eng. mohammed s. bataineh chairman the american chamber of...
TRANSCRIPT
Eng. Mohammed S. Bataineh
Chairman – The American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan
Chairman – AmCham MENA Regional Council
Jordan
Mohammed Bataineh holds a degree in Architecture from the
University of Texas.
After working with Bechtel Corporation and Jafar Tukan Architects
& Engineers in Amman, Mr. Bataineh founded his own company in 1982
and has been responsible for procuring, planning, managing and in
some cases executing a variety of projects including multipurpose
developments in the Middle East, the Far East and Europe.
In 1995 he led an international team of top developers and investors
and produced a master economic development plan for the Jordan Rift
Valley multi-modal industrial corridor from the Gulf of Aqaba to the
Dead Sea.
In 2000 Mr. Bataineh became part of a team assembled by order of His
Majesty King Abdullah II to come up with a vision and plan for
developing the Aqaba region. The plan formed the basis of the Aqaba
Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) - an integrated development project
adopted today.
Mr. Bataineh is a principal in the Yatagan Consortium which takes a lead
on projects focused on the critical nexus of sustainable food, energy,
and water in Jordan and the region.
As Chairman and CEO of AgriJordan, Mr. Bataineh headed the initiative
that aims to create a paradigm shift in the agricultural industry in Jordan
by pioneering the application of best practices that optimize water
consumption, achieve higher yields and higher exportable quality of
agriculture produce, and create local employment opportunities, using
multi-span greenhouses, net-houses and an on-site grading and packing
facilities. The company has started the roll-out phase forming strategic
partnerships and alliances with farmers to create the necessary shift in
the agricultural sector in Jordan.
Mr. Bataineh is a member of several business and professional
organizations and is a founding member and current Chairman of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan, the Jordan Education for
Employment (EFE) and is the honorary Chairman for the Awj Autism
Center. He also previously served on several boards including Bank al
Etihad, and the Jordan Investment Commission.
Keynote Speaker
Mr. Tarek Tawfik
President - The American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt
Egypt
Tarek Tawfik has a direct responsibility overseeing the Land
Reclamation, Farming, Food Processing and Poultry divisions in the
Americana Group in Egypt and as such is the Vice Chairman and
Managing Director, International Company for Agricultural Production
& Processing; Chairman of the Cairo Poultry Group, and Chairman of
the Egyptian Co. for Starch & Glucose.
Tawfik is a board member of the Export Development Agency
(Ministry of Trade and Industry). He is a member of the board of the
General Authority for Investments and Free Zones (GAFI), a board
member of the Egyptian Countryside Development Company, and a
board member of Export Support Council.
He is also involved in numerous organizations and currently serves
as Vice Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, Vice
Chairman of the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies, Chairman of
the Egyptian Franchise Development Association (EFDA) and
Chairman of the Egyptian Dutch Business Club.
Tawfik is also a member of the Egypt-U.S. Business Council, the
Egyptian-Austrian Business Council, Egyptian Exporters Association,
German Chamber Advisory Board, the Egyptian Kuwaiti Business
Council, the American University in Cairo’s Business School Advisory
Board, and IRADA, a regulatory reform initiative.
Tawfik holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering - Cairo
University, a master’s of engineering from California Polytechnic
State University (Pomona), and an MBA degree from San Francisco
State University.
Keynote Speaker
Mr. Khush Choksy
Senior Vice President - Middle East and Turkey Affairs, U.S. Chamber of
Commerce
USA
Khush Choksy is senior vice president for Middle East and Turkey
Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He directs the development
and implementation of policies and programs that promote U.S. trade
and investment with markets in the region. Choksy leads a team of
program and policy experts who work closely with Chamber member
companies and government leaders to broaden commercial
relationships between the United States and the Middle East region.
Previously, Choksy was the Chamber’s vice president for the Middle
East, where he expanded the membership of the U.S.-Egypt Business
Council, relaunched the U.S.-Bahrain Business Council, and
implemented a strategic plan to expand the Chamber’s scope and
impact in the region. He also served as Acting President of the U.S.-
India Business Council and played an important role in integrating this
Council into the U.S. Chamber.
He also worked in India where he oversaw pioneering U.S. government
and World Bank-funded efforts to help liberalize India’s economy. His
work in India led to policy reforms that enabled foreign companies to
invest in Indian firms through stronger capital markets and intellectual
property protection.
Choksy’s thought leadership includes presentations at international
forums on business reform and U.S. trade and financial sector
investment in emerging markets.
Choksy received his M.B.A. in strategic management from the
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his B.A., magna
cum laude, from Hamilton College. He lives with his wife and daughter
in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Keynote Speaker
Ms. Sarah E. Kemp
Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, U.S
Department of Commerce
USA
Sarah E. Kemp currently serves as the acting Deputy Under Secretary
for International Trade in Washington, D.C. In this role, she oversees
the daily operations of the International Trade Administration (ITA),
which has an annual budget of $483 million with approximately 2,100
trade and investment professionals—based in more than 100 U.S. cities
and 70 markets around the world. She previously served as the Deputy
Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. In that
role, Sarah served as the chief operating officer of the U.S.
government’s premier export promotion agency, managing its domestic
and overseas trade offices.
Prior to that assignment, Sarah was the Minister Counselor for
Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, overseeing the U.S.
Department of Commerce’s trade promotion and trade policy activities
in its operations in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang
and Wuhan. As Commercial Counselor, Sarah serves as a key adviser to
the Ambassador on commercial affairs, and as an exceptional
interlocutor for the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) with Chinese
trade entities. Advising U.S. CEOs --from Fortune 500 companies to
SMEs on China business strategy, she leads a team of 150 staff,
promoting U.S exports, industry standards and assisting with anti-
subsidy / countervailing duty cases, intellectual property protection, and
export controls.
Prior to Beijing, Ms. Kemp was Commercial Counselor for the U.S.
Commercial Service in Vietnam, Deputy Senior Commercial Officer at
the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, Deputy Chief Commercial Consul for the
U.S. Commercial Service’s operations in Hong Kong where she oversaw
the Macau portfolio. Her first overseas assignment was in Bangkok,
Thailand. Ms. Kemp joined the Department of Commerce in 1992 as a
Presidential Management Intern, and during her tenure in D.C. helped
draft the first National Export Strategy and focused on U.S.- ASEAN
trade promotion and policy. Previously, Ms. Kemp worked for the Center
for Chinese Legal Studies at Columbia Law School and the America-
China Society in New York.
Sarah received her Master of Business Administration degree from the
Chinese University of Hong Kong (2006), her Master of Public
Administration degree from Columbia University (1992), and her
Bachelor of Arts in Psychological Anthropology from Hamilton College
(1988).
Keynote Speaker
H.E. Eng. Mothanna Gharaibeh
Minister of Information and Communications Technology
Jordan
H.E. Eng. Mothanna Gharaibeh, Minister of Information
Telecommunication & Information Technology
Gharaibeh was the youngest business leader for Ericsson in the
country and in the region and one of the youngest globally,
where he headed Jordan’s offices of Ericsson international
company for communication systems and solutions, and has
overlooked several projects for digitization and communication
infrastructure. Gharaibeh is a member of Jordans’s Information
and Communications Technology Association int@J board of
directors, Adel Centre for Legal Aid board of directors, as well as
the board of directors of ”Jordan Progress” platform, he is also
a board member of Justice Center for Legal Aid (JCLA), and
Tajalla for Music and Arts Advisory and in Jordan progress
platform.
Gharaibeh has completed several programs in international
universities including Harvard and Aspen Institute. He is now
the minister of Ministry of Telecommunication and Information
Technology. He graduated from Yarmouk University in 2003
with a degree in telecommunication engineering.
Keynote Speaker
Session1:
Business Environment:
Keys to Unlocking the Potential of MENA Marketplace
H.E. Mr. Marwan Jumaa
Chairman – Oasis 500
Jordan
Marwan Juma is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Kinz for
Information Technology, the country’s leading corporate data provider
and dot.jo, one of Jordan’s top web application providers. Juma also
served as the country’s Minister of Information of Communications and
Information Technology from Dec 2009 till Feb 2011. Prior to his
government service, Juma was the Chief Executive Officer of Xpress
Telecommunications, one of Jordan’s leading mobile operators. Prior to
his tenure at Xpress, Juma was the Chief Executive Officer of Batelco
Jordan, the country’s second fixed line operator and a leading data
communication provider.
Today Juma chairs Oasis500, the region’s leading IT fund and accelerator, as well Urdon Shop,
specializing in the promotion of local heritage products. In addition, Juma serves on several boards
including King Abdullah II Fund for Development, King Abdullah II Center for Excellence, the Jordan
Education Initiative, JEI, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, the recently established public
broadcast TV station, Capital Investments and Jordan International Insurance. In addition, Juma
serves on the board of DAI, a US firm working in the global development arena.
Juma also served on the “National Agenda’s” Royal Steering Committee entrusted with developing
the country’s ten-year strategy for the years 2006 to 2015. In addition, he is a founding contributor
to Jordan’s national initiative for establishing Jordan’s IT Industry, known as the “REACH Initiative”.
The REACH Initiative is a five-year action plan to advance Jordan’s nascent IT sector, and strengthen
its position to compete in local, regional, and global markets.
