Conference Speakers

Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security Chairman of HBMSU's Board of Governors

Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohamed Smart University. Dr. Mansoor Al-Awar is also the Chairman of the Governing Board of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE). Dr. Al Awar has started, built and led several innovative enterprises, like: • Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), the region’s first university with smart learning approach. • Innovation Arabia, the annual scientific conference with a focus on innovation in the Arab world. • First Quality Department at Dubai Police, including suggestion and self-assessment schemes and public opinion survey center. • Emirates Business Women Award, at Dubai Quality Group. • Middle East eLearning Association (MEEA) • Middle East Quality Association (MEQA) Dr. Al Awar has received numerous awards and accolades: Golden Order of Merit, on Arab World Good Governance, and ICT & Knowledge CEO Excellence Award, etc. Al Awar has published several books on innovation management, leadership, higher education and quality. For more: http://www.mansooralawar.ae/

Professor Loutfi is the Vice-Chancellor’s Special Envoy at Coventry University, and served as the inaugural President of the Knowledge Hub, Coventry University’s branch campus in Egypt. Prior to this he held the Pro Vice-Chancellor post at Cardiff Metropolitan University. He has multiple international roles of responsibility; he was a council member at the Observatory of Magna Charta Univeristatum of Fundamental University Values and Rights in Bologna, vice-president of the board of the Arab European Leadership Network in Higher Education ARELEN and was the first in Europe to take part in a global education think tank, set up by the Ministry of Education in China to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and start-up education. He also worked with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education as an International Associate and a member the reference group for the Global Leadership Programme for Higher Education. Professor Loutfi is responsible for instigating and coordinating partnerships with over 25 different countries, some at governmental level. Projects have included building partnerships with universities in different countries and enhancing institutional cooperation in learning, teaching and enterprise, as well as delivering programmes for university leaders to implement national higher education reform and internationalisation strategies. He worked on many EU projects for Higher Education Reforms and on Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Ukraine, Russia, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt. In addition, he led with the ministries of Higher Education in Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco to develop a framework for building capacity for leadership in Higher Education through European experiences in this field. Professor Loutfi holds a BSc in Economics and Political Science, an MSc in Information Technology and a PhD in Systems Thinking, his research involves Modelling and Simulation of Social Systems, Non-linear, Dynamic Feedback Systems. A Professor of Internationalisation from Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK and a visiting Professor of Innovation and Globalisation at Eurasia University, China, he has also completed the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education Top Management Programme (TMP35) in 2015 and has 28 years of experience in Higher Education with extensive experience in universities leadership and management.

David Qu is an accomplished leader with 25 years of experience in healthcare management, strategy, technology, and innovation. He currently serves as the Vice President of Publications, Education and Electronic Products at Joint Commission International (JCI). In his previous career, David held General Manager role at Allscripts, a leading Electronic Health Record company, and CEO role at CellTrak Technology. David is a Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executive (ACHE) and a Certified Professional of Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). He received an executive MBA degree from Kellogg Business School of Northwestern University.

Professor Baydoun is an internationally recognized authority on the impact of culture and religion on accounting and financial systems. He is currently the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at HBMSU in Dubai. He also held senior academic positions and staffed key board committees at various institutions in Australia, Honk Kong, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates. Professor Baydoun has a record of accomplishment of launching innovative initiatives and building effective teams in large and complex organizations. He is internationally experienced in financial management, accounting, startups, restructuring and strategic planning. Professor Baydoun is supportive of enhanced scholarship and research; he published more than 50 refereed articles and books and serves on the editorial board of a number of academic journals.

Professor Martin Spraggon is a progressive professor of Strategy and Innovation Management. Before joining HBMSU as the Dean of the School of Business and Quality Management, he served as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) and Director of Executive Education for the School of Business Administration (SBA) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS). His areas of specialization include strategic management, design thinking and innovation, organizational behavior, and managerial psychology. He has conducted many consulting projects and delivered leadership development programs for North American, Western European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern educational institutions and organizations in both the private and public sectors (Adnoc, Air Arabia, Sharjah Asset Management, Tatweer Forum, DP World, Road and Transport Authority, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Etisalat, AW Rostamani Group, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Maritime Industrial Services, Bukhatir Group, Hydro-Quebec) His research on emerging economies, behavioral governance, executive compensation, knowledge dynamics in innovative firms, and healthcare management has appeared in publications such as Strategic Management Journal, the Academy of Management Annals, Strategic Organization, Journal of Business Research, Business Ethics: A European Review, Journal of Business Ethics, Health Expectations, and Public Health. His research-driven and practice-based books, titled Mergers and Acquisitions and Executive Compensation and Managing Organizations in the United Arab Emirates: Dynamic Characteristics and Key Economic Developments, were published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group) and Palgrave Macmillan, respectively. Actively involved in case study research and practice, Professor Spraggon serves as an Associate Editor of the Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies collection. He obtained a research grant from the UAE National Research Foundation to analyses corporate governance practices in local family businesses and received the 2013 Rupert Chisholm Best Theory-to-Practice Paper Award of the Academy of Management Organizational Development and Change Division. He frequently assumes responsibilities as a member of international program committees at academic conferences around the world and is a regular speaker and panelist at practitioner-oriented workshops and events

Dr. Ying Ying Liao is an Associate Professor at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) UK. Prior to her current appointment, she was an assistant professor and acted as programme director at the University of Liverpool (China Campus). She received her PhD degree and served as post-doctoral researcher in the University of Kent, UK. She has been actively involved in several research activities internationally including joint PhD supervision, EMBA external examiner, committee member of international conferences, and ad hoc reviewer for several high quality international journals (e.g. JBE, TQM&BE, etc) and conferences (e.g. AMA, AoM, etc). She has currently published 12 journal articles (some in 2 & 3 - star refereed journals –ABS ranking, UK), 24 international refereed conference papers and 4 book chapters. Prior to joining academia, she gained extensive industry experience in various capacities in service sectors (i.e. hospitality, healthcare) where she contributed significantly to the enhancement of quality of service offerings. Her current research interests focus on service management (e.g. service quality, service failure & recovery, managing human resources in services and supply chain quality management).

