Speakers

His Excellency Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori is the Chairman of Dubai Chambers and Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to his roles at Dubai Chambers, H.E. Al Mansoori serves as Chairman of the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai, Chairman of the Postal Sector Regulation Committee, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Hosting the 28th UPU Congress in Dubai 2025 and member of board of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), Prior to joining Dubai Chambers, H.E. Al Mansoori held a number of key ministerial roles in the UAE government. Between 2008 and 2020, His Excellency served as Minister of the Economy. Previously, he held the posts of Minister of Governmental Sector Development and Minister of Transport and Communications.

Throughout his career, His Excellency has held senior leadership roles at high-profile public and private organisations, as well as driving the success of impactful national initiatives. He has served as Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, the UAE international Investors Council, the UAE SME Council, the Board of Directors of the Securities and Commodities Authority, and the Insurance Authority.

In addition, H.E. Al Mansoori held the post of Chairman at the Federal Civil Aviation Authority, the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, and the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology. He has also served as a member of the Education and Human Resources Council, the Board of Directors of the Emirates Investment Authority, and the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.

H.E. Al Mansoori held the role of Deputy Director General of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1996 and 1998. Other notable previous posts include Group Managing Director of Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, Vice President of Dubai Islamic Bank, and Chairman of Aman (Dubai Islamic Insurance Company).

His Excellency holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and management systems from Arizona State University, USA. He also gained a diploma in computer system analysis from the Institute of Computer Technology in Los Angeles, California.

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 boardat 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.

As Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC) at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Hadi Badri is responsible for leading the DEDC team in orchestrating the implementation of projects related to the Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’. As the economic development arm of Dubai, DEDC is mandated to enhance Dubai’s economic competitiveness across sectors, diversify the emirate’s economy, attract foreign investment and global talent, and develop initiatives that foster innovation and drive Dubai’s digital economy. 
Hadi also serves as a member of the board of directors of the Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD), one of the leading banks in the UAE, and as Chairman of Network International UAE Board, one of the Middle East and Africa’s largest digital payments companies.
Prior to joining DET, Hadi held various management roles at Emaar Properties, including CEO of Emaar International, Group Chief Strategy Officer at Emaar, and Chairman of Namshi. He also gained extensive experience working with multinational companies in various fields. Hadi was a Principal at Bain & Company, where he led a range of complex strategy and organizational projects across industries. He was also an investment professional at The Carlyle Group and Dubai International Capital.
Hadi has served as a Board Director for Emaar Properties in 15 companies across real estate, e-commerce, and hospitality, including Emaar’s real estate development businesses in India, Turkey, andPakistan, as well as Namshi (fashion e-commerce) and Rove Hotels (hospitality). He has also previously served as a Board Director at Sandooq Al Watan and Rivoli Group and as a member of the Investment Advisory Committees at Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP) and Carlyle MENA Partners.
Hadi is an honors graduate in Economics from Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA.

His Excellency Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi is the sixth Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the People’s Republic of China, having assumed this post in May 2023.
Prior to this diplomatic posting, His Excellency had been a Minister in the Cabinet of the UAE for nearly eight years, having served as UAE Minister of Education from July 2014 until May 2022.
His Excellency previously held a series of high-level positions in the UAE. These include Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT), Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Abu Dhabi Institute of Vocational Education and Training (ADVETI), and Chairman of the Emirates Transport Board of Directors. Additionally, he has 10 years of experience in the private sector, establishing business entities in logistics and healthcare,etc. 
His Excellency was also Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research from 2014 to 2022, Chairman of the Higher Committee of the Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme from 2015 to 2022, and a Member of the Board of Directors for the Khalifa Award for Education from 2014 to 2022.
His Excellency Al Hammadi holds a BS degree in Aerospace Engineering from the United States. Throughout his career, he acquired expertise in diverse fields, particularly across academic administration, government service, and the private sector. His initiatives have had great impact on achieving paramount advancements in education, technical and vocational training, coordinating the alignment between specialised education
and the developmental needs and aspirations of the UAE, thereby laying the cornerstone for the empowerment of the Emirati workforce.

