H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah
President & CEO
Dubai Chambers
H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah
President & CEO
Dubai Chambers
His Excellency Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah is the President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, one of the largest economic development arms in Dubai. In his current role, he oversees the implementation of Dubai Chambers’ strategic initiatives and plans, which aim to improve the ease of doing business in Dubai, support businesses expanding globally, attract foreign companies and investment, and advance the digital economy.In addition to his current role at Dubai Chambers, His Excellency serves as a member of the board at the Dubai Free Zones Council and Emirati Human Resources Development Council and is a member of the University of Dubai Board of Trustees and a member of the board of Union Coop.
Previously, he served as CEO of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection for Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, where he was responsible for overseeing consumer protection, business protection, intellectual property protection, and commercial compliance.
His Excellency also held several other leadership positions at the Department of Economic Development, namely Deputy CEO of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Sector, Deputy CEO of the Dubai Export Development Corporation, Executive Director of Corporate Quality and Excellence, and Deputy Director of the Information Technology Department at Dubai Land Department.
H.E. Lootah earned a bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering from Arizona State University in the United States and an executive MBA in strategic management from the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai.
Opening Remarks
09:05 – 09:15 / 14 November 2024
H.E. Mansoor Abdullah Khalfan Juma Abulhoul
Ambassador of UAE to the UK
H.E. Mansoor Abdullah Khalfan Juma Abulhoul
Ambassador of UAE to the UK
Mansoor Abulhoul is the United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to the United Kingdom.With Emirati/British parents, Mansoor went to school in the UAE and Scotland, before attending the University of Leeds. After graduating, he spent three years working in finance in both Dubai and London before managing his family’s UAE-based business. The Ambassador’s family business founded and leads the Emirates Literary Festival.
The Ambassador’s focus is on developing the long-standing close relationship between the UK and the UAE to tackle global challenges together.
Mansoor has developed a personal ‘cycle diplomacy’ programme, whereby he is cycling – in irregular sections – from John o’ Groats to Land’s End, using his passion for cycling to meet, listen and learn across the UK, while raising funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The Ambassador and his wife, who is French, met through their mutual love of horseracing.
The couple have a young son and daughter.
Welcome Address
09:15 – 09:25 / 14 November 2024
Julia Onslow-Cole
Chair of the Board
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Julia Onslow-Cole
Chair of the Board
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Julia is a Partner at Fragomen focusing on Global Government and Talent Mobility Strategies and is recognised as world leader in providing strategic immigration advice to governments, individuals and the world’s leading organizations. Julia divides her time between London and the Middle East.Before joining Fragomen, Julia was a Partner, Legal Markets Leader and Head of Global Immigration at PwC leading complex multi-jurisdictional client engagements and providing strategic global immigration advice.
Julia is the Chair of the Board of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and sits on the Board of the Dubai International Chamber.
Julia is the Chair of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute Charitable Trust and is on the board of the Permits Foundation.
In 2021, Julia was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Global Mobility Award by the Forum for Expatriate Management and was included on the Think Global People:40 Outstanding Global Women 2023 list.
Special Address
09:25 – 09:35 / 14 November 2024
Dr. Marwan Al Mulla
CEO of Healthcare Regulation Sector
Dubai Health Authority
Dr. Marwan Al Mulla
CEO of Healthcare Regulation Sector
Dubai Health Authority
An accomplished healthcare regulator, with deep expertise in developing and implementing internationally recognised standards of healthcare to further enhance Dubai’s Health Sector and provide patients with access to the highest quality of healthcare.Dr. Marwan Al Mulla is currently the CEO of the Health Regulation Sector of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) since 2018. He has earned his degree in Medicine and Surgery from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2001. He followed his studies with MSc in Healthcare Management from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and earned the Arab Board of Family Medicine from the Arab Board of Medical Specializations in 2008.
Dr. Marwan is leading the Health Regulation Sector at Dubai Health Authority managing the Health Licensing Department, Health Tourism Department, Clinical Governance, Health Polices & Standards Department, Health Informatics & Smart Health Department to nurture quality assurance and develop the regulatory framework and standards of care.
Dr. Marwan Al Mulla has strengthened his skills and managerial abilities through different programs such as Expert in Public Policy Program from the Executive Council in conjunction with London School of Economics.