PhD (Economics) degree in 1989 from Temple University, USA. MA (Economics) in 1979 from University of Karachi MS (Applied Economics) in 1980 from University of Karachi Taught courses in economics and Islamic Finance at the University of Brunei Darussalam, University of Karachi and Temple University. Published journal articles and papers in the areas of international trade, labor and development economics. Worked as an Economics Consultant for various development projects undertaken by public sector departments of governments of Brunei, Sri Lanka and Pakistan a number of them sponsored by international agencies.

Prof. Awoniyi Awofeso is a Professor at the School of Health and Environmental Studies at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University. He has over 25 years of experience in universities of Nigeria and Australia in the fields of public health Projects’ management, public health surveillance, health sociology, correctional health care, and hospital administration. Professor Awoniyi has extensive work experience, at both middle and senior management levels. He also authored five books, three book chapters and 115 peer-reviewed academic papers published in well-regarded journals and book serials. Professor Awoniyi worked closely and productively with reputable Non-Governmental Organizations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres and Netherlands Leprosy Relief. In the past three years, Professor Awoniyi reviewed at least 60 manuscripts on behalf of leading journals such as the British Medical Journal and BMC Public Health. In addition, since 2005 he attended and presented at over 15 international conferences in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia

Dr. Ahmed Al-Nakeeb is an Assistant Professor of Management at the School of Quality and Business Management at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University. Dr. Al-Nakeeb received his Ph.D. in Quality Management from the University of Glamorgan in Wales, United Kingdom. He also completed a Master in Business Administration, a Diploma in Business Administration, and a B.Eng. in Civil Engineering all from reputable Universities in the United Kingdom. He taught various courses in Management and Marketing at graduate and undergraduate levels in addition to holding managerial positions. Dr. Al-Nakeeb participated in various international conferences and published in well-known international journals. His publications in Quality Management attracted international interests among academics and practitioners. He has also developed research interests in HRM and Marketing. Dr. Al-Nakeeb is a member on the Editorial Advisory Board and the Articles Review Editor of the Journal of Islamic Marketing, published by Emerald. He was granted the 2011 Outstanding Reviewer Award for his work on the Journal of Islamic Marketing.

Dr Sanjai K Parahoo holds a Bachelor in Technology from Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, India; a Graduate Certificate in Business (Distinction) from Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia; an MBA (Distinction, University Gold Medal and DCDM cash prize and trophy) from the University of Mauritius. Dr Sanjai has extensive experience in innovation management and contract research, having led projects of African and international funders in various African countries. His areas of research interest include Services Management and Innovation, and he published in some leading journals in the field, as well as several case studies in the MENA region

Dr. Fadi Al Sakka is a proficient business and academic figure. With almost 15 years of business experience, he worked with all various strategic components such as strategic HR, leadership development, talents development programs, performance management, recruitment, compensating and benefits, training & development, career path, engagement & satisfaction & happiness schemes, HR information systems, and special strategic HR projects in order enhance the overall organization productivity level. Being a leader of a major functions in business for the last 10 years in Dubai, and a senior consultant to major organizations in UAE, his major strengths are to link conceptual aspects to practical solutions, as well as to comprehend multicultural grounds and what works for organization of various business environments. Dr. Fadi Holds Phd in Human Capital Development and is certified from various professional and vocational organisations including; the Australian Human Resources Institute, and Psytech, UK.

Dr Mohammed Yasin Ghadi is an Associate Professor in the School of Business and Quality Management at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Ghadi, worked for more than six years at Mutah University in Jordan and as a Chairman of department of Business at Mutah University. He also taught some Management courses at University of Wollongong in Australia. Dr. Ghadi’s teaching experience includes Human Resource Management, Staffing, Compensation Management, Strategic Human Resource Management, Training & Development and Organizational Behaviour. Dr. Ghadi’s research interests include Happiness in work, meaning in work, work engagement, loneliness in work, transformational leadership, turnover intention, workplace envy, job crafting, work spirituality, strategic human resources management.

Dr. Mohamed El Baradie is an Assisstant Professor of Accounting at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University in the School of Business and Quality Management. Before joining HBMSU Dr. El Baradie worked as an Assistant Professor at Al Hosn University, Abu Dhabi and The American University in The Emirates, Dubai. He also taught Accounting courses at The University of Durham during his PhD studies. He worked as a Financial Controller with American Airlines, and an Accounting Controller with P. Tech Corporation both in the USA. Also, he is a certified Business Trainer by the US AID. Dr. El Baradie’s teaching experience includes Financial Accounting, Cost/Managerial Accounting, Auditing and Finance. Dr. El Baradie received his PhD in Accounting from The University of Durham, United kingdom, an MBA from Wayne State University, Michigan, USA, and the bachelor degree from Alexandria University, Egypt. His research interests include Management Accounting techniques and the Institutionalization of Costing methods

Dr. Mayada Moussa is the Director of General Education as well as an Assistant Professor of Public Health affiliated to the School of Health and Environmental Studies at HBMSU. She has MPH and PhD from Alexandria University in Public Health, majoring Environmental Health. She has been in the academic field of public health for over 10 years, teaching, supervising Master and PhD theses, developing programs and designing courses, and conducting research. She has worked on a variety of projects, including the investigation of the impacts of environmental risk factors on health and the environment, and the establishment of postgraduate programs and academic quality assurance units at Universities in Egypt, Oman and Sudan. Dr. Mayada is a reviewer and editor for several Journals, among them the Public Health Journal, the Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association, and the Journal of Family and Community Medicine; and she has served on the scientific and technical committees of several national and international conferences. Concerning General Education, Dr. Mayada is responsible for the management of GE courses, monitoring their progress and working with Associate Faculty to enhance the courses’ effectiveness in preparing learners for their further studies at HBMSU and for seizing their roles as smart and conscientious professionals later on.

