BIOGRAPHIES

EXPERTS’ MEETING: DEVELOPING AN

INNOVATION SCOREBOARD FOR THE

MENA REGION

19th – 20th, 2014 The League of the Arab States Cairo, Egypt

ORGANISED BY:

The EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK (EIB) THROUGH MARSEILLE CENTER FOR MEDITERRANEAN

INTEGRATION (CMI) ISLAMIC EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (ISESCO)

UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA- TECHNOLOGY CENTER (ETC) THE LEAGUE OF THE ARAB STATES (LAS)

Opening Remarks

Jacques van der Meer

Managerial Adviser at the European Investment Bank and CMI

program leader on Innovation Capacities, Luxembourg

Dr van der Meer is a Managerial Adviser at the European Investment

Bank’s (EIB) Project Directorate, where he is in charge of the

assessment of R&D and Innovation projects that are proposed for EIB-

financing in industrial sectors (in particular automotive, steel, glass,

fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals) as well as in the public sector

research infrastructures (like Syncrotrons, Laser Installations and the

European Extreme Large Telescope) and S&T-parks, in line with the

Bank's support for Europe's Lisbon Strategy and the Horizon 2020

policy.

In 2010, Jacques was seconded to EIB's technical assistance unit JASPERS (Joint Assistance to

Support Projects in European Regions), where he led a team of experts that provide technical

assistance for project preparation in the Knowledge Economy (Education and Research

Infrastructures, Science Parks, specialized healthcare, ICT and e-society projects). His interest in Intellectual Capital and R&D dates back from his Ph.D.-study (1987), which

addressed the key issues for successful R&D-strategies in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical

industries. Before joining the EIB in 1991, Jacques van der Meer lectured Strategic and Innovation

Management at the Rotterdam School of Management of the Erasmus University and the Ecole

Supérieure de Commerce in Lyon (nowadays EM de Lyon).

Magda Zaki

Director of Education and Scientific Research Department, The

League of the Arab States, Egypt

Magda H. Zaki is a graduate of the American University in Cairo where

she majored in Political Science. During her years of college, she had

the chance to participate in an exchange program in Grand Rapid State

College –MI-US, as well as to travel intensively for courses in China

(1978) and the US (1980).

In 2000, she received her M.A with honor from the same university; her thesis topic was “National Identity in Central Asia in the Post-Soviet Era: the case of Uzbekistan” which was partly written while visiting the

countries of Central Asia in the late 90's. Between 1980 and 1990, she joined her family's business working with different international co-

operations such as Rockwell Int. (USA), Mitsubishi (Japan) etc. In 1993, she made a career

change and decided to work in her field of studies and joined the League of the Arab States. Between 1993 and 2005, she worked in the Arab Fund for Development and Cooperation in Africa,

a Fund affiliated to the Arab League focusing on "Development in less fortunate Sub-Saharan

African Countries". Then, in 2005 she joined the department of the Americas, where she was

promoted as head of the division of North America focusing and researching US-Arab relations

during the Bush II administration. In 2008 she became director of the department of the Dialogue among Civilizations until 2013

when she became director of the department of Education and Scientific Research tilting her focus

from political to social affairs.

Maha Merezak

Programme Specialist at Science Directorate, t h e Islamic

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)

Mrs Maha Merezak has a PhD in Economics and is the author of several

papers on economic and social development. She works at ISESCO as a

Programme Specialist on Human and Social Sciences. She is actively

engaged in a number of bilateral and multilateral network issues of

crucial importance to the member states of ISESCO, most notably

employment and economic growth (micro and macro perspectives,

dynamics, etc.).

She has contributed to the preparation and follow up of the elaboration

of the report” transforming Arab Economies: Travelling the Knowledge and Innovation Road” by the CMI World Bank, World Bank, and ISESCO.

Her fields of expertise cover (1) scientific innovation (barriers to innovation in the MENA region)

and governance of science parks, job-training adequacy, coaching young companies, human and

economic barriers to development in the MENA region (lack of creativity, marginalized graduate

people, women economic empowerment and gender equity), and (2) micro-finance and human

development.

Hussein Al-Omari

National Officer, The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA Technology Centre)

Dr. Hussein has a Ph.D. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from

Stanford University, California. He Taught computer science and

computer engineering at SJSU, UCSC, SCU, and UCB Ext in California,

Applied Science University, University of Jordan, and Amman Arab

University in Jordan, and King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He Worked in VLSI design, CMOS, encryption, data structuring, English and Arabic OCR, 2D/3D barcode technologies, e-government, and Intellectual Property (IP) mining and filing for LSI Logic, Canon,

VeritecInc, Microsoft, Altavion in the Silicon Valley, California, Estrarta in Jordan, and KACST in

Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Hussein Published 17 technical papers in international journals and conferences in the field of

image processing and e-government, hold 33 issued patents, 20 published patents, and 12 filed

patents in USA, Europe, and Japan. He also built around 20 software systems in VLSI, encryption,

image processing, barcode systems, English OCR, and Arabic OCR.

Daniela Benavente

Expert consultant in innovation metrics, Global innovation

Index (GII), Switzerland

Mrs. Daniela has PhD and Master in International Economics, Graduate

Institute of International and Development Studies; Master (Fulbright

Scholar), Columbia University; Diplôme, Institut d’Etudes Politiques de

Paris (Sciences-Po Paris); BA in Economics, Pontificia Universidad

Católica de Chile.