Dr. Marwan is a member of several prominent external committees such as the National Institute for Health Specialties and the Emirates international Accreditation Center
Healthy People, Healthy Economies
10:25 – 10:45 / 14 November 2024
Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi
Director General
Dubai Silicon Oasis
Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi
Director General
Dubai Silicon Oasis
Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi is the Director General at Dubai Silicon Oasis. He is responsible for the development, implementation, and communication of DSO’s strategy, including the organizational mandate, mission, vision and values.His role at DSO is central to driving Dubai’s economy forward, aligning with the D33 Agenda and Urban Master Plan 2040. He is instrumental in implementing strategies that support the success of foreign direct investment in the region, fostering an environment conducive to economic growth and technological innovation. His tenure has overseen the facilitation of more than 500 investments by DSO-member companies from China, with a keen focus on the growing advanced technology sector.
Currently, he also serves as Assistant to the Secretary General of the Dubai Freezone Council, a Board Member of the World Freezone Organization, a member of the UAE Economic Acceleration Unit, and a member of the Dubai Government Economy Team.
Prior to joining DSO, in December 2006, Dr. Al Matrooshi held several senior governmental positions, including running commercial licensing at the Dubai Economic Department (DED).
Dr. Al Matrooshi holds a doctorate in General Management from Golden Gate University of San Francisco, California and an MBA in Business Development from Western University, Michigan, USA.
AI and Advanced Tech
11:55 – 12:25 / 14 November 2024
Mr. Majid Sager Al Marri
CEO Real Estate Registration & Services
Dubai Land Department
Mr. Majid Sager Al Marri
CEO Real Estate Registration & Services
Dubai Land Department
Majid Saqer Al Marri has extensive experience across various sectors including real estate investment, tourism development, event management, and hotel classification and standards implementation in Dubai. His expertise extends to strategy, banking, marketing, stakeholder relations, international operations, and public relations both locally and internationally.Al Marri was appointed CEO of the Real Estate Registration Sector at Dubai Land Department (DLD) in 2018. He was previously a Senior Director in the Real Estate Promotion and Investment Management Sector. Drawing on his background and accomplishments in the field, he is dedicated to realising his vision of positioning the sector as the most influential in Dubai by 2028. Collaborating with both public and private sector, his mission involves enhancing confidence in the market and bolstering security and real estate awareness indicators through innovative initiatives and projects. These endeavors have notably propelled Dubai to a ‘Transparent’ ranking in the JLL Global Real Estate Transparency Index and placed the UAE at the forefront of global property registration efficiency according to the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index.
Majid Al Marri graduated from the University of Dubai with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and continued his studies in the London Business School where he attained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, completing the government leadership programme from Dubai school of government with assistance of Harvard University and the John F. Kennedy school of government.
Al Marri was also honored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with the Outstanding Government Employee Award from the Dubai Government Excellence Program in 2009 and won the third place in the Dubai Medal for Assistant Director General/CEO category in the same program for 2024’s assessment cycle.
Real Estate
14:45 – 15:30 / 14 November 2024
Mohammad Alkassim
Director – Investment Attraction
Global Markets Sector Dubai Chambers
Mohammad Alkassim
Director – Investment Attraction
Global Markets Sector Dubai Chambers
Mohammad Khalid Alkassim is the Director of Investment Attractions at Dubai Chambers. In his current role, he leverages his extensive experience in project management and partnership acquisition to attract global corporations, investors, and entrepreneurs to Dubai and position the emirate as a leading global business hub.As Director of Investment Attractions, Alkassim plays a key role in advancing Dubai Chambers’ efforts to attract 50 MNCs to Dubai by 2025 and achieve the emirate’s target of boosting the volume of non-oil foreign trade to AED 2 trillion by 2026, in addition to consolidating Dubai’s position as a preferred destination for foreign direct investments and launchpad for expansion into global markets.
Prior to joining Dubai Chambers, Alkassim served as Senior Manager for Partnerships and Acquisitions at Du, where he oversaw the company’s strategic roadmap for innovation and was responsible for identifying partnership and Acquisition opportunities to drive inorganic growth. Prior to that Alkassim also led new initiatives and project planning for Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), as well as driving engagement with targeted asset managers in Europe and Asia. In addition, he was a member of the DIFC FinTech Fund Investment Committee. Earlier in his career, he held different positions with Mubadala and Mubadala GE Capital in both the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
Alkassim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Banking from the University of Dubai and is a graduate of GE Capital’s Risk Management Leadership Programme. He has successfully completed several certifications including the Harvard Management Essentials Programme and a course on Digital Transformation and Innovation from the London Business School.