Prof Ebrahim Soltani is Professor of Quality Management at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University in the School of Business and Quality Management. Before joining HBMSU Professor Soltani worked at Strathclyde and Kent Universities in the UK. His teaching and research experience includes Operations Management, Quality Management, and Managing Quality in Supply Chain. Professor Soltani has published papers in peer-reviewed international journals and presented papers at international conferences. His primary area of research is operations improvement and effective management of quality-focused initiatives. Professor Soltani received PhD from the Department and Management Science at the University of Strathclyde Business School (UK)

Dr. Omyma is a faculty member in the School of Business and Quality Management. She is a TQM Expert with over thirty years of combined solid and in-depth experience in Academia Management, Quality Assurance Internal Audit, Training, and knowledge transfer. She is an academic advisor and supervised several postgraduate Thesis. She is also a certified leadership coach with a Professional Diploma in Mindfulness and Corporate Resilience

Dr. Rashed Karkain, founder and managing director of Sustainable Development Research, Training and Consultancy Organization has a Ph.D. in Environment and Health, Master of Science in Innovation & Change Management from HBMSU and a Chemical Engineer graduated from University of South Florida, with more than 22 years of experience on the Technical as well as Leadership level in the field of Environmental and Sustainable Development Leadership, Environmental Project Management, Environmental Studies and Planning, Sustainable Management of Municipal and Hazardous Wastes, Occupational Health and Safety, Integrated Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Infrastructure as well as Sustainable Wastewater Treatment. Dr. Rashed was recently awarded as part of Rashid Award for Scientific Outstanding by H. H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He is also twice award winner of Dubai Government Excellence Program Award (DGEP); the First Place for Technical Project in 2010 and the Second Place on Technical Outstanding Employee in 2016. Dr. Rashed has nine Intellectual Properties registered at UAE’s Ministry of Economy, in addition to the UAE Innovate Award for his innovative idea and design of Carbon Capture and Usability. Additionally, he has been a lecturer at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Canadian University of Dubai and Zayed University, Dubai

Dr. Mounir El Khatib is an expert (academic and practitioner) with 22 years of varied experience in Europe and Middle East, in program and project management, covering engineering, business and management, and IT fields. He is an e-government and e-transformation expert, heavily involved in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and UAE Federal E-Government, covering the management & technical perspectives Dr El Khatib holds a PhD in Project and IT Management from UK. He is a certified project management professional (PMP). Worked as Oracle, IBM-BCS as advisor, consultant, project manager, partner or agent for a variety of government and private projects. Trained many outstanding organizations. He published many papers, participated in many conferences and TV interviews

The winner of Khalifa Award for Education (Cycle # 7, 2014); Distinguished University Professor in the Field of Teaching in the Arab World. Professor of Curriculum and Instructional Design, Tanta University, Egypt. Professor of Distance Learning, School of e-Education, Hamdan Bin Mohamed Smart University, UAE. Prof. Abdelaziz holds a Ph.D. from University of Arkansas, USA, 2004, with first class honors (4 out of 4). Former supervisor of the National Smart Learning Center in Egypt. Former director of the Distance Teaching and Training Program, Arabian Gulf University. Prof. Abdelaziz translated and published 15 books in the field of Teacher Preparation, Brain-based Learning and Teaching, Smart Learning and e-Training, and Creative Culture. Mr. Abdelaziz published more than 40 research papers in regional and international journals. Many of his models of online pedagogy and assessment are applied at the international level. Won numerous awards of excellence for the best scientific papers presented at international conferences.

Dr. Kathy Leonhardt is Principal Consultant for Quality and Patient Safety at Joint Commission International (JCI), leading education and training on quality and safety to healthcare organizations around the world. Dr. Leonhardt is a preventive medicine/public health physician with 30 years experience as a leader in the public and private health care sector. She has conducted research, published and taught in the areas of performance improvement, patient safety, infection prevention, and patient experience. In addition to her medical degree, she has a Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology, certifications in Patient Safety, Healthcare Quality, and Six Sigma Green Belt.

Khezna Alsadi is a Senior Executive of Learners Experience and Community Engagement at Hamdan Bin Mohamed Smart University. Currently she is doing her Master in Entrepreneurial Leadership Program and holds a Bachelor of Business and Quality Management (Distinction with Honors). Her key strength is in her capability of being customer-driven and oriented; with 12 years’ experience in fields focusing on customer services and partnership management. Khezna has a talent as a voice-over specialist with 6 years’ experience recording: radio Ads, documentaries, call center messages. She also served as master of ceremony for corporate events and graduation events.

1st Emirati Arab Phd Scholar to research emotional intelligence and its effect on leadership in MENA. Author of 2020 book “أسرار التجديد في زمن الكوفيد" published and available in Sharjah international book fair 2020 Chairperson of the board of governors at Dubai Carmel School, Consultant in professional development: trained over 900 hrs to government employees around the emirates in the past two years. Tedex speaker 2019. 2017 & 2018 Ambassador of knowledge by UAE Red Crescent 2019 Tolerance knight under HH Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humeid AlNuaimi 2020 Ambassador of Community Service in MENA Life Achievement Award by HH Sheikh Ahmad bin Faisal AlQassimi - October 2020

More than 14 years of experience in the educational field. Started as a teacher in the Ministry of Education FOR 3 years before moving to Sharjah Ladies Club to be in charge of “Collage” Talent Center for children, teenagers and women. Worked for Sharjah Book Authority as Director of Sharjah Public Libraries and currently a PhD. Scholar in Educational Leadership at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University.