Holder of a Masters in Management from North Carolina State University, and two Bachelor degrees
in Business Management and Economics from the same school, Marwan has been an active player in
Jordan’s Information Technology sector since 1990. Upon completing his studies, he joined Ideal
Group, (the Apple Computer and Compaq distributor in Jordan), and moved up the ranks to become
Vice President. In 1995, he took over as the General Manager of NETS, Jordan’s first email and
second Internet Service Provider. Six years later, NETS, and a second data provider, Firstnet, and
Bahrain Telecom, a regional leading telecom provider completed the first IT merger in Jordan and
formed Batelco Jordan.
Moderator
H.E. Mr. Karim Kawar
President – Kawar Group
Jordan
H.E. Karim Kawar is the president of Kawar Group,
entrepreneur, former diplomat and angel investor. Served as
Jordan’s Ambassador to the US 2002-2007. Chairman of
IrisGuard, Kawar Energy, Shams Ma’an and NatHealth. Serves
as a director of the Jordan Ahli Bank, United Insurance, Jordan
Wood Industries Company (JWICO) and Optimiza. Founder of
ten companies in the field of information and communication
technologies (ICT). Co-founder and director of Oasis500.
Currently leads REACH 2025 initiative to build Jordan’s digital
economy. The architect of the REACH Initiative, Jordan’s
blueprint for a knowledge economy, Founder and Chairman of
the Information Technology Association of Jordan, Former
President of the Jordan Computer Society, founding member of
several business associations and NGOs, including AmCham and
the Jordan Intellectual Property Association.
H.E. is the founding chairman of EDAMA for energy, water and environment. Led the EDAMA
Initiative: Jordan’s blueprint for a green economy.
Appointed by Royal Decree to the Economic Consultative Council by His Majesty King Abdullah II.
Former chairman of the board of trustees of King’s Academy, former trustee of the King Abdullah II
Fund for Development, Jordan River Foundation, headed by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah,
the American University of Madaba and Princess Summaya University for Technology.
Ambassador Kawar is a Member of the Global Agenda Council; Young Global Leader; Global Leader
for Tomorrow of the World Economic Forum; Eisenhower Fellow; Member of the World Presidents’
Organization (YPO/WPO); Co-founder and President of Bridges of Understanding Foundation.
Graduated from Boston College in 1987 with a BSc in Management, Finance and Computer Science.
Speaker
Mr. Nasser Al Osabia
Managing Partner - Global Advocacy & Legal Counsel
UAE
Nasser Al Osaiba is the Managing Partner of the Abu Dhabi office of Global
Advocacy and Legal Counsel. Practicing for over 20 years, Nasser has
extensive experience in advising clients on banking and finance related
matters and dispute resolution in the United Arab Emirates.
Nasser received his Shari’ah and Law degree from the School of Law at the
UAE University in Al Ain in 1998 and an LLM in Commercial Law from
Melbourne University, Australia in 2011. He previously served as Head of
the Legal Department of the National Bank of Umm Al Qwain and is
experienced in advising clients on all legal aspects of banking, Islamic
finance, project finance, UAE debt capital markets and international
lending transactions.
Nasser’s clients include local, regional and international banks, developers, government institutions
and private entities. An experienced litigator, Nasser is licensed to appear before all courts of the
UAE, including the Federal Supreme Court and the DIFC Courts and advises on a wide range of
disputes. He has particular expertise in the field of construction – acting in disputes as well as
advising clients on tender and project documentation and drafting and reviewing contracts.
Nasser sits on the Board of Directors and is the Co-Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee of the
American Business Group of Abu Dhabi (AmCham) and serves as a board member and treasurer of
the Emirates Human Rights Association. He is also a member of the Umm Al Qwain Rent Dispute
Committee and heads the partnership team for the UAE Lawyers Association.
Nasser has published a number of articles and provides legal commentary and opinions in
newspapers and magazines. He is regularly invited to speak as an expert at conferences and
contribute to panel discussions.
Speaker
Mr. Fares Ghandour
Partner - Wamda Capital
Jordan
Ms. Maha Bahou
CEO – JO-PACC
Jordan
Maha Bahou has been Executive Manager of the Payment Systems,
Domestic Banking Operations and Financial Inclusion Department of
the Central Bank of Jordan since July 2011. Overall she has been
with the Jordanian Central Bank for 30 years, working in different
positions. She gained most of her experience in the Treasury
Department at the Central Bank of Jordan.
She holds a master degree in Banking and Finance, and a bachelor
degree in Economics and Business Administration.
In 2010/2011 Ms. Bahou spent one year as a senior consultant at Philadelphia Consulting Group in
Libya. She also has experience as lecturer at the University of Jordan and as trainer in cooperation
with Philadelphia Consulting, the Institute of Banking Studies, the Central Bank of Jordan and
different NGO’s. She holds a leadership and strategic management certificate from The Royal Military
Academy of Sandhurst,
UK. In addition, Ms. Bahou is a certified mentor by the King Abdullah Centre for Excellence Award,
a certified assessor by the European Foundation for Quality Management, and she has been awarded
by King Abdullah II as the Distinguished Government Leader for the year 2016.
In March 2014, Ms. Bahou joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Digital Financial Services
(DFS) Platform Enablers group in support of financial inclusion for the poor, with a purpose to shape
the delivery of effective digital financial services through a robust, open and low cost platform.
In 2016, she completed the “Leadership in Financial Inclusion” one-year program from Fletcher
School- Tufts University – Boston. In 2017, Ms. Bahou became a board member at CGAP-
Consultative Group for Assisting the Poor/ The World Bank Washington D.C
In 2018, she became a board member at Karandaaz Pakistan June 3rd, 2018 she became the CEO
of Jo-PACC/ Jordan Payments & Clearing Company to operate, and develop Digital Financial Services
in the Kingdom of Jordan.
Ms. Bahou is a strong believer that FinTech is a main driver for Digital Financial Inclusion and
Sustainable Development.
Speaker
Dr. Ayman Ismail
Founding Director of the AUC Venture Lab
Egypt
Dr. Ayman Ismail Ayman Ismail is the Jameel Endowed Chair of
Entrepreneurship at the American University in Cairo School of Business
and the Founding Director of the AUC Venture Lab. He received his PhD
in International Economic Development from
MIT. Previously he was a consultant with McKinsey & Company's
Business Technology Office in New York, a research fellow at Harvard
Kennedy School, and a co-founder and Managing Partner at Enovio
Consulting. He is a World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leader
(YGL); a cofounder, angel investor and board member in several fast-
growing startups in FinTech, microfinance, logistics and digital media
Mr. Rami Al-Qawasmi
Founder and CEO - Mawdoo3.com Ltd
Jordan
Rami Al-Qawasmi, founder and CEO of Mawdoo3.com Ltd, the biggest
website in the world that provides digital content in the Arabic Language.
Rami holds a bachelor`s degree in Economics from Sussex University in
the United Kingdom, returned to Jordan after graduation to start his
business journey.
Rami has professional negotiation skills, and a well-demonstrated history
of working in the internal industry, established many different businesses,
in his 29 years, he has developed over 10 startups, by starting the business
or running a seed business. Fond of sport and outdoor activities, and shows
a big interest in all business and internet related ventures.
Speaker
Speaker
Session2:
Innovating Finance: Global Strategies Tailored to MENA’s Startup Community
Mr. Sharief Fahmy
Managing Partner - Burgeon Ventures LLC
UAE
Sharief Fahmy is a U.S. citizen, born in Troy, New York and raised in
Cedar Falls, Iowa. He has lived in Abu Dhabi since 2008. Sharief
currently serves as CEO of Middle East General Enterprises (MGE), a
Private Holding Company that provides business and investment
solutions to the international business community in an array of
specialties including Logistics, Services, Oil and Gas, Healthcare,
Aerospace and Defense.
Prior to joining MGE, Sharief was CEO of Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E),
one of the world’s most accomplished event organizers delivering
world-class products, including the internationally - acclaimed Dubai
Airshow. Retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, Sharief completed with
honors a 23-year public service career, where he served in the U.S.
Government on U.S. Air Force Base Level tours, Joint Strategic Level
tours at the Pentagon, the White House, Presidential Airlift “Air Force
One,” U.S. Central Command, and lastly as a diplomat at the U.S.
Embassy Abu Dhabi.
Sharief holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Maryland, a Master’s in Public
Administration from Troy State University and a Master’s in Human Resource Management from
National Louis University. An active member of AmCham Abu Dhabi for nine years, has served as
Chairman the past year. Sharief also leads the U.S.-U.A.E. Public Affairs Committee.
Moderator
H.E. Mr. Ziad Fariz
Governor - Central Bank of Jordan
Jordan
By Royal Decree, H.E. Dr. Ziad Fariz was appointed as Governor of
the Central Bank of Jordan on January 10th, 2012. Prior to that, H.E.
Dr. Fariz held the position of Chairman of First Investment Group.
Between August 2007 and February 2009, H.E. held the position of
Chairman of the Board of Capital Bank, and served as Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Finance during the period from November
28th, 2005 until September 2nd, 2007. Between 2001 and November
27th, 2005, H.E. was Chief Executive Officer of the Arab Banking
Corporation in Jordan. Prior to that, he served as Governor of the
Central Bank of Jordan between 1996 until the end of the year 2000.
