region’s first World Bank Group Mashreq Gender Facility and its program to advance women’s economic participation in Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan, where her team works with business associations.

Abdul Muhsen Ibrahim Kalbat has a wealth of more than 30 years of senior leadership experience in the public sector. He has been an essential and prominent Member of RTA’s Board of Directors from inception in 2005. He has actively played a crucial role in the establishment of RTA through the development of robust and effective governance, operational and cross-functional frameworks and business organizational structure. He introduced creative management concepts and diverse approaches for improving administrative and technical processes across RTA, which lead to transforming them from routine daily operations to highly efficient strategic drive.

Abdul Muhsen has been holding the position of the CEO of Rail Agency since 2015. During this period, he has been actively focusing his efforts on improving operational efficiency, maximizing revenue and minimizing expenditure. In addition to his determination to expand, enhance and develop Dubai’s railway network, he was focused on the efficient and optimal Utilization of budget through the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme. He has also accomplished significant cost-saving measures of more than AED 25 billion in development & operational costs. Furthermore, he has played an important role in raising feasible financial returns on RTA investments through several engagements with third party providers and developers.

Formerly, in 2006, he was appointed as CEO of RTA’s Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector. As part of his duties, he undertook the responsibility to define and steer RTA’s strategic direction towards fully integrated transportation solutions with the aim to shifting from private car use to public transport in support of Dubai’s long-term strategic development plan and vision.

I hold a position of Department Head in DEWA, and currently serving as “Director Projects Management Delivery Department”, with over 24 years of Management and Project Management experience, in capacity with over 100+ projects and approximately 10+ programs delivered successfully. Before DEWA, I had 10 years of experience in Project Management field in Emirates Airline.

That was the case with me, standing today as a successful project leader, a career that I consciously chose at the beginning rather than I stumbled upon. It was this realization that prompted me to pursue project management as a career seriously.

Alina is the CEO and Managing Partner at The Radical Fund – an early-stage VC fund investing in tech entrepreneurs who are rapidly scaling solutions for an inclusive climate transition across Southeast Asia. The team is structured to focus on hands-on value-creation and commercialization of climate focused innovations. The Radical Fund invests in Pre-Seed to Pre Series-A ventures across climate mitigation and adaptation sectors, with a strong focus on women founders.

Alina is also the co-founder of 54 Collective (formerly Founders Factory Africa), the pan-African venture studio and VC fund, investing and operating across Africa, with over 70 full time team across the continent.

Prior to FFA, Alina led corporate partnerships at gender-focused impact accelerator, SPRING, which scaled over 75 tech ventures in 9 countries across East Africa and South Asia.

Aminah Hamed Mohammed has extensive experience in the fields of law, tenders, bids, and providing legal consultations, as well as investigations, lawsuits, and contractor and company registrations. Amina specializes in drafting laws, regulations, and systems, as well as preparing agreements and memorandums of understanding, particularly those related to women’s rights. She has contributed to the formulation of several key pieces of legislation, including the Iraqi Labor Law, the Social Security and Pension Law for Workers, the Social Protection Law, the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, and the Law for Yazidi Female Survivors. In addition, she has played a role in preparing guidelines and training curricula related to these laws and training personnel on their implementation. Amina also represents the Ministry in all stages of litigation and provides legal advice on various laws, interpreting legal texts, and amending existing legislation. Amina holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s degree in public administration, and she is currently a PhD candidate.

Amnah Ajmal is the Executive Vice President of Market Development, Mastercard EEMEA. In this role, she leads the P&L across multiple business verticals including merchants, telcos, governments, fintechs, digital players across 80 markets. In addition, she also heads the strategy, pricing, analytics and M&A function for the region.

Prior to this role she led the North America product & innovation organization, based out of the US, creating sustainable, competitive differentiation for Mastercard and its customers by delivering digitally integrated consumer experiences across consumer and commercial products.

Prior to joining Mastercard she was the CEO for Standard Chartered Consumer Bank Malaysia. She was also responsible for retail banking strategy for Indonesia, Malaysia & Taiwan in a global role based out of Singapore. Prior to Standard Chartered, Amnah worked at Citigroup in UAE, Egypt, UK and Poland. She held several leadership positions at Citigroup including Asset Business Head for Poland responsible for full range of consumer asset products, innovation and distribution including credit cards, co brands, personal loans and mortgages.