Latifa Daadoui is a doctor in management sciences from Université Paris Dauphine- France. She is the National Coordinator of Erasmus+, the EU program for Education, Training, Youth and Sport. She was a Management and innovation professor and researcher in French and Moroccan Universities and a visiting scholar in US University. Her research and expertise cover: education, international cooperation and mobility, creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship and ecological behavior. She is also very active in Youth capacity building and women' empowerment.

Learner at HBMSU in Bachelor of Science in Health Administration and appointed as Learner Council president

Learner at HBMSU in Master of Science in Organizational Excellence and Learner Council member

Learner at HBMSU in Bachelor in Business and Human Resource Management and Learner Council Vice President

• Bachelor degree in Business and Quality Management from HBMSU • Public Relations Executive in a Korean government organization, part of Korea's Ministry of Cultural, Sports, and Tourism. • An entrepreneur

• Mohammad Hussain Gulfam graduated from the program of Bachelor of Business and Quality Management from HBMSU. He works as an Executive Education Officer in Mohammad Bin Rashid School of Government. Furthermore, he is a member and secretary of the HBMSU Alumni Council. Also, he is passionate about volunteering with governments in Local occasions and global conferences.

• MSC in Innovation and Change Management from HBMSU. • Head of Strategy and Quality section in the General Secretariat of the Supreme Legislation Committee. • President of The Supreme Legislation Committee Youth Council. • President of Alumni Council.

• Bachelor in Business and Quality Management from HBMSU. • Master in Service Leadership and Innovation from Rochester Institute of Technology. • Certified Trainer in Emirates Association for Management Consultants and Trainers.

Rami Zahran is the Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the Saudi German Hospital Group in KSA. He is responsible for the company’s Marketing, Communications, Digital and Events activities. He has been responsible for transforming the department completely since taking over the role and has been credited for a significant positive impact to brand awareness and equity, as well as an increase in financial performance of the business. Rami has 14 years of high-profile marketing experience and a proven track record in the healthcare sector. Most recently, he served as Director of Marketing, Communications and Business Development at American Hospital Dubai. Prior to that, he held a managerial role in the marketing department of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Earlier in his career, Rami was a Communication Manager at Leo Burnett Dubai. Rami Zahran holds an MSc in International Management for Middle East and Africa from the University of London and a BBA in Marketing and Advertising from American University in Dubai. In 2018, he was recognized as one of the top marketers in the Middle East by VMF Powerlist. He also continuously contributes to marcomms thought leadership through active participation as a speaker and panelist at local and international events. Rami believes in leading with purpose and is very passionate about developing marcomms campaigns and content that connect and engage with customers through brand purpose.

Bio

As a technology industry veteran, Nilesh Patel brings over 25 years of experience in strategic product management, business strategy, go-to-market execution, and technology evangelism to his position as Executive Vice President Secure Solutions at Digital14. Serving as head of the Secure Solutions business for Digital14, Nilesh and his team drive the company’s strategy, execution, and delivery of end-to-end cyber security products and cloud services that protect customer’s devices, networks, data, and critical infrastructures. Nilesh and his team of innovators are driven by a passion to restore trust in digital economies. This focus promises to enable people and businesses the ability to communicate and collaborate freely in an uncompromised world. Prior to joining Digital14, Nilesh served in network security product and business leadership roles at Palo Alto Networks in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has also accrued industry leadership experience with leading technology companies such as NetApp and Intel. He brings deep domain expertise in software and systems, cybersecurity, cloud services, data-centric platforms and services, managed services, Internet of Things, and 5G network security. Nilesh has a Master of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from Louisiana State University, USA.

Arash is the Group CEO of Lootah Holding, a family-owned conglomerate pursuing ventures in diversified industry sectors, contributing to the international expansion of the UAE’s national economy and creating the most innovative business opportunities. Arash has extensive strategy and leadership experience, bringing over a dozen years of consulting across the energy, FMCG, travel, financial, telecoms, public and health sectors in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Before joining Lootah Holding, he led McKinsey’s Organization Solutions (OrgSolutions) department across the Middle East, helping organizations answer critical questions related to organizational health, performance culture, efficiency and talent. Prior to that, he spent over a decade at Accenture, establishing and leading a team of high performing strategy consultants specialized in investments and optimization. His passion is towards growing talents, focusing on solid evidence to rewire organizations and driving performance through people. He is married with a daughter.

Brigitte Khair Mountain is the Founder and CEO of gigthree, a new tech startup based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Brigitte is a humanitarian, development and knowledge management professional, and recently became an entrepreneur. Increasingly interested in the power of the private sector to innovate, advocate for positive change, and impact livelihoods, she is keen on exploring ways in which international public servants like herself can impact the work of private sector entities for positive change through social impact investing and ESG globally. A former UN official, skilled in team leadership and management, setting up new operations, fundraising, communications, and policy work. Brigitte has over 20 years of work experience with the UN and NGOs, as well as a series of ESG advisory roles for governments and the private sector. Her leadership roles spanned from Head of Office for UNHCR’s Regional Hub for the GCC, Director for the Middle East of Save the Children’s Humanitarian Leadership Academy, and was an Advisor on Foreign Aid to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her UN work was in different agencies and countries, she led the Best Practice team in UNAIDS in Geneva, was a UNDP advisor on knowledge management, was Programme coordinator for UNDP in Iraq post the 2003 military operations, and has set up the UNDP LIFE programme in Lebanon as its first national coordinator. She is on the roster of UN Resident Coordinators as well as being a member of the UN Senior Women Talent Pipeline. Brigitte sits on a number of boards, namely the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation in Geneva, she’s also a Board Member of the Dubai International Scientific Advisory Board (DIHAD), and was an elected board member of the international school of Geneva, the first and largest international school in the world. Trilingual (English/French/Arabic) and tri-national, she worked in various countries and interacted with a variety of different cultures and ethnicities. Brigitte is interested in the interrelationship between the private and public sectors, knowledge management, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s impact on development aid, the SDGs and peacekeeping, and as a result she embraces innovation for the good. A believer in networking for fostering a collective responsibility to maintain minimum standards for humanity to thrive and work in a dignified manner to further a decent life for all and provide opportunities for generations to come by giving people hope and a safe space to live and work.