She is a Consultant in international trade, intellectual property,

innovation, and international metrics, with, so far, collaboration with

the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United

Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Joint

Research Centre of the European Commission, and the International Centre for Trade and

Sustainable Development (ICTSD).

She was the Lead Researcher and Project Manager of The Global Innovation Index (2010-13);

Teaching Assistant in Econometrics, Mathematics for economists and Macroeconomics; Graduate

Institute (2005-09); Economic Advisor, Cabinet office of Ricardo Lagos Escobar, President of Chile

(2001-02); and Economic Advisor, Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1998-99) and Ministry of

Economy (1996-98).

Nazar Hassan Chief of Science and Technology unit, The regional UNESCO office

in Cairo, Egypt

Dr. Nazar M. Hassan started his career with Shell Oil Company, where he

held several positions in the area of downstream operations and quality

control, and during the 1990s, Dr. Hassan held a number of research

positions in the area of renewable energy and energy systems

optimization at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the United

States, where he got both his Masters and Doctorate degrees.

Dr. Hassan then joined the Faculty of Engineering at Khartoum University in 2004, and was also

appointed as a consultant for the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Electricity, where he was mainly

assigned the task to establish an Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy and Rural Development

Program in Sudan. In June 2006, Dr. Hassan joined the UN ESCWA as a Lead economic Officer,

and then joined UNESCO in early 2009, where he is in charge of the Science & Technology Unit. Dr Hassan is leading a number of current regional initiatives revolving about building an

innovation and techno-preneurship culture in the region, through advocacy for practical

approaches towards adopting national science, technology and innovation policies by the member

states.

Egypt

Amr Radwan

Head of Research and Innovation Management Unit

Organisation, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt

Mr. Amr Radwan has a clinical pharmacology background with

professional industry experience. He managed the production

improvement sector at Unipharama pharmaceutical industry. He was

responsible for the first line manufacturing and the production formula

development of new drugs for treatment of Asthma and diabetes,

namely Unocron® and kokast®.

He is currently the Head of Research and Innovation Management Unit at the Academy of

Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) in Egypt. He participated in more than 20 international

projects and number of research projects in the fields of clinical immunology, evidence based

medicine, Patients’ education, Health Innovation and bioinformatics. He is a consultant at Anna

Lindh Euro-Mediterranean foundation, scientific advisor to Biotechnology University College in

Dubai and consultant at University of Liverpool for Africa and Middle East cooperation.

Amr supervises the regional center of bioethics and ethics in S&T (founded by UNESCO). He leads the STI Evaluation & Monitoring Team at ASRT and he is the main author of many strategic planning studies, research competencies’ analysis, research performance and strategic roadmaps.

Mohamed Ramadan A. Rezk Director of Egyptian Science, Technology and Innovation

Observatory (ESTIO), Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), Egypt

Mr. Mohamed is the Director of Egyptian Science, Technology and

Innovation Observatory (ESTIO) at the Academy of Scientific Research

and Technology (ASRT) in Egypt. He is managing and actively

participating in the design and preparation of science, technology and

innovation indicators in different sectors (Government – Higher

education – Business – Private non-profit), evaluation and performance

of research institutions, evaluation of technology transfer offices, new composite index and science and technology foresight exercise.

Since 2007 he is working in the design and analysis of STI surveys and develops science,

technology and innovation indicators using the international documented methodology (Oslo-

Frascati, etc.). He is responsible for providing decision-makers with up-to-date information on local and global scientific and technological trends.

Ahmed Saleh Head of the Innovation Management Unit at the Research, Development and Innovation Programme, Ministry of Scientific Research, Egypt

Dr. Saleh is the Head of the Innovation Management Unit at the

research, development and innovation Programme at the Ministry of

Scientific Research in Egypt. He was involved in the development of

the EU-Egypt Innovation Fund and the Innovation Investment

Initiative, which were among the leading funding instruments

dedicated to innovation in Egypt.

His background is in IT and has held several academic/industrial

positions in the UK and in Egypt. He also participated in the development of innovation strategies

for the industry and the S&T sector in Egypt, and produced several reports/studies on innovation

and technology transfer.

Hanan El Hadary Chairperson of the Industrial Council for Technology and

Innovation at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, Egypt

Eng. Hanan El Hadary is the Chairperson of the Industrial Council for

Technology and Innovation at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and

Investment from 2011 up till now. The mission of the Council is to drive

the process of converting the technological advances and innovations in

manufacturing high value-added products while adding to the national

income and boosting job offerings. The Council consists of 13 technology

centres covering different industrial sectors.

Eng. Hanan was the director of Egypt National Cleaner Production Centre

(ENCPC) since July 2005 till 2011. The ENCPC is supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and

Investment and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Eng. El-Hadary has long standing experience in the field of environmental protection and Cleaner

Production and worked for the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency since August 1999 till June 2005 occupying different posts. She was Project Manager of Egyptian Pollution Abatement Project,

Director of the Industrial Unit, and the National Focal Point for the Regional Activity Centre for Cleaner Production (RAC/CP) MAP.