Enabling Growth
13:45 – 14:05 / 14 November 2024
Abdulrahman Shahin Mohamed
Senior Vice President, Property Management & Supply Chain
Dubai Commercity
Abdulrahman Shahin Mohamed
Senior Vice President, Property Management & Supply Chain
Dubai Commercity
Abdulrahman Shahin oversees Dubai CommerCity’s entire Business, Social and Logistics Clusters as its senior vice president for property management & supply chain. He leads the overall delivery of new buildings and facilities, property management, operations, logistics & supply chain and is responsible for ensuring an unparalleled customer experience. He also championed the required regulatory changes for customs procedures for cross border eCommerce and played an instrumental role in developing Dubai’s CommerCity’s overall e-Commerce strategy. Abdulrahman joined Dubai CommerCity in 2021 following more than twenty-two years’ experience in the Freezone, Customs, Port Security, supply chain and logistics sector.Enabling Growth
14:55 – 15:25 / 14 November 2024
Abdur Rahim Ghulam Nabi
Chief Advisor
Dubai Airport Free Zone
Abdur Rahim Ghulam Nabi
Chief Advisor
Dubai Airport Free Zone
Mr. Ghulam Nabi is a qualified professional and has leveraged a successful career in financial leadership to develop expertise in crafting & leading prestigious initiatives as a trusted advisor to executive leadership.He has over 25 years’ experience advising across a full gamut of innovative and market-leading projects covering broad areas of; Innovation and Future, Special Economic Zones, Islamic Economy & Halal Trade, Digital Transformation and Corporate Strategy With respect to Corporate Strategic Advisory, he has partnered with world-leading management consultancies such as Strategy &, Bain & Co., Kearney, Accenture, Deloitte and Dinar Standard to advise on the development of new free zones/economic clusters, e-commerce ecosystems & city level breakthrough initiatives For the Islamic Economy, he played a lead role in developing niche strategies and provided critique on multiple concepts for cross- border Halal trade corridor, Sharia-compliant zones, Halal R&D labs and endowment concepts.
He has been instrumental in contributing and shaping government-led innovation initiatives including Dubai 10X Program, Economic Directions, Tradeling & making Dubai an E-commerce Hub to name a few.
He is a known keynote speaker in global events, including the Brazil Economic Forum, Melbourne Innovation Summit, Mediterranean Leaders Week, Halal Lifestyle and Sarajevo Business Forum, amongst other.
Enabling Growth
14:55 – 15:25 / 14 November 2024
Nadim Badran
Director – Commercial & Engagement
Dubai Expo City
Nadim Badran
Director – Commercial & Engagement
Dubai Expo City
Currently serving as the Business Engagement and Partnerships Director at Expo City, Nadim brings a wealth of expertise in cultivating strategic alliances and driving business growth. In this role, Nadim plays a pivotal role in forging partnerships, fostering collaborations, and maximizing revenue opportunities for the organization.With over 16 years of dynamic leadership experience in sales and commercial strategy, Nadim has consistently delivered exceptional results, driving multi-million-dollar revenues and spearheading groundbreaking initiatives in the events industry.
Prior to his current position, Nadim held key leadership roles at renowned organizations such as Clarion Events and DMG Events, where he demonstrated a knack for transformative leadership and exceeded sales targets. Notably, as Commercial Director at Clarion Events, Nadim orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for EDEX 2021, Egypt’s Defence Expo, surpassing sales targets by an impressive 44%, despite pandemic challenges.
Enabling Growth
15:40 – 16:00 / 14 November 2024
Mohamed Sharaf
COO
Dubai Economic Development Corporation
Mohamed Sharaf
COO
Dubai Economic Development Corporation
Mohamed Sharaf is Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), a subsidiary of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).As the economic development arm of Dubai, DEDC’s mandate is in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33 to further consolidate Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities. Mohamed is responsible for promoting economic growth through attraction of Foreign Direct Investment and world class talent to the economy as envisioned under the D33 Agenda. Additionally, he has a focus on supporting the growth and expansion of Dubai based businesses locally and globally.
Prior to joining DET, Mohamed was COO and Managing Director of Dubai Holding Entertainment (DHE), where he led operations of Dubai’s largest and most diverse entertainment portfolio including Global Village, Ain Dubai, Coca-Cola Arena, Arabian Radio Network and The Green Planet. During his time with Dubai Holding, he led and managed the successful integration of Dubai Holding and Meraas’ entertainment portfolios to create DHE. He also oversaw the addition of Dubai’s leading theme park destination manager and operator, DXB Entertainment, to the DHE portfolio to form one of the region’s largest entertainment businesses.