Abdulla Al Hashmi leads DP World’s Parks & Zones pillar in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. In this role, he oversees key assets including Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), Dubai Auto Zone (DAZ), National Industries Park (NIP), Dubai Maritime City, the re-development of Mina Rashid and Jafza Enterprises.
Joining DP World’s commercial department in 2010, Abdulla has held numerous leadership roles, playing a key part in positioning the business as a global smart trade enabler.
With more than 16 years of experience in finance and commerce, Abdulla has spearheaded the execution of large-scale mergers, acquisitions and greenfield deals. As a senior member of the Corporate Finance and Business Development team, he also informed investment strategies to support the group’s transformation from a port operator to a global trade enabler.
Abdulla previously held the position of Vice President of Business Intelligence, where he was responsible for implementing a data-driven approach to addressing supply chain disruptions, supporting DP World’s business growth and enhancing the trade competitiveness of Jebel Ali and Dubai.
A seasoned industry professional, Abdulla serves as Director on several DP World boards and other entities.

Badr Abbas assumed the role of Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates SkyCargo in July 2024, leading global cargo operations for the world's largest international airline. In this role, Badr will oversee the division's 10-year strategic growth plan, to ensure Emirates SkyCargo is a leading partner to the world's rapidly evolving supply chains, connecting over 152 destinations across six continents, to better facilitate global trade.

In his 25-year tenure with the Emirates Group, Badr has held several leadership positions, encompassing various commercial roles which will see him bring a wealth of diverse commercial and aviation experience to his new role.

Since 2019, Badr served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Africa, overseeing a vast remit comprised of 21 routes in 18 countries and gaining invaluable experience in one of the airline's key growth markers. Prior to that, Badr was appointed Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Far East, managing 13 markets. Badr has also served as Vice President of UAE and Oman and had the opportunity to work in senior managerial capacities in regions including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, and Cyprus.

Badr holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, as well as a Higher Diploma in Accounting. He has also completed the impactful Leader's Program from Mohammed Bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development, the Global Business Consortium from the prestigious London Business School, and Emirates Leadership Development Programme from Cranfield School of Management.

He has received several awards and accolades in his illustrious 25-year career, such as Top Overall Station Award in Saudi Arabia, and several Sales Excellence/Best working practices Awards in UAE, Pakistan, and Yemen.

Fadi Ghandour is the Executive Chairman of Wamda Group, a platform that invests, nurtures and builds entrepreneurship eco-systems across the Middle East and North Africa.

Mr. Ghandour is also the Founder of Aramex, one of the leading global logistics companies. Mr. Ghandour spent the first 30 years of his work life as CEO of Aramex, building the company, making it the leading emerging market logistics company, employing over 15,000 people working in over 250 offices in 90 countries. He took the company public twice, first on Nasdaq making it the first company from the Arab world to do so, then on Dubai Financial market. He continues to be active on the Aramex board.

Mr. Ghandour is a serial entrepreneur. In his career, he was involved with founding, investing and launching tens of companies and non-profits, ranging from digital tech, hospitality, fitness & wellness.

Passionate about impact and social entrepreneurship, Mr. Ghandour founded and chairs Ruwwad for Development, a private sector led community empowerment platform that helps marginalized communities, across several countries in the MENA region, overcome marginalization through activism, civic engagement, education and financial inclusion.
Mr. Ghandour also served and continues to serve on several global and regional boards of companies, education institutions and non-profits.

Jason Hua is the Chief Strategy Officer of Yalla Group (NYSE: YALA), where he oversees investment, strategy, and business development. He joined Yalla Group in 2021. Prior to Yalla Group, he served as Director of Composite Capital and led the team’s trading and capital market activities. Mr. Hua began his career at Goldman Sachs, where he held various roles in the investment banking division.