In 1995, H.E. worked on establishing the Capital Bank, where he later
became Chairman of its Board of Directors.
Previously, he served as Minister of Planning and International Cooperation from June 20th, 1991
until June 8th, 1994 and during the period December 6th, 1989 until June 20th, 1991 he was
appointed as Minister of Industry and Trade. In 1984, he was appointed as Secretary General of the
Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation until April 1989, when he was appointed as
Minister until December 6th, 1989. H.E. started his professional career at the Central Bank of Jordan
in 1966 as an Economic Researcher at the External Trade Division of the Research Department.
After completing his Ph.D. in 1978, he rejoined the Central Bank of Jordan as an Economic
Consultant and then as an Executive Director for both the Research and the Investment and Foreign
Operations Departments. H.E. Dr. Fariz holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from Keele University,
UK and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Baghdad, Iraq. He is also a Member of the board
of various educational, cultural and banking institutions.
Speaker
Mr. Amr El Abd
CEO – Egypt Ventures
Egypt
Amr El Abd has more than 16 years of experience as an entrepreneur
and director of fast growth companies. His fields of experience span new
venture creation, business development, investment, training and
consultancy, and startup acceleration. Mr. El Abd has co-founded and
held senior managerial positions with several ventures ranging from
technology, logistics, training and consultancy, to venture capital
investments.
Mr. El Abd founded Entrepreneurs Business Forum-Egypt (EBF), the first NGO to support and
empower entrepreneurs in Egypt in 2004 and has been an active member of the entrepreneurship
ecosystem since then. He has developed many programs for entrepreneurship policy requirement
working on creating a supportive environment for new venture creation. Mr. El Abd has a BSc in
Economics from Georgetown University, USA
Speaker
Mr. Mohab Murrar
General Manager - Innovative Startups & SMEs Fund
Jordan
In the past 20+ years, Mohab held several entrepreneurial and executive
positions at startups and leading national and international companies in
the US, Jordan and MENA. While in the US, his focus and passion for tech
& consulting enabled him to work with several leading organizations
including America Online, Tetra Tech, Inc. and Booz Allen & Hamilton.
After returning to Jordan, Mohab established and launched multiple tech
startups in Jordan and the MENA region, led organizations in the software
development, outsourcing, technology and consulting fields, and formed
partnerships and collaborations with leading multinational corporations.
Moreover, Mohab has launched, worked with and managed startups
through all stages of entrepreneurship from starting and launching
companies, growing teams, designing and building products and
services, expanding regionally and internationally, to spinoffs,
acquisitions and exits.
Mohab’s experience spans industries as diverse as banking, insurance, government, education, real
estate, environmental, manufacturing, information and communication technologies.
Throughout his career, Mohab also worked with global venture capital and private equity firms to
raise capital for various companies and projects in the technology, manufacturing, real estate and
education sectors.
Prior to joining the Innovative Startups & SMEs Fund as its CEO, Mohab was CEO of the King Hussein
Business Park then managing partner with a US venture capital firm.
Mohab holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Technology Management and is a George Mason
University Alumni.
Speaker
Mr. Emile Cubeisy
Managing Partner - Badia Impact Fund
Jordan
Emile Cubeisy is Managing Partner of Badia Impact Fund, Silicon
Badia’s Venture Capital fund dedicated to investment in early-
stage start-ups in the technology sector, with a geographic focus
on Jordan and the Middle East that provides support, networks,
and capital for entrepreneurs to achieve global impact. Actively
engaged in developing the Jordanian ecosystem, Emile was
selected as a member of the Young Global Leaders by the World
Economic Forum in 2006.
He is a Fellow of the Middle East Leadership Initiative of the
Aspen Institute and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership
Network. He graduated from the University of Southern
California and completed the Senior Executive Program at the
Harvard Business School.
Speaker
Session 3:
How to Build a Resilient Business in the MENA Region
H.E. Mr. Fareedon Hartoqa
Secretary General of Jordan Investment Commission
Jordan
Mr. Fareedon Hartoqa is currently the Secretary General of Jordan
Investment Commission, the government entity responsible for
investment promotion and export development.
Prior to this, Mr. Hartoqa worked with USAID funded project Jordan
Competitiveness Program (JCP) as Export Development Manager for the
ICT sector, helping Jordanian ICT companies find new export markets and
new partners.
From 2004 to 2015, Mr. Hartoqa worked with U.S. Commercial Service at
the American Embassy in Amman, Jordan. He was responsible for
enhancing bilateral trade and business relationships between Jordan and
the U.S. He also worked for two years in the same position at the U.S.
Consulate in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Hartoqa also worked in Ahli Commercial Bank for two years in the departments of Marketing &
Customer Service and Retail Credit, and then he joined Insurance Company is Saudi Arabia as
Marketing Executive for two years.
Mr. Hartoqa graduated from Jordan University and holds B.A. in Political Science & Economics, and
M.A. in Political Science; he is fluent in Arabic & English.
Moderator
Mr. Rasem Kamal
Founder and Managing Partner - Kamal & Associates Attorneys and Counselors
at Law
Palestine
Rasem Kamal is the managing partner of Kamal & Associates - Attorneys
and Counselors-at-Law (Kamal & Associates). Since he founded the law
office in 2007, Mr. Kamal has been the leading attorney at Kamal &
Associates, and has been providing legal services to dozens of Palestinian,
regional and international clients coming from government agencies, the
private sector, civil society organizations, donor-funded projects, as well as
private individuals.
Mr. Kamal has also co-authored and participated in the drafting (as well as
advocacy) efforts of numerous other laws and by-laws in Palestine,
including, among others, Palestinian Telecom Regulatory Commission Law
(2009), Competition Draft Law (2009), Companies Law Draft Amendment
(2008), Microfinance Companies Licensing Draft Regulations (2008),
Consumer Protection Draft By-laws (2009), Commercial Agents Law
Amendment (2009).
Before starting his own law office, Mr. Kamal worked for the Palestine Investment Fund as a Program
Manager (2006-2007). Between 2003-2006, Mr. Kamal worked for the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) West Bank and Gaza Mission, during which he managed and led
USAID’s rule of law portfolio in the West Bank and Gaza. Mr. Kamal was the lead specialist within
USAID on U.S. Government assistance to the Palestinian judiciary, public prosecution, Ministry of
Justice, as well as the informal justice sector.
Mr. Kamal is a holder of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Northwestern
University in Chicago (2016), a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from the University of San Francisco
in California, U.S. (where he was enrolled in his graduate studies as a Fulbright Scholar) (2000), as
well as a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of Jordan in Amman (1998). He also
teaches law at Birzeit University School of Law between (2017 – present); (2007-2009). Mr. Kamal
is also an accredited legal translator by the Ministry of Justice. Since 2015, he has been serving as
a member of the BOD of the Palestinian Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC).
Speaker
Dr. Hiba Zarouor
Head of Intellectual Property Department - Hikmah Pharmaceuticals
Jordan
Hiba Zarour is the Head of Intellectual Property Department for Hikma
Group of companies. Hikma is a multinational Pharmaceutical company.
Hiba holds a BSc. degree in Pharmacy from the University of Jordan, a
Master of Law in Intellectual Property and a Juris Doctor degree from
Franklin Pierce Law Center, one of the top ten Intellectual Property schools
in the United States where she graduated Magna Cum Laude (with high
honors). Hiba is licensed to practice law in the US. She is a member of the
New York Bar and the Massachusetts Bar associations in addition to the
Jordanian Pharmaceutical Association. Hiba is also certified in “Executing
Strategy in Strategy Focused Organizations using the Balanced Scorecard”.
Before leaving to the United States to obtain her post graduate degrees;
Hiba held a number of managerial positions in the Marketing and
Regulatory Affairs departments at Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Jordan. In
2005, upon obtaining her legal degree and successfully passing the Bar
exams, Hiba rejoined Hikma at the corporate level to become Hikma’s
Intellectual Property Counsel. In 2009, Hiba became responsible for the
corporate contracts for the US and EU jurisdictions, in addition to her job
as head of the intellectual property department at Hikma Pharmaceuticals,
PLC.
Hiba is active in the area of Intellectual Property; she is a member of a
special advocacy group for intellectual property at the Jordanian
Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and a member of the Trade
Committee of the International Generic and Biosimilars Pharmaceutical
Association (IGBA). She participates as a speaker on intellectual property
in many conferences locally and abroad.
From October 2016- February 2018, in addition to her job at the
Intellectual Property Department Hiba was also asked to head Hikma R&D
on an interim basis. Her main task was to restructure the department to
prepare Hikma for the challenges of innovation and the changing world of
pharmaceuticals.
Speaker
Mr. Ibrahim Faza
Project Director - ShamalStart
Jordan
Ibrahim Faza is entrepreneur, fund manager and technical expert with 20
years’ international experience of conceptualizing ideas, seizing
opportunities, leading successful business and entrepreneurship
initiatives.
Currently, he is managing an EU funded, Euro 6M project to support
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in north of Jordan (ShamalStart).