Eng El-Hadary was the driving force behind the elaboration and approval of the National Strategy

for Cleaner Production for Egypt, adopted in May 2004. She holds an MSc degree in

Environmental Engineering from the American University in Cairo in 1997.

Mohamed Samy Head of the International Cooperation Unit at the Technological

and Industrial Development Sector (TIDS), Ministry of Industry, Trade and SMEs, Egypt

Mr. Mohamed Samy is the Head of the International Cooperation Unit at

the Technological and Industrial Development Sector (TIDS)at the

Ministry of Industry, Trade and SMEs since April. The role of the

International Cooperation Unit is to foster cooperation and partnerships

between the Technology and Innovation centers affiliated to TIDS and

international technological partners, as well as facilitate access of the

Technology and Innovation Centers to funding opportunities t o

contribute to achieving the strategic objectives of the Technological

Development Sector.

Mr. Mohamed was an International Cooperation Officer at TIDS since July 2007. He has solid

experience in the preparation of successful project proposals directed to donors and international

organizations (e.g. EU, African Development Bank.), as well as in monitoring and evaluation

activities and the preparation of projects' progress reports.

Mr. Mohamed Obtained a BSc degree in Computer Science from Cairo University in 2004.

Jordan

Khaled Elshuraydeh Secretary General, The Higher Council for Science and Technology, Jordan

Former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, former Secretary

General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology, and founding

member of the National Consortium for Technology and Incubation of

Business (NACTIB).

Dr. Khlaed obtained his PhD. degree in Medical Physics from Utrecht State

University in Netherlands. He has many publications in the fields of

Medical Physics, Science and Technology potential and requirements, and

Science and Technology Policy and Strategy in Jordan. He also patented a

“Method for the Production of Multiple-elements Magnetic Nanoparticles (MMN) and its use for the fast Detection and Removal of Pathogenic Bacteria in Water” and is

continuing his research work on its use to diagnose and treat cancer.

Dr. Khaled is the founding president of the National Nanotechnology Centre of Jordan committee, chairman of the Sectorial Committee on Basic Sciences for the determination of scientific research priorities in Jordan, and a member of the National STI Policy and Strategy. Currently he is the Secretary General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology.

Fawaz Atyeh Ahmed Salameh

Director of Internal Auditing, Department of Statistics, Jordan

Fawaz Salomeh is the Director of Internal Audit Department of Statistics

in Jordon (DoS). He joined the DoS in 1996 as Enumerator / Economic

Surveys, then as an accountant in the Directorate of Financial Affairs

from 1999 until 2005, then became head of the Accounting Division

besides working as a team leader for Finance Criterion, King Abdullah

Award for three years. He has been an administrator at the Planning Unit

since 2009, where he has participated in developing a set of mechanisms

and policies.

In 2010, he had worked as Head of the Financial Audit, then Director of Internal Audit. The department performs many functions in the

Directorate that contribute to improve performance of the DoS. Currently, He is member of a team on governmental innovation Award at the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence.

Lebanon

Rula Atweh Programme Officer, National Council for Scientific Research, Lebanon

Ms. Rula Atweh graduated from The George Washington University,

Elliott School of International Affairs, Washington DC in 2007, with a

MA in International Affairs, with a concentration on Development and

a focus on International Education.

She received her professional training as an intern at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – UNESCO (Bangkok, Thailand) and later as an Assistant Programme officer at the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and

Vocational Education (Bonn, Germany). She joined the National Council for Scientific Research –

Lebanon (CNRS-L) in 2008 where she has developed, in collaboration with CNRS staff members, consultants, and international experts, a number of proposals for submission to international funding and EU funding opportunities and has been actively involved in the World Bank Project on Innovation in the Lebanese Industrial Sector (Survey and Analysis Report).

Ms. Atweh is currently CNRS Programme Officer (EU Projects and Programmes) and works

towards the implementation of various EU Projects within the previous EU FP7 Programme,

Horizon 2020, and ENPI CBC MED Programme.

Morocco

Ilyes Boumahdi Head of division for Tertiary Activities and Knowledge Economy, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Morocco

Mr. Ilyes Boumahdi is Head of division for Tertiary Activities and

Knowledge Economy in the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and

Finance since 2009. He is also a temporary lecturer at the

National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA)

since 2007. Prior to this position, he served as a Statistician

Engineer in the department of Data Analysis from 2002 to 2009.

He holds a diploma of Advanced Studies in Statistics (DEA) with distinction from the Institute of Statistics and Operations

Research (ISRO), the Free University of Brussels (ULB) in Belgium. He also obtained an

Engineering degree in statistics from the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics in Morocco.

Nour-Eddine Boukharouaa

Head of Innovation Valorisation, Moroccan Industrial and

Commercial Property Office, Morocco

Mr. Nour-Eddine Boukharouaa graduated from the National School of Applied Sciences in industrial engineering (2005). In 2012, he pursued a training program in licensing and Technology commercialization from the University Of California.

In 2005 he joined the Moroccan Industrial and Commercial

Property Office (OMPIC) as a patent engineer examiner in charge of

the examination of patents in many areas including thermal energy,

plastics and building materials. He attended several Trainings at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Patent Office, and USPTO Global Intellectual Property Academy.