I am Senior Manager at Dubai Chamber- Centre for Responsible Business. In 2020, I featured in Stanford University's list of top 2 per cent scientists in the world. Before joining the Dubai Chamber, I was a full Professor in Strategic Management at Warwick Business School, UK. I have authored/edited more than 10 books, and published over 100 articles in world leading business/management journals, and numerous practical tool-kits and guidelines. I served as a Senior Editor for Journal of World Business, Consulting Editor for British Journal of Management, and Editor-in Chief of International Journal of Management Reviews and currently I sit on the editorial board of a number of scholarly journals.

Jean-Luc Scherer is an industry thought leader with 20+ years of professional experience in the mobile industry and digital technologies. He has advised Tier-1 telecom service providers such as Etisalat, Turkcell, STC or Zain on digital transformation, IoT, big data and cloud. Over the years, Jean-Luc developed a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship and became an innovation coach in 2014. Founder of Innoopolis, a digital innovation factory, Jean-Luc has more recently joined Khalifa Innovation Center to support research projects and turn them into full-scale startups. A recognised player in the start-up eco-system, Jean-Luc is also a jury member of global organisations as the World Summit Awards and is a regular keynote speaker on topics related to innovation and technology

Lina Hourani is the Director of Al Ahli Holding Group CSR Division, since 2008, responsible for several youth development programs and initiatives. The Global Business Opportunities program (GBO) was a major milestone in Lina’s professional path, helping Al Ahli Group to identify business opportunities, develop the entrepreneurial skills for youth, shifting them from being job seekers to job providers. Her success with GBO and also CSR in Action Program – an initiative that brings together students with professionals and CSR Leaders- was spread across 4 different continents benefiting youth from UAE, Jordan, Lebanon, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Greece, Italy, France and the UK. Prior to that, Lina filled several positions focusing on youth development and training at some of the leading NGOs and institutes in Jordan, including the Royal Health Awareness Society. She also conducted training for more than 2000 senior professional and young leaders in the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, France, the UK, and the USA. Lina holds a master’s degree in Public Relations and Communications from the University of Westminster in London, a BA in Political Science & French Literature from the University of Jordan and a Diploma in Neuro-Linguistic programming from Canada. She has undergone extensive training, including Leadership, TOT, mind mapping, creativity, and is certified as an international trainer on the interpersonal skills segment. She is frequently invited as an expert speaker in regional and international CSR, Entrepreneurship and youth development seminars and programs.

Nancy Stearns Bercaw has written about health, science, education, and technology for publications around the world including the New York Times, Korea Herald, and U.S. News & World Report. She also is the author of two health-related books: “Brain in a Jar” and “Dryland.” Since 2017, she has served as Chief of Staff and Communications & Marketing Advisor for Ajman University. Ms. Bercaw has been a participant on many international committees, including the QS EduData Summit Steering Committee and the Advisory Board for Faculty Development Programs with I-Guage India. She also been an invited speaker for numerous events, including the QS Apple Conference and Harvard Business Review Arabia’s “Educating for the Future” Conference.

Speaker Biography: __ Eng. Ahmed AL Burkani is an engineer in Civil and holding a master degree in Business Administration. He started his career as a construction engineer in Adnoc Distribution. After his twelve-year career, Eng. Ahmed decided it was time for a change from the Oil Sector to the Government Sector in Abu Dhabi, where he was offered to be a Performance Development Consultant in Department of Economic Development. Eng. Ahmed was accredited on 2010 as Project Management Professional from PMI and a Competent Communicator from the International Toastmasters. In 2013, he became a Master Practitioner in NLP and in 2014 became certified in Quality Management/Organizational Excellence. In 2015, he got a certificate as a Lead Auditor in QMS. By now, he is so passionate to share his knowledge with fun and joy in different platforms, as a public speaker in different conferences, as a moderator, and as a trainer. Since September 2017, he has started his journey with Professional Doctorate Degree in UK with a theme of Innovation based Leadership. During 2018 and 2019, he established a new toastmaster club in Abu Dhabi and became the chairperson of the club. Many workshops were delivered by Eng.Ahmed for different entities, in leadership, innovation and self-development. Lately Global Innovation Institute certified him as Chief Innovation Officer.

Ivano is widely acknowledged as the GCC foremost experts in the fields of Sustainability and Carbon Emission Management. He is currently the CEO of Dubai Carbon, a former United Nations senior official and a subject matter expert in environmental economics and low carbon strategies. Ivano has extensive experience in facilitating economically relevant low carbon pathways. For the past 2 decades he has aggregated and managed GHG National inventories across the GCC, NDCs and State Action Plans, with a focus on Private Sector synergies. He is part of the UAE Negotiation team on carbon markets at the UNFCCC COP as well as part of the ICAO working group on new market-based measure for aviation, currently in supports the UAE’s input into CORSIA. Ivano is an also working with the World Bank’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, Partnership for Market Readiness, and Carbon Initiative for Development to ensure a GCC localization is part of the vision going forward.

Dr. Abed Baidas has a successful business career spanning over 30 years. He has been involved in business endeavors worldwide. Heading a team of international branding experts, he pioneered the development of Identity Branding Forum fundamentals and processes, introducing the “identity branding culture” in the Arab World, combining the science of human development with the art of branding to build “brand’s identity” value aligned with businesses’ organizational behavior – where our name in Arabic )المنتدى ل تطوير الهوية المؤسسية( become synonymous with related projects in the region. The latest accomplishment of Dr. Baidas includes the development and launch of three major achievements, the Sustainable Human Development Protocol and its IPEN™ Club engagement cluster, to connect companies to human life-long journey to create recyclable opportunities and achieve sustainability and create, and Talents of endearment© future transformation platform. Dr. Baidas has also been the architect of number of international initiatives and concepts that includes 20 X Initiative, Refugees Economic Initiative, Economies of Crisis, Arab Women Convention, iGeneration Initiative. Dr. Baidas is a veteran branding expert with some well-known brands, and an expert speaker and trainer on a wide range of social, economic, business and government related topics.