Mr. Hua holds an M.A. in Economics from The Graduate School of Arts and Science of New York University and a B.A. in Accounting from Guanghua School of Management of Peking University. He also received an Executive M.B.A degree from the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University. Mr. Hua is a CFA Charterholder and a member of CPA Australia.

Khalifa AlQama is the Chief of Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) at Dubai Future Foundation, where he leads the strategy and execution of Dubai’s national RDI agenda. He oversees Dubai Future Labs, Sandbox Dubai, and the Research Centres Funding Program, advancing applied research in robotics, AI, and emerging technologies.
Through his leadership, AlQama drives ecosystem-wide grants and initiatives, forging partnerships with global institutions, industry leaders, and scientists to accelerate technology adoption across priority sectors. His work strengthens the UAE’s position as a global hub for innovation and future-driven research.

Mr. Du joined ARIDGE (formerly XPENG AEROHT) in 2025, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Vice President. With extensive experience in capital markets and corporate finance, he is overseeing the company’s capital market activities, financial and legal management systems, and overseas expansions to support the company’s long-term strategic goals.

Prior to joining ARIDGE, Mr. Du spent a decade at Deutsche Bank’s investment banking division, where he led numerous overseas IPOs and cross-border M&A transactions across various sectors including new economy, internet, education, and advanced manufacturing. He later served as Chief Financial Officer of 17 Education Technology Group, a NASDAQ-listed education technology company. He was responsible for its finance, strategy, business analytics, investor relations, and legal affairs, and led the company through its pre-IPO fundraising and IPO on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange (totalled US$450 million).

Mr. Du holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from The University of Hong Kong.

Mira Wu is the Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of Legend Holding Group and a member of the Emirates Businesswomen Council. She leads a diversified UAE enterprise recognized for certified excellence and sustainability leadership. Over the past two decades, she has transformed Legend from a single automotive venture into a multi-sector conglomerate spanning mobility, energy, tourism, industrial manufacturing, and smart technologies-now operating in 10+ countries with a workforce of more than 600 professionals.
Under her leadership, Legend earned the MOIAT 5-Star Certification, multiple ISO 9001:2015 accreditations, the Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (2024), and the Ideas Arabia International Award (2025), strengthening the group’s reputation for quality, innovation, and operational rigor.
Mira is widely regarded as a key bridge between the UAE and China, driving cross-border investments, industrial partnerships, and strategic government-level engagements across both economies. Guided by her principle “Together We Grow,” she is known for her disciplined vision, ability to unlock global opportunities, and commitment to building long-term value and sustainable economic impact for the region.

Mr. Yang Nan joined Baidu in January 2026, responsible for Apollo Go international business in markets outside mainland China. Prior to Baidu, he was CEO of CAR Inc., the largest car rental company in China. Mr. Yang joined DiDi Chuxing in 2016 following its acquisition of Uber China where he acted as the country head of Uber for Business, then became general manager of DiDi Luxe and DiDi Premier. Prior to DiDi/Uber, He took multiple senior management roles at Digital China, the largest IT service provider and product distributor in the country. At the early stage of his career, Mr. Yang was a technology/strategy consultant with IBM Global Business Services, McKinsey & Company Beijing office, and McKinsey Asia House in Frankfurt. He graduated from Tsinghua University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering physics and a minor degree in English Literature.

Noor Sweid is the Founder of Global Ventures, a leading venture capital firm based in the UAE, investing across the Middle East and Africa (currently deploying from Fund III). Prior to launching Global Ventures in 2018, Noor was the Chief Investment Officer at The Dubai Future Foundation. Before her tenure at DFF, she successfully scaled two companies. The first was Depa, initially her family business and ultimately the world's largest interior company, which she listed on the LSE and NASDAQ in April 2008 in a billion-dollar IPO. The second company was ZenYoga, the region's first yoga studio, which became the largest yoga and wellness chain, and which she exited to a PE firm in 2014.
Noor is frequently featured as an authoritative voice on venture capital in the region by Bloomberg, CNN, and Forbes. She has appeared on the covers of Entrepreneur ME and Womenpreneur ME and has been cited by Forbes as one of the "World's Top 50 Women in Tech" and "The Middle East's Top Venture Capitalists." She has also been recognized by Arabian Business as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Arab Women" and is a judge on Shark Tank Dubai. She is an MIT Sloan 2005 alumni, Aspen Fellow, Kauffman Fellow and YGL. Noor is the author of the Amazon bestselling book, 'Coming of Age: How Technology and Entrepreneurship are Changing the Face of MENA', and is a strong advocate for founders in the region, helping them scale their businesses into global success stories.