Previously he was the founding Manager of Seed Fund program at King
Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), where he managed
an annual $ 2M investment aiming to help moving innovative ideas from
KAUST labs toward market.
Earlier Mr. Faza joined DAMAMAX group as Technology Manager. Prior to
that, Mr. Faza served as Technical Manager at Huawei and as a Sales
Engineer at Siemens AG. Ibrahim founded and led two startups in the field
of mobile payment and social news in Jordan and UAE
Dr. Mohammad Al-Jafari
Managing Director, Intellectual Property Commercialization Office (IPCO), iPark
Jordan
I am an experienced professional with more than 15 years of
experience in innovation, commercialization, strategy, investment,
corporate finance, and research.
I have experienced the entire lifecycle of enterprise and academic
innovation and commercialization, and have played a hands-on role in
all stages of corporate development including conceptualization,
development, prototyping, business/financial modeling, IP protection,
incorporation, technology investment, capital calls,
commercialization, and unlocking value.
Speaker
Speaker
Session 4:
Policies and Strategies that Encourage Spinouts: The US Model
Mr. Peter C. Mehravari
IP Attaché for the Middle East and North Africa, U.S. Embassy - Kuwait, U.S.
Department of Commerce
Peter Mehravari serves as the U.S. intellectual property (IP) attaché
for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Based in
Kuwait, Mr. Mehravari works as the principal officer within U.S.
embassies and consulates throughout the region on matters related
to the protection and enforcement of IP rights. His duties include
assisting U.S. companies doing business in the region; advocating
for effective IP policies; advising ambassadors, embassy staff, and
other U.S. government officials on foreign governments’ IP
practices; educating foreign government officials, students,
entrepreneurs, and business representatives on IP matters; and
conducting public awareness programs.
Mr. Mehravari was previously a patent attorney in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International
Affairs (OPIA), where he advised the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on domestic and international IP issues, including
treaty obligations. As a member of the office’s Patent Team, he helped formulate U.S. domestic and
international policy regarding protection and enforcement of IP, consulted with foreign governments
and U. S. government agencies on IP laws and legal regimes, and led technical assistance and
capacity-building programs and conferences with foreign governments seeking to develop or improve
their IP laws and regulations. Some of Mr. Mehravari’s work included advising foreign governments
on IP office best practices, developing IP policy for emerging technologies, advising on U.S. IP
legislative reforms, enhancing patent quality and decreasing patent backlogs in foreign IP offices,
and assisting efforts to establish and lead the ID5 (the Industrial Design Forum).
Mr. Mehravari holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a
J.D. from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School.
Moderator
The Honorable Charles Frank Bolden Jr. (USMC-Ret.)
Department of State’s Science Envoy for Space
USA
Recently retired from service as the 12th Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). At NASA, Bolden oversaw
the safe transition from 30 years of Space Shuttle missions to a new era
of exploration focused on full utilization of the International Space Station
and space and aeronautics technology development.
As a Science Envoy for Space, Gen. Bolden will promote American
leadership in space exploration and emphasize the importance of
commercial opportunities.
At NASA, Bolden led the agency in developing a Space Launch System
rocket and Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts to deep space
destinations, such as an asteroid and Mars. He also established a new
Space Technology Mission Directorate to develop cutting-edge
technologies for the missions of tomorrow. During Bolden's tenure, the
agency's support of commercial space transportation systems for reaching
Low-Earth orbit have enabled successful commercial cargo resupply of the
space station and significant progress toward returning the capability for
American companies to launch astronauts from American soil by 2017.
Bolden has also supported NASA's contributions toward development of
developing cleaner, faster, and quieter airplanes. The agency's dynamic
science activities under Bolden include an unprecedented landing on Mars
with the Curiosity rover, launch of a spacecraft to Jupiter, enhancing the
nation's fleet of Earth-observing satellites, and continued progress toward
the 2018 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to
the Hubble Space Telescope.
Bolden's 34-year career with the Marine Corps also included 14 years as
a member of NASA's Astronaut Office. After joining the office in 1980, he
traveled to orbit four times aboard the space shuttle between 1986 and
1994, commanding two of the missions and piloting two others. His flights
included deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and the first joint
U.S.-Russian shuttle mission, which featured a cosmonaut as a member
of his crew.
Prior to his nomination as NASA administrator, Bolden was Chief Executive
Officer of JACK and PANTHER LLC, a small business enterprise providing
leadership, military, and aerospace consulting, as well as motivational
speaking.
Born Aug. 19, 1946, in Columbia, S.C., Bolden graduated from C. A.
Johnson High School in 1964 and received an appointment to the U.S.
Naval Academy. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical
science in 1968 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the
Marine Corps. After completing flight training in 1970, he became a Naval
Aviator. Bolden flew more than 100 combat missions in North and South
Speaker
Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, while stationed in Namphong, Thailand
between 1972 - 1973.
Bolden earned a Master of Science degree in systems management from
the University of Southern California in 1977. In 1978, he was assigned
to the Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Md., and completed his
training in 1979. While working at the Naval Air Test Center's Systems
Engineering and Strike Aircraft Test Directorates, he tested a variety of
ground attack aircraft until his selection as an astronaut candidate in
1980.
Ms. Nour G. Jarrar
CEO – Citibank N.A. Jordan
Jordan
Nour Jarrar is the CEO of Citi Jordan since January 2018. She is an
experienced banker with substantial experience across Corporate
Banking, Trade Finance, Structured and Corporate Finance,
Strategic Development and Planning and Financial Institutions
Management.
Nour joined Citi from Bank ABC in Jordan where she was most
recently Head of the Wholesale Banking Group. Her career with
Bank ABC dates back to 2006, and during that time she has held a
number of increasingly senior positions including Head of Global
Trade Finance for MENA. Prior to joining Bank ABC, she worked in
the Economic Development Division of the Royal Hashemite Court
in Jordan and in Jordan’s Housing Bank for Trade Finance.
Nour has an MA in Finance and Investment from the University of
Nottingham in the UK and a BA in Finance from the University of
Jordan.
Nour is a member of the board of directors of Association of Banks
in Jordan and a board member in the American Chamber of
Commerce in Jordan
Speaker
Mr. Hussein Malhas
Country Manager – Microsoft Jordan PSC
Jordan
Very dynamic leader, entrepreneurial business development &
operational management strategist with 15+ year record of
achievement and demonstrated success driving multimillion-dollar
business growth in highly competitive Telecommunication market.
With an Engineering background, profound expertise on Telecom
Operators businesses including GSM, Broadband and VOIP, Cloud
computing, Channels and distribution processes, focused &
tenacious in building new business, securing customer loyalty and
forging strong relationships with external business stakeholders
and internal employees. Major Achievements conducted where in
Mobilecom (orange), Zain, and Umniah (Batelco) including parallel
initiatives.
Previously he was the general manager of Abu Khader Automotive
and director of Sales and Customer Care at Zain. Malhas has a
bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, University of
Toledo.
Mr. Hashem El-Dandarawy
Chairman – Team4Security, Egypt
Member of AmCham Egypt Board
Hashem El Dandarawy is a businessman whose mission is to advance
innovation in Egypt’s security sector. El Dandarawy is the founder of
TEAM 4, a security company active in Egypt and across the region.
TEAM 4 started off as a service provider focused on specialized K-9
services. It has since augmented its service range by launching a full
suite of security services.
TEAM 4 is operating from the UAE, England, the Czech Republic and
the Netherlands, addressing security challenges through Cyber,
Biometrics and Physical Security Solutions.
El Dandarawy studied business and international commercial law at
the American University in Cairo (AUC) and at the Sorbonne, and holds
a bachelor’s degree in business administration from AUC.
Speaker
Speaker
El Dandarawy continues to support his alma mater by serving as a
member of the Board of the School of Continuing Education.
Beyond advancing Egypt’s security sector and developing a canine-
based security center of excellence, El Dandarawy’s personal mission
is the social and cultural development of Upper Egypt. He established
the NGO Dandara Cultural Centers, an organization that comprises 64
centers across Upper Egypt, serving 350,000 members by improving
access to education and fostering women’s empowerment. He has
been the elected Head of Upper Egypt’s Tribal Dispute Council for
years and is a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce
in Egypt.
Session 5:
ICT Innovation for SMEs
H.E. Eng. Mothanna Gharaibeh
Minister of Information and Communications Technology
Jordan
H.E. Eng. Mothanna Gharaibeh
Minister of Information Telecommunication & Information
Technology
Gharaibeh was the youngest business leader for Ericsson in the
country and in the region and one of the youngest globally,
where he headed Jordan’s offices of Ericsson international
company for communication systems and solutions, and has
overlooked several projects for digitization and communication
infrastructure. Gharaibeh is a member of Jordans’s Information
and Communications Technology Association int@J board of
directors, Adel Centre for Legal Aid board of directors, as well
as the board of directors of ” Jordan Progress ” platform, he is
also a board member of Justice Center for Legal Aid (JCLA), and
Tajalla for Music and Arts Advisory and in Jordan progress
platform.
Gharaibeh has completed several programs in international
universities including Harvard and Aspen Institute. He is now
the minister of Ministry of Telecommunication and Information
Technology. He graduated from Yarmouk University in 2003
with a degree in telecommunication engineering.