Dr. Fahad Alsaadi has 20 years of experience in business administration and management. He holds a Ph.D. degree with distinction in Total Quality Management. His research focuses on e-service quality in higher education in the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Fahad Alsaadi earned his master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the American University of Sharjah (UAE), and Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Admin (Distinction with Honors) from Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai. Dr. Alsaadi joined HBMSU in 2002. Since then, he managed a number of key projects and held vital responsibilities related to essential areas in the university, including Institutional Resources and Services division as well as Learners Development division. Since Jan 2019, Dr. Alsaadi was appointed as the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and he is responsible for advancing HBMSU impact by growing its brand, financial portfolio, and strategic partnerships. During his years of professional experience, Dr. Alsaadi received reputable professional qualifications in areas including leadership, quality management, human resources, and finance. Furthermore, he authored and co-authored scientific articles in service quality and TQM.

A seasoned business leader based in Dubai since 1999, Bilal Sabouni is Regional Managing Director for the Middle East, Africa & Turkey at the New York-based knowledge services firm, Guidepoint. Guidepoint is a global intelligence organization and the largest proprietary "brain trust" of on-demand Experts in the world. Guidepoint represents an expanding network of ~800,000 industry & subject-matter experts based in +190 countries and deploys their expertise, on-demand, for targeted government and private sector consultations all over the world. Prior to joining Guidepoint, Bilal was CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce’s affiliate office in Dubai. Bilal received his bachelor’s degree from the American University in Dubai and his master’s degree from the University of Melbourne.

General Surgeon and pioneering XR and Ai expert in Healthcare, Dr. Sana Farid strives to utilize futuristic technologies to make the world a better place, through interactive tools helping to build bridges and reach people faster. Immersive tech coupled with Digital Health is bringing the Remote Healthcare dream to reality, Dr. Sana's adept approach has augmented Healthcare training, Patient-centric programs, and community wellness. She is extensively supporting initiatives related to building industry standards, strategizing and streamlining Artificial Intelligence and Immersive Technologies. Her significant achievements include playing the major role in shaping Extended Reality adoption in the MENA region.

Kader holds a Ph.D. degree in Physics from Valladolid University (Spain). He has over 20 years of experience working in different positions in IT Services, Project Management, Educational projects, and Business intelligence technology. He has the experience and knowledge in digital education projects (Solutions, Products, Consulting, ...) for K12 education, public and private universities. He has also a deep knowledge of e-Learning solutions & Platforms, Online Process, MOOC, Neutral Hub, LMS, He worked for more than 8 years in Data Warehousing / Data Mart Systems, Business Intelligence, Reporting, User interface. physical & logical Multidimensional Modeling, OLAP environments (in stars), ETL Processes, Extraction, Transformation & Loading. Currently, he is leading the Digital education & eGovernment vertical in Etisalat Digital.

Dr. Naseem is a creative professional in the UAE with having more than 14 years of managerial skills in the field of public health, public safety, occupational health & safety, emergency & crisis management, consumer products safety, customer satisfaction and service improvement. She holds a PhD in public health & occupational health from UAE University, a second PhD in Total Quality Management, MSc in healthcare management and a bachelor degree in pharmacy. She has several publications in the field of public health and working as an associate professor at several universities in the UAE. She is a permanent employee at Dubai government working as director of health & safety at Dubai Municipality. During her career, she won many awards including Hamdan bin Mohammed Banner for Montaji in 2017 and Emirates Women Award from Dubai Quality Group in 2018.

Ibrahim “Abe” Seksek is the current COO of MENA and Russia of Startupbootcamp, a Rainmaking company. Before joining Startupbootcamp he Co-Founded a couple of companies such as ZenHR Solutions, which addresses the entire HR cycle, and Crystel, Jordan's first business process outsourcing (BPO) provider. Ibrahim also worked as Head of Global Operations Support for Naspers, the parent company of dubizzle and OLX, which oversaw the operations in 70 countries.

Anas is a recognized expert with over 10 years of establishing digital strategies and implementing large-scale technology solutions on an enterprise-wide global basis with strong leadership abilities for identifying, building cases and implementing smart city solutions that are responsive to the needs of rapidly growing organizations and Disruptive industries. With proven track record of creative planning and execution in Digital Transformation, Ecosystems Integration, Innovations strategies and Smart City solutions in the UK, UAE, KSA, Singapore and Malaysia. Short listed for the Young Consultant of the Year award (2015-16) by the British Expertise International Awards and awarded the Best Contribution to Internationalisation 2015 – 2014 by the University of Manchester due to his contribution to academia and research in the Middle East. Anas is actively involved with Digital Britain and the UK Task Groups driving Innovations in the AECO Industries towards Smarter Cities. While contributing as a visiting professor at esteemed International Universities at undergraduate and postgraduate engineering and project management programmes.

Essam Disi is the Director of Strategy and Policy at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Est. for SME Development (Dubai SME), a government agency under the Department of Economic Development (DED) – Government of Dubai - tasked with the development of Entrepreneurship and Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai. In his present job, his main roles and responsibilities are to formulate long-term plans, strategies and policy support framework for SME development, in addition to executing strategic initiatives to support the SME sector and the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Dubai. Mr. Disi is a member of the DED Economic Policy Committee, the Dubai 2021 plan team and the Dubai 2030 Industrial Strategy team. Mr. Disi is also a member of the judging panel of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Award for Young Business Leaders since 2008 and has been involved in assessing and evaluating hundreds of start-ups and high growth SMEs from all over the Arab World. In addition, Mr Disi is a founding member of Dubai SME100 and RATE, the main two initiatives to support high growth SMEs in Dubai.