Currently, he is in charge of innovation valorization at the OMPIC. His main duties include

developing the use of patent system in Morocco for universities, R&D Centers and SMEs. He has

conducted trainings for national and international organizations as WIPO and the OIC

(Organization of Islamic Cooperation).

Palestine

Hasan Omar

Director of Palestine Business and Innovation Centre, Palestine

Mr. Omar is a founding executive member of the first ICT business

incubator in Palestine [PICTI] in 2004. In 2012, he established the

Palestinian Business and Innovation Centre (a full member in the EBN),

where he is the CEO.

He founded the Palestine Network of Mentors and the Network of

Entrepreneurship Ambassadors and continues to mentor and aid in

business development for more than 500 projects and start-ups. He

assessed more than 1000 business ideas and delivered more than 700

workshops, training seminars and events over the past eleven for

thousands of fresh graduates and entrepreneurs. Mr. Omar established and headed many national committees, including the Palestine Innovation

Initiative (Pi2), and sits on the board of directors in various organizations, including the ISOC-

Palestine Chapter as it’s treasurer and the MENA Incubators Network as a co-founder. He has

contributed greatly to the infrastructure of this establishment in Palestine. Mr. Omar holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from Jordan University of Science & Technology

and a Master Degree in International Cooperation & Development from Bethlehem University. He

is a member of many professional engineering organizations worldwide.

Ibrahim Abdelrahim Director of the Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence,

Palestine

Mr. Ibrahim is the Director of the Higher Council for Innovation and

Excellence in Palestine and the Director of America and Asia department

for aid management and Coordination at the ministry of planning and

administrative development. He also was the director of central

American department sat the ministry of foreign affairs during 2003- 2004.

Mr. Ibrahim has a Diploma of Doctorate’s Study in Political Science from

the University of Paris II Pantheon, France, in addition to Master of Arts in International Relations from Kiev University, Ukraine.

Tunisia

Amira Benmohamed

Head of division at the directorate of Innovation and

Technological Development, Ministry of Industries, Tunisia

Ms Ben Mohamed (1983, Tunisia) is as a qualified computer technician

(2005) and Industrial Engineer (2008). Since 2011 she is the Principal

Industrial Engineer in charge of the unit of technology watch at the

Ministry of industries.

Her main activities are Innovation scoreboard, Support of innovative projects, Technological exports, National innovation strategy, and Financing of innovation.

Arbia Ben Othman Director at Ministry of the Higher Education, Scientific Research

and Information and Communication Technologies, Tunisia

Ms. Ben Othman is the director of the National Observatory of Science

and Technology in the ministry of higher education in Tunisia where

she is responsible for research and development Data, science,

technology and innovation indicators, and innovation databases.

She obtained her master degree from faculty of juridical, political and

social sciences of Tunis in 1996, then joined the National school of

administration for three years and obtained diploma of the national

school of the Treasury in 1998 ( Paris) and the superior cycle diploma in 1999 (ENA). Sudan

Widad Hassan

General Director, Industrial Research and consultancy Centre, Sudan

Widad Hassan obtained her PhD. in biochemistry and food Technology

from the University of Khartoum Faculty of Agriculture in 2006 and B.Sc.

in chemistry from university of Khartoum faculty of Education (1985).

She is currently the general director of Industrial Research and

Consultancy centre and the chairman of the coordination council for

Engineering Research and Industrial Technology in Sudan Academy of

Science (SAS) since July 2014. She is also Assistant professor in

Industrial Research & Consultancy Centre since 2006 until now. From

December 2011 to July 2014, Ms widad worked in the coordination council for Engineering

Research and Industrial Technology at the Sudan academy of science

Yemen

Yahya Muhammed Al rewi

President of National Information Centre, Yemen

Dr. Yahya is the founder and general manager of the first Technology

Incubator in Yemen “Aden information technology and communications

incubator” that has qualified from within the five Technology incubators

of Arab partner for the ESCWA - United Nations in the development of

Arabic digital content industry (Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and

Yemen).

He is the president of the National Centre for Information and The

representative of Yemen in UN-ESCWA Technology Centre Board of Governors. He also was the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science for

Graduate Studies and scientific Research, Aden University for the year 2010-2011.

Bahrain

Shatha Ali

Chief of economic indicators, Central Informatics Organisation

(CIO), Bahrin

Shatha has 11 years of work experience in the field of economics and

statistics. Most recently she worked for Central Informatics and

Communication Organization as a Chief of Economic Indicator Section at

the Economic Statistics Directorate.

As a chief, she successfully directed a team of statisticians and field

researchers , which compile and publish the Consumer Price Index on

monthly bases on a targeted time frame and improve the response to

their client in terms of the accuracy and timely by 85%. By 2010, she

has been assigned to be the national coordinator of Bahrain for the International Comparison Program 2011 round, which is a worldwide statistical operation

involving some 180 countries managed by the World Bank.

Moreover, shatha has been writing the National Profile for Information Society in the Kingdom of Bahrain for the years 2009, 2011, 2013 which is published by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

Shatha earned a Master of Business Administration with a concentration on Applied Economics from DePaul University and a B.S degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Bahrain.

Qatar

during 2004-2009.