Moderator
Dr. Sherif Kamel
Dean, School of Business – The American University in Cairo
Egypt
Sherif Kamel is professor of management and dean of the school of
business at The American University in Cairo. He served as senior advisor
for strategic planning to the president of the university (2017) and vice
president of the university for information management (2016). During
his first spell as dean (2009-2014), the school achieved triple crown
accreditation, introduced the Executive MBA, the master of science in
finance, established the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and
the university accelerator; the Venture Lab. He helped raise close to 10
million US dollars in gifts, scholarships and sponsorships. He was
associate dean for executive education (2008-2009) and director of
executive education (2002-2008).
Before joining the university, he led the training and professional development institute of the
Cabinet of Egypt Information and Decision Support Center (1989-1992) and the Regional
Information Technology Institute (1992-2001). Kamel is an Eisenhower Fellow. He is a board
member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt and the Egypt U.S. Business Council. He
was a board member of the Egyptian American Enterprise Fund (2013-2016), the World Bank
Knowledge Advisory Commission (2012-2014) and a founding member of the Internet Society of
Egypt (1996).
Speaker
Mr. Danny Tawil
Founder & CEO – Vynets
Lebanon
Danny Tawil, Founder and CEO of Vynets; a software development house
utilizing virtual reality technology for developing business applications.
Mr. Tawil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the
University of Central Florida, and a Master’s Degree in Business
Administration from the University of North Carolina. He also completed
several executive education programs in the US, most notably in Change
Management at Harvard University, in Strategic Management at Stanford
University, in Strategic Innovation Management at MIT, and in Strategic
Sales Management at University of Chicago
Mr. Tawil’s is currently leading the work at Vynets by deploying innovative virtual reality business
applications to transform business models and work processes; enabling customers to positively
drive business performance and disrupt competition while creating a sustainable competitive
advantage. Mr. Tawil is also a professor at American University of Beirut (AUB), coaching his MBA
students on the strategic topic of Digital Transformation, while in parallel mentoring a group of MBA
students at Ecole Superieure Des Affaires (ESA) as part of the International Consultancy Project
(ICP) that is an integral part of the pedagogical dynamic of the program.
Mr. Tawil’s previous work experience at FINE Hygienic Holding as Group Chief Operating Officer
(COO) involved overseeing full P&L responsibility for the $700 Million Tissue organization with 4,200
employees across the entire MENA region; providing dynamic, focused and decisive leadership
within emerging and competitive markets. Mr. Tawil main strengths are his strategic thinking
coupled with a competitive mindset that enables him to identify opportunities within the challenging
MENA’s external environment and moves fast to translate them into sustainable growth, while his
main achievement has been his development of human resources, which is the main driver for his
career growth from an operations engineer back in 1995 to the current position of CEO.
Mr. Tawil established the “Resilience Middle East” association in 2012 helping people in dealing with
personal losses and how to bounce back from such situations to become stronger. He is also a
member of the Virtual Reality Augmented Reality Association, and a member of the American
Lebanese Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Tawil enjoys sports; he was on the Junior Tennis Davis Cup
team for Lebanon in 1988-89, and continues to practice the game along with hiking, swimming and
skiing.
Speaker
Ms. Soumaya El Sherbini
Co-Founder – RIGHTFOOT
Egypt
Somaya El Sherbini has spent the last 12+ years as a Human Resource
Practitioner. She started her HR career at Microsoft, working with
different teams, organizations and geographies in Egypt, regionally
(specifically in Saudi Arabia) and then at an area level (focusing on the
Middle East and Africa). El Sherbini spent her 18-year tenure at
Microsoft focused on employer branding, next-generation talent
programs and talent management. El Sherbini found her passion in
focusing on developing these skills and capabilities. Her exciting work
involved learning about, being a part of and helping build organizations
from within, as well as building their brand as an employer of choice in
the different Middle East and Africa markets.
Most recently, El Sherbini founded a company, namely RightFoot, which
focuses on leveraging technology-based solutions and services that
enable human resources to be more impactful and insightful.
El Sherbini is the chair of the Human Resources Committee of AmCham
Egypt. She majored in business administration and accounting, and is
a Myers-Brigg certified practitioner, a certified trainer and a certified
professional human resources and compensation professional from the
U.S. Institute of HR Management.
Speaker
Ms. Sarah AlMousa
Co–Founder – Robotack
Jordan
Sarah Holds a bachelor degree of Electrical/Communication
Engineering from the University of Jordan (2013). Currently she
works as a Product Manager for an e-commerce company and she
is the Co-founder of Robotack (2016); She has 5 years of experience
working in product management in telecom and e-commerce
sectors.
Sarah and her company Robotack won a place in the MWC
entrepreneurship contest by Zain Jordan (2017) and participated in
the Jordanian pavilion. Robotack is an IT and a digital marketing
solution provider that has many big references in Jordan in banking,
telecom, and airlines sectors.
Sarah is also an entrepreneurship and marketing consultant that
works as a part time for Amman Arab University.
Mr. Ali Hajjaj
CEO - Labiba for Artificial Intelligence
Jordan
Ali Hajjaj has over 18 years of diversified experience in the
technology sector with a track record of founding and managing
successful tech companies. Started his career in 2000, where he
founded Imagine Technologies, a digital transformation agency
serving major governmental entities and leading brands in Jordan
and UAE. In 2010, Ali founded Karasi.com and grew it to become
the largest ticketing company in Jordan, and in 2014 he created
Engage master, the first SaaS marketing automation platform in the
region.
Ali's current focus is Artificial Intelligence through his most recent
startup Labiba.ai, an artificial intelligence company leading the new
era of human-to-machine communication by creating virtual agents
that are able to make conversations with customers to provide
marketing and customer service for enterprises, Labiba.ai is
currently serving customers in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab
Emirates.
Speaker
Speaker
Mr. Raafat Al Saifi
CEO - SignCom
Jordan
Mr. Al Saifi holds a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing
and has over 25 years of experience in Crises Management,
Marketing and Sales and Strategic Business Development. He held
many senior managerial positions in Consulting Firms, Banks,
Insurance and Travel & Tourism companies in Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
Lebanon and Bahrain and was involved in establishing various start-
up companies in Jordan and the MENA Region.
Currently, Mr. Al Saifi is the Chief Executive Officer / Partner of
Lahen Trading Co. – Jordan/SignCom.
SignCom is the First Jordanian Company in the Arab World
specialized in offering Instant Sign Language Translation Services
via Internet Video Relay Services.
Mr. Otha Mabry
Security Consultant Systems Engineer - Threat Intelligence Research and
Security Architecture, Cisco Systems
USA
Otha Mabry is a Security Consultant Systems Engineer for Cisco Systems,
specializing in cybersecurity architectures to defend against ransomware,
“fileless” malware, and Zero Day attacks. With over 20 years’ experience
in the IT field, working in multiple industries ranging from education,
healthcare, manufacturing, and telecommunication; he has an extensive
background in securing Cisco Infrastructures and Security Best Practices.
In addition to consulting at Fortune 500 companies on mitigating security
breaches, Otha Mabry lectures nationally at conferences on emerging
attack trends. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin
and attended law school at the University of Memphis until he decided to
pursue a career in the IT Industry acquiring his MS in Information Systems
from DePaul University. Otha has been an adjunct faculty member teaching
Cisco, Linux, Ethical Hacking, and Computer forensic courses.
Speaker
Speaker
Session 6:
Reshaping the Business of Financial Services
Ms. Iman Mutlaq
Founder - Ingot Coin
Jordan
Iman Mutlaq is a lifelong financial expert, entrepreneur, social activist,
humanitarian, and visionary leader. She is the founder of INGOT Group,
a consortium of multinational companies operating across six
continents in a spectrum of industries ranging from finance,
consultancy and commodities to e-commerce, women empowerment
initiatives and physical fitness. Most recently, Iman founded INGOT
Coin, a first-of-its-kind revolutionary Ecosystem aimed to be the
financial gateway to link the cryptocurrencies universe with the
traditional financial industry. She is also the founder and CEO of Sigma
Investments and the director of INGOT Brokers Australia. During her
career, she was listed multiple times on Forbes’s 100 Most Powerful
Arab Businesswomen consecutively and most recently one of the 2018
top 50 influential women of the middle east, ranking at number 38.
Iman also received the Middle-East Woman of the Year award during
the 3rd Global Officials of the Dignity Awards, and American Chamber
of Commerce in Cairo (AMCham) Award as the best Arab business
woman. Iman is known for her social activism and women
empowerment efforts. In 2014, she participated in an expedition with
her Jordanian colleagues to Mount Kilimanjaro in an effort to support
the cancer research initiatives of King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan
and helped in raising a donation of $1.3 million USD. In addition to
launching six programs aimed at supporting 400 Iraqi women to help
advance their careers, then following the latter, she launched another
women empowerment Initiative under 8X8 Women which aims to
develop 8 different projects in different industries while hiring and
supporting women as staff members.
Mutlaq is also known as the first instructor for the art of living
foundation in Jordan, an educational and humanitarian movement
engaged in stress-management and service initiatives that promotes
peace and development, launched by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. One of her
favorite mottos is: “Be the change you want to see in this world! Love,
Give, and Inspire others, unconditionally.”