She was honored to be listed in Forbes Middle East’s 100 most powerful businesswomen 2024; Arabian Business’ 50 Inspiring Women Leaders 2024; the top 100 women in fintech for 2021 by IBM & Fintech magazine; the top 25 women leaders in financial technology by the Financial Technology Report US for 2019 & 2020 and the top 100 women in Fintech, across the globe, for 2019 by Lattice80. She also holds the honor of being in America’s top 10 women in Fintech by the Fintech Magazine for 2020.

Amnah is passionate about social empowerment for women and gender equity. She holds a master’s degree from London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE).

Ana Kreacic is a Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer of Oliver Wyman and the Chief Operating Officer of the Oliver Wyman Forum – the consultancy’s think tank and hub for Oliver Wyman’s flagship research and a platform for engaging business, public policy, and societal leaders to act on shared challenges.

Ana is known for her ability to blend customer insight with business strategy and leadership effectiveness. She successfully steers companies to create new business and operating models and become more customer and employee-centric organizations. Her current work explores the opportunities and challenges stemming from changing consumer and workforce needs and behaviors, including how these are shaped by technology, especially generative AI, and future generations. She regularly convenes senior leaders across sectors to discuss pressing issues and high impact solutions.

A frequent speaker and author, Ana’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, World Economic Forum, and MIT Sloan, to name a few. She has over 20 years of consulting and operating experience with companies globally in corporate strategy, organizational effectiveness and new business start-ups.

Ana is passionate about empowering women, mentoring, refugee and immigrant causes, and education. She is the Executive Sponsor of the Women of Oliver Wyman Employee Resource Group and sits on Oliver Wyman’s Americas Leadership Team and its Global Industries Leadership Team. She previously served on the boards of Upwardly Global and the Stamford Symphony Orchestra.

Having lived across the globe, Ana is fluent in English, Slovene, Croatian/Serbian, Spanish and French. Ana holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Economics, magna cum laude with high honors, from the University of Maryland.

Reem AlSuwaidi, Deputy Senior Manager, Development in Talent Management, I have 20 years of work experience, including 15 years in human resources. I hold a Master’s degree of Management in Entrepreneurial Leadership, which has provided me with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the business world.

Throughout my professional journey, I have developed effective strategies for measuring training effectiveness and the return on investment, achieving several accomplishments and international awards in this field.

As a certified life coach and self-development trainer, I focus on empowering individuals and motivating them to achieve their personal and professional goals.
I believe that self-awareness is the key to discovering hidden potentials, transforming challenges into opportunities, and leading a meaningful life.

Thuraya Al Hanaee is a mother of 4 kids and a leader in the oil and gas industry, currently serving as the Reliability Team Leader at Habshan 5 & Sulphur Plant, part of ADNOC Gas. With over 13 years of experience, she has consistently demonstrated expertise in ensuring operational excellence and reliability in critical energy infrastructures.

Thuraya holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, showcasing her technical acumen and dedication to continuous learning. She is also a CFA Level 1 candidate, reflecting her ambition to expand her expertise into financial and strategic domains.

As a member of ADNOC’s Future Leaders Cohort 4, Thuraya is committed to driving innovation and contributing to the organization’s long-term vision. She recently represented ADNOC at Gastech, participating in a leadership roundtable focused on achieving the 2030 methane emissions targets.Thuraya’s career exemplifies a blend of technical proficiency, leadership, and strategic vision, making her a pivotal figure in advancing sustainable energy solutions and inspiring future generations of engineers and leaders.

Sara Galadari is a rising governance professional, actively building her expertise in corporate compliance, board management, and stakeholder engagement. In her current role as Junior Company Secretary at Emirates Global Aluminium, she supports key governance functions that contribute to effective Board and Committee operations, which is supplemented with her background in strategic raw materials procurement and international contract negotiation. As Co-Chairperson of the EGA Women’s Network, Sara engages in initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion. A published author and communication specialist, she is also pursuing Chartered Governance Professional certification.

With Kiwi-Arab and African roots, Shamim Kassibawi is a former publicist turned serial entrepreneur and app creator. She is the founder of Play:Date, an app designed to help families foster social connections for their children, and Spread Communications, a boutique PR firm based in Dubai. Spread Communications serves a diverse range of sectors, including tech, startups, FMCG, government, lifestyle, F&B, and healthcare, across the Middle East and Africa.

Shamim’s communications expertise, coupled with her understanding of the digital age, allowed her to identify a crucial gap within the expat community, where families often struggle to find playgroups and social opportunities for children. Play:Date was launched to fill this gap, promoting social development in early childhood.

Shamim recognized the critical role of community and the opportunity for brands to engage within it—an insight that led her to monetize Play:Date. Initially launched in Dubai, Play:Date has seen rapid growth, particularly in the US, its fastest-expanding market. Shamim is dedicated to establishing Play:Date as a global household name.