Mustafa Abdalla MUSTAFA

Senior Evaluation & Follow up Specialist, Qatar National Research

Fund, Qatar

Mr. Mustafa Abdalla is Senior Evaluation and Follow-up Specialist at Qatar

National Research Fund. He was a UNESCO Expert in Mathematics in Qatar

University Project since 1978 till1983 where his Tasks included planning

university mathematics curricula, and training graduate assistants in

carrying out research in mathematics and its applications. He also served

as a Scientific Coordinator and Secretary of Steering Committee for Qatar

Science Center Project; Science & Technology Coordinator (QF/QSTP); and

Secretary of the Strategic Research Committee for Qatar Foundation

Mr. Mustafa obtained his B.A in Mathematics from University of Reading, and M.Sc., Ph.D. from

University of London King’s College. He also taught mathematics at the School of Mathematical

Sciences, Khartoum (1972-1978), and Qatar University (1984-2003).

Organising Institutions

Jihane Hakimi

Consultant at the European Investment Bank, Luxembourg Jihane is a consultant at the department of Innovation & Competitiveness

at the European Investment Bank (EIB) where she coordinates the

working programme "Innovation Capacities" led by the EIB through the

Centre for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) in Marseille. The objective of

this programme is to build capacity in the MENA region and establish

best practices in Research, Development, and Innovation. For 2013/2014

the programme followed three streams: Science and Technology Parks

(STPs), National Innovation Systems (NIS) and innovation indicators; and

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

Prior to joining the Bank, Jihane worked in a non-profit grassroots incubator where she co-

managed the start-up phase and contributed to its business plan and revenue model. Back in

2009, she had spent a year with the EIB in the Directorate of operations outside the EU and

candidate countries supporting the activities of the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment

and Partnership (FEMIP).

Jihane holds an MA in Development Economics (2011), a BA in Political Sciences (2008), and is

pursuing an Executive MPA- Public and Economic Policy at the London School of Economics and

Political Sciences. She is a certified microfinance expert from the Frankfurt School of Finance and

Management (2013), and the co-founder of a social enterprise. Her interests include start-ups

innovation, and public development policy.

Nizar Halasah

Innovation Consultant, The United Nations Economic and Social

Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA Technology Centre).

Mr. Nizar Al-Halasah was appointed from the Royal Scientific Society

(RSS) of Jordan in May 2011 as an innovation and Commercialization

Consultant to UN ESCWA Technology Centre (ETC) in Amman. At ETC Mr.

Al-Halasah is supporting and guiding the delivery of ETC programs on

technology transfer, development of National Innovation Systems and

technology commercialization.

Prior to that Mr. Al-Halasah led the following national programs; national

business development Program of 22 centers in Jordan “Enhanced

Productivity Centers”, the Jordan Innovation Centre for Engineer and Industrial Enterprises and the Innovation Bureau at Royal Scientific Society. These programs are aiming to support SMEs, creating entrepreneurial enterprises: innovation management, intellectual property, commercialization, and business incubation.

Mr. Al-Halasah has more than 20 years of professional experience in establishing entrepreneurial

links between research institutions and industry and relevant programs. He published scientific

papers in international journals and conferences in the fields of Water Resources, Environmental

Impact Assessment and Industrial Pollution.

He received his M.Sc. and B. Sc. in Civil Engineering from University of Jordan.

Participating Organizations

Abulgasem H. El-Badri

Head of Science & Scientific Research Department, Arab League Educational, Cultural,

and Scientific Organisation

Mr. Abulgasem obtained a BSc degree in Electronic engineering from the Higher Institute of

Electronics (H.I.E), based in Malta in 1980 and Joined the H.I.E as assistant staff for two years,

before being sent to the UK for postgraduate studies. After obtaining Cambridge 1St Certificate in

English Language in 1983, he joined the University College Cardiff to get an MSc degree in

Electrical & Electronics Engineering in 1986, and then moved to Birmingham University to obtain

an MPhil and Phd degrees in the same field, in 1989 and 1990, respectively. He returned to Libya

in 1991, to work in the H.I.E, holding several academic and administrative positions including

Head of Telecommunications Department, Head of Examination Committee and Vice Dean and

others.

From 1996-1999, Mr. Abulgasem was appointed as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in Al-

Jabal Al-Gharbi University, the Head of Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi University, and became the Dean of the

Faculty of Engineering in 7th of April University, after the two universities were merged together.

In 2000, he was elected as the regional secretary of Education in Yefern Province for four years.

Taught many undergraduate and postgraduate courses, published and co-published many papers,

in the fields of Electronics and Telecommunications, and supervised tens of students.

As an expert in Education, was selected to represent Libya in many committees, both on regional

and African levels. Headed and worked in tens of committees on local and national levels. He

joined ALECSO (Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organisation) as the Head of

Science & Scientific Research Department in 2009 to coordinate the work of a team of Arab

experts, from several organisations, which drafted the Arab Strategy for Innovation & Scientific

Research in 2011.