Krishnan Gopi is the Group Chief Disruption Officer at GEMS Education. He is currently on a mission to disrupt from within and create efficient, sustainable, scalable and future-ready technology capabilities for the needs of education today and tomorrow. Krishnan is a strategic technology leader with two decades of international experience and a successful track record spearheading technology-led business transformation for Fortune 100 companies. He was named “Digital Disruptive Leader of the Year” by MIT Sloan / Khaleej Times at DIGITRANS 2019 and 2018, and voted "Digital Disruptor of the Year" at CDO Conclave 2018 in addition to numerous other honours and awards.

Qussay Abdul Wahab, 44 years old, an Iraqi-Canadian citizen with over 24 years of entrepreneurial experience in gastronomy, information technology, supply chain management and SME advisory. During his MBA studies, Qussay decided to join the corporate world and started with Injazat Data Systems, an IT outsourcing company, as a business consultant. A year and a half later, in 2008, he joined Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development as a business counselor assisting UAE Nationals to startup their own ventures. At his current position as an Enterprise Development Acting Senior Manager, Qussay has supported over 300 Emirati-based projects, manage a team of 18 Business Counsellors, and is considered as key team player within KF Management. In addition, he initiated and/or executed several strategic initiatives such as the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mentor, Big Data through Business Intelligence, Public Private Partnerships (PPP), Khalifa Innovation Center (KIC), Kitchen Incubator, e-Knowledge platform, Agribusiness (Za’arie Program), and awareness campaigns (AKOUN, Technopreneurship). In the past, Qussay has successfully executed various business ventures as an entrepreneur. He is dedicated and client-focused. He obtained his Bachelor Degree in Economics from Concordia University, Montreal, Qc, Canada and was awarded an MBA degree in Strategic Management from the University of Strathclyde, Abu-Dhabi, UAE in 2010. Overall, Qussay is perceived as an intuitive, methodological thinker that loves the challenge; a self-starter that loves outside the box thinking. With good project management skills, strong business acumen and an eye for opportunities. Additional competencies to lead, manage expectations, resolve issues and coming up with solutions in a fun and attractive process all add up to his skills set

Ahmed Ankit’s areas of interest for research include Applied Linguistics, Communication, e-learning and Education Leadership. He is the Dean of Research and Doctoral Studies at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He was the Dean of Education at the American University in the Emirates and previously the Vice President for External Relations and Cultural Affairs at Ajman University, UAE, where he supervised collaborative projects with international organizations and academic institutions. He chaired the Curricula and Study Plan Committee and contributed greatly to the licensure and accreditation of academic programs. He has been active in academia with a focus on teaching and research in Educations Leadership, Applied Linguistics and E-learning. He has presented papers at several international academic events and chaired a number of conferences.

Dr Shaima AlHarmoodi is an Assistant Professor at Hamdan bin Mohamed Smart University. She has a PhD in the field of innovation project management focusing on understanding the relationship between stakeholders in sustainable projects and linking this relationship to the effectiveness of their innovation. Due to her dedication and passion towards her work, she won multiple prestigious awards such as Shaikha Fatima Al Nahayan Excellency Award and Rashid Award for Academic Excellence. She is also an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem developer aiming to inspire and support the next generation of entrepreneurs and provide them with the necessary means to succeed. She leads the development and implementation of the university’s ecosystem long term strategy that incorporate impactful projects and initiatives. She also actively runs workshops, masterclasses, and seminars in areas related to innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and project management in addition to her interest in research that resulted in a number of publications in international conferences.

Dr. Moetaz ElSergany is an Associate Professor at the School of Health and Environmental Studies at HBMSU. He has over 25 years of technical and teaching experience in the Field of health and environmental studies. He taught and developed many environmental health courses (water and wastewater analysis, environmental legislation, water sanitation, integrated solid waste management, environmental aspects of pesticides, environmental impact assessment, industrial waste management, and hazardous waste management). Dr. ElSergany participated in many environmental studies in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. He worked in a number of Middle East Universities. He worked as program coordinator and participated in establishing the new Environmental Health Program in Dammam University, Saudi Arabia. He was appointed as Assistant Professor, Environmental Health Department, University of Sharjah, and UAE. He has participated in installation, calibration and training in many environmental health laboratories in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE. Dr. ElSergany supervised many Master and PhD theses.

Dr. Meera Al-Reyaysa holds a PhD in Project Management from the British University in Dubai in association with the University of Manchester. She is currently Chair of Collaborative Research and Assistant professor at the School of Business and Quality Management. Research interests include project management, sustainability and CSR. She has previously worked as consultant and acting programme manager at the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (DCCE), for the Carbon Ambassadors Programme in collaboration with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), and aligned to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She has also published in the area of Project Management, including a case study with PwC.

Dr. Khadeegha has a PhD in education from the University of Sheffield, England. She also has an MEd and an MA in Education from the University of Sheffield, England. Dr. Khadeegha has worked extensively on educational policy, school reform, school effectiveness and innovation change management both in the UK and in the United Arab Emirates. She has over 23 years of experience in the education field in many capacities from working on educational policy, working with government, higher learning and private think-tank organisations.

Dr Abdallah Suleiman occupies the position of the Chief Innovation Officer and the Head of Strategy department in the Ministry of justice – UAE. His experience adds up to more than 18 years in the government sector, in Strategy Management, Innovation and Excellence. He participated in various international and local conferences related to innovation such as the HR Forum in the Petroleum sector, the International Conference in Training and Development, Arab Administrative development Organization yearly conference…. Besides Dr. Suleiman, conducted many TV interviews promoting awareness in innovation in the government field. He published many articles in Business and Scientific journals. In addition, Dr Suleiman, delivered many trainings coursed in innovation for public employees. Dr Abdalla has a PHD in Business Administration, a Masters Degree in Organizational Excellence. He got professional diplomas in Government innovation, and future foresight.