Moderator
Dr. Florence Eid Oakden
CEO & Chief Economist - Arabia Monitor
Dr. Florence Eid-Oakden is the CEO and Chief Economist of Arabia
Monitor. She has been a professor of economics and finance at the
American University of Beirut and a visiting professor at INSEAD and
HEC Paris. Formerly head of MENA research at JP Morgan, Dr. Eid-
Oakden has also worked with the World Bank on Latin America and on
North Africa, and subsequently, on the buy side as a hedge fund
investment professional. She serves on the Board of Directors for the
Arab Banking Corporation International Bank in London and for Bank
ABC Jordan, the Arab Bankers Association of North America in New
York, and sits on the Advisory Council of the Al Faisal University College
of Business, Saudi Arabia, where she also advises the Saudi
Government. She has served as a Trustee of the American University
in Paris, and a Director of Shuaa Capital in Dubai. Recently she served
as a member of HSBC’s Middle East Financial System Risk Advisory
Committee.
Dr. Eid-Oakden received her Ph.D. in Organization Economics from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a joint MIT-Harvard
Doctoral Committee, under the supervision of Nobel Laureate Professor
Bengt Holmström. She is fluent in Arabic, English, French and Spanish,
with a working knowledge of Italian and Portuguese.
Speaker
Eng. Bassem Farradj
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dinarak
Jordan
Bassem Farradj is one of the prominent entrepreneurs and leading
businessmen in Jordan.
He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Engineering
(Honors) from Sussex University in England and M.B.A from Cranfield School
of Management in England. He is also a Member of Harvard Business School
Alumni Club.
Mr. Farradj is the Chairman of Al Mutakamilah for Mobile Payments
(Dinarak) and the Chairman and CEO of a group of engineering companies
in the heating, air conditioning, lighting and renewable energy like ATG,
Wathba Investment Company & ICC.
He is also involved the insurance and manufacturing sector as he sits on the board Delta Insurance
Universal Modern Industries Co. (UMIC)
Mr Farradj is active in Civil Society organization:
Currently he is the:
President - The Orthodox Central Council in Jordan and Palestine
Board Member - Pension Fund - Engineers Association
Board Member/Treasurer - Jordanian Scandinavian Friendship Association
Member of the Board of Trustees - Modern American School
Member of the Board of Trustees - Jordan Renewable Energy Society
Member of the Board of Trustees - The Royal Scientific Society (RSS)
Member of the Board of Trustees - Baptism Site Commission
Member of the Board of Trustees - Industrial R&D Fund
Previously he held many important posts such as:
President - Jordan Europe Business Association (JEBA)
President - Scandinavian Business Club (SCAN Club)
Board Member / Secretary General - Amman Chamber of commerce
Board Member - Jordan Chamber of Commerce
Board Member - Arab British Chamber of Commerce – (in U.K)
Board member - Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO)
Speaker
Mr. Muhannad Ebwini
Founder & CEO - HyperPay
Jordan
Muhannad Ebwini, is co-founder and CEO of HyperPay. Muhnnad has
led the business to its current position as a one of the Middle east’s
fastest growing and successful online payment businesses. It is
regarded as highly innovative and is seen as one of the new generation
payment service providers. The company has offices in Amman, Dubia,
Riyadh and Cairo soon.
In 2017, Muhannad was appointed as board member of GatetoPay, a
leading card issuing company to issue prepaid MasterCard, Visa and
Union Pay card and cards solution in Middle east region.
Muhannad has over 18 years of experience in the online, e-Commerce, gaming, and payment
industries, having successfully grown the business of OneCard, a leading regional alternative
payment mechanism between 2004 and Feb 2010. During his tenure at OneCard, Muhannad has
spearheaded the development of the online payment and e-Commerce industry in the Middle East
and North Africa (MENA), working successfully with international and regional players, provide
alternative payment solutions for them, assist and provide support in localizing them and adapting
them to the MENA culture, as well as providing them with a suite of value-added services such as
support centers and marketing.
Muhannad is a certified e-Commerce Consultant “CEC” and Project Manager e-Business (PME), and
holds an MBA in Management and International Business from NYIT and a B.S.c in Computer
Software Engineering from Princess Sumayya University in Amman, Jordan.
Speaker
Mr. Alaa Enshaiwat
Head of Zain Cash Retail & Distribution Network
Jordan
Ensheiwat has over 24 years of professional experience with excellent
track record in leading IT and FinTech companies. He is recognized for
strategic thinking, implementation abilities, and innovation. Over the
course of his career, he has served in all management and leadership
roles including Project Manager, Program Manager, COO, and CEO for
many organizations.
Currently, Ensheiwat is leading ZainCash retail & distribution network.
Previously, he served as the CEO for LeProcess, SSS, AvermaSoft, and
Dinarak.
Ensheiwat combines practical experience with theoretical study. The
thesis of his Ph.D. is in “Improving the IT Project Management Area in
the public sector” at the University of Salford – UK. In addition, he was
awarded an Honorary Ph.D. from Oxford College for Ph.D. Studies - UK
for his researches in “Strategic Planning”. He holds a Master’s Degree
in Information Systems and was awarded the best research prize.
Eng. Nasser Saleh
CEO & Founder – MadfooatCom for ePayments
Jordan
Eng. Nasser Saleh is the CEO & Founder of MadfooatCom company with
more than 20 years of experience in IT, banking and consultancy. Prior to
MadfooatCom, Nasser was a Consulting CIO at the USAID DAI Jordan Fiscal
Reform project. He managed the e-Channels department at AlRajhi Bank
in KSA, was a Senior Consultant at Accenture and a Senior Test Engineer
at Microsoft, USA.
He started MadfooatCom company in 2011 to disrupt cash payments which
become the national operator for the electronic bill presentment and
payments “eFawateerCom” for the Central Bank.
Nasser was awarded King Abdullah II of Jordan award of excellence for
introducing ePayments in Jordan.
Speaker
Speaker
Mr. Ahmad Elayyan
Acting Executive Manager for Payment Systems & Financial Inclusion Department
Central Bank of Jordan
Jordan
Session 7(A):
Accelerating Innovation in Energy and Environment Technologies
Dr. Duraid Mahasneh
Chairman – EDAMA
Jordan
Dr. Mahasneh is the current CEO at Tawfiq Gargour Shipping Company and
chairman of Edama (Sustainability of water, Energy and Environment)
Society. Prior to this, Dr. Mahasneh has held various positions over the
years. From 1980–1984, he was the General Manager at the Marine Science
Station in Aqaba. In 1984, he became the Secretary General of the Aqaba
Region Authority, where he remained until 1991. From 1991–1996, he
served as the Director General of Aqaba Ports. In 1996, he served as
Secretary General of the Jordan Valley Authority until 1999. He then worked
as a consultant from 1999 until 2001. He also was an Assistant Professor at
Yarmouk University and is at the board of Trustees of the German Jordan
University.
Dr. Mahasneh was a Co-Chairman of the joint Water Committee with Syria and the Co-Chairman of
the joint Water Committee with Israel.
Dr. Mahasneh was awarded the Independence Medal of the First Order, Distinguished Performance
Medal of the First Order, and the International Organization for Conservation of Nature Appreciation
Award.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Jordan, and a PhD in Water and Marine
Sciences and post doctorate from Duke University, where he also was a Fulbright Fellow.
Moderator
Ms. Sarah El Battouty
Chairman & Principal Architect – ECOnsult
Senior Advisor to the Egyptian Presidency on Sustainability
Egypt
Sarah graduated from the University of Cambridge she is an Architect.
After her undergraduate she then went on to study sustainable
development policy the Centre of Economic Development and
Environmental Policy CeDep SOAS University.
Her focus is Rural Development and Project Management. Sarah is an
advisor to the Egyptian Presidency on Development since 2014. In 2017
she was selected as a Member of the Board of the American University
of Cairo Department of Engineering School of Architecture. She is an
architect RIBA awarded, with a focus green buildings. At ECOnsult her
vision is to create environmental portfolios for companies and raising
sustainability awareness in businesses in Egypt and beyond.
Mr. Hanna Zaghloul
CEO - Kawar Energy
Jordan
Hanna Zaghloul is the Chief Executive Officer at Kawar Energy (an eco-
friendly project development company) since 2008.
At Kawar Energy, Zaghloul directly leads several projects in renewable
energy including the development of ’Shams Ma’an’ a 52.5-megawatt
photovoltaic (solar energy) project at the southern part of Jordan.
Zaghloul is particularly interested in ’Shamsi’, a community-scale
distributed renewable energy project enticing households and
businesses to become clean-energy producers, while also making use
of smart-grid technologies, storage solutions and services for energy
efficiency and management.
Zaghloul is a founding and ex-board member/ vice chairman of EDAMA
initiative and business association, Jordan’s blueprint for a green
economy. EDAMA Association formed as a private sector-partnership
that seeks innovative solutions for energy and water independence.
He is also a founding member and ex-President for the Jordan Energy
Chapter, JEC, representing the Association of Energy Engineers, AEE,
in Jordan.