Shamim’s extensive global network spans key stakeholders, media, influencers, government entities, and celebrities. She has built strong relationships with branding and marketing teams across PR and advertising agencies, giving her access to top decision-makers across the Middle East and beyond.

Sonia Weymuller is a Co-Founder and General Partner at VentureSouq (VSQ), a MENA-based venture capital fund with a global portfolio where she leads the firm’s ClimateTech investment practice. Previously, she was an Investment Consultant for Acumen’s KawiSafi Fund, worked in Commercial Development at Turner Broadcasting in Dubai, with Viacom’s Emerging Markets Strategy Group and with Microsoft’s Strategy and M&A team in London. Sonia is on the Board of Advisors of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) and is a Jury member for the Cartier Women’s Initiative. She also serves as the UAE Director for the Yale Alumni Schools Committee and on the Yale President’s Council on International Activities. Sonia holds a B.A. from Yale University, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and is a Kauffman Fellow.

Thair is a certified HR consultant with over 20 years of experience in human resources management and organizational design. He specializes in aligning human capital with strategic business objectives and managing high-impact projects across diverse sectors, including hospitality, micro-mobility, real estate, non-profits, and government. Thair excels in conducting gender equity audits and designing job architecture frameworks that promote equal pay for work of equal value, ensuring fair compensation practices within organizations. He is adept at using job evaluation methodologies to identify gender equity discrepancies.
Thair holds a master’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resource Management. His career highlights include serving as Global HR Manager at Spin Micro-Mobility in San Francisco, where he led HR initiatives to support rapid growth and organizational development in the dynamic micro-mobility sector. Previously, he was the Human Resources Lead at Mosser Companies, enhancing employee engagement, improving culture, and embracing diversity and inclusion. As HR Manager at Freedom for Immigrants, Thair developed and implemented HR strategies that improved the HR infrastructure and supported the mission of advocating for immigrant rights.

Wendy Teleki is the Head of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) Secretariat, which is housed in the World Bank and supports women entrepreneurs in over 60 developing countries around the world. We-Fi works with multilateral development banks and local institutions to increase women entrepreneurs access to finance, markets, skills and technology through investments, technical assistance and policy reforms. It has allocated over $360 million and helped catalyze $3.6 billion in financing for women entrepreneurs since its creation in 2017.

Prior to joining We-Fi in 2019, Ms. Teleki worked at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. At the IFC, Ms. Teleki spearheaded efforts to help private and public institutions in emerging markets expand financing and support for small businesses and women entrepreneurs. Ms. Teleki led programs to privatize and build the small business sector in Ukraine in the early 1990s, developed solutions for SMEs in Indonesia during the Asian Financial Crisis, launched innovative SME finance and advisory offerings, and pioneered blended finance efforts.

In 2022, Ms. Teleki was named one of Forbes’s “50 Over 50” women in finance for her leadership in advocating for women’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE was Mayor of Freetown from May 2018 to February 2023 and was re-elected to serve for a second term in June 2023. A finance professional with over 25 years of private sector experience in strategic planning, risk management consulting and project management, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr has adopted an inclusive, data-driven approach to addressing challenges in the city. In her first term, she championed the 4- year “Transform Freetown” plan which detailed 19 concrete targets across 11 sectors; annually published .

Transform Freetown reports that document progress made against targets can be found at https://fcc.gov.sl. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr’s notable achievements include the construction and operation of Freetown’s first ever wastewater treatment plant, the digitalization and expansion of the city’s property rate system, the planting and tracking of 1.2m trees against #FreetownTheTreeTown’s 1m trees target and securing the recently concluded feasibility study for the introduction of a mass transit cable car system for the city. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr’s second term development plan “Transform Freetown – Transforming Lives”
(https://fcc.gov.sl/transform-freetown-transforming-lives-freetown-development-agenda-2024-2028/) is
focused on the creation of decent jobs for women and youth through climate action, the growth of heritage
tourism and the digital economy underpinned by investments in human capital development.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr is the Laureate of the German Africa Award 2024, she was listed in the inaugural Forbes Sustainability Leaders 2024 List, she was a Schwab Foundation Outstanding Public Social Innovator for the Year 2023, was featured by Time Magazine in the inaugural Time100 Climate List 2023, the Time100 Next 2021 List and by the BBC in the BBC 100 Women 2020 List. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr is Co-Chair of C40 Cities, a network of almost 100 cities committed to addressing climate change.