Mohamed previously was the CEO of Arab Media Group, Dubai Holding’s media and entertainment focused vertical. He has also served as the Chairman of the Board of Malta Properties Company plc and Yvolv LLC, and served as a board member, committee member or board observer at numerous organisations locally and globally including Rove Hospitality, Rivoli Group, Ishraq Holding, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Travelodge, Doncasters, and StandardAero.
He began his career as an investment professional with Dubai International Capital (a Dubai Holding investment vehicle) managing a diverse portfolio with assets under management in excess of USD 3 billion invested in regional and global businesses across Europe and the Middle East.
Mohamed holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a minor in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Tufts University in Medford, MA, and a Master’s degree in Finance from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.. He was one of the first students selected for the EDAAD scholarship.
Embracing D33
09:35 – 9:55 / 14 November 2024
Ali Hassan
Senior Vice President – Business Development
DIFC
Ali Hassan
Senior Vice President – Business Development
DIFC
Ali Hassan is a Senior Representative for the DIFC Authority in Europe and North America and Director of Business Development for the Centre.In his current role, Mr. Hassan supports the CEO in developing and promoting the insurance, banking and capital markets; wealth and asset management; fostering an innovative ecosystem for multinational companies and professional service providers, in line with the Centre’s business strategies. He plays an active role in managing client development and is also responsible for promoting and spreading awareness about DIFC’s competitiveness and positioning it regionally and globally.
Mr. Hassan brings vast regulatory knowledge and commercial experience to his position at the DIFC Authority, having supervised and authorised a diverse range of businesses, including exchanges, trading platforms, wealth management, investment banking and brokerage operations with experience in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
Mr Hassan pursued Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Law from the University of London and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1999. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment in the UK.
Opportunities in an Innovative, Robust and Sophisticated Financial Sector
11:35 – 11:55 / 14 November 2024
Cora McLaren
Managing Director, Head of International Subsidiary Banking
HSBC UK Bank plc
Cora McLaren
Managing Director, Head of International Subsidiary Banking
HSBC UK Bank plc
Cora McLaren joined HSBC in September 2012 and took up her current role as Managing Director, Head of International Subsidiary Banking in April 2022. Cora is a member of the UK Commercial Banking Executive Committee. In her role, Cora is responsible for leading a team of international banking professionals and supporting HSBC clients expand their businesses internationally, leveraging HSBC’s global network. Cora has 25 years of experience in the financial industry. In her role, she frequently engages with corporates who are entering or expanding in the UK and UK businesses expanding overseas to provide support and connections to enable their success.Prior to this role, Cora led the transformation of the client onboarding and KYC experience across 18 markets in Asia Pacific, has been the Head of Wholesale Banking in Bermuda, before which she undertook regional leadership of Corporate Banking and Business Banking teams in HSBC UK. Over her career, she has worked in the UK, India, Bermuda and Hong Kong.
Before working at HSBC, Cora led teams and supported clients at Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays Bank. Her experience spans strategic and front-line customer leadership roles, product partner experience and operational management.
Cora is an English graduate and holds an MSc in Financial Services Management.
Opportunities in an Innovative, Robust and Sophisticated Financial Sector
11:35 – 11:55 / 14 November 2024
Jo Malone CBE
Founder & Creative Director
Jo Loves
Jo Malone CBE
Founder & Creative Director
Jo Loves
Jo Malone CBE – Founder and Creative Director of Jo Loves, Internationally renownedSpeaker, Entrepreneur and Global Scent Maverick
“Designing Fragrance is who I am. It makes my heart beat.” Jo Malone CBE Jo Malone CBE has been described as an ‘English scent maverick’ and the woman responsible for creating some of the world’s most loved fragrances.
Originally a facial therapist, Jo fell in love with fragrance while working from her discreet skin care clinic, which she set up from her London home. Discovering an instinctual talent for creating scented products by hand in her kitchen, word of her exceptional potions quickly spread and soon Jo was unable to keep up with demand. From these artisan beginnings jo launched her first brand, jo Malone London, which gained cult status around the world. In 1999, Jo sold the business to Estée Lauder Companies and remained Creative Director until she left in 2006. Jo is no longer associated with the Jo Malone London brand or Jo Malone London products.