Speaker
Speaker
In addition to Mr. Zaghloul Energy career that started in 2008, he has
over 20 years of experience and strong involvement in the Jordanian
Information and Communication Technologies, ICT, field during which
he headed several IT companies involved in software development,
infrastructure, storage, communications, training and consulting.
Mr. Zaghloul is one of the initial team members to work on Jordan ICT
Strategy formulated by the REACH initiative in addition of being a
previous board member of INTAJ, Jordan’s ICT business association,
where he served as Secretary General. Currently he is a board
member of several IT and Energy companies.
Mr. Zaghloul holds a bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering from
the University of California, Irvine.
Mr. Samer Judeh
Chairman - Jordan Wind Project Company
Jordan
As chairman of the Jordan Wind Project Company, Samer S. Judeh has been
instrumental in the Development, construction, operation and management
of the 117-mega-watt Tafila Wind Farm, the first and largest operational
wind farm in the region. He was also the founder and chairman of Shamsuna
Power Company, which developed, constructed and is currently operating
the first utility scale solar project to connect to the Jordanian national grid.
Mr. Judeh has been an active member of the renewable energy sector since
2007, and has been influential in the negotiation of contracts and the
implementation of laws and regulations for the industry. A Jordanian
businessman, Mr. Judeh has over 25 years of experience in managing a
wide range of initiatives in the fields of renewable energy, information
technology, security and infrastructure. His extensive international business
experience affords him key insight into the management of large-scale
project as well as the establishment and deployment of innovative
enterprises.
Mr. Judeh is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington DC, with a Bachelor’s degree with
honors in Business Administration and a Master’s degree with honors in International Affairs and
Government.
Speaker
Eng. Waleed K. AlHallaj
Co-Founder & General Manager - Ishraq Energy
Jordan
A renewable energy engineer with over 5 years of experience in the Jordanian
market. Holding a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Jordan and a Renewable Energy Professional (REP™) from the
Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) in the US.
Eng. Waleed is also an accredited trainer by the ministry of labor and the
Jordan Competitiveness Program (JCP) who has provided training for over
700 technicians and engineers in Jordan. He also represents as a Clean-Tech
Expert at OASIS500 in order to provide support to entrepreneurs in the
sustainability sector.
Eng. Waleed co-founded Ishraq Energy in 2016 and managed to install over
120 photovoltaic systems around Jordan with a total capacity of 7 MW until
this day.
Ishraq Energy is responsible to reducing the harmful emissions in Jordan to what is equivalent to
planting over 400,000 trees.
Eng. Waleed also co-founded Ishraq Sustainability Academy to be the first academy in Jordan that
is completely specialized in providing trainings in the sustainability sectors. The academy is equipped
with labs and workshops that is able to provide full trainings to over 500 trainees a year and
preparing them for market penetration using the practical training and experiences of Ishraq Energy.
Speaker
Session 7(B):
Educated Insight: The Reinvention of Learning
Dr. Jamil Alkhatib
Manager of German Jordanian University (GJU) – Program Innovation &
Entrepreneurship (PIE)
Jordan
Jamil Alkhatib is the founder of IBTECAR an Innovation & Technology
Management Company. He is also manager of the Innovation and
Entrepreneurship Program of the German Jordanian University. He has
more than 19 years of work experience in innovation development and
management. He started his career in 1998 at the R&D department of
Siemens ICT where he was responsible for the development of several
telecom equipment. Later he moved to the Innovation Management field in
2006 where he become innovation consultant for several organizations and
companies in the Middle East.
Currently he is managing the Program Innovation and Entrepreneurship (PIE) at the German
Jordanian University where he managed to build a community of students and alumni entrepreneurs
over the last 4 years to develop businesses and products for the local context.
Jamil worked on various levels of innovation such as governmental institutes, private sector
companies, innovation centers and schools and universities.
During his work he mentored and coached several organizations’ leaders as well as benchmarked
SMEs innovation ability and performance to accelerate the new products development process. He
managed and designed several innovation programs and incubators in Jordan, Palestine, UAE and
Egypt.
Currently he is running several Technology Innovation Programs such as Umniah IoT Innovation,
Shoman foundation's Science based innovations award and the new technologies (AI, IoT, Industrie
4.0, etc.) of the German Jordanian University
Jamil is a certified trainer and facilitator from several institutes that focus on entrepreneurship,
innovation and technology transfer from organizations such as International Youth Foundation and
Mowgli foundation.
Jamil holds Master’s degree in Technology and Innovation management and Bachelor degree in
Electrical Engineering. Jamil is a global operator having lived in 5 countries and interacted with more
than 50 cities around the world.
Moderator
Mr. Sam Caucci
Founder & CEO – 1HUDDLE
USA
Sam Caucci has managed and coached sales and leadership
teams for publicly held, private sector and franchised companies
across the globe. Sam founded 1HUDDLE a workforce training
platform using game technology to help organizations better
prepare their people for work. With clients across the globe,
1HUDDLE has impacted people across organizations in a wide
array of sectors, with clients including Loews Hotels, ESPN,
Audible (an Amazon Company), Madison Square Garden and
FASTSIGNS. Applying an innovative approach to preparing
people for the workforce, Sam oversaw the creation of the
training game platform, the first game-based platform that
transforms the way organizations onboard, train & develop their
team members. Before 1HUDDLE, Sam was the National Director
of Franchise Sales & Marketing for the Parisi Speed School where
he directed the sales training program for 83 locations.
He was previously in a leadership role with Life Time Fitness, serving as Director of Sales and
spearheading the grand opening and overall management of the company’s expansion into the
NJ/NYC market. Prior to joining Life Time Fitness, Sam was General Manager for Perfect Competition
Athletic Development, a sports performance training center nationally recognized for its preparation
of elite athletes from across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS. While at Perfect Competition, Sam
managed sales, sponsorship, and negotiation for the team responsible for the training and
development of over 2,500 elite professional athletes. Sam is proud to have been a part of the sales
and service training of thousands of workers. He is the author of the #1 Amazon Bestseller, Not Our
Job: How College Has Destroyed a Generation of Workers and How to Fix it, and has been featured
on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, CNBC, The Huffington Post, ESPN, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes,
and Bloomberg.
Speaker
Mr. Levon Der Sarkissian
President - LKD Technologies
Jordan
20 years ago, after pursuing his MBA degree from Southeastern
Louisiana University, Levon founded a company that focus on the
distribution and publishing of Educational Textbooks and Resources.
And in 2004, he founded another company that provides educational
technology solutions that facilitate teaching and learning inside the
classroom.
After years of continuous work and dedication, LKD managed to setup great network of suppliers of
the best educational technology solutions around the world. And through this network, LKD provides
its customers with the best solutions that improve teachers’ skills to teach and students’ ability to
learn. LKD also provides solutions that stimulate students’ creativity and innovation through offering
educational methods and tools that focus on the 21st century skills, STEM Education and
Computational Thinking.
Speaker
Mr. Mohannad Armoush
CEO – Evyra
Jordan
A venture capital in the development of advanced technology and
innovation, with focus on Health and Education,
Offering more than 15 years of experience, Mr. Armoush has proved
success in managing and delivering infrastructure support and
operational excellence to SME and international organizations across
the hospitality, real estate and technology sectors; maximizing
business value across the spectrum.
An active board member and a trusted business advisor for several
organizations, resulted in achieving success on business turnarounds,
corporate governance deployment, human capacity development and
value chain alignment.
Born in Amman – Jordan in 1983 and had his primary education in Amman and secondary education
in the UK. Mr. Armoush continued his higher education and had his bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration BA in 2003, Montreux, Switzerland; and his master’s degree in Business
Administration MBA in 2009 from Zurich, Switzerland.
Mr. Armoush is also a partner in Armoush Tourist Investments Co. Ltd / McDonalds Jordan.
Speaker
Ms. Hanan Khader
Founder & CEO - Hello World Kids
Jordan
Hanan Khader is a Jordanian serial entrepreneur who managed to
successfully establish and lead two businesses.
In 2007, 6 years after receiving her BSc in Computer Science from
Mutah University, she founded Aqar-Estate.com, one of the largest
real estate marketplaces in the MENA region.
Working within the rapidly changing world of technology, she noticed
that the growing numbers of technology users was not met by a
similar growth in developers.
As a mother of four with 17 years of programming experience, Hanan first started to teach her
own children how to code. After seeing her offspring soak up the material, she felt inspired to
create a curriculum for children across ages and aptitudes. In 2013, when the U.S. Bureau of
Education and Cultural Affairs selected Hanan as one of the TechWomen of Jordan, she founded
Hello World Kids. However, it was not until May of 2015 when the organization was officially
launched and gained their first client. Fast forward two years: over 85 schools have adopted the
programs and 40,000 children are learning the curricula with consistently good results. In
November 2015, Hanan launched the first round of a project teaching code to deaf and mute
children, after which she started working on a trailblazing curriculum in braille. Apart from making
her classes accessible to disabled children, Hanan is very involved in getting girls excited about
programming, enabling them to contribute to shaping their own and their country’s future. Half of
the students enrolled in the classes are girls.
As Hello World Kids celebrates in 3rd year anniversary this year, the key to the company’s success
has been the entrepreneurs' courage to take on every challenge, no matter how big. Which is
great, since an estimated 30% of the MENA regions population is under the age of 15; introducing
a programming for children curriculum into the current educational system in an ever changing
and digitized world will require persistence, bold leadership and considerable courage, which are
all attributes that she possesses.