Rigas Arvanitis

Researcher, IRD Institution for research and development/ institution for research and

innovation in society

Rigas Arvanitis is sociologist, researcher at the Institut de Recherche pour le développement (IRD)

and director of IFRIS (Institut francilien Recherche innovation Société). He is specialized in issues of

the field of ‘science studies’: research, technology and innovation policy, innovation and

technological learning in firms, science and technology policy in developing countries, sociology of

science and scientific institutions in the developing world. He has been working in France,

Venezuela, Mexico, China, and Lebanon and since 2004 has been principal investigator of various

research projects on research in the Mediterranean basin. He has recently worked with the

Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research, the American University of Beirut and is author

with Dr. Sari Hanafi of “The Broken Cycle between Research, University and Society in Arab

countries: proposals for change”.

Ahmed Abdel Latif, Innovation, Technology and Intellectual

Property, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable

Development (ICTSD), Switzerland

Ahmed Abdel Latif is Senior Programme Manager for Innovation,

Technology and Intellectual Property at the Geneva based

International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development

(ICTSD), since November 2007.

He has taken an active part in international discussions on intellectual property, innovation, public policy and development. As an Egyptian career diplomat he worked at the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization

(WTO) in Geneva (2000-2004) where he was a delegate to the TRIPS Council and to the World

Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

More recently, he was Giorgio Ruffolo Research Fellow in the Sustainability Science Program at

the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (fall term, 2012). He holds an LL.M in

Public International Law (London School of Economics and Political Science), a BA in Political

Science (American University in Cairo) and the Diplâme of the lnstitut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris

(Sciences Po Paris).

Hana Jegham Elloumi

National Expert, GIZ Tunisia

Hana holds a Master degree in Finance and international trade. She

Joined the German International Cooperation – GIZ in 2008 as national

expert for the GIZ economic program: Support of small and medium

Industries in Market opening.

Her Main activities and responsibilities are Innovation management

Systems, regional innovation policies, Innovation financing funds

management, Evaluation of innovation programs and SME support

schemes and advice to public authorities.

Rehab Safaa El Deen

Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, GIZ Egypt

Rehab Mohamed is a Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor in the German-

Egyptian Private Sector Development Program of the German

International Cooperation – GIZ. She started her career as a Monitoring

and Evaluation Specialist in U.S. aid decentralization program in

cooperation with the ministry of Local Development in Egypt.

She joined GIZ in 2009 working in the field of innovation and private

sector. Rehab holds a master degree in Social Sciences, Media &

Communication.

Stefanie Reiher Head of the policy advisory component on “Green Growth”, GIZ

Egypt Stefanie Reiher is heading the policy advisory component on “Green

Growth” in the German-Egyptian Private Sector Development Program of

the German International Cooperation – GIZ. She started her career in

GIZ as an economic advisor to German Federal Ministry for Economic

Cooperation and Development at GIZ Headquarters. She focuses on

economic policy for inclusive green growth. Stefanie holds a degree in Political Sciences, Economic Policy and Public

Law from the Westfälische Wilhelms Universität Münster and Turku

university.

Hayat Zitouni

Senior Advisor, Innovation development Entrepreneurship and

Employment programme (IDEE), GIZ Algeria

Mrs Hayat ZITOUNI is a senior advisor for the development aid program « IDEE » (Innovation, sustainable development, entrepreneurship and

employment) at the German International Cooperation – GIZ in Algiers.

She participated in program's development and strategy's development

for promoting Entrepreneurship and innovation besides being an expert

in Local Economic Development (LED).She has also worked as ex-

executive in the Labor sector, employment and public welfare,

responsible for professional integration and reintegration programs and

labour market regulation.

Florian Reil Programme manager: Innovation development Entrepreneurship

and Employment programme (IDEE), GIZ Algeria

Mr. Florian Reil is working for the German International Cooperation (GIZ)

as an expert for sustainable economic development since 2006. He holds a

master degree in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Leipzig

(Germany) and is obtaining his Ph.D. at the institute for Economic

Geography of the University of Mainz (Germany).

Currently he is managing a program of for the GIZ in Egypt to promote

innovation in Algeria. Between 2011 and 2013 he was responsible for the GIZ’s regional working group on innovation promotion.

Observers

Haiam Helmy

Deputy Director of Egyptian Science, Technology and Innovation

Observatory, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt

Haiam has a PhD from Ain Shams University (2011), in Nano Catalysis.

She is currently Deputy Director of Egyptian Science, Technology and

Innovation Observatory which is affiliated to the Academy of Scientific

Research and Technology. She is working in design, measure, and

analysis, develop, and monitor basic STI indicators using a well-defined

and documented methodology.

In addition to Comparative analysis with other countries she participated

in related complementary activities such as measuring the performance of research centers and

universities and measure needs of industry from scientific research.

Sally Metwally Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs, Misr

El-Kheir Foundation, Egypt

Sally Metwally has been working in the Industry and Innovation

development fields for over than 20 years and is a recognized expert on

approaches to support new business formation and improve the

competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Sally served for 7 years in the Egyptian government and 15 years in the

private sector, currently she is the Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program at

Misr El Kheir Foundation, her last assignment was the Acting CEO at the Technology Innovation

and Entrepreneurship Centre (TIEC).

Sally is a PhD student in Management of Technology. She holds a Master in Management of Technology, Six Sigma Green Belt, PMP (Project Management professional), Post graduate certificate in Software Engineering and has B.Sc. in Computer Engineering.