Two years later in 2008, jo was honoured with an MBE for her services to the beauty industry.
In the years that followed, and aware that her passion for fragrance never left her, it was falling in love with cooking that inspired jo to play with food, flavours and colours that she had never used before. Being back in her kitchen, blending ingredients by hand and excited by the process, she soon realised that her instincts were prompting her to create fragrance and she found herself asking ‘could i do it again?”. Possessing an inherent entrepreneurial flair, a head full of ideas and the desire to build another business, jo decided to follow her instincts and returned to the beauty industry.
In November 2011, five years after leaving Jo Malone London, she launched her new brand Jo Loves to global anticipation and in 2013, Jo open the first jo Loves store in Belgravia’s Elizabeth Street, where coincidentally she began her career as a 16-year-old florist.
Bottling her undeniable desire to create beautiful and unexpected fragrances, pioneering new products and entertaining experiences, Jo Loves embodies integrity, creativity and innovation. Jo Loves’ scents, bath, body and candle collection, are inspired by the memories and moments in life that jo herself loves and her creative seal of integrity, symbolised by the red dot, is stamped across everything that bears the Jo Loves name. jo Loves continues to expand globally to this day, with products avcilable across the world and in several categories from Fragrance, Home Candles, Personal Care & Lifestyle Fragrances and Diffusers.
“When I start out with a fragrance I don’t always know where it will lead. It’s a creative process that often surprises me and I like that. Jo Loves is full of excitement and anticipation, and I want to discover things that I’ve only ever dreamed about. Everyday I’m struck by different smells which evoke emotions or memories that inspire me to be creative. The scent of my husband’s cologne, freshly washed linen, hot Moroccan mint tea, the smell of a horse’s saddle and New York in the rain, are just a few of my favourites, but the list continues to go on and on”.
Jo was awarded a CBE in the June 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her services to the British economy and the GREAT British Campaign, which promotes British creativity and industry on the international stage.
In 2016, Jo published her award-winning Autobiography “My Story”: Known around the world for her eponymous brand of fragrances and now her venture jo Loves, jo Malone tells the remarkable and inspiring story of her rise from humble beginnings to beloved business success. Raised in government-subsidized housing in Kent in the early 1960s, Jo left school as a teenager to care for her mother after she had a stroke. Jo had not been successful in school because of her dyslexia, but she had the ability to see and feel everything in scent. Her at-home beauty business and hand-made products became popular, and word of her talent spread until an international brand was born. After the sale of her company and the birth of her son, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent treatment in New York. Thus jo began the second chapter of her life.
Jo regularly contributes to consumer public relations in addition to radio and TV appearances.
Recognised for her industry and entrepreneurial expertise, jo is a highly sort-after and renowned International Speaker – regularly sharing her knowledge and insights with audiences around the world, highlighting her entrepreneurial journey and how she intends to change the way the world wears fragrance.
Jo’s enduring dedication to the art of fragrance continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide. Her legacy in the industry is marked by her distinctive scents and the impact she has made as an entrepreneurial trailblazer.
She feels this chapter of her life is proving to be the most creative and exciting, every day is an adventure full of passion, resilience and creativity.
Inside Dubai
12:25 – 12:40 / 14 November 2024
H.E. Abdulaziz Bin Yagub AlSerkal
CEO, Industrial Platform
Dubai Investments PJSC
H.E. Abdulaziz Bin Yagub AlSerkal
CEO, Industrial Platform
Dubai Investments PJSC
Abdulaziz Bin Yagub Al Serkal is the CEO of Industrial Platform at Dubai Investments, consisting of a portfolio of subsidiaries which offer a comprehensive range of products and services in the construction sector. Over the years, Mr Serkal has played a key role and has been instrumental in the successful planning and completion of several key industrial projects.In addition to his role at Dubai Investments, Serkal also serves as the Board member for several Dubai Investments companies including varied businesses like Emirates District Cooling, Dubai Investments Industries, Masharie, Dubai Investments Real Estate, Al Taif Investments, Al Mal Capital, and Al Qudra Sports Management.
Serkal held several key positions within Dubai Investments such as the General Manager at Dubai Investments for six years, where he was responsible for all the industrial and overseas investments of Dubai Investments, and CEO of Masharie LLC, a subsidiary with a focus on corporate venture capital and private equity activities and as Director of Projects at Dubai Investments, where he was instrumental in the successful planning and completion of several key industrial projects.