Speaker
Ms. Jida Sunna
Co-Managing Partner – Code Circle
Jordan
Jida is an American University of Beirut (AUB) graduate with a
Bachelor's degree in computer and communications
engineering. She was one of the first team members in
pioneering Arab tech startups such as Arabia Online and One
World Software Solutions. Jida also worked at Siemens AG and
Cubeisy Management Consultancy and Services.
In 2012 she ventured into entrepreneurship, founding her own
startup, Ahaali, a web portal that provides a friendly online
home for those that share a passion for raising children well. In
2015, she co-founded, alongside Ruba Asfour, Code Circle as
an educational company that empowers a new generation
through programs that strengthen coding, entrepreneurship,
and creative skills in children and young adults.
At its foundation, Code Circle focuses on experiential learning, with its programs being delivered by
industry practitioners. Its coding classes build beginner and advanced capability in web
development, app development, and gaming. Its curriculum uses methodologies that are used by
tech geeks and developers. Code Circle compliments this technology education with other courses,
such as entrepreneurship, design skills, 3D virtualization and modeling, and other creative skills
that are essential to the full circle of learning. Jida is also the mother of three (Tara, Nadine, and
Maia).
Speaker
Session 7(C):
Bringing Innovation to Health Care Systems in the MENA Region
Mr. Faris Gammoh
CEO - Jordan International Insurance (JIIG)
Jordan
CEO of Jordan International Insurance (JIIG), a leading insurance
company that provides corporate and retail insurance in Health, Life,
Property and Marine insurance. The company was selected as the Best
Insurer in Jordan for 2015, and Faris was added to the insurance Power
50 by MENA Insurance Review. Faris has more than a decade of private
equity, investment banking and consulting experience. He started his
career at Accenture in New York focusing on financial services clients;
followed by Morgan Stanley, London, serving infrastructure and
transport clients. He was an Investment Manager, PE Fund, NBK Capital
prior to joining JIIG. He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute; MBA, Columbia Business School.
Moderator
Dr. Samir Khalil
Executive Director - PhRMA
UAE
Samir A. Khalil is Executive Director, Middle East & Africa, Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), an international trade
association that represents the world’s leading research-based
pharmaceutical companies. In this position, his primary focus is to work with
Governments in the Middle East & Africa Region and PhRMA member
companies to advance policies in areas such as access to medicines,
innovation, healthcare financing, trade, intellectual property rights
protection, and other industrial and healthcare policies.
Prior to Joining PhRMA in 2013, Samir worked with Merck & Co, Inc. since
1974. During that time, he held several positions including; Executive
Director, Public Policy for Asia Pacific, China and Latin America; Regional lead
for Policy & Ex. Affairs, Middle East & Africa; Executive Director, HIV Policy
for Europe, Middle East and Africa, where his focus was to drive Merck’s
initiatives to improve access to HIV/AIDS care and treatment in the
developing world. At different time of his service to Merck, Samir was the
Managing Director for two Merck subsidiaries, Egypt and Saudi Arabia; and
was the Director, Management Operations, Far East Pacific, where he was
part of the team in the early nineties that initiated Merck’s direct operations
and structure in key countries in Far East Pacific, including, Taiwan & Korea.
Samir represented Merck on the Board of Directors of the
Merck/Gates/Botswana partnership in Botswana, known as the African
Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP) and chaired the Board of
Merck’s partnership with the Government of China, known as China – MSD
HIV/AIDS Partnership (C-MAP).
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy.
Speaker
Mr. Mohammad El Mougi
Vice President of North Africa & Levant – Vezeeta
Egypt
Mohammad El Mougi joined Vezeeta in 2016 as Director of Product
Management and since then his team has managed to re-launch great
products and features that precisely fit Vezeeta markets.
Mohammad has 8 years of experience in the Technology and Telecom
industries. His distinction lies in his ability to identify growth opportunities
and winning strategies and he has a strong track record of generating
game-changing ideas with successful implementation. Prior to Vezeeta,
Mohammad was Small and Medium Businesses Marketing Manager at
Vodafone and Research Consultant at the Technology Practice at Nielsen.
He holds a Masters of International Business from Hult University, San
Francisco and a Bachelor in Pharmacy and Biotechnology from the
German University in Cairo.
Speaker
Mr. Ghassan Al-Lahham
Founder & CEO – Hakeem
Jordan
Ghassan Al-Lahham, Founder and CEO of Electronic Health Solutions
International (EHSI), Amman – Jordan
Al- Lahham is a well-known expert in the use of automation in the
public education and healthcare sectors. He has been recognized for
his entrepreneurial accomplishments in achieving significant
milestones in his career. Mr. Lahham’s main asset is combining the
experience of a private sector entrepreneur, with his leadership of
automation in world-class education and healthcare. He presents
balanced and pragmatic perspectives from both the private and public
sectors.
Ghassan has been directly managing a number of projects that have
rapid and long term impact on the development of healthcare and
education sectors in Jordan, and the local region.
Ghassan Lahham, Founder and CEO of Electronic Health Solutions International (EHSI), Amman –
Jordan
EHSI is a healthcare IT company that is solely focused on the Middle East Healthcare market.
Headquartered in Amman, EHSI is dedicated to support Middle East healthcare organizations to
improve the quality of care through the use of internationally proven technologies. EHSI’s mission
is to provide a comprehensive solution for electronic health records through the utilization of the
open source Veteran Affairs VistA software as a cost effective and internationally proven solution.
Mr. Lahham is a well-known expert in the use of automation in the public healthcare and education
sectors. He has been recognized for his entrepreneurial accomplishments in achieving significant
milestones in his career. Mr. Lahham’s main asset is combining the experience of a private sector
entrepreneur, with his leadership of automation in world-class education and healthcare. He
presents balanced and pragmatic perspectives from both the private and public sector.
Speaker
Speaker
Dr. Noha Khater
Co-Founder – Al-Mouneer
Egypt
Noha Khater is a talented retinal eye surgeon and Cairo University
Professor who acquired several degrees and PhDs from the United
Kingdom, United States and Egypt.
She built her expertise and passion for Ophthalmology over a span of 13
years in her private practice.
In 2014, she had a vision for a new innovative healthcare concept that
did not exist in the region at the time. She collaborated with Rania Kadry
an IT specialist to create a network of unique and fully digital diabetic eye
clinics service that prevents diabetic patients from losing their sight and
truly makes a difference in their lives.
Noha’s business model, ALMOUNEER, is a combination of high-end
technology and specialized healthcare tailored to serve more than 39
million diabetic patients in the region, one third of which are prone to
blindness. Henceforth, Almouneer has positioned itself as the sole
provider of high tech diabetic eye care in the MENA region treating
thousands of patients from all over the region.
Speaker
Mr. Brandon Smith
Director International Sales - Tactical Medical Solutions
USA
Tactical Medical Solutions®, Inc. is a leading supplier of proprietary
medical solutions for emergency trauma care across the global military,
law enforcement, fire and emergency and medical service and civilian
markets. With the mission of expanding its global sales network, Mr.
Smith joined Tactical Medical Solutions® Inc. in April of 2012. In this
move, he brought a wealth of managerial experience from the
pharmaceutical industry. In industry, Smith led as a Sales Director with
Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies for greater than a decade. In this
role, he coordinated large sales teams through the entire sales process to
deliver diverse product lines, focusing primarily on cardiovascular
modalities and pain management. Under Mr. Smith’s tenure at Tactical
Medical Solutions® Inc., the company has expanded its global sales
network within the tactical medical arena to include high-profile foreign
militaries and law enforcement agencies, as well as coverage of the
emerging civilian market, in more than seventy countries.
He holds a BSc in Communications from Radford University and a Masters
of Human Resource Development from Clemson University.
Speaker
Mr. Ziad Sankari
Founder – CardiDiagnoctics
Lebanon
Ziad Sankari started CardioDiagnostics in 2012. Ziad lost his
father to a heart attack when he was seventeen and his family
lacked access to proper healthcare. He decided to pursue his
studies in understanding the electrical activity of the heart and
how monitoring and analyzing that activity can save lives.
Today, the company uses FDA-approved wearable devices that
are 24/7 GPS-enabled heart rate monitors allowing for heart
monitoring centers to communicate diagnostic and preventive
information to patients in the United States, where the center has
over 40 employees, and in Lebanon. In 2008, Ziad attended Ohio
State University on a U.S. Fulbright scholarship. After returning
to Lebanon, he was selected to pitch his idea at the 2011 Global
Innovation through Science and Technology’s (GIST) Tech-I
competition where he won first place. Through GIST, a U.S.
Department of State funded initiative, Ziad received his first
round of seed funding and traveled through various U.S. cities to
expand his network, learn how to negotiate, and connect with
mentors.
Given his experiences, Ziad sees education as essential to
successful entrepreneurship and to combat rising issues of
poverty and extremism. He hopes to support other startups and
build a high-performing educational system in Lebanon and
throughout the Middle East that leverages U.S. expertise and
connections to open a world of opportunities to younger
generations.
Speaker