Heba Gaber

Research and Innovation Officer, Delegation of the European

Union, Egypt Heba is the research and innovation officer at the European Union

Delegation to Egypt. She contributes to the conception, elaboration and

implementation of relevant EU-Egypt research and innovation cooperation

agreements, strategies, programmes and activities. She has more than

10 years of international operational and academic

experience across multiple industries.

At the University of Waterloo in Canada, Heba worked a research associate for four years. During

her Doctoral studies, Heba has worked with world-renowned experts on research topics that include:

developing organization capabilities & competences, strategic orientation of organizations,

international entrepreneurship, and technology transfer and knowledge management. In particular,

Heba has researched the influence of inflows of technology and international entrepreneurship on

building capabilities underlying export performance of Egyptian manufacturing SMEs. She focused on

the role of a firm’s strategic orientation in the creation of innovation capabilities.

As a senior consultant, Heba joined Innovety LLC, a non-traditional management training and

consulting firm. She provided consulting services and delivered training packages in the areas of

innovation management, organization learning and knowledge management.

Heba holds a Chemical Engineering Degree from Cairo University, a Masters in Local Economic

Development from the University of Waterloo in Canada, and a PhD in Management Sciences from

the University of Waterloo with a concentration in Management of Technology and International

Entrepreneurship.

Ahmed Ellaithy

Director of the Technology Transfer Office at the American

University of Cairo, Egypt

Ahmed Ellaithy is the founding director of the American University in Cairo’s

(AUC) Technology Transfer Office, where he manages the commercialization

of invention and implementation of IP processes for the university

community.

In addition to facilitating efforts to spin out university technologies, Ellaithy

negotiates IP licensing deals on behalf of the university and raises

awareness on campus among graduate students and faculty about technology transfer and relevant IP matters to help maximize the positive impact of their research

for public good. Most recently, Ellaithy served on several ministerial committees to expand technology transfer initiatives at universities and research centres in Egypt.

Ahmed came to Cairo after five years in Dubai and the UK, working on design and product

development for AlanDick Middle East in the energy, broadcast, telecommunications and defense

space. He is also actively engaged with the start-up community in the region and served as a

mentor for a number of local accelerators and organizations and a panel judge for several major

national & regional competitions including NYUAD’s Hackathon, Google Ebda2 and Goldman Sachs

10,000 women.

Rasha Y. Tantawy Head of Entrepreneurship & Business Support Department, TIEC, Egypt

Rasha is the Entrepreneurship & Business Support Department Head at

the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (MCIT)

managing the Accelerator program amongst other business support

programs offered to startups, SMEs and entrepreneurs in ICT. Rasha has

extensive teaching experience at Nile University’s Management of

Technology department, Pharos University and University of

Senghore. Rasha was also a researcher at the Center of Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Nile University where her fields of interest include open innovation, strategic management, & entrepreneurship.

She worked at HartMann Egypt as a regional manager in the construction field before cofounding

her own business in the packaging of agriculture exports where she sits on its board of advisors.

Rasha worked in EU projects in the FP7 frame work including MEDspring, euromed@change with

ANIMA and currently is part of MOSAIC. Rasha was part of the team that compiled the ICT2020

strategy for the ICT cluster for the Egyptian government. Rasha enjoys mentoring and guiding

young entrepreneurs with special focus on empowering women entrepreneurs and is an active

member of the Women Business Forum; an OECD initiative.

Rasha holds a Masters in Civil Engineering from Alexandria University, a Masters in Management of Technology from Nile University. She is also finalizing her PhD in the area of Entrepreneurship in LDCs at the University of Switzerland.

May ElBatran

Vice president of the Middle East Council for Small Business and

Entrepreneurship

Co-Founder & CEO of TMA Education Management & Development. TMA is

the education company of the family group, and the first in Egypt to be

awarded the integrated quality management system. Prior to that; Dr

ElBatran serves as the Academic Advisor and International Relations Officer

of the High Institute for Specific Studies HISS a family owned educational

bachelor granting institution with over 15 000 students established in 1994.

May founded and chairs the CSR arm of the group; People Development Foundation PDF to promote youth employability, entrepreneurship, innovation and empowerment. She founded and is a board member of the Egyptian Federation for Electronic Games EFEG in 2010 which became a member of the international electronic sports federation IESF.

ElBatran serves on the board of the Egyptian Junior Business Association EJB and as Vice President of the Middle East Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship MCSBE. May kicked off her education in the French catholic College De La Mere de Dieu, received her bachelor of pharmacy from Cairo University, her PhD in health policy from Swansea University and is in a

continuous state of learning and life exploring…. She was born on May 25th 1975.

Yasser El Shayeb Director of the Embassies of Knowledge Initiative / Advisor to the ministry of Higher Education, Bibliotheca, Alexandrina

Dr. Yasser Elshayeb is the Director of the Embassies of Knowledge

Initiative at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Coordinator of EU

programs on Higher Education, an advisor to the Minister of Higher

Education for International Cooperation, and associate professor of

Engineering at Cairo University.