Rachel Xie serves as General Manager of Tencent Cloud MENA and General Manager of Operations, Channel Development & Marketing for Tencent Cloud International. In the MENA region, she drives Tencent Cloud's business development, solution architecture, and channel ecosystem strategy across high-growth hubs such as Dubai and Riyadh, leading the expansion of its enterprise partner network throughout the Middle East. Globally, she directs Tencent Cloud International’s operations, marketing strategy, and channel development across markets including Singapore, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Europe, and the United States.
Rachel is an international business leader with over 15 years of experience driving global growth across technology, internet, cloud, and digital businesses. Since joining Tencent in 2011, she has played a key role in expanding the company's flagship products, including WeChat, Tencent Advertising, and Tencent Cloud, scaling their global footprint across highly competitive markets. Her deep foundation in end-to-end commercial market entry and global operational frameworks has earned her a distinguished track record for optimizing cross-border go-to-market strategies and building high-performing, multicultural teams worldwide.

Rita Huang is the Founder and CEO of iMile, where she leads the company’s global strategy and organizational development.
Since founding iMile in 2017, Rita has grown the company from a startup into a global express and logistics provider with operations spanning more than 30 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, Oceania, and Africa. Under her leadership, iMile has built a strong global logistics network and continuously enhanced its operational capabilities by integrating technology innovation with localized operations, delivering efficient and reliable logistics solutions to e-commerce platforms, brands, and merchants worldwide.
With over 18 years of experience leading global businesses and technology organizations, Rita has played transformative roles in scaling high-growth organizations and building innovative digital infrastructures. Prior to founding iMile, Rita held leadership roles at global technology companies including Huawei and Alibaba. During her tenure at Alibaba, she served as CTO of the company’s Middle East joint venture, where she was instrumental in advancing technology development and supporting the business’s regional growth.
Rita holds a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. In recognition of her leadership and contributions to the logistics industry, she has been recognized by leading industry and business rankings, including Forbes Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2025 and 20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2023.

Xiang Li is the CEO of Middle East, South Asia and Africa at YTO International. He has 14 years of professional experience in the Middle East region, having held business development and management roles across Türkiye, Qatar, and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. His career spans local companies, leading Chinese enterprises, and multinational organizations, giving him extensive exposure to regional market expansion, business operations, and cross-cultural management.
Xiang Li has strong hands-on experience in building businesses from the ground up in the Middle East. He is familiar with the key challenges faced by Chinese companies expanding into the region, including market entry, business development, local partnerships, organizational setup, and cross-cultural communication. With a deep understanding of Middle Eastern business culture, the UAE market, and the regional logistics and trade ecosystem, Mr. Li focuses on how Chinese enterprises can leverage Dubai’s strategic location and international business environment to enhance supply chain connectivity and support regional and global growth.

Mr. Wan currently serves as the CEO and Chair of the Executive Committee of China Merchants Capital.
He previously held positions including President of PICC Capital Insurance Asset Management Company Limited, Chairman of PICC Capital Equity Investment Company Limited, Vice President of PICC Capital Investment Company, Vice President of China Life Healthcare Industry Investment Company Limited, President of China Life Equity Investment Company Limited, and Vice President of China Life Investment Holding Company Limited.
Mr. Wan holds a bachelor's degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and master's degrees from Nankai University and West Virginia University.