Prior to joining Dubai Investments, Serkal served Emirates Industrial Bank for 13 years, a federal government financial institution supporting the industrial development in the country. Al Serkal completed his education at University of Southern California, USA, where he majored in Industrial and System Engineering.
Real Estate
14:45 – 15:30 / 14 November 2024
Ammar Al Malik
Executive Vice President – Commercial Leasing
TECOM Group
Ammar Al Malik
Executive Vice President – Commercial Leasing
TECOM Group
Ammar Al Malik is the Executive Vice President of Commercial Leasing at TECOM Group. Ammar is responsible for the growth and development of nine business communities and for building an innovative ecosystem for companies and individuals.Ammar joined TECOM group in 2005, and most recently served as the Managing Director of Dubai Internet City. Ammar began his career as a Strategic Planning Officer at the Dubai E-Government Department. Ammar joined TECOM Group in 2005 and over the last 16 years, he has held a variety of leadership positions including Director of Operations, Director Business Development and Managing Director of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource City.
Ammar holds an MBA from the Kwansei Gakuin University (Japan) and a Bachelor’s Degree in E-Commerce from Higher Colleges of Technology (United Arab Emirates). Ammar has also completed several executive programmes including the INSEAD Executive Development Programme.
Enabling Growth
14:20 – 14:40 / 14 November 2024
Mark Rosenberg
COO Europe
DP World
Mark Rosenberg
COO Europe
DP World
Mark Rosenberg joined DP World in 2020 as Commercial and Marketing Director for the Europe region, bringing extensive leadership experience from Maersk where he worked for over two decades in senior leadership roles in Sweden, UAE and the Netherlands.In his current role as Chief Commercial Officer – Ports & Terminals for Europe, Mark leads the commercial strategy team and partners closely with our CEOs across Europe to identify new products and areas for continuous growth, and ensures the region’s commercial and operational entities are in lockstep to successfully deliver the services we sell to customers.
A vastly experienced leader, Mark passionately believes that putting time and energy into developing people and talent is what ultimately delivers results and success. Upon joining DP World Mark introduced developed and launched the organisation’s first Commercial Academy, which has been replicated across DP World’s regions.
Born and educated in Denmark, Mark has relocated to the UK with his family in 2020. In his spare time Mark’s passions include playing golf and following football team Manchester United.
Embracing D33: Dubai-UK Collaboration for a Thriving Ecosystem
09:50 – 10:20 / 14 November 2024
Salem Al Shamsi
Vice President – Global Markets
Dubai Chambers
Salem Al Shamsi
Vice President – Global Markets
Dubai Chambers
Salem Al Shamsi is the Vice President of Global Markets at Dubai Chambers. In his current role, he manages an extensive network of strategically located international representative offices in key markets across the Middle East, Africa, Eurasia, China, India, and Latin America. Al Shamsi leverages his expertise and strong business acumen to play a critical role in achieving the objectives outlined in Dubai Chambers’ 2024-2022 strategy. As part of his duties, he is responsible for strengthening partnerships with global chambers, international businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs, with the goal of cementing Dubai’s status as a leading global hub for trade and investments. In addition, he oversees the implementation of the Dubai Global initiative, which was launched in 2022 to create a powerful network of 50 international representative offices for Dubai in 30 targeted markets across five continents by 2030. Prior to joining Dubai Chambers, Al Shamsi served as Deputy Director of the Policy Planning Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his tenure, he worked closely with the Minister’s office to ensure all polices were updated and implemented effectively. Al Shamsi holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of San Diego in California, together with an MBA from the American University of Sharjah. He has successfully completed a diploma in project management, as well as a diploma in strategy execution from INSEAD business school and a master’s degree in global affairs and diplomatic leadership.Embracing D33: Dubai-UK Collaboration for a Thriving Ecosystem
09:50 – 10:20 / 14 November 2024
Matthew Griffin
Founder and Futurist in Chief
311 Institute
Matthew Griffin
Founder and Futurist in Chief
311 Institute
Matthew Griffin, multi-award winning Futurist has been described as a “Walking encyclopaedia of the future” by NASA and a futurist polymath. One of the world’s most renowned futurists and strategic foresight experts Matthew is the 15 times author of the blockbuster “Codex of the Future” series, and is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working across the next 50 years.A rare talent in his past Matthew helped build and run several multi-billion dollar business units for Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, and his ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends on global business, culture, and society has earned him a powerful reputation and a roster of clients that include royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77+ governments, and many of the world’s most respected brands.