Hamda Khansaheb is the Head of Medical Research Section in the Medical Education and Research Department in Dubai Health Authority and a consultant Family Physician. She graduated from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences in UAE University and completed her Family Medicine Residency in Dubai. She also holds a Master of Science in Public Health from Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University and completed the Global Clinical Scholars Research Training Program from Harvard Medical School. She serves as a local and external examiner in Family Medicine exams and is currently involved in several ongoing research projects in UAE.

Dr. Raja Easa Al Gurg, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group LLC (ESAG), is a well-known businesswoman in the region. She has achieved laurels for her stellar leadership of the Group under the tutelage of her father, the Chairman, H.E. Easa Saleh Al Gurg, KCVO, CBE. Her counsel and valuable insights have significantly contributed to the growth and expansion of ESAG. A leading business woman in her own right, Dr. Al Gurg has carved a unique niche for herself in the region due to her support and encouragement of Arab women entrepreneurs. She is the President of Dubai Business Women Council; Board member of the Dubai Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) and Dubai Women’s Association. Dr. Al Gurg is the Deputy Chairperson of the National Bank of Fujairah and on the advisory board of Coutts Bank, the wealth division of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. She is also on the Board of Trustees for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives - one of the largest development and community foundations in the Middle East. She is Vice Chairperson, Board of Trustees, for the Mohammad Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences and a member of the Board of Governors of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University. She was awarded with an Honorary Doctorate at Queen’s University Belfast for economics and also conferred the Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) honour by Amity University, India. Dr Raja Al Gurg is also the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose mandate is to promote the UAE as a centre of excellence for medical research and education. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Emirates Schools Establishment, an independent entity which oversees the implementation of policies, strategies, and standards related to the education sector. In 2020, Dr Raja Al Gurg was awarded the Legion of Honor, Chevalier (Knight) by President of France Emmanuel Macron, in appreciation of her outstanding efforts in strengthening the exceptional partnership between France and the UAE. She is ranked first in ‘The Middle East Power Businesswomen 2021’ listing of Forbes Middle East as well as the 2020 listing of the publication’s ‘100 Power Businesswomen in the Middle East’ and second in the 2019 listing of ‘Women Heading Family Businesses’. She was listed 89th among ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’ by Forbes for 2020. She also had second position in the Middle East’s Most Influential Women listing for 2018 by Forbes Middle East. Dr Al Gurg has been ranked 28th in the Arab Power 2018 listing of the 100 Most Powerful Arabs, compiled by Gulf Business magazine rising from the previous ranking in 2017. She was the most powerful Emirati Businesswoman in Forbes Middle East’s 2017 ranking. She was ranked first in the Forbes Middle East’s ranking of ‘The 200 Most Powerful Arab Women in Family Business’ for 2014. She has earned several other plaudits and awards in recent years. These include the ‘World of Difference Award’ from the International Alliance for Women (TIAW) in 2009. Dr. Al Gurg represents the U.A.E. at many international conferences and round-tables as a key-note speaker and is also part of the Government of Dubai’s official delegation for various trade and commerce meetings. She also hosted the first MENA Businesswomen’s Network Forum, in her capacity as the President of the Dubai Business Women Council. Besides providing valuable counsel to various business groups and international trade alliances, Dr. Al Gurg spends considerable time in several philanthropic, social and charitable activities, notably with the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation and the Al Jalila Foundation, a UAE organisation with global aspirations dedicated to making lasting and significant contributions in healthcare to transform lives.

Borhene Chakroun is an engineer and has a PhD in Education Sciences from Bourgogne University in France. Borhene worked, during the 1990s, as trainer, chief trainer, project manager. He has also worked as short-term consultant for the EU, World Bank and other international organisations before coming to the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2001. At the ETF, Borhene worked as Senior Human Capital Development specialist. He is now Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division at UNESCO-HQ. Borhene conducted a range of policy reviews and skills systems diagnosis in different contexts. He has authored and co-authored various articles and books in the field of skills development and lifelong learning. Much of his most recent work focuses on global trends in reforming education and training systems and global agenda for skills development in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Start-up

Start-up

Start-up

Professor Hassan is a medical graduate. He obtained his academic qualifications from Alexandria University (Egypt) and Warwick University (UK). Since 1991, he has assumed several academic and professional roles. In the academic part, Prof. Hassan served as a full-time faculty, program coordinator, dean of School of Health, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and VC for University Advancement at Hamadan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU). As he served in academic roles, he established several face-to-face and blended academic programs in a number of universities in the Middle East. In addition, he supervised master and doctoral students to the successful completion of their theses. During his five-year assignment as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at HBMSU, he implemented initiatives for integrating ICT in academic programs, established joint-degree programs with international universities, and implemented best practices for online learning. In the professional part of his career, he worked as a senior hospital management consultant for a number of organizations including the Egyptian Health Insurance Organization, King Fahad Hospital of the University in Saudi Arabia as well as other public and private hospitals in the Middle East, putting his research interests into practice, improving quality and utilization of healthcare organizations.

Start-up

Start-up

Start-up

Start-up

Start-up

Start-up

Professor Samer Hamidi is a professor at School of Health and Environmental Studies. He has 20 years of teaching and research experience in the fields of public health, health management, and online learning. He designed, developed, and delivered courses at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. He also led the accreditation of public health and health management programs. He is locally and internationally recognized scholar, an associate editor, editorial board member, and peer reviewer for several international journals. He co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed academic papers published in well-regarded journals.

 Bachelor in Communication and Media Sciences , Zayed University  Masters in Innovation and Change Management, HBMSU  Graduated from Women Leadership Exchange Program, Sweden - Dubai  Joined HBMSU in 2006 and worked in different areas such as: o HR Department as Staff Services section, Manager o Learners Relationship Management, Director o International Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, Director o LLL Center, Director

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Start-up

Executive Chairman – Innovation Arabia Chairman – INDEX Holding