Since 2006, Dr. Elshayeb was highly involved in the Euro

Mediterranean policies and dialogues on Higher Education, Research,

Innovation and Culture, as a focal point of many Euro Mediterranean

programs in Egypt and has presided many senior official meetings

within the Euro Mediterranean space. Dr. Elshayeb is the Coordinator of the Erasmus +

Programme, and was, for many years, the Egyptian National Contact Point for European research

programs. Between 2007 and 2012, Dr. Elshayeb has served as the national contact point for the

INCO NCP project. He also participated in many projects of the FP7 that focused on the priority

settings for the Mediterranean region, Gulf region and Africa.

Dr. Yasser is a graduate of Cairo University in 1990 with a degree in Engineering, and a PhD from

"Nancy School of Mines" in France on the Contribution of Fuzzy Logic to Geotechnical Risk

Assessment of some of the Ancient Tombs at the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, Dr. Elshayeb have

always been active in the field of Cultural Heritage Management and Conservation, Risk

Assessment, and Project management. Since his early years, Dr. Elshayeb has developed a

passion for various fields of science and knowledge.

Nabiel Saleh

Emeritus Professor and former President of the National

Research Centre, Egypt

Nabiel Saleh is a Consultant to UNESCO, ALECSO and ISESCO for

science and technology Indicators in the Arab States since 2004, and

Emeritus Professor in the National Research Centre since 1998. He was

the President of the National Research Centre in 1996, Secretary

General in 1992 and Vice-president for Research in 1993.

Currently, He is the Jury’s head for L'Oréal -UNESCO Pan Arab Regional Fellowships for Women in Science, and member of the Technical Committee for the Science and Technology Development Fund at the Ministry of Scientific Research.

Dr. Nabiel participated in major research field related to the chemistry of natural products, with

emphasis on plant phenolics, flavonoids and plant chemosystematics. He has 135 published

papers, as well as five papers in the field of R&D management.

Essam Al-Hanash Director of City of Scientific Research & Technological Applications,

SRTA-City, Alexandria, Egypt

Professor of Electrochemistry & Corrosion since 1996. Former Vice

President of Alexandria University for Graduate Studies & Research Affairs.

During the period (1993-2001) he appointed as Professor of Chemistry,

King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He graduated in Chemistry from Alexandria University, Egypt with

Distinction with Honor, 1978. (First Class Honors, top of the class). He

obtained his M.Sc in Corrosion at the Alexandria University, in December 1982. He awarded his Ph.D in Corrosion Chemistry as joint supervision between Alexandria University and UMIST, Manchester University, United

Kingdom, December 1985. He did postdoctoral studies at Material Science & Engineering

Department, H.H. Uhlig Corrosion Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, Massachusetts, USA, (1988/1989) and continues his postdoctoral studies as Research Staff at Corrosion & Protection Center, UMIST, Manchester, UK (1990 - 1992).

He is the Editor-in-Chief of "International Journal of Applied Chemistry" since 2004. He is a

member of the advisory editorial board of four scientific national & international journals namely;

Rasayan Journal of Chemistry, Arabian Journal of Chemistry Scientific Journals International,

Journal of Biophysics and Biomedical Sciences. He is a chartered chemist (CChem) and member of several scientific societies, he has received

several fellowships to work or visit several institutions in UK, USA, some Arab countries. He

awarded 14 Awards and Plaques. He is Lecturer and member of the organizing committee of a

number of Industrial post - experience-training courses.

He supervised about 30 M.Sc & Ph.D students and trained a large number of students. AlHanash

has over 95 of high quality publications in refereed cited indexed journals, chapter in book,

conference proceedings and patent.

Yasser Dessouky Director of Technology Innovation and Commercialization Office at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), Egypt Professor Dessouky has graduated from Alexandria University in 1991. He

obtainted his PhD from UK in 1998. He is a professor in the Department of

Electrical and Control Engineering of the Arab Academy for Science,

Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) since 2006.

He is a member of the World Renewable Energy Network

UK, the DeserTech University Network Germany, the Research,

Development and Innovation Network (RDIN) and the Egyptian Science

and Technology and Innovation Observatory (ESTIO) of the Ministry of the Scientific Research.

Professor Dessouky is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Renewable Energy and Sustainable

Development. He has a patent from the Patent Office in UK. He is leading Technology, Innovation

and Commercialization Office (TICO) funded by the Academy of Scientific Research and

Technology (ASRT) and the AASTMT PI of an ErAfrica project and a TEMPUS Project funded by the

EU.

Alaa Abdel Bary Deputy of the president, The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, Egypt

Dr. Alaa Abdelbary obtained his Bsc, Msc and PhD in 1988, 1996 and 1999

respectively. He is a professor of Computational and Applied Mathematics

and the vice president for students’ affairs in the Arab Academy for

Science and Technology and Maritime transport. He also has many

contributions in research evaluation, measurements and quality.

Ghada El-Kot, Dean of Research, The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, Egypt

Ghada El-Kot obtained her PhD from the University of Plymouth, UK in 2001. She is a professor of Human Resources and Organizational

behaviour and Dean of Research at the Graduate School of Business at

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Egypt. She is also a Visiting Professor at Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, UK.

Prof. El-Kot is a reviewer in some international journals and an expert at the Arab Administrative Development Organization. She conducted many researches in international journals and conferences focusing upon the

Egyptian context. Her Current research interests include team work, employees' satisfaction and

human resources practices in the Egyptian context. Prof. El-Kot has been awarded the

outstanding paper award 2011 from Emerald.