Future-Forward: Innovation and Growth through Dubai-UK Economic Opportunities
10:20 – 10:35 / 14 November 2024
Jeremy Thomas
Founder, Owner and CEO
Astral Tech
Jeremy Thomas
Founder, Owner and CEO
Astral Tech
The inspiration for Jeremy’s entrepreneurial spirit was driven by his experiences as a consumer in 90’s.“In the 90’s the simplest of things were such hard work and so time consuming. Very few experiences felt customer-centric. Life was just frustrating.”
Jeremy rapidly identified that through digitization we could build transparent and satisfying customer experiences at the same time as driving greater efficiency within businesses.
Starting in 1999 with digital transformation across many verticals, Jeremy has been focused on the energy sector since 2005. He has organically grown a company that now serves more than 25% of the UK’s industrial and commercial energy market and has successfully taken the product into the US.
In 2020 he moved his company HQ to Dubai, taking advantage of the favorable time zone, straight forward legislation, and global talent pool.
Whilst staying at the forefront of digitalization of the energy sector, Jeremy is also a thought leader around AI safety, and the use of AI in government.
The Green Frontier: Cultivating Collaboration
11:10 – 11:30 / 14 November 2024
Alex White
General Manager EMEA
Sambanova
Alex White
General Manager EMEA
Sambanova
Alex joined SambaNova Systems in August 2022 as General Manager for EMEA.Responsible for managing the region and driving growth, Alex’s role extends to strategic planning, business operations and the management of key functions including sales, channels, services and marketing.
Previously, Alex was on the Board of Virtual Clarity, a start up consultancy firm specialising in large enterprise cloud migrations, infrastructure transformation, and system integration services. As Senior Vice President for Global Partners, he was instrumental in the sale and integration of the business to DXC Technology.
Until 2016, Alex spent 11 years at VMware, latterly as Vice President of the Enterprise business in EMEA. Overseeing a 500-person team, he was in charge of driving VMware’s enterprise client segment including sales, marketing, and technical support. Previously, Alex was Vice President for VMware’s end-user computing, mobility, enterprise management and automation solutions across EMEA. He also had responsibility for the VMware Enterprise Account program and market segmentation strategy in EMEA.
Alex has worked for over 30 years in the IT Industry.
AI and Advanced Tech: From Idea to Impact
11:30 – 12:00 / 14 November 2024
Nader Al Bastaki
Managing Director
Dubai Future Fund District
Nader Al Bastaki
Managing Director
Dubai Future Fund District
Nader Albastaki is Managing Director at the Dubai Future District Fund, an evergreen venture fund of funds and direct investment vehicle of the emirate of Dubai. The fund is anchored by Dubai Future Foundation and the Dubai International Financial Centre to invest into Future Economies with the aim of bolstering economic development in Dubai, the UAE and the broader region.Nader’s first exposure to early-stage tech start-ups came in 2012 when he co-founded a healthcare technology start-up that expanded to 4 countries in the Middle East by the time of his departure, in early 2015. In 2017, Nader became a founding member of Keiretsu Forum’s Dubai Chapter, an angel investment platform focused on bridge rounds, where he was involved in investments and deal screening. He went on to be a mentor at the Intelak Incubator, NYU Abu Dhabi and Unilever’s Young Entrepreneur Awards for several cohorts, amongst other start-up focused programs. In 2020, he co-founded a travel technology start-up that eventually merged with a global player in 2023.
Prior, and in parallel, to venturing into the tech ecosystem, Nader spent 7 years at HSBC Middle East, where he oversaw the non-bank financial institutions portfolio, covered corporate and small-medium sized enterprises for the bank – roughly doubling the banks business in key areas of accountability. After his time in banking, Nader joining Dubai Tourism to develop a Strategic Partnerships department and create an Advanced Analytics team, resulting in over 40 Strategic Partnerships and over 30 cost saving initiatives. At his last employer, the Dubai Future Foundation, Nader was involved in over 20 initiatives and strategies that would drive social, technological, economic and environmental impact, estimated at over $5 billion to the Emirate of Dubai.
Other past experiences include Standard Chartered Bank and the UAE Armed Forces.
Nader earned his Master of Business Administration from INSEAD, his Master of Science in Business Analytics from New York University’s Stern School of Business, and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Waterloo, Canada.